Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-06-10
tBy w. f. Taylor, Food Admins.
tratOr.)

tBy w. f. Taylor. Food Admins
tratOr.)
Many people seem to think that
they are unjustly being denied by
the government all the wheat -four
and sugar they wish. They do not
appreciate the fact that the govern
ment iss attempting to conserve the
available sugar supply and make a
fair distribution of it in the United
States and furnish some to the al
lies.
Some people say there is just as
much sugar in the world as there
ever was. For their information l
will state shat the crop of beet
sugar in the sugar beet countries
Of Europe, viz, Germany, Austria.
France, Belgium, Holland, Russia
and a few minor countries the year
the Ear broke out was S,179,01S
long tons. The production last
year in the same countries amount
ed to 4,555, 407 long tons. Germany
and Austria alone had a surplus 70
export amounting to 100000 tons
TO the war, and most of this went
to Great Britain and our other al
lies and some to the United States.
Beet sugar is produced in the
United States, but there is not
enough of it to make up the short
age. Last year the production OF
beet sugar in our country was 1884,
577 tons, or $4,000 tons less than
the previous year. The greatest
reduction in the crop was in the
states of Michigan and Ohio. The
Michigan crop fell off $4,000 tons,
and the Ohio crop 1900 tons, rep
resenting so per cent of the pro
duCtion of these two states. There
was an increase, however, in the
Utah and California crops, so that
the shortage was but $4,000 tons.
This shortage was due to the fact
that beet seed has always been i'm
ported from Germany, and there
fore there was a shortage of seed.
It is assumed that this year seed
produced in this country Wilma
teTially increase our crop.
To further emphasize that a
shortage exists, 1 will state that
the total production OF cane and
beet sugar in the world the year
the world war broke out was 49,
73S.326 long tons. n long ton is
2.240 pounds. Last year the world S
production was 16,535,778 tons
Prior TO the war the worlds sup
ply was divided almost equally be-
tween beet and cane, but since the
war the beet production has de-
clined approximately $500. 900 tons,
or 271a per cent. and cane sugar
has increased 100000 tons. or z
per cent. making a decrease in the
total production Of approximately
2;200,00 tons.
Sugar is so scarce among our al
lies that it is practically a rarity.
In order to make the supply go
around in the United States the
government is attempting to make
a distribution based upon approx
mately three pounds per person per
! month BY adhering to this, it is
thought that there will be enough
sugar to furnish everyone a reason
able amount till the new crop comes
on. The government is not attempt
ling to work a hardship, but on the
contrary it is attempting to be fair.
| Ii is the patriotic duty of every
person to cooperate to the fullest
extent. 1t is the patriotic duty OF
| all to use as little sugar and secure
as little from their grocers as pos
sible, instead of attempting to sec
| how much can be secured.
| In alloting sugar to the states, al
! territory west of the Mississippi riv-
| er was given western sugar, and all
territory east of thefiver was given
| southern and eastern sugar. The
allotment was based upon per cap
| tia, but owing to freight transpor-
| tation due to congestion in the east
Illinois is suffering from a shortage
at the present time, whereas Iowa
has its full appOrtionment.
The United States food admins
tration is very DESTROYS of provid-
| ing housewives with a sufficient
quantity of sugar~to do a reason
able amount Of canning, and has