The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1918-01-24
AMERICAN SUGAR
SENT TO FRANCE
American Price RigidIy Regulated
by United States Food
Administration.
CONSUMERS HERE PAY &c.
Sugar Cost IS Cents q Pound During
Civil War-Rehners' Profits
Now curtalted,

America at from 81 to 8 cents a
pound to the consumer, even though
there 10 a world shortage which has
reduced this nations sugar allotment
to 70 per cent. of normal.
Through the efforts of the United
States food administration the sugar
market has been regulated as far as
the producer, refner and wholesaler
10 concerned. The food administration
has 10 power to regulate retail prices
except by public opinion. Even though
more than $4,000 IONS Of sugar have
been shipped to France I'm the last
four months the retail grocer's sugar
price Is around 8 to 81 cents. He
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
istration was organized the price Of
sugar rose suddenly to IL cents g
pound. During the Civil War sugar
cost the consumer IS cents a pound.
Dv TCk uiutlOh " H sugar Aid e NV
reducing the price to 81 and Q cents
and keeping 1t 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.
at 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 II. enough
sugar for even their present meagre
and depressing ration unless they send
ships to remote markets for II. 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 our abilities to win
this war.
"if we send the ships to Java
for 25o, 900 tons Of sugar next year
we will have neeessitated the en-
pIoyment Of eleven extra ships for
one year. These ships-if used In
transporting troops-wouId take
10000 to zoe, 900 men to France"
Reason for World Shortage.
As Mr.. Hoover pointed out, the
United States, Canada and England
we're sugar importing countries before
the war, while France and Italy were
very nearly self supporting. The main
sources Of the worlds sugar supply
-. N~-,.-v .nd n~afnhhnrinU nnvvarQ
the West Indies and the East Indies.
German sugar Is no longer available,
az II is used entirely In Germany.
which also absorbs sugar Of surround
ing countries.
England can nc longer buy 100000
long tons of sugar each year from
Germany. The French sugar produc-
ton has dropped from 100000 to 2iO.-
900 tons. The Italian production has
fallen from 10000 tons to $4,000 tons.
Thus three countries were thrown
upo1 East and West Indian sources
for 1,g25,OO0 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
nisb and did furnish 100000 tons of
sugar to- Europe when 100000 tons a
rear 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..
Hoover stated the other day, the
English government In August reduced
the household sugar ration to a basis
NJ "a pounds per annum per capita
And in September the French govern
ment reduced their household ration
TO 10 2-1O pounds a year, or a bit over
1 round of sugar 3 month. Even this
measre ration could not be filled by
The French government II was found
parIv in the fall. America was then
asked for 100000 tons Of sugar and
succeeded in sending $1,000 o by
December 1. The French request was
rrsnted because the American house
hold consumption was then at least 80
pounds per person. and It was consid-
ered the duty Of maintaining the
French morale made u course clear"
Today the sugar situation may
b summarized BY stating that u
America will reduce Its sugar con-
sumption 10 to IS per cent. this
nation will be able to send 100000
more soldiers to France.
Sugar today sells at seaboard 70
dneries at $7.25 a hundred pounds.
The wholesale grocer has agreed to
limit his profit to q cents q hundred
plus freight, and the retail grocer Ia
supposed to take no moro than 30 cents
l hundred pounds profit. This regu-
lation was made by the food admins
tration, which now asks the housewife
Is reduce sugar consumption a. much
a possible, using other sweeteners,
ma also reminds her that she should
~ no more than Q cents . pound Tor
S~-e->s - cane QexnoruS proHRo-