Arizona republican., 1917-12-15
SPRECKLES CHARGES SUGAR SHORTAGE DUE
 ID IMPORT PRICES
Republican A. p. Leased wlreI

WASHINGTON. Dec. I4-Blame for the sugar shortage in the east was charged to the food administration s fixed import price by Claus A. Spreck- els president of the Federal Sugar Re- lining company testifying today be- fore the senate Investigating commit tee. He asserted that raw sugar from Cuba was passing through New York for Canada, where refiners are per mitted to pay higher prices.
 MT. Spreckels, who said his refinery was closed because Of lack of supplies. also charged that Earl A. Babst. presi- dent of the American Sugar Refining company, and George M Rolph, gen eral manager of the California Hawai- ian Sugar Refining company. in their positions as agents of the food admin istration had been unduly active in getting raw supplies for the American company. MT Babst is chairman of the International sugar committed, ere ated by the administration. which fixed the price to be paid for raw sugar coming from outside the United States or it's territories at S6.90 hundred pounds. MT. Rolph is mead of the food administrations sugar division and a member of the international committee
 WnHn HIS sugar WdS BtlllAlS AON lu October, MT. Spreckels testified, he asked Food Administrator Hoover that he be allowed to pay more than s6.90 for Cuban sugar. He put in evidence letter in which MT Hoover declined saving speculators were holding the sugar in Cuba for higher prices and that the American standard price would be maintained.
 Under questioning by Senator Jones of New Mexico, the witness said he understood that about half of the 70, 900 tons available in Cuba when he wrote the letter had been shipped to other countries and that the remainder either had arrived in the United States or was en route. When asked by Sen ator Jones if he did not consider il good business to allow the 35,000 tons to go elsewhere if the Cuban dealers could be convinced that this country
 would maintain it's position. MT Spreckels replied that the sugar would have served the public when the short age was acute.
 Mir. Spreckes told of protesting tC MT Hoover against the contract where | by the American Sugar Refining com pany was to obtain 100 900 tons of the
 Louisiana crop. He said his company had not considered getting any of that crop because the food administration | had fixed no price, ana that he was astounded to learn of the American
 company making the contract after 2 price of S6.35 for the Louisiana produce | had been agreed upon at a conference | participated in by MT Rolph aud Mir | Babst.
 | When the shortage came into sigh | in the east. the witness asserted, more | than 100000 tons of raw sugar was hel( | in the west of which the California i Hawaiian company held 10000 tons. H, said he appealed to Mir. Rolph to allow
 some of this to come east to keeI
 eastern refineries going. but was in | formed it was necessary to keep tn, | supply in the west until the new Ha.
 waiian crop came in.
 In support of his charge that Messr. ! Rolph and Babst favored the American company, Mir. Spreckels related an in | cident that brought out how two com panies operating chain retail store!
 recently had sugar when none was tt
 be procured at many stores. He saiC A. H. Lamborn- and company Of Nev | York. sugar brokers, contracted fo : two cargoes of Cuban sugar for deliv | cry at New York and offered to tn | International sugar committee in Oc ! tober at S690 hundred pounds bu Continued on Page Two)