The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-03-12
AMERICAN SUGAR
SENT TO FRANCE
American Price Rigidly Regulated
by United States Food
Administration.
CONSUMERS HERE PAY 80.
Sugar Cost IS Cents a Pound During
Civil War-Refiners' Profits
Now Curtalled.

Sugar is selling today throughout
America at from 81s to Q cents a
pound to the consumer, even though
there is 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 as
the producer. refiner 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 8 to 81 cents. He
should sell this sugar at S1a to o
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 a
pound During the Civil War sugar
cost the consumer 35 cents a pound.
By regulation of the sugar market and
reducing the price to S1a and Q cents
and keeping 1t 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 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 II, enough
sugar for even their present meagre
and depressing ration unless they send
ships to remote markets for IL. III 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.
"If we send the ships to Java
for 25o, 900 tons Of sugar next year
we will have neeessItated the en-
pioyment Of eleven extra ships for
one year. These shlps-f 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
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 is no longer available.
as 1t is used entirely In Germany.
which also absorbs sugar of surround
Ing countries.
England can no longer buy 1,400. 900
long tons OF sugar each year from
Germany. The French sugar produc-
ton has dropped from 75O00 to 210.-
900 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 1,925O0 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 /, ,420,0O tons OF
sugar to Europe when 100000 tons q
year was the pre-war demand. The
allies had drawn from Java 10000
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 q basis
OF "a pounds per annum per capita.
And in September the French govern
ment reduced their household ration
to Is 2-10 pounds a year. or a bit over
pound of sugar a month. Even this
meagre ration could not be filled by
the French government 1t was found
early In the fall. America was then
asked for 100000 tons Of sugar and
succeeded in sending $1,000 tons BY
December 1. The French request wal
granted because the American house
hold consumption was then at least %
pounds per person, and 1t was consid-
cred 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 Its sugar con.
sumption 10 to 10 per cent thls
nation will be able 70 send 5000
more soldiers 70 France.
Sugar today sells at seaboard 70
fneries at SIPS hundred pounds
The wholesale grocer has agreed "a
Nmit his profit to 25 cents hundred