Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1918-11-14
SUGAR SHORTAGE
IS Due TO WAR
siTUATioN 70 ouToRoWTH OF
GREAT CONFLICT AND MUST
81 90 CONSIDERED.
SIX ANGLES TO the PROBLEM
Various Factors Have Contributed 20
Create q Condition Which
Would Be lmposslb's
In Peace Tinss. .

Just why should We ave sugar.
What makes q ration Of ~. pounds .
month for each person necessary?
These questions frequently are
asked the Missouri Division. Of the
Food Administration. especially since
a false report has been circulated In
the state that there ID plenty Of sugar
In the warehouses of the Wholesale
grocers.
In analysing tho present sugar sit
uation six factors must be consid-
cred: the situation Of the Allies. In.
creased consumption In the United
States, our reserve stocks, geograph-
ical complications In sugar distribu.
ton, prospects for u 1883 sugar
crops and the shipping situation.
Before the war the United Kingdom
obtained 54.2 per cent Of Its sugar sup
ply from Germany and Austria.H Hun.
gary. These sources are now eltmi-
mated. France obtained 71.S per cent
of her sugar from home production
before the war. but her present home
production Is now reduced about one
half. This situation has resulted in
heavy lnroads upon the sources Of sup
ply of the United States. This coun-
try must share with the Allies what
supplies are available here.
Consumption Has Increased.
Consumption of sugar in the United
States has increased on account Of In
creased prosperity brought about by
the war. This has added greatly to
the purchasing power Of the consum-
Ing public. The unemployed class OF
the country. estimated at several mil.
lion before the war. has practically
disappeared and now has a large pur.
chasing power. The demand for
sugar, In common with other commodt-
ties, mas increased In response to this
increased purchasing power.
Sugar Is used, unlike many other
food commodities. as Q constituent In
Sc many other food products that the
demand is multiplying in all dirsc-
tions. Condensed milk. candy. soft
drinks, canned fruits and vegetables.
ice cream. flavoring extracts. chewing
gum. sweet pickles. tobacco. honey.
wines, dental preparations, drugs. cat
sup, chilli sauce, packed goods and
many other edible products all employ
sugar, as also do certain non-edible
products, such as explosives and
%glycerine.
The armed forces Of the United
States consume much more sugar per
capita than the civilian population.
There are considerable amounts
shipped for Belgian relief. the Red
Cross, Y. NJ. C. A., Knights Of Column
bus and other organizations. Subma-
rines sank about 10000 tons of sugar
in the recent depredations on our
coasts. Thus. in spite of appeals Of
the Food Administration for reduc-
ton in consumption. there has been
no appreciable decrease In the per cap
tia consumption, which for the first
six months OF 1918 amounted to about
As pounds. This is somewhat above
the normal per capita consumption.
Sugar Comes In Cycles.
Our sugar comes to US In definite
seasonal cycles. The cane sugar OF
Cuba, Hawaii, Porto Rico, Philippines
and other minor sources Is exported to
this country in the period from Janu'
airy to October. Although there ia
some available even as late as Decem'
Der. the amount ia relatively small
From October to January we depend
chiefly on our W domestic beet and
cane crops, but 1t is not until Novem
Der that the beet sugar is available In
the eastern part Of the country.
To bridge the gap between the END
of the arrivals Of cane sugar from out
side the country and the arrivals OF
beet sugar from the Western states
we depend normally on u refiners
reserve supply Of cane sugar. of some
$1,000 tons. Since our shortage dur
ing the latter part Of last year oul
reserve stock has. been In y depleted
condition. Refiners now have onl,
about 100000 tons Of raw cane sugal
on hand. about 40 per cent OF the nor
NAL reserve supply. Had our con
sumption in the last six months beer
reduced sufficiently. refiners' stocks
might now have been large enough Il
take care Of our needs.
At no time this year have Stock
been anywhere neal those Of pre-wa'
years or of last year. At the lates
date, Aug. 10. stocks were still no
much more than one.half Of last years
This alone indicates the necessity TO
conservation.
An additional factor which compli
Gates the sugar situation ID the phyai
cal factor of the geographical extern
of our country. 1t 10 possible Their
may be an excess Of sugar In the coun
try as a whole, and at the same tim
severe shortages In particular local
ties far away from centers Of distribt
ton. II is therefore not only ,necei
+ sary to make certain Of sufficient sur
plies for the country taken Al 4 uni,
but It also Is necessary to plan-ahea,
with q view to having sugar availabl
in all parts OF the country even In tn
" face Of transportation difficulties
!, This, Of course. involves building up q
larger stocks than usual.
Next Year's Crop Doubtful.
with the shortage Of labor alread
universally existent In the Unite
States, owing to the demands Of tn
war industries. and with the prospect
Of further inroads under the new 1S.t'
45 draft regulations. there 10 seriou
doubt In the minds Of the producer
NJ our domestic beet and SUGAR can