The Keota news., 1918-02-01

absolute justice IL done TO every re-
finer.
. A committee comprising three rep |
rescntntivcs OF the English. French
and Italian governments; two repre- /
scniatiycs OF the American reiincrs.
with member OF the food ndministra-
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
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 10 the approval Of the Ameri-
can. English. French and Italian gov
crnmcnts.
This committee, while holding strong
views as to the price To be paid Tor
Cuban sugar. has not had the hhhi
voice. This voice has rested In the
governments concerned. together with
the Cuban government, and ] wish TO ,
state emphatically that all Of the gen
tlemen concerned us good commercial
men have cndcayored with the utmost /
patience and skill to secure u lower |
price and their persistence has re-
duced Cuban demands by II cents per
hundred The price agreed upon is
about Si.GO per hundred pounds, T. q. b.
Cuba. or equal to about So duty paid
New York.
"1his price should eventuate,"
Mr.. Hoover said. 'to about $3.50
per hundred for refined sugar from
the refners at seaboard points or
should place sugar in the hands Of
the consumer at from 0l7 to
cents per pound. depending upon
locality and conditions Of trade. or
at from I to cents below the
prices Of August last and from one
half to a cent per pound cheaper
than today.
There Is now an elimination Of |
speculation, cXtOrtiOnnte profits. and |
In the refining alone the American |
people will save over S2J.OO.OOO OF |
the refining charges last year. part
nf these savings goes To the Cuban.
hawaiian. Porto Rican and Lousianinn
producer and part to the consumer.
Appeals TO prejudice against the
food administration have been made
because the Cuban price Is "a cents
above that OF 1917. II is said In effect
that the Cubans are at our mercy: |
that we could get sugar Il 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 1t averages $3.50. while many |
producers are ut IA higher level. We
found that an average profit OF at
least II cent per pound was necessary |
In order to maintain and stimulate
production or that II minimum price Of |
Si37 was necessary. and even this |
would stifie some producers.
''rhe price ultimately agreed was % |
cents above these figures, or about one
fifth OF cent per pound to the Amer-
can consumer, and more than this
amount has been saved by our reduc- |
tion In retiners' profits. II we wish to
stihe production in Cuba we could
take that course just at the time Of all
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 a |
course would produce disturbances in
Cubn and destroy even our present |
supplies, but beyond MI these material
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
tl,A lrnr y,,,1>1