The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-10-19
SUGAR FAMINE
HITS NEW YORK
UnpatriOtic Retailers Take Ad.
vantage Of Shortage TO
Boost Prices.

that real self-denial must be practised in
every household for at least six weeks.
That Is the exact situation as it was re-
vealed yesterday by the American re-
fners' food committee OF the Federal
Administration Cnpatriotic retailers
are taking advantage OF the scarcity to
boost the price, In some cases to 10 cents
pound although Food Administrator
Hoover says tho. price should not be
more than q cents at retail here.
Housewives were able TO buy very linn
tied quantities from the retailers be-
cause the retailers could not replenish
their bins. TIE retaiiers were helpless
because the refiners' stock Of raw sugar
had ran low and must remain low until
beet sugar begins TO come in from the
West. cane sugar begins to arrive from
Louisiana and the annual great store OF
Cuba sugar begins to appear. It will be
December l at least before the pinch
Gun be relieved and New York can again
enjoy the eweeten!ne to which Il is used.
There is as yet no famine--nerely o
that The old raw sugar supply is about
exhausted in the rcfue-ics and the new
supply is not yet oo.s!naole.
situation called Serious.
Henry A. Moskowi,z, Commissioner Of
Public Markete. said last night at his
home. Ii7 East Thirty-eighth street, that
there was a sugar famine in tho small
stores OF lower Manhattan This does
not apply to the chain stores. so far.
He said the situation is serious and that
he has arranged for three conferences In
his Office in the Municipal Building to-
day when he will interrogate refiners,
retailers and wholesalers.
Seven investigators were sent through
the lower end of Manhattan yesterday
by Mr.. Moekowitz These men took In
nearly all Of the stores in the zone in
cluded between Grand street and the
Battery and extending from river to
river In this area there are large
colonies Of Jews. Russians. Italians
Greeks Armeniaps and Syrians Prac-
ticaIly no sugar could he found at these
little stores. Mr.. Moskowitz said. In
one little area his Investigators visited
fourteen stores where not a round OF
sugar could be found. He said the situa-
ton is extremely critical. but he hopes
to-days conference will provide ways
ana means out of the threatened famine.
All Urged to Use Less sweets.
James ". Post, chairman OF the re-
fineTs' committee edwin Gibson, secre-
;ary OF the local ropi administration bu-
veau, and Earl n. Rabst. president OF
the American Sugar Refining Company
and a member of the International sugar
committee. explained the exact situation
Yesterday and offered advice to the pub
lie az to how every citizen can best help
the Government.
During the period of international
and domestic readjustment there VIII be
some inconvenience and annoyance 70
consumers and manufacturers" said Mt
Babst. but Il is necessary as an incl
dent to the larger purpose OF providing
stores for oar army and navy, feeding
our allies and for winning the war
James II. Post made the following an
nouncement:
Every person should try IN every
possible way to reduce the quantity OF
sugar consumed from day to day. BE
patriotic in This situation and share
in the temporary strngency for the
reSt four to six weeks. when We hope
new crop will arrive from the West
and South to supply the normal demand
y IL not question OF price The
necessary sugar Is simply not available
we must reduce ANY dealer VINO ties
10 eSac' hleh prices because or the
ScaTCNy ~ no, pa'rloN' an" deserve es
puohc censure