Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-20
HOOVER MAY TESTIFY
IN SUGAR PROBE TO-DAY
Scnato Committee Hopes to Close
Investigation and Prepare
for Coal Inquiry.
REED AND BABsT wEANGLE
Senator and Witness Occupy Much
Time Regarding Alleged Price
Fixing on Louisiana Crop-Ad.
ministratiOn'S Prices Blamed.


senate sugar investigation continued
today. with Earl -. Babst. president
Of tho American Sugar Refining Com
pany. tcstifyinS largely concerning the
hhine Of tho price of the Louisiana
crop and its relation 10 the beet sugar
when the shortage in tho Eas. i'rst
became acute. and in answer to charges
OF Claus a. SprcckelS.i which he char
actcrRed as small talk.
Some members OF the committee
hope to be able /" call Food Admits
traitor Hoover and George A. Dolph.
director OF the sugar division CT the
administrative beard. tomorrow In,'
close the investigation into sugar 50
as to begin the coal investis 4 ion. but
II is doubtful If the hearing can be
concluded ~ then.
senator Reed to-niSh, declared that
'"o Important facts had been verified
IN the maze of testimony.
II has been established by Mr..
Habst's testimony, in confederation OF
other testimony before the committee"
senator Reed said. that there would
nave bcen no sugar shortage except
Tor t"o things. for which the food
administration is responsible.
In the first place. it has been lhown
that refincrs were kept out OF the Gu
ban market until such time as the food
administration deemed it wise 20 enter
IT. Meantime. rciners supplies of raw
sugar were depleted.
In the second place. so much puib-
piins was cntaiied by the policy OF
naming one fixed price for Louisiana
sugars that the planters finally. ia
disgust have begun using their raw
grades, which the attempt 10 get to
the market themselves. The result IS
that Of $4,000 tons available sonr
weeks ago, only about 5000 tons have
reached the refncrs and. through them.
tho public markets.
BJAMEs ADMINISTRATION
ron SUGAR SHORTAGE
IN competition and tho old law Of
supply and demand had bccn permit
ted 20 prevail. Cuban and Louisiana
SUGARS would have been boush, b. the
rrtincrs and pu, on the market. And
thcre would have been no shortage
such as we have experienced
Most or the afternoon was consumed
BY wranS;inE between Senator Reed
ana Mr.. Bah't. Senator Reed repeat
cdi% sought TO bring out an admission
do with tho price 10 be paid by his
compan: for 100000 tons OF raw I.oui-
llama sugar. He failed in this. Then
he endcavorcd TO bring out the terms
OF tho contrac; between the American
Sugar Refining Company and the plant
crs but Bubst objected 10 the us. of
The word contract 30 ~
1T was not contract" Babs, said.
m rrl An
IN case they made tender OF the
sugars on the terms outlined.
The price OF $3.50 a hundred pounds
he asserted, was agreed on by Mr..
Hoover. George y. Iolph, head oc Mr.
flowers sugar division. ard John NJ.
Parker Federal food administrator for
Louisiana. lie would not adr,i, he or
his company had Designated the figure
or had said they would accept il if IL
were set. An arrangement, By which
half OF the 10000 tons was TO he
bought 1t $3.50 and tho other half at
s622 l." with the planters paying part
Of the freight, was described
1t was shown that planters later re-
fused to sell at the latter figure and
that, after several kilograms had passed
between him and Mr.. Parker on the
ono hand and Mr.. Babst on the other
Babst finally voluntarily" agreed to
pay 1856 for all the sugar. Babst
denied that efforts of Claus A Sprcckcis
and other rcfncrS to buy in Louisiana
sugar at $3.50 had anything 10 do with
his voluntarily going up TO $3.50
There was further quibblinS over
sugar sold to France through the Brit
ish royal commission.
How many French contracts for
sugar Cid YOU cancel in 1912" asked
Senator Reed.
None" replied Babst "In view OF
the great scarcity of sugar in this
market, and in view OF supplies held
in our warehouses"
Did you cancel your contracts" SEN
ator Reed insisted
NO, VIC did not. We merely post
poncd the date of delivery until wo
could get supplies from the new CROP"
Babst went on to explain that tho
sugar contracted for by France was
turned over to the army. navy, Belgian
relief and commercial markets Sen
atcr Reed forced him to admit. how
ever. that his company usually did
business with these agencies, and so
should have supplied them without de.
privinG the French.
DABsT GIVEN SHARP
THRUST BY REED
Senator Reed wound up his share of
the questioning with sharD thrust
At ia bst.
We like you. but we want to get
Th some time. Please answer
IONS as they are put" he said.
. There are great many things /
g3ri5h to put before the committed"
gfiabst began.
Well hear from you much moro
pleasantly If you'll answer questions
put to YOU" Reed interrupted.
Mr.. Hoover visited the committees :.
third time to-day. He once more was
asked TO wait until the committee was
ready to hear him. He left the cap
sta1 and went to New York. The com
see Will finish with Babst to-mor-
and, after hearing some Louisiana
and Texas sugar men, may get to
Hoover a nv JTrirl