The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1918-06-29
RATIoNlNG SYSTEM ADOPTED.
Regulations Affecting Sale of Sugar
Announced by Hoover.

paced under complete control by the
United States Food Administration.
There is general belief that the
system will be extended to other
foods. The action with regard to su
gar was no surprise, as events during
the past month have been steadily
pointing in that direction.
The industries were first put under
certificate by John M. Parker. food
administrator for Louisiana, and last
week he issued notice Of the new re-
tail sales limit of two pounds in the
cities and five pounds in the country.
This has been rapidly followed by
orders which will take in all handlers
and users Of sugar
The regulations will be promul-
gated in every parish, and will be
binding upon every firm and individ-
ual Mr.. Parker says the system
means an equitable. and fair distribu-
ton, for everybody, and that it will
assure not only enough sugar for the
home people, but will enable the send
ing of a sufficient supply to our sol
diers and Allies in Europe and the
building up of reserve stock which
will be an insurance nolicy against ac-
cident or disaster. Because it is a
square deal he feels sure the people
will carry it out to the letter. He
does not propose to show any mercy
to dealers or consumers who will try
to hoard or profit more than their
share.
In connection with the new system
the following extracts from state
ment issued by Herbert Hoover will
be read with interest:
"a number of causes have cumu-
lated to make our sugar position more
difficult than we could have antici
pated at the beginning of the year.
The increased shipping needed by
our growing army in France has ne
cessitated the curtailment of sugar
transportation, particularly from the
longer voyage, and has thus reduced
supplies both to the Allies and our
selves from remote markets. Some
of the accessible sugar producing
areas have proved a less yield than
was anticipated, such as certain West
Indian islands. The domestic beet
and Louisiana crops have fallen be-
low anticipation. There has been
some destruction of beet sugar fac
tories in the battle area of France
and Italy. We have lost considerable
sugar by submarines.
GAS close an estimate as we can
make indicates reasonable expecta-
ton from all sources of about ,6O0,-
600 tons of sugar Tor United States
consumption during the last half of
The present year this based upon the
maintenance of the present meagre
Allied ration. An inpnovement n
shipping conditions would OF course
relieve this situation, as quantities OF
sugar are in unavailab bic markets We
must, however, base the dlstrlb but1on
OF sugar during the next six months
upon the above footing After that
period the new West Indian crop
will be available.
"This supply Of 1,6O0,0OO tons ne
cessitates considerable reduction IN
our consumption. To provide three
pounds of sugar per month per per-
son fer household use, to take care
Of our army and navy and to provld
for the necessary preservation OF
fr11it. milk, ct cetera, will require
about 1900, 200 tons Of sugar for the
six months. A household consump-
tion of three pounds per month per
person, together with the special al
Iowance for home canning means a
reduction of some % per cent IN
these branches of consumption from
normal, but it is still nearly double
the ration in the Allied countries and
is ample for every economical use.
.In the plan of distribution which
will now 90 into force, the less essen
tial users of sugar, that is, confec-
tioners, soft drink manufacturers
tobacco manufacturers, etc, will pc
hit the hardest. The administrator
regrets intensely any action that
viii cause hardship to any individual,
but the situation is due to the Ger
mans. not to this government. There
are a number Of substitutes available
to the confectioners upon which no
restrictions are placed.
'In order to secure justice in dis
tribution and to make the restrictive
plans as effective as possible, no man
ufacturer or wholesaler of sugar vii!
be allowed after July / to sell any
sugar except to buyers who secure a
certificate from the local food ad-
ministrators, indicating the quantity
the may buy For the purpose of is
suing these certificates the various
users of sugar are divided into
groups.
"Group E--that is. retail stores
will receive for July purchases certi-
ficates based upon the average of su-
gar sold during the combined three
April, May and June, 1918.
Retailers must not sell sugar to any
of the other groups, that is, to no one
except householders, without taking
UP the certificates of such persons.
They must not sell more than two
pounds at any one time to any town
customer or more than five pounds at
any one time to any country custom
e.. The latter may, however, be
varied by the local administrator to
IN the opening reels. and later dips