The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-08-02

Coineident with the passage of the
bill, the food administration was for
mally organized. The immediate crea-
tion by Mr.. Hoover CT the sugar divi.
sion was a tribute 10 the Importance
of sugar in our economic life. That IL
is on essential food was generally ap.
preciated, but that sugar Is in every
real sense one Of the sinews of war,
required the war TO demonstrate. To
the soldier IL brings strength and fuel
in the quickest form. To both soldier
and civilian il furnishes the carbon.
hydrates which o complete diet RE-
qnires. ~
Mr., Hoover nuts the ease even
stronger, Sin the following words. 'As1
tNThe use Of sugar has grown dur
lug the last 100 years into our cnlis
nary and dietetic life to act as sort
of binding material on which our cui-
sine so largely resolves, Therefore,
maintenance Of household cons1mption
Is desirable beyond all question; and
70 eIt sugar consumption IN the house.
hold too low has a more depressing
elect, Infinitely, on population than
toent or Its manufacturing use. y. 81
I How true this Is was borne in upon
US last fan and winter when. because
of scarcity due to war conditions, II
WINS doled out in small parcels. While
the bread line was dispensing, the sugar
line was forming Anxious housewives
apportioned the family allotments with
unwontea frueality and public eating
places fationed their guests through
small envelopes containing limited 'por1
tions. te4 ',ttsE. ". ""''.rti: W.
X The announced purpose of the food
administration TO SECURE eomplianee
with It's regulations by self.impnlsion
rather than eompnlsioD, found expires
sion 10 the machinery set IN motion by
the sugar division. Mbbilizing the sn-
gar industry was begun by calling In
conference with Mr.. Hoover, first the
manufacturers of beet sugar and later
the refners ofBeane sugar. As q result
OF these conferences voluntary agree
ments were entered into between the
food administration and the interests
named. Notwithstanding the fact that
sugar was then selling at between
eight and nine cents per pound, the
manufacturer Of beet sugar agreed to
sell their product at ~ ceuts per
pound f. o. b. seaboard refining points,
hN Oh NhCll p1Ahf
agreed to accept q maximum margin
of l.3O cents per pound for their ser.
vices. This margin was arrived Mt by
taking the average margin prevailing
in the pre- war period and adding an
amount to represent tho increase in
the cost Of refining since the outbreak
Of the war.
Dealers Were La ensed "a.
BY proclamation, reGners, manrfae'
tnrers Of beet SUGAR. wholesalers and
jobbers, Were hcen-ed, aud after care
fal investigation the food administra
tion announced what was fair profit
for all these various services. As the
fond control act exempts from its pro
visions a retailer whose business doe.
not exceed 100000 year, fair prices
I to the consumer were secured through
the publication by the food admins
tratiOn of the prevailing wholesale
prices in different parts Of the country
and of the maximum retail prices which
housewives should pay. ',..
'Upto this point, the idea of volun
tary Observance Of the rules promul
gated bv the food administration aP
plie.l to sugar as to other foods. Bat
sugar is peculiar in this, that the
United States raises only oneshalf q,
much as its citizens consume. There
fore, the mobilization of the industry
could not have been effective without
control over the other half What wal
| i1 its narrower aspect q national pro
| blem, was soon found to be interna
tiOnal and worldwide! ; f
The sugar industry may be likene(
to bowlful Of jelly or spider wei
touch any part and the whole Is af
fected. 80. ! .5 ~t,7 '
If the United States were cut Of
from the seas, as the Teutonic Power
were before the collapse of Russia, on
sugar situation would be precariOus
We would have TO depend on our dom -
tic mainland crop of approximately
/ one million tons, one fourth Of which i
Louisiana cane and three fouTths West
ern beet. This would give us but TWEEN
4 ty-twO pounds a year per capita. Tn
4 Allies being in control of the seas, how
ever, we have been able to bring suga
from Hawaii aud the Philippines sufti
cient to add fifteen pounds to our in
| dividual yearly consumption, and from
Cuba and Porto Rico over forty pounds
sufficient for an annual consumption O.
oyer eighty pounds. This Indicate
the vital Importance to US OF sugar
from overseas. -.'.
One, third Of the world 3 sugar sup
ply comes normally from beet land
within the present battle lines o
Europe. Before the whr, England pur
chased most of her sugar FROM the Cen
trail Powers. With that region cut of
she turned to sources which supply tn
United States, principally Cuba.
In view of the demand upon Cub
for her supply, it was Apparent that tn
mobilization Of the industry would bav
been Ineffective without the eoopeTa
ton of the Cuban people. The islam
supplies the United States with abou
one-half the sugar consumed here
While Cuba has always b6en of vita
importance TO us, since the outbreal
A of the war this has become emphasized
Just before the establishment Of tn
United States food n administrator
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