The Elbert County tribune., 1918-08-30
American Price Rigidly Regulated
by United States Food
Administration.
CONSUMERS HERE PAY &c.
Sugar Cost IS Cent? . Pound During
Civil War-Rehners' Profits
Now CurtaIIed.

tounu tut tOhSuhcl, CfCh thOt6s
here ia world shortage which has
reduced this nations sugar allotment
o 10 per cent. of normal.
Through the efforts of the United
States food administration the sugar
market has been regulated as far as
the producer, refiner and wholesaler
is concerned. The food administration
mas no power to regulate retail prices
except by public opinion. Even though
more than $4,000 tons Of sugar have
been shipped to France In the last
four months the retail grocer's sugar
price is around 8 to 81 cents. He
should sell this sugar at s1s to 9
,ents, the food administration believes,
and asks the American housewife to
nay no more than this amount.
Last August when the food admin
istration was organized the price Of
sugar rose suddenly to IL cents a
pound During the Civil War sugar
cost the consumer IS cents pound.
BY regulation of the sugar market and
reducing the price to sh and cents
and keeping It from advancing to 20
cents the food administration has saw
ed the American public at least $780,
900, 900 In four months, according to
statement made by Herbert Hoover
the other day.
ut is our stern duty to feed the al
lies, to maintain their health and
strength at any cost to ourselves"
Mr. Hoover declared. "There has not
been, nor will be as we see 1t, enough
sugar for even their present meagre
and depressing ration unless they send
ships to remote markets for IT. II we
in our greed and gluttony force them
either to further reduce their ration
or to send these ships we will have
done damage to our abilities to win
this war.
az we send the ships to Jaws
for 1000 tons Of sugar next year
we Will have necessItated the en-
pioymsnt Of eleven extra ships for
one year. These shIps-If used In
Transporting troops-wouId take
10000 TO zoe, 900 men TO France"
Reason for World Shortage.
As Mr.. Hoover pointed out, the
United States, Canada and England
were sugar importing countries before
the war, while France and Italy were
very nearly self supporting. The main
sources of the worlds sugar supply
was Germany and neighboring powers.
the West Indies and the East Indies.
German sugar is no longer available.
as 1t Is used entirely in Germany.
which also absorbs sugar Of surround
ing countries.
England can no longer buy Loo. 900
long tons of sugar each year from
Germany. The French sugar produc-
ton has dropped from 10000 to 210,-
600 tons. The Italian production has
fallen from 10000 tons to $4,000 tons.
Thus three countries were thrown
upon East and West Indian sources
for 1925, 900 tons annually to maintain
their normal consumption.
Because of the worlds shipping
shortage the allied nations started
drawing on the West Indies for sugar I;
East Indian sugar took three times
the number of ships, since the dis
lance was three times ms great. Sud-
denly the west was called on to fur
nIsh and did furnish 100000 tons Of
sugar to Europe when 100000 tons a
year was the pre-war demand. The
allies had drawn from Java 1000
tons before the shipping situation be-
came acute.
I'm spite of these shipments" Mr..
Hoover stated the other day, tho
English government In August reduced
he household sugar ration to a basis
" "a pounds per annum per capita.
And In September the French govern
nent reduced their household ration
o 10 2-10 pounds year, or a bit over
pound of sugar a month. Even this
neagre ration could not be filled by
he French government 1t was found
arly in the fall America was then
isked for 100000 tons of sugar and
succeeded in sending $1,000 tons by
December l. The French request Was
ranted because the American house
,old consumption was then at least 90
,ounds per person, and 1t was consid-
red the duty of maintaining the
french morale made our course clear"
Today the sugar situation may
be summarized by stating that II
America Will reduce LIS sugar con-
sumption 10 to is per cent. this
nation will be able to send 100000
more soldiers to France,
Sugar today sells at seaboard 70.
..neries at SIPS a hundred pounds.
, he wholesale grocer has agreed to
init his profit to 25 cents hundred
olus freight, and the retail grocer is
IMPOSED to take no more than 90 cents
y hundred pounds profit. This .regu-
alton was made by the food admins
ration. which now asks the housewife
To Sedyce sugar consumption as much
as possible, using other sweeteners,
and also reminds her that she should
nav M r,,nro thop q capfc a na,x-I o..