Mohave County miner., 1918-02-02

S4.24 per hundred f. O. b. Cuba, to which duty and freight added to- the refiners' cost amount to about S5.66 per hundred. The average sale price of granulated by various refneries, ac- cording to our investigation, was about $7.50 per hundred, or a differential of $1.S4.
 "In reducing the differential to $19O there was a saving to the public of 54 cents per hundred. Had such a diff ferential been in use from the 1st oi January, 1917. the public would have saved in the first nine months of the year about S24.sO0.0OO."
 Next Year.
 With a view to more efficient organ ization of the trade in imported sugeaS next year two committees have been formed by the food administration:
 1. A committee comprising repre- sentatiVes of all of the elements of American cane refining groups. Tk~, principal duty of this committee is to divide the sugar imports pro rata to their various capacities and see that absolute justice is done to every re- finer.
 2. A-committee comprising three rep resentatives of the English, French and Italian governments; two repre- sentatives of the American refners, with a member of the food administra- tion. Only two of the committee have arrived from Europe, but they repre- sent the allied governments. The du- ties of this committee are to determine the most economical sources from a transport point of view of all the Gl- lies to arrange transport at uniform rutes, to distribute the foreign sugar between the United States and allies, subject to the approval of the Ameri- can, English, French and Italian gov ernments.
 This committee, while holding strong views as to the price to be paid for Cuban sugar, has not had the final voice This voice has rested in the governments concerned, together with the Cuban government, and I wish to state emphatically that all of the gen tlemen concerned as good commercial men have sndeavOred with the utmost patience and skill to secure a lower price, and their persistence has re- duced Cuban demands by 15 cents per hundred. The price agreed upon is about S4.60 per hundred pounds, f. o. b. Cuba, or equal to about S6 duty paid New York.
 "This price should eVentuate,"
 Mir. Hoover said, "to about S7.So
 per hundred for refined sugar from
 the refiners at seaboard points or
 should place sugar In the hands of ' the consumer at from SN to g
 cents per pound, depending upon
 locality and conditions of trade, or
 at from to 2 cents below the
 prices of August last and from one
 half to cent per pound cheaper
 than today.
 "There is now an elimination of speculation, extortionate profits, and in the refining alone the American people will save over $25,O00,0O0 of the refining charges last year. A part of these savings goes to the Cuban, Hawaiian, Porto Rican and LOusianian producer and part to the consumer.
 Appeals to prejudice against the food administration have been made because the Cuban price Is S4 cents above that of 1917. It is said in effect that the Cubans are at our mercy; that we could get sugar cent lower. We made exhaustive study of the cost of producing sugar in Cuba last year through our own agents in Cuba, and we find it averages $3.39, while many producers are at a higher level. We found that an average profit of at least a cent per pound was necessary in order to maintain and stimulate production or that a minimum price of $4.37 was necessary, and even this would stifie some producers.
 ''The price ultimately agreed was g cents above these figures, or about one fifth of a cent per pound to the AfneFi- can consumer, and more than thls amount has been saved by our reGuc. tiOn in refiners' profits. If we wish ta stifie production in Cuba we cUu!d take that course just at the time Of ali times in our history when we wane production for ourselves and the a. lies Further than that, the state 5e- partment will assure you that such a course would produce disturbances in Cuba and destroy even our present supplies, but beyond all these material reasons Is one of human justice. This great country has no right by the might of its position to strangle Cuba.
 Therefore there is no imposition upon the American public. Charges have been made before this commit tee that Mr. Rolph endeaYored to ben eft the California refinery of which he was manager by this S4 cent increase in Cuban price. Nr. Rolph did not fix the price. It does raise the price to the Hawaiian farmer about that amount It does not raise the profit of the California refinery, because their charge for refining is, like all other re- liners, limited to S1.3O per hundred | pounds, plus the freight differential on