Sharp County record., 1918-02-01
American Price Rigidly Regulated
by United States Food
Administration.
CONSUMERS HERE PAY &c.
Sugar Cost IS Cents Pound During
Civil War-Refiners' Profits
Now Curtalled.

pound to 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, refner and wholesaler
Ia concerned. The food administration
has no power to regulate retail prices
except by public opinion. Even though
more than $4,000 tons of sugar have
been shipped to France in the last
four months the retail grocer's sugar
price is around s to 81 cents. He
should sell this sugar at S1a to b
cents, the food administration believes,
and asks the American housewife to
pay no more than this amount.
Last August when the food admin
lstration was organized the price OF
sugar rose suddenly to II cents a
pound. During the Civil War sugar
cost the consumer 35 cents pound.
BY regulation Of the sugar market and
reducing the price to 81 and 8 cents
and keeping it from advancing to ~
cents the food administration has saw
ed the American public at least $780,
100000 in four months, according to
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 as we see 1t, enough
sugar for even their present meagre
and depressing ration unless they send
ships to remote markets for 1t. If 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 TO Java
for 250o00 tons Of sugar next year
We will have necesstated ths en-
ployment Of eleven extra ships for
one year. These shlps-If used In
transporting troops-Would take
10000 to 100000 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
was Germany and neighboring powers,
the West Indies and the East indies.
German sugar Is no longer available,
as It is used entirely in Germany
which also absorbs sugar OF surround.
ing countries.
England can no longer buy 1,4D0,0 900
long tons Of sugar each year from
Germany. The French sugar produc'
ton has dropped from 100000 to 210,'
900 tons. The Italian production has
fallen from 100000 tons to 10000 tons.
Thus three countries were thrown
upon East and West Indian sources
for 1,025000 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
tance was three times as great, Sud
denly the west was called on TO fur.
nIsh and did furnish 100000 tons OF
sugar to Europe when 100000 tons a
year was the pre-wer demand. The
allies had drawn from Java 100000
tons before the shipping situation be-
chmo acute.
"fn spite Of these shipments,' Mr.,
Hoover stated the other day, "the
English government In August reduced
the household sugar ration 10 n basis
NJ - pounds per 0nnum per capita.
And IN September tho French govern.
ment reduced their household rntion
10 " 2.l0 pounds year, or n bit over
= pound Of sugar n month. Even this
mcngrc ration could not bo filed by
he French government II was found
'Hrly IN the fnll, America was then
asked for 100000 tons Of sugar and
succeeded In sending $4,000 tons by
December I, The French request was
'rOntcd because the American house
hold consumption was then NJ least ~
pounds per person, and II was eonada
cred the duty Of maintaining the
French morale made our course clears
Today the sugar situation may
be summarized by stating that N
America Will reduce lts euuar con.
sumption 10 TO IS per cent. this
nation Will be able 10 eond 100000
more soldiers 10 France.
Sugar today sells at eeaboard re.
llneres 0t S725 q hundred pounds
The wholesale grocer has agre.d 10
limit hs profit to 20 cents hundred
plus freight and the retail grocer In
supposed to take no more than 80 cents
4 hundred pounds profit This regu.
latlon was made by the food ndmlnls.
ration, which now nala tho housewife