Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-12-16
Says SpreckeIs Statements
Are Inspired by Revenge Be-
cause Profits Are Not So
Big This Year as Last,
DENIES SHORTAGE is
CHARGEABLE TO HIM
When Supplies Within Reach
of Transportation Are Avail
able They Will Be Secured,
Says Administrator.
tsv noRs,no JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED WIRE,

icy MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wIRHI
Washington, Dec. Is. - Charges
made by Claus Spreckels, president
of the Federal Sugar Refining COM
pany, before a senate investigating
committee, that the food administra-
ton is responsible for the sugar
shortage. drew from Food Administra.
tor Hoover tonight vigorous attack
on Mr.. Spreckels.
Open intimation is made by Mr..
Hoover that Mr.. Spreckels' testimony
was inspired by the fact that the food
administration cut profits in sugar
transactions.
TT requires no proof from me-"
said Mr.. Hoover, ito establish that
Mr.. Spreckels, leading sugar refiner,
is sore at the food administration and
would like to see 1t destroyed. ] real
ize that Mr.. Spreckels' balance sheet
will not look so good next year as last,
for refiners profits have been regu-
lated Furthermore, his balance
sheet would have looked better this
year if the price of last August had
not been reduced and held fast in the
face Of partial shortage that prom
ised a fair opportunity for thirty-cent
sugar and much increased profits.
Matter Of Money Making.
''Mr. Spreckels, therefore has rea-
son to feel bad. There are other citi-
zens who will feel the same way. and
no doubt can entertain the public by
assaulting the food administration.
While many feel bad, still the vast
majority of men and women of our
business community and of our farm
ers are sacrificing their profits daily
to the nations necessities without
complaint, for many are sacrificing
more than their money-their sons.
I'VE have had two months of par.
tial sugar shortage-October and No
wonderland will also have December
before relief from the new crop. The
American people have had 10000
tons of sugar in these two months
that is 20 per cent of their normal
supplies in each month, and If cars
are available, they will have 20 per
cent in December. Owing to car
shortages the shortage has been mos.
acute in the northeast, and about 200
cars are today blockaded from that
region.
Twice French Ration.
This 20 per cent is twice the
French ration. In the meantime we
have given France good part of the
thirty per cent and are proud of it.
This supply to France was given de-
liberately and the American people
were told of it at the time. We have
also agreed to draw 10000 tons for
our friends in Canada. I have yet to
meet an American citizen who would
have had it otherwise.
"As to the food administration
stopping the sources of supply: The
fact that all available supplies have
been brought here that ships and cars
could bring; and that it has already
been eaten, is sufficient answer.
"Mr. Spreckels knows the bitterness
of the ten-year fights between pro-
ducers and refiners-between differ
ent refiners-and if he looks back
over the last three months, he will
observe desire of many of these ele-
ments to use the food administration
as club to settle their long stand
ling bitterness.
Asks for Information.
IF Mr.. Spreckels will tell us where
there Is any sugar today that ships
can be obtained to carry or cars can
be obtained to deliver, it will be de-
livered at once with the same reso-
luton that We have requisitioned or
distributed over 60,000,000 pounds of
embargoed sugar since October 1 In
the meantime the 100000 tons OF SUI
gar 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"