Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 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-Re6ners' Profits
Nov Curtailed,


America at from So TO 8 cents a
pound 10 the consumer. even though
there is 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, refincr and wholesaler
is concerned. The food administration
has no power 10 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 grocer's sugar
price Is around s 10 So cents. He
should sell this sugar ar Sia to 3
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 a
pound. During the Civil War sugar
cost the consumer 30 cents a pound.
Ey regulation Of the sugar market and
reducing the price to Si5 and 9 cents
and keeping il from advancing to 20
cents the food administration has saw
ed the American public at least S1sn,-
100000 In four months. according 10
a statement made by Herbert Hoover
the other day.
1T 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 lis we see It, enough
sugar for even their present meaEre
and depressing ration unless they send
ships to remote markets for Il. 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.
az we send the ships 10 Java
for $50, 900 tons Of sugar next year
we will have necessitated the I'M
pioyment Of eleven extra ships for
one year. These ships-if used In
transporting ~troops-wouId take
$4,000 to 10000 men to France"
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 We're
very nearly self supporting. The main
sources OF the worlds sugar supply
was Germany and neighhoring powers.
the West Indies and the East Indies.
German sugar is no longer available,
as 1t 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,-
900 tons. The Italian production has
fallen from 100000 tons to $4,000 tons.
Thus three countries were thrown
upon East and West Indian sources
for 1.925,000 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 WINS called on to fur
nish and did furnish 100000 tons OF
sugar to Europe when 100000 tons q
year was the pre-war demand. The
allies had drawn from Java 100000
tons before the shipping situation be
came acute. ~
I'm spite OF these shipments" Mr.
Hoover stated. the other day, "thG
English government in August reduced
the household sugar ration to n basis
OF "a pounds per annum per capita
And in September the French govern
ment reduced their household ration
TO 10 2-10 pounds a year. or a bit over
meagre ration could not be filed b,
the French government 1t was fonnt
early in the fall. America was Their
asked for 100000 tons Of sugar ans
succeeded In sending sh0m tons b,
December !. The French request wal
= granted because the American house
hold consumption was then at least s:
pounds per person, and It was consld
cred the duty Of maintaining thu
French morale made our course clear.
Today the sugar situation may
u be summarized by stating that II
America will reduce Its sugar con.
sumption 10 to IS per cent. this
nation will be able to send 100000
more soldiers 70 France.
Sugar today sells at seaboard re
flneries at $7.25 q hundred pounds
The wholesale grocer has agreed t.
limit his profit to rs cents a hundred
plus freight, and the retail grocer II
supposed to take no more than 30 cent
a hundred pounds profit. This regu
lation was made by the food admins
tratiOn, which now asks the housewife
to reduce sugar consumption as mucl
1 as possible. using other %sweeteners
q and also reminds her that she SHOULD
!. pay N more than Q cents a pound To-
jsceugar.