New Britain herald., 1917-10-29
SUGAR SHORTAGE
 SOON TO BE MET
Administration Believes Imports ard Beet Product Will Suffice

| Washington, Oct. 29.-By diverting 1 the 26,500 tons of neutral sugar re- gently obtained by the Food Adminis- trat1on to manufa cturers, it is believed <! that the sugar scarcity has been great | ly relieved, and that within the next few weeks it will disappear. Sugar obtained for France in this country and released to this Government costs l 50 cents a hundred pounds more thar the price the Government has de- sired to maintain for the general pub 1 lie, and all this supply was absorbed l by the manufacturers. By this action 1 the necessity of consumers paying l higher than the basis fixed oy the Gov 1 ernment was eliminated.
 In the opinion of the Food Admin l istrator. there will be sufficient sugar in the market from Cuba and the beet sugar districts of this country within the next few weeks to meet a present | shortage. The scare last week, while l justified, 1t is announced, did not war 1 rant retailers increasing the price, but l it served notice on the public that con- servation was necessary.
 So far as the Food Administration 1 has been able to learn, the amount of sugar in Buffalo warehouse, reported 1 at 150 carloads, js approximately 62
  l cred excessive for the purpose of keep l ing in operation several large con- 1 denscd mllk manufacturing plants l near that city. The sugar is the prop l erty of those concerns. The contin- uous operation of these plants is re- garded as essential.
 The Food Administration issued this l statement last night:
 "Of the 26,5OO tons of sugar just 1 released to the American market by France, 12,000 tons was neutral sugar 1 recently bought for France and IA, l tons bought for France months ago ] through the British Royal Commis- sion. The additional $500 tons of su- gar which is expected to be released l to the market rhis week, Is owned by
 the Russian and Finnish Governments and is reported to be held by Grace & l Co.,, New York. This firm is power l less to release this sugar without per- mission from the owners.
 1 Denial was authorized by the Food Administration today of the published report that c. A. Spreckels of the Fed eral Sugar Refining Company was the | only man who had not come in with the Administration. In fact, it was 1 stated, MT. Spreckels, for the Federal Sugar Refining Company, has not only l signed the contract with the Admin istration but was the first one who did.
 Regarding MT. Spreckels' state
 ments that the Administration Is rty- ing to force holders of neutral sugar 1 to take loss on the sugar, this Is em 1 phatically denied, as the Food Ad-
 ministration has an option on all of
 the neutral sugar at the price neutral
 countries paid for the same, which.
 when the duty Is added, makes the
 average cost of same 50 cents per 100
 pounds over the price the Food Ad- ministration Is trying to maintain for
 the benefit of the entire consuming
 public of the United States.
 While 1t would appear from state ments that he Administration Is try
 pounds Is trivial item. it represents
 over $20,00O,000 per annum on the
 sugar consumed by the American
 public, and 50 cents per 100 pounds, the actual difference, represents double
 the amount. The Administration has
 for some time past approved of sales
 of sugar awaiting export of the cost
 price to the buyers, but has limited
 suc1 sales to manufacturers in order
 not to disturb the general market, thus