Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-12-18
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le' hONNiNo JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED
Washington, Dec. t7.--Efforts of
the food administration to bring out
before the senate investigating COM
mittee its side of the story of Cuban
raw sugar contracts were blocked to-
day by an announcement that the
state department deemed il inadvisa-
bic to discuss further the negotiations
which resulted In these contracts.
This ruling of the committee.
which followed conference with
Counsellor Polk of the state depart
ment, virtually ended an attempt BY
II. Curtis Lindley, counsel for the
food administration, to question
through members of the committee
Claus A. Spreckels, who during three
days on the witness stand had vigor-
ously attacked the administration.
Hoover Is Ignored.
The committee toward the end of
today's session, had agreed to permit
Mr.. Iindley to suggest questions, en-
Itirely ignoring earlier requests by
Food Administrator Hoover that hs
be given an opportunity to make
statement in reply to Mr.. Spreckels'
attacks. When the committee after
an hours executive session, during
which he waited In an ante room. re.
called Spreckels to the stand without
answering his request, Hoover left the
building.
Tonight the food administrator
went to the White House and went
over the situation with the president.
He would not discuss the visit.
Mr.. Llndley insisted that the COM
mittee allow him to try to controvert
statements of the witness, Finally,
however, he said:
Placed in Phlory.
IF we cannot explain the contracts
for the Cuban crop, we are placed on
pillory while trying to solve very
difficult situation"
Mr.. Spreckels, who is president of
the Federal Sugar Refining company.
mad charged that the California -Ha-
Wallan Sugar Refining company, OF
which George M. Rolph, director of
the rood ADMINISTRATIONS sugar, diyi-
SION, IS president, would gain $4,000
Vo0 additional revenue this year indi-
fectly through the prices fixed for tho
cuban crop which, he declared, was
entirely too high. The Hawaiian
price he said, was based on the Gu.
ban price.
Didn't Object to Mott.
through questioning of Spreckels
ny j. b. freeman, counsel for Earl
a. baost, president of the American
Husar Retining company it was
brought out that the federal presi-
dent did not object to the appointment
or Henry G.. Mott, buyer for the Amer
lean Sugar Refining company. MS bIv-
er Tor the international COMMITTEES
winch was to purchase all the raw sl,-
gar available and parcel 1t out to re-
ilhefs at the time the appointment
was proposed.
agreed to the appointment. Mr..
spfeckels said, = but after | found
that all of the employees of the com
hlttee from watchman up were 10 be
employees of the American ana thai
Mott was to get $4,000 a year
strenuously protested"
Attacked by Jones.
me Spreckels statement that the
iMihg OF price of 7,25 cents for gran
uiated sugar at seaports worked
hardship on his company, was at
'acked by Senator Jones. The wit
ness said Saturday that his company
nianuiactured virtually nothing but
:, uht btoWH sugars Whlla
MS competitors put UP MANY speciaI
advertised brands which could be sold
at prices regardless of that fixed. on
questioning by Senator Jones he ad-
United manufacturing five grades into
fourteen forms OF packages.
Mr Hoovers statement, published
sunday, to the effect that Mr.. Spreck-
els was sore at the food administra
tion, was denied by the witness when
Chairman Reed questioned him con-
cernlng 1t. The witness referred to
a letter already introduced in which
ne offered to cooperate with the food
administration even to the extent of
operating without profit, if necessary.
lie also challenged the Hoover state
ment that 30 per cent of the sugar
available in this country in the last
three months had been sent to
France, producing figures which. he
said, showed that in October 24.3OO
tons were sent to France but none had
been sent in November or December,
this month.