Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-10
SUGAR-SAVING
IS A REALITY
Chiefly Because 1t Really Is
Scarce Shortage May
Last Two Months

| CUGAR is being conserved with venge-
~ ance in Philadelphia. II doesn't make
any difference whether the people are patri-
otic and willing to go without sugar of not.
The people have nothing TO say about IT,
Sugar consumption has been reduced about
| rs per cent and not by the practice oil rigid
| self-denial Consumption has decreased be-
cause there has been little sugar TO con-
sumo. The average individual eats a little
less than two pounds of sugar week nor
| mally. He has been eating lot less III
Philadelphia. and in certain parts OF the
| country there has been even less sugar than
| there has been here.
Here is the view of George II. Earle, Jr.'
sugar controller for Pennsylvania:
81 have felt from the beginning that the
best handling of the present situation was
| telling the public the truth. And the truth
is, as I have repeatedly stated, that there Is
| a great scarcity OF sugar that will In all
| probability extend at least until February.
| and unless the public is careful and helpful
may run through the year. All the things
YOU hear OF from time to time are merely
palliatves-they help a little, but they do
not cure.
Let me give you few figures. We are
consuming perhaps 100000 tons year The
stock of raw sugars in all the Atlantic ports
is only SAFE tons; year ago it was about
10000 tons; two years ago, 1i6,O0O tons
All we shall get until the new crop Will be
only a drop in the bucket. Now that is the
truth, and you can't make sugar from con-
versation no matter how earnest.
"In addition we have larger army and
navy TO supply, and they, OF course, get the
preference.
Soldiers Need Sugar
81 know of nothing necessary TO conserve
the supply at this time as the supply is so
INADEQUATE as 10 conserve itself. We are
really better off here than in most places in
the East. because the Pennsylvania Sugar
Company procured raw sugars in advance OF
this crisis and is still running; but the de-
nands imposed are enormous that its ut
most Is far short of the requirements OF this
difficult time Nevertheless, with reasonable
care only a few weeks need pass before there
is a relative comfort, and we should all he
patient for frettng won't make a pound
more sugar, though time and CUBA are sure
10 make some millions Of tons.
"peope must remember that the armies
must have energy to fight our battles and
that sugar Is the prime energy-giver. For
sxampIe we have Just received AN order to
shin 400 900 pounds to the army, and, Of
course that shuts off an intended distributor
of that amount among our consumers st
home
The average consumption OF sugar in
do.
This excludes sugar consumed in the form
of candy. It includes all sugar used in cook
ing, with cereals, In beverages Families
have for weeks been lucky TO get two pounds
Many stores are absolutely without sugar
Others are rationing their customers-one or
two pounds week.
So scarce is the supply that many stores
will serve only their known regular GUS
toners The housewife who can obtain no
sugar from the grocer with whom she gener-
ally trades Is disappointed frequently when
she tries to beg pound or two from the
grocer from whom she has made an occa-
sior,l purchase He has little sugar AMI
he doesn't know when he will get more.
Candy Output Reduced
Last week there report current that
n big chain Of stores had obtained in some
way or another a great quantity of sugar and
had it in storage. It wasn't true. The COM
many was vainly begging sugar from the
refinery. but its pleas had to be rejected.
There could be no advantage in storing the
sugar anyway. for the Government will not
permit the taking OF excessive profit; and IL
the stores could obtain sugar they would
quickly sell It to their customers to prevent
their going to other dealers and perhaps
learning TO trade elsewhere for other goods.
Candy factories have been forced by the
sugar scarcity TO reduce their output 80 10
rs per cent--and this in the face of an in
creased demand Higher liquor prices and
the growing unpopularity of liquor are re-
sponsible for part of the increase in the
candy demand Sugar in the body is trans
formed into alcohol different kind Of alco-
hol from that in liquor, but alcohol none the
less.
For this the system calls. and when man
ceases to use the harmful alcohol OF liquor
his system begins TO crave the. properly
formed alcohol of sugar.
But much of this craving must go unsatis-
fed Sugar conservation. will go on. 1t has
to go on, because II there is less sugar In
existence people must eat less,
When one reads of twenty-five carloads of
beet sugar being shipped to the East ship
ment TO Russia being Cancelled lie may think
the famine is over--but IT isn't. To realize
how little twenty-five carloads help. man
must only realize that there are 100, 900 900
souls In this country and IT takes 200, 900 900
pounds OF sugar a week to satisfy them,
w. II