The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-12-19
REF|hER TELLS Of FAMINE.
SfItECKEIS BLAMES FOOD AD-
MiNlSTRATION FOR SHORT
AGE.
Committee Expects Testimony Of 9th
or Witnesses NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Conl
Situation Too.

the sugar shortage in the East was
charged to the food administrations
h%ed import price by Claude A.
Spreckels. president of the Federal
Sugar Refining Company, testifyins
today before the senate investigating
committee. He asserted that raw su.
gar from Cuba was passing through
New York TO Canada, where reflners
are permitted to pay higher prices
Mr.. SprecNles. who said his refinery
was closed because of lack OF sup
plies also charged that Earl a. Babst,
president of the American Sugar Re-
ming Company, and George NJ Rolph,
general manager Of the California
Hawaiian Sugar Refining Compa in
their positions as agents of the food
administration, had been ,mGulv ac-
tive in getting raw supplies for the
American company. Mr.. Babst is
chairman of the international surnr
committee. created by the admins
tration, which fixed the price 10 be
paid for raw sugar coming from out
side the United States or it's territories
at $3.50 a hundred. Mr.. Rolph is head
OF the food administrations sugar di
vision and member Of the Internal
ional committee.
When his supply was getting low in
October, Mr.. Spreckels testified. he
asked rood Administrators Hoove:
that he be allowed to pay more than
$500 for Cuban sugar. He put III
evidence letter i'm which Mr.. Hoover
declined, saying spectators were
holding the sugar in Cuba for higher
prices and that the American stand
ard price would be maintained.
Under questioning by Senator Jones
Of New Mexico the witness said he
understood that about half of the TO-
600 tons available in Cuba when he
wrote the letter had been shipped to
other countries and that the balance
either had arrived in the United States
or was EN- route. When asked if he. did
not consider il good business to al
low the $4,000 tons to go elsewhere
II the Cuban dealers could be con-
Ninced that this country would main
tam It's position. Mr.. Spehles replied
that the sugar would have served the
public when the shortage was acute
Mr.. spec'les told of protesting to
Mr.. Hoover against the contra 4
whereby the American Sugar Refining
Company was to obtain 100 900 tons
OF the Louisiana crop. He said his
company had not considered getting
any of that crop because the food al
ministration had fixed no price avn,
that he was astounded to learn of
the American Company making the
contract after price of s6.35 for the
Louisiana product had been agreed
upon at a conference participated In
by Mr.. Rolph and Mr.. Babst.
When the shortage came into sight
IN the East, the witness asserted
more than 1O0,O tons of raw sugar
was held in the West, Of which the
Caiifornia-I Hawaiian Company held
10000 tons. He said he appealed to
Mr. Rolph to allow some OF this to
come East to keep Eastern refiners
going, but was Informed it was neces-
sary to keep the supply in the West
until the new Hawaiian crop came in
In support OF his charge that
Messrs. Rolph and Babst favored the
American company Mr.. SpeckIes re-
iterated an incident that brought ont
how two companies operating chain
retail stores recently had sugar when
none was to be procured at many
stores. He said A. H. Lamborn &.
Company of New York, q sugar byok-
err contracted for two cargoes OF Cu-
pan raw sugar for delivery at New
York and offered it to the Internal
ionai Sugar Co. committee in Oc-
tober at $500 a hundred pounds hut
the committee declined to buy with
out giving a reason.
Lamborn came to him soon after
ward, Mr. Specklcs said for means TO
further finance the deal and told him
mat within 15 minutes after the COM
mittee had declined the sugar a buyer
for the American had offered him
SO.65 for it. Buyers for the chain store
companies heard Of the situation. pur
chased the sugar for $715. ana with
the permission of the food admins
traitor, had il refined by the Federal
and the Warner Refining Company for
$50 n hundred.
The witness said that tho retail
price of $7.25 for Granulated sugar at