The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-02-01
AMERICAN SUGAR
SENT TO FRANCE
American Price Rigidly Regulated
by United States Food
Administration.
CONSUMERS HERE PAY &c.
Sugar Cost IS Cents q Pound During
Civil War-Refiners' Profits
Now Curtailed.

Sugar is selling today throughout
America at from 81 to cents q
pound to the consumer, even though
there is a world shortage which has
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 as
the producer, reflner 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
price is around to 8h cents. He
should sell this sugar at 81 to 9
cents, 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 II cents
| pound. During the Civil War sugar
| cost the consumer 35 cents 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.
at 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. If 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 100000 tons of sugar next year
we will have necess;tated 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 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 100000
ong tons of sugar each year from
Germany. The French sugar produc-
ion has dropped from 100000 to 21O,-
100 tons. The italian production has
ALLEN from 10000 tons to $4,000 tons.
Thus three countries were thrown
lpon East and West Indian sources S
or 1,925.0O0 tons annually to maintain il
heir normal consumption. p
Because of the worlds shipping t
hortage the allied nations started o
rawing on the West Indies for sugar t
last InHian sugar took three times p
10 nur Der of ships, since the dis
ance was three times as great. Sud f,
emily the west was called on to fur b
ish and did furnish 1,420,000 tons of a
ugar to Europe when 100000 tons a Il
ear was the pre-war demand. The ii
lilies had drawn from Java 100000 v
ms before the shipping situation be- O.
anne acute. Il
"In spite of these shipments" Mr.. W
oover stated the other day, "the p
nglish government in August reduced II
lie household sugar ration to basis lie
: "a pounds per annum per capita. In
nd in September the French govern pl
ent reduced their household ration s.
Is 2-10 pounds year, or bit over W
pound of sugar month. Even this
eagre ration could not be filed by &C
e French government 1t was found fiji
lrly in the fall. America was then ca
'ked for 100000 tons of sugar and al
lcceeded In sending $1,000 tons by ii,
ecember 1. The French request was st
anted because the American house ia
I'D consumption was then at least So til
funds per person, and 1t was consid- pr
ed the duty Of maintaining the lie
-ench morale made our course clear" pa
Today the sugar situation may co
be summarized by stating that II CT
America will reduce Its sugar con- SUI
sumption 10 to is per cent. this re
nation will be able to send 100000 gr
more soldiers to France. mi
Sugar today sells at seaboard ~
cries at SIPS a hundred pounds. up
e Wholesale grocer has agreed to ha
nit his profit to rs cents hundred te,
Is freight and the retail grocer is efi
pposed to take no more than so cents Wa
hundred pounds profit This regu- in
ion was made by the food admins tn,
ton, which now asks the housewife tht
reduce sugar consumption as much an
possible, using other sweeteners, The
also reminds her that she should Oh;
= no more than cents a pound for fin
,ar. poi
control Of Cane Reiners' Profits. the