The Raymer enterprise., 1918-02-07
AMERICAN SUGAR
SENT TO FRANCE
American Price RigidIy Regulated
by United States Food
Administration.
CONSUMERS HERE PAY &c.
Sugar Cost IS Cents a Pound During
Civil sWar-Rehners Profits
Now curtaiIed.
CONSUMERS HERE PAY &c.

Sugar is selling today throughout
America at from sh to 9 cents a
pound to the consumer, even though
there ls a world shortage which has
reduced this nations sugar allotment
to Topper cent of normal.
| Through the efforts Of the United
States food administration the sugar
market has been regulated as far as
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 5000 tons Of sugar have
been shipped to France In the last
four months the retail grocers sugar
price Is around 8 TO S1z cents. He
should sell this sugar at Sis to 9
cent?, the food administration believes,
and asks the American housewife to
pay no more than this amount
Last August when the food admin
istratioA was organized the price OF
sugar rose suddenly TO II 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 50 and cents
and keeping II from advancing to 20
cents the food administration has saw
cd the American public at least $780,
0,0O0 In four months, according to
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. "rhere 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 It. 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
this war.
az we send the ships TO Java
for 2so, 900 tonsAof sugar next year
we will have neeessitated the EN-.
ployment Of eleven extra ships for
enc year. These ships-if used In
| Transporting trocps-would take
10000 to 20o,ND0 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 II Is used entirely In Germany.
which also absorbs sugar Of surround
ing countries
England can noslonger buy 100000
long tons of sug gar each year from
Germany. The French sugar produc-
tlon has dropped from 10000 TO 2l0,-
900 tons. The Italian production has
fallen from 2l0GDO tons to 5000 tons.
Thus three countries were thrown
upon East and West Indian sources
for 1,925,0O0 tons annually to maintain
their normal consumption.
Because Of the worlds shipping
shortage the allied nations started
drawing on tAe 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 vest was called on TO fur
nish and fdd furnish 1,420.o00 tons Of
sugar TO Europe when 100000 tons
year was the pre-war demand. The
allies had drawn from lava 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
ment reduced their household ration
to 13 2-l0 pounds year, or a bit over
| ponnd Of sugar month. Even this
mea gre 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 5000 tons by
December /. The French request was
granted because the American house
hold consumption was then at least IS
pounds per person, and 1t was eonsid-
ereil the duty OF maintaining the
Ere nch morale made our course clear
Today the sugar situation may
be summarized by stating that II
America will reduce Its sugar con-
sumption 10 to IS per cent this
nation Win be able to send 100000
more soldiers to France.
Sugar today sells at seaboard re-
flneries at SIPS hundred pounds
The wholesale grocer has agreed to
limit his profit to Is cents a hundred
plus freight, and the retail grocer Is
supposed to take no more than so cents
a hundred pounds profit. This regu-
lation was made by the food admins
tration, which now asks the housewife
to reduce sugar consumption as much
as possible, using other .sweeteners,
and also reminds her that she should
pay NO more than cents a,pound for
sugar.