The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1918-05-30

ana the sale OF refined cane sugar
should be limited to 81 20 per hundred
pounds. The pre-war differential had
averaged about s. cents aud increased
costs We're found To have been impOs-
ed by the war in increased cost Of re-
hning. losses, cost of bags, labor, insur-
ance, interest and ether things, rather
more than cover the difference. After
prolonged negotiations the reaners
were placed under agreement estab-
fishing these limits on October l, and
anything over this amount t0te agreed
ext0rtlonate under the law.
an the course Of these inyestiga-
lions 1t was found by canvass Of the
Cuban producers that their sugar had
during the first nine months OF the
past year, sold for an average Of about
S424 per hundred T. o b. Cuba, 10
which duty and freight added 10 the
retiners cost amount To about so6o
per hundred The average sale price
of granulated nv various rehneries, ac-
cording TO our investigation. was about
$50 per hundred, or a difrerential OF
s1S4.
"In reducing the differential TO Sl.3O
there was a saving 10 the public of "a
cents per hundred. Had such dif-
ferential been in use from the lst or
January, 1917. the public would have
saved In the first nine months OF the
.,o,n ..k.,,t eos coo OOO "
Next Year.
With view TO more efficient organ
ization Of the trade In imported sugars
next wear two committees have been
formed by the food administration:
/. A committee comprising repre-
sentatlves of all Of the elements OF
American cane refining groups. The
principal duty of this committee Is to
divide the sugar imports pro rata TO
their various capacities and see that
absolute justice is done TO every re-
finer.
.. A committee comprising three rep
resentatives of the English, French
and Italian governments two repre-
sentatives of the American refners,
with d member of the food administra-
ton. Only two Of the committee have
arrived from Europe, but they repre-
sent the allied governments The du-
ties of this committee are to determine
| the most economical sources from q
transport point of view of all the al
| lies To arrange transport at uniform
/ rates, TO distribute the foreign sugar
between the United States and allies
| subject TO the approval OF the Amerl-
| can English. French and Italian gov
ernments
This committee, while holding strong
views as TO the price to be paid for
! Cuban sugar. has not had the final
/ voice. This voice has rested In the
/ governments concerned, together with
/ the Cuban government, aud | wish TO
| state emphatlcally that all of the gen
( tlemen concerned as good commercial
/ men have endeavored with the utmost
/ patience and skill to secure lower
price. and their persistence has re-
! duced Cuban demands by 10 cents per
/ hundred. The price agreed upon Is
about 81 go per hundred pounds, {. o. b.
/ Cuba, or equal to about So duty paid
New York.
This price should eventuate,"
Mr.. Hoover said, "to about $3.50
per hundred for refined sugar from
the refiners at seaboard points or
should place sugar in the hands OF
the consumer at from 8 to
cents per pound, depending upon
locality and conditions Of trade, or
at from to cents below the
prices of August last and from one
half to cent per pound cheaper
than today.
"There is now an elimination of
speculation, extortionate protits, and
in the retiging alone the American
people will save over $2J, 900 900 of
the refining charges last year A part
of these savings goes TO the Cuban
Hawaiian Porto Kican and Lousianian
producer and part to the consumer
Appeals 10 prejudice against the
food administration have been made
because the Cuban price is "a cents
above that of 1917. 1t is said in effect
that the Cubans are at our mercy
that We could get sugar cent lower
We made exhaustive study of the cost
Of producing sugar in Cuba last year
through our own agents in Cuba, and
we find it averages S3.39, while many
producers are at higher level. We
found that an average prOft OF at
least a cent per pound was necessary
in order to maintain and stimulate
production or that minimum price OF
$437 was necessary, and even this
would stihe some producers
The price ultimately agreed was %
cents above these figures, or about one
fifth of cent per pound 10 the Amerl
can consumer, and more than this
amount has been saved by our reduc
tion In refiners profits. If we wish tC
stine production In Cuba we could
take that course Just at the time of al
times In our history when we want
production for ourselves and the al
lies Further than that, the state de
partment will assure you that such 0
course would produce disturbances II
Cuba and destroy even our present
supplies, but beyond all these materia
reasons is one of human Justice This
great country has no right by the
might of Its position to strangle Cuba.
"Therefore there is no imposition
upon the American public Charges
have been made before this commit
tee that Mr. Rolph endeayored to ben
eft the California refinery of which he
was manager by this "a cent increase
in Cuban price Mr. Rolph did not Fl,
The price It does raise the price tC
the Hawaiian farmer about tha
amount. 1t does not raise the profit 0,
the California refinery because theil
charge for refining Is, like all other re
hnerS limited to 81 70 nor hundrar