Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1918-01-31
AMERICAN SUGAR
SENT TO FRANCE
American Price Rlgldly Regulated
by United States Food
Administration.
CONSUMERS HERE PAY 90.
Sugar cost 80 Cents q Pound During
Civil War-RsNnsrs' Profits
Nov curtaIled.

America at from 81 70 Genus y
pound to the consumer. even though
there is q world shortage which has
reduced this nations sugar allotment
20 10 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
10 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 to 81 cent? He
should sell this sugar at 81 to D
cents, the food administration believes,
and asks the American housewife to
pay no more than this amount.
Last August when me food admin
istration was organized the price OF
sugar rose suddenly to II cents
pound. During the Civil War sugar
cost the consumer as cents a bound.
BY regulation Of the sugar market and
reducing the price to 81 and 8 cents
and keeping II from advancing to 70
cents the food administration has saw
ed the American public at least $780,
coo, 600 in fcar months, according to
a statement made by Herbert Hoover
the other day.
ut IL our stern duty to feed the al
lies. to maintain their health and
strength at any cost to ours9tves."
Mr.. Hoover declared. 'There hqs not
been. nor will be as we see 1t, etough
sugar for even their present meagre
and depressing ration unless they SEND
ships to remote markets for It. Il we
In our greed and giuttOny 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.
"is we send the ships 20 Java
FOR 2so, 900 tons OF suvar next yhar
we sslil have neesssltatsd the sss-
pioyment OF eleven extra shlps $cs
enc year. These shlps--lf Used IN
Transporting .trcops-Souid t&e 4
$4,000 TO 100000 men 20 FtandE"
Reason sor world shortage
Az 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 IN no longer available.
as II is used entirely In Germany,
which also absorhs sugar Of surround
ing countries.
England can NO longer buy l,40O0OO
long tons Of sugar each year IRON
Germany. The French sugar produc-
ton has dropped from 100000 to 2lO.-
600 tons. The Italian production has
fallen from 2lO.OO0 tons to $4,000 tona
Thus three countries were thrown
upon East and West Indian sources
for 1.925, 600 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
lance was three times as great Sud
denly the went was called on to fur-
nish and did furnish 1,420,0OO tons of
sugar to Europe when 100000 tons a
year was the pre-war demand. The
allies had drawn from lava 100000
tons; before the shipping situation %
came acute.
"In spite Of these shipmenta," MT.
Hoover stated the other day, "the
English government in August reduced
the household sugar ration to a basis
Of ~ pounds per annum per capita.
And in September the French govern
ment reduced their household ration
to 10 2-1O pounds year. or hit over
I mound Of sugar a month. Even this
mea ration could not be filled by
the French government 1t was found
eariy IN the fall. America was then
asked for 100000 tons OF sugar and
succeeded In sending $1,000 tons by
December l. The French request was
granted because the American house.
hold consumption was then at least oo
pounds per person. and IT was consld-
cred the duty Of maintaining the
French morale made our course clear.
Today the sugar sltuat'or may
DO summarized by stating that "
America will, reduce Zee sucsr ccN-
sunaptisa 10 TO rs per cent. this
nation will be able 70 ssnd ZOO 900
more soldiers 20 France.
Sugar today sells at seabOard 70
fineries at $725 hundred pounds.
The Wholesale grocer has agreed to
limit his profit to % cents a hundred
plus freight, and the retail grocer 10
supposed to take no more than 30 cents
a hundred pounds profit This regu-
lation was made by the food admins
tration, which now asks the housewife
I'd reduce sugar consumption as much
as possible, using other sweeteners,
and also reminds her that she should
pay no more than 8 cents pound for
sugar.
centvoi % Cane RsSsnera' Pre0ta
''Immediately upon the establish
mept Of the food administration" Mr.