The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-02-08
American Price RigidIy Regulated
by United States Food
Administration.
CONSUMERS HERE PAY 90.
Sugar Cost IS Cents a Pound During
Civil War-Refiners Profits
Now curtalIsd

there IL world shortage which has
reduced this nations sugar allotment
to 20 per cent Of normal
Through the efforts of the United
States food administration the sugar
market has been regulated as far az
the producer, rehner and wholesaler
is concerned. The food administration
has no power to regulate retail prices
except by public opinion. Even though
more than $1,000 tons Of sugar have
been shipped to France in the last
four months the retail grocer's sugar
price Is around 8 to 81 cents. He
should sell this sugar at 81 to Q
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 IL cents
pound. During the Civil War sugar
cost the consumer IS cents a pound.
By regulation of the sugar market and
reducing the price to 8h and 8 cents
and keeping It from advancing to 20
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.
at IL 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 II, enough
sugar for even their present meagre
and depressing ration unless they send
ships to remote markets for II. 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
dis war.
"lf we send the ships to Java
for 100000 tons Of sugar next year
we will have nscessltated the en-
ployment Of eleven extra ships for
one year. These shlps-lf used In
Transporting troops-would take
10000 to 100000 men to France"
Reason Cor World Shortage
As Mr.. Hoover pointed out the
United States, Canada and England
were 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 Ii no longer available,
as II 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 210..
600 tons. The Italian production has
fallen from 10000 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
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 was called on to fur |
nish and did furnish 100000 tons Of |
sugar to Europe when 100000 tons a
year was the pre-war demand. The !
allies had drawn from Java 100000
tons before the shipping situation be-
came acute.
"In spite Of these shipments" Mr..
Hoover stated the other day, "the
English government in August reduced
the household sugar ration to a basis
Of "A pounds per annum per capita
And In September the French govern !
nent reduced their household ration
30 Ii 2-10 pounds year, or bit over
pound of sugar 4 month. Even this
neagre ration could not be filed by
he French government II was found
sariy IN the fall America was then
,sked for 100000 tons Of sugar and
succeeded in sending $1,000 tons by
December 1. The French request was
yranted because the American house
hold consumption was then at least IS
pounds per person. and It was consid-
red the duty of maintaining the
French morale made our course clear"
Today the sugar situation may
be summarized by stating that u
America will reduce lie sugar con-
sumption 10 10 10 per cent thls
nation will be able 10 send 100000
more soldiers 10 France.
Sugar today sells at seaboard ~
ineries at sT.25 . hundred pounds
The wholesale grocer has agreed to
INIT his profit to 3 cents a hundred
plus freight, and the retail grocer Ia
to take no more than so cents
i hundred pounds profit This regu-
alton was made By the food admins
ration, which now asks the housewife
% reduce sugar consumption as much
Is possible. using other sweeteners,
md also reminds her that she should
pay no more than Q cents q pound for