The Era-leader. [volume] (Franklinton, La.) 1910-current, 1918-03-07
AMERICAN SUGAR
SENT TO France
American Price Rigid|y Regulated
by United States Food
Administration.
CONSUMERS HERE PAY &c.
SUGAR Cost IS Cents a Pound During
Civil War-Refners' Profits
Now Curtailed.

Sugar Is selling today throughout
America at from 81 to 8 cents
pound to the consumer, even though
there is a world shortage which has
reduced this nations sugar allotment
to 10 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
u concerned. The food administration
has no power TO regulate retail prices
except by public opinion. Even though
more than $4,000 tons Of sugar have
been shipped to France in the last
four months the retail grocer's sugar
price Is around s to s1a cents. BE
should sell this sugar at 81 to 8
cents the food administration believes,
and asks the American housewife to
pay no more than this amount.
last August when the food admin
,stration vas organized the price Of
sugar rose suddenly to II cents
pound. During the Civil War sugar
cost the consumer IS cents a pound.
BY regulation Of the sugar market and
reducing the price to 8h and 9 cents
and keeping It from advancing to 20
cents the food administration has saw
ed the American public at least $780,
100000 IN four months, according to
statement made by Herbert Hoover
the other day.
1T 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 it, 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 wa send the ships to Java
for 100000 tons Of sugar next year
we will have neeessitated the en-
ployment Of eleven extra ships tor
one year. These shlps-lf 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,
az 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'
ton has dropped from 10000 to 21o,-
600 tons. The Italian production has
fallen from 10000 tons to 10000 TONS
| Thus three countries were thrown
upon East and West Indian sources
for 1925, 900 tons annually to maintain
their normal consumption.
because Of the worlds shipping
shortage the allied nations, started
drawing on the West Indies for sugar;
East Indian sugar took three times
| 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 1,420,0oO tons OF
sugar to Europe when 100000 tons
wear was the pre-war demand. The
allies had drawn from Java 4oo,ooo
tons before the shipping situation DE-
came acute.
"In spite Of these shipments" Mr.
Hoover stated the other day, tine
English government in August reduced
the household sugar ration to a basis
of d pounds per annum per capita.
And in September the French govern
mont reduced their household ration
to 70 2-1O pounds a year, or bit over
I Mound of sugar a month. Even TINS
meagre ration could not be filed oy
the French government it was founo
oor,v in the fall. America was then
asked for 100000 tons Of sugar ano
succeeded in sending $4,000 tons oy
December 1. The French request was
granted because the American mouse,
hold consumption was then at least 90
mounds per person, and it was cons,d-
erred the duty Of maintaining the
French morale made our course clear
Today the sugar situation may
b summarized by stating that "
America will reduce Its sugar con-
sumption 10 to IS per cent. TINS
nation wilt be able to send 2oo,ooo
more soldiers to France.
Sugar today sells at seaboard re-
fineries at SIPS hundred pounds.
The wholesale grocer has agreed to
limit his profit to % cents a hundred