Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1918-02-14
American Price RigidIy Regulated
by United States Food
Administration.
CONSUMERS HERE PAY &c.
Sugar Cost IS Cents 4 Pound During
Civil War-Refiners' Profits
Now Curtailed.

there Is a world shortage which has
reduced this nations sugar allotment
to 70 per 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
10 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 81 to 8
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 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 81 and 8 cents
and keeping 1t from advancing to 20
cents the food administration has saw
ed the American public at least $780,
OOO,O 1000 in four months. according to
a 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. There has not
been, nor will be as we see 1t, enough
sugar for even their present meagre
| and depressing ration unless they send
ships to remote markets for 1t. II we
in our greed and gluttony force them
either to further reduce their ration
| or to send these ships we win have
done damage to our abilities to win
this war
az we send the ships to Java
| for 100000 tons Of sugar next year
we will have necesstated the en-
pIoyment Of eleven extra ships for
one year. These ships-if used in
transporting troops-wouId take
$50 600 to 200 OCO 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 It Is used entirely in Germany,
which also absorbs sugar of surround
ing countries.
England can no longer buy 1,4OO, 0OC
long tons Of sugar each year from
Germany. The French sugar produc-
ton has dropped from 10000 to 210,-
600 tons. The Italian production has
fallen from 10000 tons to 10000 tons
Thus three countries were thrown
upon East and West Indian sources
for 1,925,000 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 timer
the number Of ships, since the dis
lance was three times as great Sud
denly the west was called on to fur
nish and did furnish 1 100000 tons Of
sugar to Europe when 100000 tons 6
year was the pre-war demand. The
allies had drawn from Java 40O,00(
tons before the shipping situation be
came acute.
"In spite Of these Shipments" Mr.
Hoover stated the other day, "thi
English government In August reduced
the household sugar ration to basis
Of "a pounds per annum per capita
:. And In September the French govern
ment reduced their household ration
to 10 2-10 pounds year, or bit owe
pound Of sugar a month. Even thi
meagre ration could not be filled b,
the French government 1t was foun'
early in the fall. America was thel
asked for 100000 tons Of sugar ant
succeeded in sending $4,000 tons b,
December I. The French request wa
granted because the American house
hold consumption was then at least s.
pounds per person, and 1t was consid
cred the duty Of maintaining tn
French morale made our course clear.
Today the sugar situation may
be summarized by stating that II
America will reduce lts sugar con-
sumption 10 to is per cent. this
nation will be able to send zoo, 900
more soldiers to France.
Sugar today sells at seaboard re
fineries at $7.25 hundred pound,
The wholesale grocer has agreed t
limit his profit to 25 cents hundre
plus freight, and the retail grocer 1
supposed to take no more than so cent
hundred pounds profit This regr
l lation was made by the food admins
tration, which now asks the housewife
Z to reduce sugar consumption as muc
as possible, using other sweetener,
and also reminds her that she shoul
pay no more than 9 cents a pound 70
sugar.
Control Of Cane Renners Profits.
Immediately upon the establish
nent Of. the food administration" n