Evening journal., 1917-10-22
CONSUMER Can HELP
IN SUGAR crisis
Dealers Warn Against
boarding and Some Limit
Individual Sales
NEW CROP WILL
RELIEVE SHORTAGE

Wholesale grocers and confectioners
OF the city, when interviewed by a rep
resentative OF THE EVENING JOUR-
NAL this morning, were loathe TO be
quoted individually on anything so
critical as the sugar situation, but they
had considerable 10 say upon the
sugar shortage as II will AFFECT local
people.
The local iobbers and manufacturing
confectloners emphasized the fact that
the attitude Of consumers will make
all the difference as to how much VII
mington will feel the sugar shortage.
III Wilmington consumers become
panic-stricken and take this time TO
lay up a slx-months' supply for their
families they will be doing a perfectly
unnecessary thing for themselves, as
the shortage can only last until the
new crop comes in within i've or six
weeks. and they VIII be doing an un-
.atrlotic thing by making the scarcity
in the city far gerater than necessary
said a leading confectioner.
1--WE are limiting the quantities we
sell at a time TO one retailer was the
report from one OF the large jobbing
houses Of the city. I'VE are recon-
mendlng the retailer 10 sell only two
pounds st a time TO customer. The
Wholesale men will not make, and
have not made any advance In the
urice OF sugar at wholesale. We are
selling Il at a 2 per cent, loss until the
temporary shortage is over. We ask
y the cooperation OF all the retailers OF
Z lhe city, IN likewise refraining from
, advancing the price Of sugar beyond a
reasonable price
"V7a consider 40 cents a pound would
be a fsir retail price. II would allow
small pproit. Keeping the price nor
nal will have a lot 10 do with prevent
ing panic and frenzied buying by
sugar hoarders."
The jobbers advise consumers TO buy
normally and 10 practice economy IN
/ the household use OF sugar.
! The local confectioners differ wide
~ in their views OF the situation. One
| leading candy manufacturer stated he
could get enough sugar 20 tide over
the shortage and was not worried.
other local candy men, who were
hard put 10 10 10 get sugar, admitted
hoped 20 pull through the crisis II peo-
/ pie did not rush into a sugar-hoarding
panic.
According 10 brokers' reports. re
finers are either closed down or run
ming on limited capacity until theil
present stocks are cleaned up. Cuba
holds a very small quantity Of sugar
but win not sell at the price LAID
down by the food administration. Tit
beet sugar crop will be largely de
lmanded by the west, and freight din
lculties and late crop prevent IL
being an immediate relief. The new
icrop from Cuba and Hawaii will no
become available for refneries unit
December.
The city confectioners are furthe
embarrassed by the lack OF sugar a
the time when they are Just starting
to make their holiday supplies.
The United States Food Commissioner
has Just issued the following statement
"There viii be a temporary shortag'
; in the supply Of sugar in the are;
north Of Savannah and east Of Pitts
burgh, during the latter part Of October
and the month OF November, pending
the arrival in the market OF new
sugar. The beet sugar factories In thu
western states are rapidly coming int
action, and. together with the Ia
wailan production, viii be able IN {
, short time TO take care OF the sugai
. supply IN the area west OF the terri
tory referred TO. Beet sugar should
reach the Atlantic seaboard by the enl
Of November"