The Meeker herald., 1918-06-15
AMERICAN SUGAR
SENT TO FRANCE
American Price Rigidly Regulated
by United States Food
Administration.
CONSUMERS HERE PAY Sc.
Sugar Cost IS Cents q Pound During
Civil war-Refiners' Profts
Now curtaiied.

Sugar Is selling today throughout
America at from 81 to 0 cents a
pound to the consumer. even though
there Ia 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 rs
the producer, refiner and wholesaler
Ia concerned. The food administration
has no power to regulate retail prices
except by public opinion. Even though
more than 5000 tons Of sugar have
been shipped to France In the last
four months the retail grocers sugar
price Is around 8 to 81 cents. He
should sell this sugar at 81 to d
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
pound During the Civil War sugar
cost the consumer IS cents n pound.
u
reducing the price to Sh and o cents
and keeping 1t from advancing to 20
cents the food administration has saw.
ed the American public at least $780,
OOO, 900 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 and
strength at any cost to ourselves"
Mr. Hoover declared. "There has not
been, nor will he MS we SOC II, enough
sugar for even their present mengre
and depressing ration unless they send
ships to remote markets for 1t. II we
In our greed and gluttony force them
either to further reduce their ration
or to send these ships we will have
done dnmnge to our abilities to win
this war.
az we send the ships to Java
for 2so. 0co tons Of sugar next year
we will have neeessitated the en-
ploynent Of eleven extra ships for
one year. These ships-if used In
Transporting troops-wouid take
$50. 900 to 100000 men to France"
Reason for World Shortage.
As Mr.. Hoover pointed out. the
United Stntcs, Canada and En- :lnnd
were sugar importing countries before
the war, while France md Italy were
very nearly self supporting. The main
sources of the worlds sugar supply
was Germany and neIgliboring powers.
the West Indies and the East Indies,
German sugar Ia no longer available.
ms II is used entirely In Germany.
which also nbsorbs sugnr Of surround
Ing countries.
England can no longer buy 1.4OO.OOO
Germany The French sugar produc-
tion has dropped from 10000 to 2l0.-
600 tons The Italian production has
fallen from 10000 tons to 5000 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:
Enst Indian sugar took three times
lance was three times ms great. Sud
denly the west was called on to fur
nish and did furnish 1,42O.OOO tons OF
sugar to Europe when 100000 tons a
year was the pre-war demand. The
allies had drnwn from Java 4OO,OOO
tons before the shipping situation be-
came acute.
I'm spite OF these shipments" MFR.
Hoover stated the other day, "the
English government In August reduced
the household sugar ration to basis
OF "a pounds per annnm per capita.
And In September the French govern
mcnt reduced their household rntion
to II 2-1O pounds year. or bit over
l pound of sugar month. Even this
meagre ration could not be filed by
the French government II WINS found
early In the fail. America was then
asked for 100000 tons Of sugar and
succeeded In sending $1,000 tons by
December I. The French request was
granted because the American house
hold consumption was then At least ~
pounds per person. and II was consld.
cred the duty Of maintaining the
French morale made our course clear"
Today the sugar situation may
be summarized BY stating that
America will reduce lis sugar con-
sumption 10 to is per cent. this
nation will be able to send zoo, 900
more soldiers to France.
Sugar today sells at seabOard re-
nneries at 1925 a hundred pounds.
The Wholesale grocer has agreed to
limit his profit to rs cents a hundred
plus freight. and the retail grocer Is
supposed to take no more than 80 cents
a hundred pounds profit. This regu-
lation wac made by the food admins
tration, which now asks the housewife
to reduce sugar consumption rs much
rs possible, using other sweeteners,
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