Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1918-01-24
AMERICAN SUGAR
SENT TO FRANCE
american Price RigidIy Regulated
by United States Food
Administration.
CONSUMERS HERE PAY &c,
Sugar Cost IS Cents a Pound During
Civil War-RefinerI Profits
Now curtaIIed.

Sugar is selling today Throughout
America at from 8M to 8 cents ,
pound to the consumer, even thougi
there is a world shortage which haI
reduced this nations sugar allotment
to 70 per cent of normal
Through the efforts Of the United
States food administration the sugal
market has been regulated as far as
the producer, refiner and wholesaler
Is concerned. The food administration
has 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 to Sh cents. He
should sell this sugar at 814 TO
cents, the food administration believes,
and asks the American housewife TO
pay 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 35 cents q pound.
BY regulation of the sugar market and
reducing the price to 81 and 8 cents
and keeping 1t from advancing to 20
cents the food administration has saw
ed the American public at least $780,
100000 in four months, according to
a 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.
"if we send the ships to Java
for ESQ, 900 tons Of sugar next year
we will have necessitated the en-
pioynent Of eleven extra ships for
one year. These shIps-if used In
Transporting troops--wouid take
$1,000 to 200, 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 we're
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 1,40o, 600
long tons Of sugar each year from |
Germany. The French sugar produc-
Hon has dropped from 10000 to 210,-
700 tons. The italian production has
fallen from 10000 tons to $4,000 tons
Thus three countries were thrown
upon East and West Indian sources
'or 1925, 900 tons annually to maintain
heir normal consumption.
Because of the worlds shipping
shortage the allied nations started
lrawing on the West Indies for sugar;
Cast Indian sugar took three times
he number of ships. since the dis
ance was three times as great Sud
lenly the west was called on to fur
fish and did furnish l, 42O, 600 tons Of
ugar to Europe when 100000 tons a
ear was the pre-war demand. The
lilies had drawn from Java 100000
ons before the chipping situation be-
anne acute.
an spite Of these shipments" Mr..
Ioover stated the other day, ''the
English government in August reduced
he household sugar ration to basis
4 "a pounds per annum per capita.
md In September the French govern
lent reduced their household ration
o 10 2-10 pounds year, or bit over
pound Of sugar a month. Even this
1eagre ration could not be filed by
he French government 1t was found
ariy in the fall America was then
sked for 100000 tons of sugar and
ucceeded in sending $1,000 tons by
december 1. The French request was
ranted because the American house.
old consumption was then at least 55
ounds per person, and It was consid-
red the duty of maintaining the
rench morale made our course clear"
Today the sugar situation may
be summarized by stating that II
America will reduce Its 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 re-
neries at $7.z5 hundred pounds.
he wholesale grocer has agreed to
init his profit to Is cents a hundred
us freight, and the retail grocer is
opposed to take no more than SO cents
hundred pounds profit. This regu-
ton was made by the food admins
alton, which now asks the housewife
reduce sugar consumption as much
possible, using other sweeteners,
Id also reminds her that she should
~ no more than Q cents q pound for
lgar.