Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-16
HOOVER DENIES SHORTAGE
IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO HIM
Spreckels's Charge as to Sugar Fam.
Inc Vigorously Denied by
Food Administrator.
SUGAR INTERESTS ARE "soRE"
Rehners Resent CurtaiIment OF
Profits. lie Says, and Arc Trying
to r'Scredit Administrations
Si.. llcls Where Sugar Is.
tBy A,sociated Pr...1


w y 5 ii G T IN. December 10
Charges made by Claus Sp-eckels.
president OF the Federal Sugar Refining
Company, before Senate investigat-
ing committee that the food admins
tration is responsible for a sugar short
age, drew from Food Administrator
Hoover tonight vigorous attack on
Mr.. SpreclSeis.
An open intimation Is made by Mr.
Hoover that Mr. Spreckels's Testimony
was insDiGsRshy7 the fact that the food
administration cut profits in sugar
transactions.
ut requires no proof from me-" said
Hoover. ito establish that Mr.. Spreck-
els. leading sugar refiner, is sore at
the food administration and would like
TO see it destroyed.
II realize that Mr.. Spreckelss bal
ance sheet will not look SO good next
year as last for refners' profits have
been regulated. Furthermore. his bal
ance sheet would have looked better
this year IL the price OF last August
had not been reduced and held fast,
in the face of partial shortage tina.
promised fair opportunity for 30
cent sugar and much Increased profits.
son to feel badly. There arc other
citizens who Will feel the same way,
no doubt. and no doubt can entertain
the public by nssaultinE the food ad-
tninistration. While many feel badly.
still the vast majority OF men and
women OF our business community and
of our farmers arc sacrificing their
profits daily to the nations necessities
r1-;.h laf tat Tor
ficins more than their money--their
sons.
SUPPLY 30 PER CENT
OF NORMAL CONSUMPTION
"We have had two months of par
tial sugar shortage-October and No
wonderland also Will have December
before relief from the new crop. The
American people have had 100000 tons
of sugar in these two Inonths-that is.
20 per cent of their normal supplies In
each, month. and IL cars are available.
they will have 70 per cent in Decem-
ber.
This 70 per cent Is twice the French
ration. IN the meantime we have given
France a good part OF the 80 per cont
and are proud of 1t. This supply to
France was given deliberately. and the
American people were told OF II at the
time. We have also agreed to draw
10000 tons for our friends in Canada.
"As to the food administration stop
ping the sources OF supply. the fact
that All available supplies have been
brought here that ships and cars could
bring. and that 1t has already been
eaten. is sufficient answer.
eff Mr.. Spreckels will tell US where
there is any sugar to-day that ships
can be obtained to carry or cars can
be obtained to deliver. 1t will be de-
livered at once with the same resolu-
tion that we have requisitioned or dis
tributed over 6o,0o0.0o0 pounds OF en-
bargoed sugar since October /. In the
meantime, the 100000 tons OF sugar in
Java is as remote as cheese out OF the
moon, unless we wish to take bread
ships from our own soldiers and the
allies to provide ourselves with candy"
ADDITIONAL TESTIMONY
IS GIVEN ny SPRECKELs
Additional testimony on causes OF the
sugar shortage in the East, which he
mas assigned 10 the food administra-
tion's fixed import price, was given to-
day by Mr.. Spreckels when he again
took the stand before the Senate in
vestiCating committee.
Mr.. Spreckels. on resuminC his tes-
timony, said he had protested to Food
Administrator Hoover against including
refiners on the international, committee.
created by the food administration to
purchase all raw sugars for refners
Spreckels declared that the actions of
the committee worked against his firm,
and to the benefit of the American
Sugar Refining Company.
The State Department., had a hand In
Continued on Page Fifteenth.)