Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-19
IBARsT DENIES PRICES
ON SUGAR WERE FIXED
Eyasiyc in Replies to Investigating
Committees Questions Growing
Out Of Sprecklcs's Charges.
ADMINISTRATORS APPolNTEE
Is Chairman OF Body Created to
Regulate Distribution and Prices.
Alleged to Have Directed Supply
for Profit OF RcfinerS.
ny JOHN c. sELLETT.

so the gentleman taxes inc postum "a
the man in the murder trial-it was
not his buller. put the hole in the
mans heart, that caused the victims
dcath.'
These words OF Chairman Reed. Of
tho Senate subcommittee on manufac-
lures literally broke up to-day's hear
ing on the sugar famine. 1t also
brought to an abrupt end a two-hour
wransle between him and Earl D.
Babst, head of tho American Sugar
Refining Company, as to who is re-
sponsible for the fixing OF American
sugar prices.
Mr.. Babst as chairman of the food
administrations international commit
tee on sugar. denied time and again
that ne and members OF the committee
fixed the price of the last Cuban sugar
crop, or agreed on a price for the next
sugar crop. He also refused to admit
that the fixing of higher Cuban price
elevated all other sugars. beet. Ha-
waiian and Louisiana. These charges
had been made by Claus A. Spreckcls,
of the Federal Sugar Refining Com
pany.
Have the members Of the interna
tional committee agreed on price they
Senator Reed no less than dozen
times, usually with a request for 4
straight answer, yes or no.
CHARGES UNFAIR TREATMENT
At COMMITTEES HANDS
Two never fix prices" answered
Babst just as often.
Your committee controls the pur-
chase of all the Cuban sugar and all
oth
and Great Britain. does it not?"
Eyes"
Then why doesn't it fix the prices?"
I'VE have no power to fix prices.
We can only arrange a price above
which we will not approve purchases"
Babst replied. He refused to admit,
however, that his committee fixes basic
prices for all sugars on the market.
Finally driven to evaporation, he
charged that the committee was not
treating him fairly am that his mo-
tives had been impugned in assertions
that high Cuban prices attributed to
his committee had been actuated by his
desire TO profit when other sugar prices
went up to the Cuban level. Both
Senators Reed and Lodge resented
Babsts insinuation. but neither could
restore order. Finally Vardaman. whose
voice was strong enough TO prevail
over the confusion, stood up.
Your charac tcr- has ,ot been i'm
pugned in this committee" he doomed
out III your character has been i'm
puEned, IL is the fact of the sugar
situation that has done it.. and no ac-
ton q this committee or its members.
ioh will be treated fairly. hut you can
not conduct this investigations"
COMMITTEE ADJOURNs
WITHOUT FINDING TRUTH
Senator Reed, after Senator Lodge
remarked that Babsts duty was to an
swer questions, not to ask them or
make statements. ordered Babst's
charges stricken from the record.
Much OF the testimony conferred
about the position Of the International
Sugar Committee, which includes Mr..
Babst William A. Jamison. of Arbucllle
Bros and George NJ. Rolph. Of the
California-Hawaiian Sugar Company.
but now head OF the food administra-
tons sugar division. When it became
apparent that the committee could no,
get at the truth of'SprccKcls's charges
that this committee profits privately by
nxing high prices for Cuban sugar.
the committee adjourned until to-mor-
row.
Babst had tried several times
throughout the day 70 get state
ment ON the sugar situation into the
records. He wishes TO show that the
reasons for the sugar famine are in
creased consumption, inadequate supply
ana delayed distribution. All three OF
s reasons were approved by NJ
i'oiPh. Baost also produced long
"a
statement from his company outlining
developments In the sugar. business
since last spring. 1nclud ID in the
items was list OF thirteen sugar re-
hneries that have been forced to shut
down since the food administration was
organizer under the terms OF the food
controi act. The thirteen plants are:
Franklin. Philadelphia ftwo,: Ar.
bnckle. BROOKLYN: Colonial. Louisiana.
Henderson. New Orleans: Federal,
fonkcrs: American, BROOKLYN: nm
periai. Texas: Warner New Jorscv:
Amer,can. Louisiana: National. TonI,-
ers; Savannah a Savannah. and Amcr
lean. Boston.
ONLY EIGHT REFINERnES
NOW IN OPERATION
With these plants shut down. IL was
pointed out only eight rcfinerics arc
now turning out sugar
Hooyer. who was turned down again
to-ua!-'oH requesting Dermt.S!on 10
TESTIFY; may set a chance TO take tho
stand to- morrow. He will prcscn, a
series OF charts, showing imports. ex
ports, world supplies and relative
nrohts OF the Rabst Company, The
= Spreckcls interests and other big sugar
dealers since the food administration
took charge of food supplies
Senator Reeds committee finally 70.
& seiveds reply To invitation to Gov
srnor Cox of Ohio, to appear and
TESTIFY on the coal situation. Governor
8 Cox hatly refused 10 appear and NOT
only that. but .mpugncd the motives OF
Z ,ne committee. He declared II appear
cd TO have "preconceived theory. of
what u should learn on the coal si,ua-
ton. aud added:
we have had an unfortunate cY
pcrienrc. it is true. with Tho Goa, ad
{ minisUa;or, DR.. Garfield. and I have
no dispDsition 10 subtract single
word OF our Indictment against him.
& lie ts but subordinate officer. how
eycritnd an adopted policy Of the ra-
lion should not suffer because OF an
ptSt.,