The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-01-14

The Investigation into the recent
Senate Committee on Manufactures
has resulted thus far in airing nUmer-
Gus animosftfes, but has produced lit
tie Information throwing any real
light on the situation. Doubtless that
will come later as the inquiry pro-
ceeds.
The attempt to place responsibility
for the shortage of supplies In the
Eastern states upon the action taken
by the Food Administration looking to
the regulation OF prices is 50 wide of
the mark as to appear ridiculous to
those couverSant with sugar trade
conditions Aside from the restrictions
Imposed by the war, including lack of
available ocean tonnage, which have
shut off large proportion of the nor
NAL world supply Of sugar and have
rendered It unavailable to the markets
of the United States and western Eur
ope, certain specific causes have oper-
ated to reduce the amount of sugar
ON which these markets could draw
during the past year II ono were ask
ed to explain in the briefest terms the
Of sugar It would be sufficient to place
the responsibility for it upon the upset
In the worlds transportation facilities
The absorption of ocean tonnage by
strictly military requirements has
made Il impossible to move soc, 900
tons of JaVan sugar which could have
been trapSorted under normal oondi-
t7ons
Had It been possible to market this
sugar II would have satisfied require
meuts on both sides Of the Atlantic
Other factors, however, have contri-
buted to the creation of a shortage
and have caused the absence of Far
Eastern supplies to be more severely
6egf than they otherwise would have
been
Among these may be included the
3nSuErection in Cuba during the height
of last seasons sugar campaign,
which, with other unfavorable factors,
resulted in cutting down the Cuban
crop from an estimated output of g.
800, 600 long tons to an actual yield
OF but little over 5000, 900 TONS
Not only did the Cuban crop fall
short Of earlier expectations, but the
yield Of beet sugar proved dtsappoint-
Eng, the crop falling short of the pre-
vious years total by SO, 900 tons and
being over 100, eco tons below earlier
estimates.
The actual amount of sugar produc-
cd in the United States and Cul1R
available for use by this country and
tho Allies during 1917 was almost ex-
Actty the same as in the previous year,
but the market situation was affect
ed by certain important differences
In the first place we entered the year
with the reseTve stocks which usually
are carried over from season to sea
son reduced to the lowest point they
had touched in many years These
reserve stocks and invisible supplies
had suffered a continuous decline
since the beginning of the war During
the past year they have been com
pletely exhausted In the second
place the inability to move Javan su-
gar caused a substantially heavier
drain upon Cuban supplies by the AL
lies
Entering the year with an actual de-
crease OF available supplies, although
the fun extent of this decrease was
not known until August last, the
American people proceeded to con-
sumo much more sugar than during
the previous year An important fac
tor in increasing consumption IN
doHbtedly WIS the active campaign
carried on to encourage home canning
and preserving of fruits on the par
of the American housewives as the
most important conservation work t.
which sugar could be put For the
first nine months of the year con
sumption in the United State was a
the rate Of two and a quarter million
pounds day more than in 1916. Thus
up to October LIST, the American peo
, PIE had used ITS, 900 long tons of su
gar in excess Of the same period dur
ing the previous year, an amour
which measures very accurately tn,
extent of the shortage since that date
The scarcity that has made itself Sc
vereay felt during the past eight week
Throughout the northeastern part o
the country was foreseen and predict
ed early IN August Of the present year
AT that time Facts About Sugar
pointed out that the prospective shor
taze would amount to not less thai
100000 tons. According to the law o
supply and demand the result woul,
have been a tremendous advance il
the price Of sugar, with the conse
quent effect of reducing consumption
to fit the shortened supply. That re
suit was foresta1led by the Food AID
ministration through the agreement
which # brought about among produc
ers and distributors for the vo1untar
limitation OF prices, instead OF great
ly enhanced prices for the Unite
supply with no appreciate advanc
in prices.
Certain other factors have added t
the acuteness Of the shortage in tn
limited territory where it has prevail
ed. Among these have been the dis
aDpointinE results of the current Gro