Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-21
Denies He Represented Firm.

the company for which he is general
manager, but was a representative OF
the people, when Senator Reed asked IL
the people were represented at the re-
finers' meeting held at the instigation
of the food administration.
Did you say in effect to those refin-
ers that they could not go above cer-
tain figure?" Reed questioned.
Yes, they knew the food administra-
tion would not accept an exorbitant
price"
Prohibition today was added to the
causes for the present shortage. Rolph
said consumption had been increased
in the south by soldiers who drink more
soft drinks. chew more gum and eat
more candy than they did when they
could procure liquor. This was one of
the onsetting factors Of conservation.
Complains Of Delay.
An inferential charge by George H.
Rolph of the sugar committee of the
United States food administration at
the sugar investigation today that de-
lay in the inquiry is keeping members
of the administration from devoting
time to solve the eastern problem drew
from Chairman Reed the statement that
no member of the administration had
been summoned as a witness until the
administration had requested a hear
ing. and that ''all employees. with the
exception of yourself. may go now. and
we will finish with you very shortly"
When it was determined to interrupt
Rolph's testimony. started yesterday.
by hearing another witness. RoIph
said:
II assume the purpose of this inves-
tigation is to relieve the sugar situa-
ton in the east. We have been waiting
here week postponing necessary
work
Yes, / presume the cause of the
sugar shortage will be blamed on Con-
gress, retorted Reed. Members of
the food administration are here at
their own request"
Denies Car Shortage at Fault.
James A. Sommeryille, general super
intendent of transportation of the Mis-
souri, Pacific and member of the car
service department of the railroad war
board. took the stand. He denied short
age of cars prevented movement of beet
sugar east. He said they could have
been moved in reasonable proportion to
amounts transported in other years.
will the committee please ask the wit
ness if he doesn't know that railroads in
coke in normal amounts" interposed
Rolph
II do not know" was the answer
Rolph met Claus A Spreckels' charges
sugar directly resulted in profit to Rolph's 8
company when he said that his company
lost 100000 on this years crop because
of it.
sugar in the middle west at 7.25. the
same as the beet price. when 1t would
have been possible to get S.35 for it.
Chairman Reed said that he knew and
would show that the price agreement
of the food administrator and the beet
sugar producers was not voluntary on
the part of the producers.
NO Real Cause for Alarm.
Rolph said he believed the people
should be given facts on food condi-
tfons. They should not have been told
last spring that a famine threatened,
nor "soothed" by advertisements that
there was no cause for boarding In
this connection Senator Reed intro
duced a statement purporting to come
from Herbert Hoover. May 30, saying
there was real cause for alarm.
Chairman Reed continued to attack
Mr.. Hoover in questioning Rolph and
testimony given by Mr..
Hoover at the House hearings on the
food control bill. He introduced por-
ton of the testimony in which the
food administrator was quoted as pre-
dieting the sugar supply of the United
States would be very low in Septem-
ber and that the Cuban crop, usually
arriving in the fall. would be 1000 600
tons short. Statistics show the Cuban
crop was slightly in excess of the year
before.
Wants Consumption Unlimited.
Earl D. Babst president of the Ameri-
can Sugar Refining Company. completed
his testimony yesterday afternoon He
told the committee that he believed
there would be plentiful supply of
sugar for the American people during
the coming year. He opposed placing a
limit on domestic consumption, contend
ing that any such plan would result in
a larger amount being shipped abroad
than the available tonnage should per-
NIT.
Half of the worlds sugar crop out
said, is produced in the United States,
its territories and Cuba, and If prop
erly distributed this production is more
than enough to meet domestic demands,
as well as supply all that can be ship
ped to the allies.
Mr.. Rolph Answers Critics.
Mr. Rolph followed Mr. Babst on the
stand He answered critics of the food
, administration who maintain that the
price of 7.25 cents pound set for beet
sugar was too high, by saying that had |
not the price been set sugar prices now
would be 20 or 25 cents pound where |
,vailable. The beet sugar growers who |
net here to arrange for the price
cd he a cd