New-York tribune., 1919-12-09
Democrats Say Congress
Failed to Legislate and
Republicans Charge Lack
of Check on Exports
October Shipments Huge
Heavy Price Advance at
End of Month Predicted.
With No Curb Available
Netp York Tribune
Warrington Rureau

WASHINGTON. Dec. 8-Warninr
that the price of sugar will advance
greatly after January /, when the
Sugar Equalization Board will cease
to exist, was voiced in the Senate to-
day.
The sugar shortage was discussed
at length. Democratic Senators in
sisted that Congress is to blame for
its failure to enact legislation to re-
heve the situation, and the Republi-
can Senators declared the Federal gov
ernment is responsible for permitting
enormous quantities of sugar to be ex-
ported.
Senator'S from Louisiana and from
the beet sugar producing states criti-
cized the Senate for not having passed
the McNary bill, which would continue
the sugar board and establish licens-
Ing system for sugar dealers, so that
the price could be controlled. Sena-
tor McNary, of Oregon, who intro
duced the bill nearly two months ago,
after the Senate Committee on Apri-
culture had investigated the sugar sit
uation, announced that ne will call up
the measure tomorrow and press for
an early vote.
Heavy Exports in October
Senator Borah read press dispatch
Of December showing that sugar is
being exported from this country He
said officials of the Department of
Commerce had stated that during Oc-
tober 108, 100000 pounds of sugar were
exported, compared to S0,O0O,000 in
the corresponding month last year He
also read a letter from Pittsburgh,
complaining that it was impossible to
get sugar and declaring there is rea-
son to believe spectators are making
~
"If this is true" said Senator Borah.
by the Sugar Controller. I ask the
Senator from Utah if it is fact that
we are now exporting much more
sugar than at this time last year"
at is fact" replied Senator Smoot,
of Utah, chat sugar has been and is
being exported, and | warned the Sena-
tor of that at the beginning Of Octo-
ber. At that time I was assured that
the exports shortly would cease. but
my latest information is that we are
still sending sugar to Europe"
Gone difficulty with the present stu.
ation," remarked Senator Ransdell, Of
using an excessive amount of sugar.
1t is consuming about ninety-two
pounds per annum per capita, while
the normal consumption heretofore has
been about eightyfour pounds. We
ought to buy from 100000 to 2,500,000
tons Of the Cuban crop. The world is
suffering from scarcity of sugar
everywhere Germany was one of the
greatest producers before the war and
is now out of it; likewise Austria
France produced nearly its domestic
requirements, but its output has been
greatly reduced. Europe is willing to
pay very high price for the Cuban
crop this year, and is getting much
Of it,
"Thare is no way to prevent exces-
sive profits to the beet sugar makers
unless the sugar board be required to
buy all the different sugar crops. ham
die and distribute them, and let the
profits on the beet crop pay for the
loss on the Louisiana crop" Senator
Ransdell explained. THAT is what was
intended to be done under the plan
outlined in the McNary bill. If it had
passed the intention was to buy up all
the American sugar crops and to sup
plement them by the purchase Of a
sufficient amount from Cuba to cover
the national requirements. Then it
would have been possible to sell to the
consumer at 1919 to II cents a pound"