The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1918-01-25
AMERICAN SUGAR
SENT TO FRANCE
American Price RigidIy Regulated
by United States Food
Administration.
CONSUMERS HERE PAY &c.
Sugar Cost 35 Cents a Pound During
Civil War-Refners' Profits
Now Curtaiied.

Sugar is selling today throughout
America at from 81 to 9 cents
there is a 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, retner and wholesaler
is 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 s to 8h cents. He
should sell this sugar at S1a to
cents, the food administration believes,
and asks the American housewife to
pay no more than this amount.
Last August when the food admin
istration was organized the price Of
sugar rose suddenly to II cents
pound. During the Civil War sugar
cost the consumer 35 cents pound.
By regulation Of the sugar market and
reducing the price to S1a and cents
and keeping it from advancing to 20
cents the food administration has say
ed the American public at least $780,
100000 in four months. according to
a statement made by Herbert Hoover
the other day.
ut 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 it, enough
s for even their present meagre
al. depressing ration unless they send
ships to remote markets for it. If 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;
aft we send the ships 20 Java
for 100000 tons Of sugar next year
we will have necessitated the en-
pioyment of eleven extra ships for
one year. These ships-if 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 ne;gh5oring powers,
hn no I'M
German sugar is no longer available.
as it is used entirely in Germany,
which also absorbs sugar Of surround
ing countries.
England can no longer buy 400, 900
long tons of sugar each year from
Germany. The French sugar produce
ton has dropped from 100000 to 21O.-
600 tons. The Italian production has
fallen from 100000 tons to $4,000 tons
Thus three countries were thrown
upon East and West Indian sources
for 100000 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 west was called on to fur
nsh and did furnish 100000 tons Of
sugar to Europe when 100000 tons Il
year was the pre-war demand. The
allies had drawn from Java 400 900
tons before the shipping situation be-
came acute.
<,Y>ifn fP hi f.
Hoover stated the other day, 1.-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 IL 2-1O pounds a year, or a bit over
l pound Of sugar a month. Even this
meagre ration could not be filed by
the French government it was found
early in the fall. America was then
asked for 100000 tons Of sugar and
succeeded in sending 5000 tons by
December l. The French request was
granted because the American house
hold con sumption was then at least -
pounds per person. and it was consid-
cred tho duty Of maintaining the
Today the sugar situation may
be summarized by stating that If
America will reduce it's sugar con-
sumption 10 to is per cent this
nation will be able to send 100000
more soldiers to France
Sugar today sells at seaboard re-
tineries ct 1928 hundred pounds
The wholesale grocer has agreed to
limit hts profit to % cents a hundred
plus freight and the retail grocer is
supposed to take no more than so cents
y hundred pounds profit. This regu-
lat;on N-:.s made by the food admins
ration. which now asks the housewife
9" reduce sugar consumption as much
;. possible using other swee;enerS
I'D also remindS#her that she should
,,,v no more thansA cents pound fOE
sugar