Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-12-13
People Must Conserve
Sugar, Says Let's

President F. c. Let's, Of the Western
Grocery Company. has addressed to
the Times-Republican, the following
plea for conservation and arguments
therefor.
Chicago, Dec. II, 1917.-Editor Times
Republican, Marshalltown. Iowa. Ny
Dear Sir: l note you comment edi-
torlally, on a letter that l issued to
our wholesale house after my return
from Washington and New York,
showing the famine in sugars thru the
East.
So far the middle west has not SUI
fered: on account of our being able to
get beet sugars from, western reffner-
les and cane sugars from San Fran
cisco, made from Hawaiian raws.
But How About The Future7
The people Of the whole country
must awaken to the fact that we are
at war--and long drawn out one.
We must economize. so as to give
and divide with our allies, not only
sugar. but everything we produce.
Before the war, France produced
almost enough sugar for her own con-
sumption. the shortage being made up
from Germany. England and Italy also
drew their supplies from Germany.
The French beet sugar lands are now
being fought over and their sugar re-
fineries destroyed.
Before the war, the United States
supplied themselves with sugar from
their beet crop. from Cuba, from Ha-
wall. and little from the Philippines,
the crop production being about as fol-
lows:
American cane ........ 100000 tons
American beet ....... 100000 tons
Cane from SHawah. 49,. 100000 tons
Cane from Cuba (aver-
aging about) 2,75o,ooo tons
Cane from the Philip
pines ................. 100000 tons
or a total available, in the neighbor-
hood OF 4,15o,00o tons; the United
States annual consumption being
something over 100000 tons.
Now that we are compelled to d.
vide our supplies with our allies you
ian see at a glance that we must cut
down our consumption.
It 10 estimated that we used this
past year close to 80 pounds per capita;
or, every man. woman and child in the
United States used on an average
this amount Of sugar. directly and in-
directly. That means OF course. actual
consumption, used IN baking. for can
dies chocolates and all the uses Of
sugar, for American consumption.
France was compelled to get along
with 20 pounds per capita. or less than
one-quarter Of what we used: and
England with 40 pounds per capita,
or less than one-half of our consump-
ton.
Now that we have promised to 60
into partnership, SO to speak. with our
allies, we must divide with them our
money. sugar. our grains. our meats.
etc. as God knows! we must win this
awful war.
The food commission is now making
up statistics to find out how much SUI
gar will be available. and then they are
going to divide "nfty-Hfty" with our
alice and give them as much Sugar.
Per capita, as we have. Figures so far
as compiled, were shown me in Wash
ingtcn. and It looks aS tho there will
about fifty pounds per
capita for ourselves as well as our
allies. A. soon a. It 10 figured out
,conclusively. word will go out. in no
uncertain sound. as to how much we
shall economic.
Already orders have gone to candy
manufacturers that they cannot use
to excetd so per cent Of their normal.
II they do not heed ADMINISTRATIONS,
orders will be issued to jobbers and
refiners to furnish them no sugars.
How Will Orders Be obeysd7 ;.
VERY simple. The government is
nsw checking up, to see how much
each tobber and manufacturer used in