The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-10-21
SUGAR FAMINE
HARD BLOWTO
CANDY MAKERS
Holiday Trade Paralyzed
and Factories Either Close
or Shorten the Hours.
HOOVER CUTS THEM OFF
Manufacturers of Condensed
Milk, Bakers and Other Food
Makers Given Preference.

Candy manufacturers in New York
are greatly alarmed over the shortage
Of sugar. Many small plants have been
shut down. Other concerns which have
been working night and day gangs to
turn out candy for the Christmas trade
have been compelled TO shut down
nights. Practically all have been
obliged to reduce operations. 1t Is ad-
mitted that hardly a manufacturer in
the trade knows what the morrow will
bring forth, and all face the danger OF
shutdowns.
The national food administration be-
lieves that candy, being a luxury. must
take back seat. and preference is being
given to the condensed milk manufac-
turer. the baker and others in the mat
manufacturer comes sixth on the list.
and by the time the wants OF the others
are cared for II Is believed there will not
be enough sugar left during the next
six weeks to give the candy men what
they need. This is what makes the inn
mediate future so dark for that big in
dustry.
Hoover Puts MIX First.
Food Administrator Hoover had the
Following telegram sent Yesterday to
the American refners' committee in
New York and the sugar distributing
commission Of Chicago. handling re-
spectively cane and beet sugar:
We consider 1t essential to reduce
consistently sales of sugar for produce
tion Of candy. These must be reduced
In order to provide household and al
lied needs. This request applies to man
ufdcturers Of gums. cordials. syrups and
luxuries. Manufacturers Of food prod
ucts should have preference. condensed
milk companies coming first"
This request is expected greatly to re-
duce the sugar consumption In the area
CT plentiful sugar south Of Savannah and
west OF Pittsburg and to expedite the
arrival OF beet sugar into the sparse
areas.
Mr. Hoover said yesterday that the
purchase OF more sugar by households
than is needed from week to week only
adds difficulties to the distributing aEen-
cies OF the country who are cooperating
loyalty to minimize the period and in
tensity Of shortage that exists In the
northeastern States.
View OF Loft OmciaI.
There are about 1000. 900 persons en-
ployed In the candy trade in the United
states and about $4,000 in New York
city. If the candy plants are compelled
to close down these hands will be thrown
out OF work and as soon as the stocks
IN candy stores are gone the girls and
the men behind the counters will have
to go too.
jacques r. Haas. secretary-treasurer
of Lofts. which employs $500 In two
factories and fourteen stores, said ''Our
contention has been that the Govern
ment. instead Of curtail,ng sugar sup
plies to manufacturers. should have cur
tiled them to the wholesalers, then to
the retailers. The consuming public
in turn would have had less sugar and
the consumers. We believe. are In the
best position OF all to economize on
sugar, as they would have suffered less
If manufacturers do not have sugar
they cannot make candy and candy cam
not be sold. This means the closing Of
factories and OF stores"
One big candy concern which Is filling
Government orders for candy for Uncle
Sans soldiers announced that II would
have to stop manufacture unless II got
sugar supplies.
J. s. Aucrbach. president OF u. Auer-
bach & Sons, said II the candy plants
are closed because there is no sugar for
manufacturing purposes $4,000 hands in
New York city will be thrown out of
work. person skilled only in making
candy. he said. would have difficulty in
getting work In other lines
small Dealers Are Extorting.
James Reeves. president Of Daniel
Reeves, Inc. chain store grocery con-
cern. said yesterday there weren't 100
barrels of sugar In store in the entire
city. His company has about twenty
five barrels to be divided among it's 1872
stores, he said Mr.. Reeves explained
that the larger grocers are charging
around 10 cents pound Tor sugar, while
only the smaller Rrocers and delicates-
sen men are taking advantage of the
situation to charge customers from lb to
20 cents a pound. Mr. Reeves expressed
the belief that there will be no sugar at
all for retail tomorrow or Tuesday.
Housewives who searched the city for
sugar yesterday got but little INr-
chases in most places were limited to ono
or two pounds. In some places sugar
was not sold at all unless the customer
would agree to buy something else.
soon over. Says Post.
I'm few weeks this trouble will he
over. SaIU james ~. fOSt, president OF
the National Sugar Refining Company
and chairman OF the s,h2ar retincrs' com
mittee Of the national Food Administra-
tlon. last night. But in the meantime
every one of az should be as patriotic
as possible and economize all we can In
the use OF sugar, Not only should we
prevent any waste I'm sugar, hut In
these times OF war we should bend all
our energies to save and conserve other
foodstufrs. This sugar shortage IL the
first real pinch to be felt by the Amer
ican people. and perhaps In the end II
may be a good thing if II teaches us
what our patriotic duty IL to our own
country and our allies. We must exer-
else self-denial n we are going to pro-
vide vital necessities for our fghtinR
forces and o,< allies.
II have cut myself down to one tea
spoonful OF sugar for my coffee and am
not eating any sugar at all on my
cereal. We all can make some little sac
rlfice to our appetites and by 80 doing en-
10Y the satisfaction OF knowing that we
are doing our little bit to help win the
war. have 4 feeling that this sugar
situation In going to teach tho people OF
this city great lesson In patriotism
and they are going to respond nobly TO
the appeal to rave the foods needed by
the men who are fighting for the great
cause abroad.
mt 49,. ..~-. .S-~-> A..