Licking Valley courier., 1918-01-24
AMERICAN SUGAR
SENT TO France
American Price RigidIy Regulated
by United States Food
Administration.
CONSUMERS HERE PAY &c.
Sugar Cost 35 Cents a Pound During
Civil War-Refiners' Profits :.
Now Curtailed.

Sugar is selling today throughout
America at from S1s to 8 cents II
pound to the consumer, even though
there is world shortage which HIS
reduced this nations sugar allotment
to 70 per cent. Of normal.
Through the efforts Of the United
States food administration the sugar
market has been regulated as far az
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 $1,000 tons of sugar have
been shipped to France in the last
four months the retail grocer's sugar
price is around 8 to S1s cents. He
should sell this sugar at Sh 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 II cents a
pound. During the Civil War sugar
cost the consumer 35 cents a pound.
By regulation of the sugar market and
reducing the price to Sh and 9 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 meagrc
and depressing ration unless they send
ships to remote markets for 1t. 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.
"lf we send the ships to Java
for 250,000 tons Of sugar next year
we will have necessitated the EN-.
ployment of eleven extra ships for
one year. These ships-if used in
transporting troops-would take
10000 to 100000 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 mali
sources of the worlds sugar supply
was Germany and neighboring powers
the West Indies and the East Indies.
German sugar is no longer available
rs It is used entirely In Germany
which also absOrbs sugar of surround
ing countries.
England can no longer buy 100000
long tons of sugar each year from
Germany. The French sugar produc
tion has dropped from 10000 TO 30
900 tons. The Italian production has
fallen from 100000 tons to 10000 tons
Thus three countries were throw
upon East and West Indian sources
for 1,925,000 tons annually TO maintain
their normal consumption.
Because of the worlds shippin;
shortage the allied nations started
drawing on the West Indies for sugar
East Indian sugar took three time'
The number of ships, since the dis
lance was three times as great, Sud
denly the west was called on to fur
nish and did furnish 100000 tons Of
sugar TO Europe when 100000 tons {;
year was the pre-war demand. Th,
allies had drawn from Java 400,00i
tons before the shipping situation be
came acute.
"In spite of these shipments" Mr
Hoover stated the other day, "th,
English government In August reduce,
the household sugar ration to basis
Of "a pounds per annum per capita
And In September the French govern
ment reduced their household rutiol
to 13 2-10 pounds year, or bit ove'
| pound of sugar month. Even thi'
meagre ration could not be filled b,
The French government II was founC
early in the fall. America was ther
asked for 100000 tons Of sugar ant
succeeded In sending $1,000 tons b!
December I. The French request wa
granted because the American house
hold consumption was then at least y
pounds per person, and II was consld
cred the duty Of maintaining th,
French morale made our course clear
Today the sugar situation may
be summarized by stating that u
America will reduce lite sugar con.
sumption 10 to is per cent. this
nation will be able to send 200, 900
more soldiers to France.
Sugar today sells at seaboard re
tineries at $725 q hundred pounds
The wholesale grocer has agreed t,
limit his profit to 20 cents hundred
plus freight, and the retail grocer L
supposed to take no more than 80 cent
n hundred pounds profit This regu
lation was made by the food admins
tration, which now asks the housewife
to reduce sugar consumption as mucl
as possible, using other sweeteners
and also reminds her that she shoult
pay no more than o cents a pound 70
sugar.
Control Of Cane Reflners' Profits.
Immediately upon the establish
ment of the food administration" Mr.
Hoover said, "an examination wa,
made of the costs ard profits OF refin
ing and II was finally determined thai
the spread between the cost OF raw
and the sale of refined cane sugal
should be limited to $1.S0 per hundred
pounds. The pre-war dlfferentlal haC
averaged about So cents and increased
costs were found TO have been lmpos