The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-07-05

NEW NOHk. June lD-pFPSpnt in
dfcAtions point 70 n feAso6ably prompt
deeision beint. reached 81 he food ad
ADMINISTRATION ralafive 10 aSinp an ad.
vance a the refihefsg harain what.
ever allowance may be determined will
be granted to Offset the increase in
production costs that has taken place
since October 1, when the refiners en-
tafed into the agreement with Food
Administrator Hoover To accept n net
margin Of, $50 points.
An impoEtsnt step in the direction
6f reaching An early adjustment of
tie question was taken this week when
Oscar - Straue. chairman Of the New
York State public service commission
for the first district, was designated
by Mr., Hoover, to investigate and pass
On the pnerits of the refhers aPplica-
tion. for an upward revision of the
present margin. -sr,..
The appointment Of Mr.. Straus is re-
ported 70 be regarded by the refners
satisfactory to them. On the other
hand, the general opinion Of the sugar
trade is that, because Of his large ex,
perienee AS an arbiter in number of
Important economic and public service
eontroyefsies, his appointment win be
regardsd, by consumers a. giving as
surance that their interests will be well
SERVED and protected. Mr.. Straus was
secretary Of labor and eoRmerce un,
der President Roosevelt, was formerly
ambassador to Turkey, and was chair
man Of commission appointed in 1914
to arbitrate the, differences between
the Eastern railroads and their engi-
neers. = - t.s!s&5 :.
REIMBURSEMENT Provided For
The provision Of the agreement un-
der, which the refners are bringing
their request for a read iustment of
the margin Specifically states "that said
margin is also subject to revision from
time to time by reason of changes in
tins cost of refining,
Early Id the year the fefiners rec
,oRnised that rec curse to this provision
would have to, be made because of the
rapid. increases taking place in both
Manufacturing and distributing costs
The subject of making this necessity
known, 10 the food administration was
discassed at various meetings of the
Ameficah Rehners' committee during
February and March, at which times
kfke majority opinion was TO the effect
Flint while the Justice Of taking imme-
1fikts Steps Il, secure relief was un-
tipesti 6naa, 81 was to the best interests
Isat the industry to defer such action as
ElVpg as possible.
n BY April however, the pressure Of
EFfsing costa In labor, supplies and dis
ttfibutfeh became too heavy to, permit
fbf thu request for, n higher margin
lbeink further delayed, especially among
/, the bmailer, refining corpofations.. The
matfer came to d head on April 90, on
which date n special committee was APP
4 p0ihted. consisting of b., A, OKnard of
\ the Savannah Sugar Refining Corpora
tion, W. A: HoOdless Of the. Pennsyl-
1 TafIia Sugar Company and George K.
BuhEer OF 'he NATIONAL Su""r hehn'
lug COMPANY, with Instructions to pre-,
! pAIe briefs showing the Increased cost
Of refining r""ar since 'he agreement
was, entered into with the food admin
istration.
| After reveal Vcets sPent in secur-
ing cost d." from all the refiners, the
report Of this ron mittee was embodied
Il In Ine form OF DTleIS anu was Iccentiy
placed before Mr.. Hoover. No infOr
i Nation has Been given Out as to the
aTaee Of iGcreabe asked for, but in q
illKenefai way sugar circles have had
knowledge that It was considered nee
! Sssary TO secure an increase of at Least
ty0 POINTS 10 eouaIiZe the iiicrease il
4 SehhiHG costs. owing. however, to th,
4 liffferkRceA in ,eeogra phical location and
Idnancial resources among the yariouI
7 yefIning eomnanies variations are re
tpolted 10 exist In the number of add
tECn51 n6i6ts above me present mATrir
4 SesessaTy 10 rive adeonate compensa
tom FOR the @aximum increase In re
PaII IN Tonr ntvtstons
A - -, - v,l-.. ,u.L,
n genera tetms tnsse i m.ttin'a
] eos.S may De grOupen IN TOUT aiHA'ion n,
4 soSsrlng l4Dor suPpnes issl
4 Rackages lnatfel' ana hSgsl. No qres
J tlon, ,sHlSts but nat large increase 9s
IN. COSTS nave takeh pace sihce iaS
October IN each DIVISION. ,,.
4, . Ant1norlties eonVerSant WIN rehhir y
4 operations estimate the increase ~ Sc =
wages granted TO tabor from ,the aDoK
dAm 70 bhe present NJ 1uhy Msns::