The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-02
His Sugar Shortage Statement
Given in Executive Session.
Defends Food Administration
J Against Late Criticism.
CLASHES ARE NUMEROUS
But Senator Reed Sidesteps
Bout With Sharp Witness.
Turns Cross Examination of
Hoover Over to Sen. Lodge.

washington, Jan. 2.-Herbert
Hoover today answered criticisms of
his food administration when he testi-
fled before the senate sugar probe
committee. High food prices he at
trlbuted partly to greatly increased
per capita gold circulation and sud-
den conversion of thousands of men
from producers to consumers only :
Senator Reed, chairman of the
committee and violent critic of IIoov-
er, turned over cross examination to
Senator Lodge when the hearing be-
gan. Reed devoted his time to chew
ing gum and looking bored
A crowd packed into the committee
room, among those present being Mrs.
Hoover.
Lodge opened on high prices at the
outset.
Analyses Shortage.
Tremendous increase in the per
capita circulation of money was one
cause, in my opinion said Hoover.
This circulation advanced SO per cap
1ta in the United States in one year,
due to the gold inflow
Another was the sudden withdraw
al of millions of men from productive
work to fight. They at once became
consumers entirely
The first clash of the hearing came
when Lodge sought to go into Hoov-
Ol tSSllliiouy last 0ldy DcAOIS lllS SSIl-
ate agriculture committee.
Hoover didn't want to discuss this
testimony.
1T was given in executive session. -
he said.
You stated at that time that there
would be sugar shortage in Octo-
ber?" asked Lodge.
st said the available sugar in the
United States would be exhausted by
October, but I said it in executive ses-
sion," said Hoover. Had under
stood my testimony would be made
public, 1 should not have been able to
speak so frankly. I had no desire to
spread such an alarming statement"
Wrote Gore About LEAK"
Hoover said that when he found
there had been a leak from the SEN
ate committee, he wrote fenator Gore,
chairman of the committee, protest
ing against the making public of por-
tions of the Hoover statement.
THE giving out of the statement,
means an immediate increase of a
cent a pound in the sugar price,
Hoover wrote Gore
"Just why didn't you want this
statement given out when you later
gave interviews stating it was desir-
able to create an imaginative alarm
to aid saving?" asked Lodge.
ct didn't want to create this imag-
NATIVE alarm with regard to a hypo-
thetica1 condition which might occur
with regard to sugar" replied Hoover.
IT did want to create it with regard
to the whole food situation so the peo-
pie would conserve all foods"
Lodge quoted from interviews with
Hoover and a speech he delivered at
Brown university, to prove that Hoov-
er fostered the country's alarm, over
the sugar situation by repeating that a
world shortage was imminent.
Proper to Let People Know.
at was proper to tell the people of
tie country that world shortage was
looming up and that the allies would
! have to go sugarless unless we saved
said Hoover, warmly. 1t was i'm
proper to give out reports of executive
hearings in which 1 said the Cuban
crop might be reduced by a million
tons That created alarm and raised
prices The people ought to be told
the truth about their whole food sup
ply; they have been saving food since
we told them-if they didn't all the
world would suffer"
Didn't your statements concerning
the coming sugar shortage affect the
market and shoot the prices up?''
asked Lodge.
II don't think so,' replied Hoover
quoting a trade journal as saying the
sugar market was dull. at about the
same time as Hoover's shortage pre-
dictions were made.
Senator Reed demanded Hoover
show him the journal. Reed then
read several paragraphs from it
which. he Ssaid, proved that instead
of being dull the market was strong.
1T does say the market was dull
for six weeks" insisted Hoover
But it also says prices were goine
up and the market was strong" said
Reed.
= TT was dull for the period were
talking about" snapped Hoover.