The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1918-03-13
AMERICAN !! !!||!||'||||| O | s. SUGAR Z R.
!. SENT 81 NJ TO II FRANCE ||I!|||c!l!|E
American Price RigldIy Regulated
~ United States Food
administration.
CONSUMERS HERE PAY 50,

Sugar Cost 50 Cents Pound During !,
Civil War-Rsfners Profits
Now cdrtallsd.
Sugars selling today throughout
America at. from SIX to 9 cents !
pound to the consumer, even though
there d q world shortage which has
reduced this nations sugar allotment
to 20 per cent. Of normal.
Through the efforts Of the United
States food administration the sugar
market has been regulated as far aa
the producer, refiner and wholesaler
Is concerned. The food administration
has no power to regulate retail prices
except by public opinion. Even though
than 5000 tons of sugar have
been shipped to France in the last
four months the retail grocer's sugar
price is around s to sh cents. He
should sell this sugar at 8h 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
istration was organized the price Of
sugar rose suddenly to II cents q
pound. During the Civil War sugar
cost the consumer IS cents q pound.
BY regulation of the sugar market and
reducing the price to 8h and 0 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
a statement made by Herbert Hoover
the other day.
ut Is our stern duty to feed the al
lies, to maintain their health end
strength at any cost to ourselves, "
MI Hoover declared. There has not
been, nor will be as W. see 1t, enough
sugar for even their present meagre
and depressing ration unless they send
ships to remote markets for It. II 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 u abilities to win
this war.
"If we send the ships 20 Java
for 250,000 tons Of sugar next year
we will have necessitated the en-
ployment Of eleven extra ships for
one year. THESE ship1if used In
transporting ~troops-wouId take
$4,000 to 100000 men to France" n
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
as 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,
GOO tons. The italian production has
fallen from 10000 tons to $4,000 tons
Thus three countries were thrown
upon East and West Indian sources
for 1,925,OOO 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 $4,000 tons OF
sugar to Europe when 100000 tons a
year was the pre-war demand. The
allies had drawn. from Java 100000
tons before the shipping situation be
came acute.
"In spite of these shipments" Mr.
j. Hoover stated the other day, 1.-THE
government in August reduced
49, household sugar ration to a basis
a.. "a pounds per annum per capita
d .ni in September the French govern.
UT reduced their household ration
2-1O pounds a year, or a bit over
of sugar a month. Even this
800 ZS Tut1Ou SOUSu uOs OS uAICu Ny
~. o4s,ench government 1t was found
w ;MIss the fall. America was then
soun..y sAr 100000 tons Of sugar and
in sending $4,000 tons by
~ anu ANAL The French request waa
cause the American house.
sA4uoe. u..ffnption was then at least 81
nv ues' person, and 1t was consid.
p usSnas'ns assty Of maintaining the
~ ~ uesl!e .hsmade our course clear
w.. - 49,. 4 sugar situation may
:. .rsstlyed by stating that u
aes.,aa .sr.fs.l reduce lie sugar con.
..tr.o1sa,na .aaAo rs per cent. THE /.
.sd BY the ~inauguffPp.e g se"o eo'
lain grades, as prom wee.
partment Of Agricultt.3 seaooaro s.
lace about tlles same tin. aJfred pounos'
diverse 6onfirr1alnfsi Ind aAs agreed to
onlg farmers that the Grain Ca hundred
u of the Food Administrattd grocer u
sponslble for. both. Me price, IN 90 cents
lined and stricter observance this srega
But The eorpof1tiSn we adminis
llbls for neither aet = 10 puslpousewi1e