The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-09-03
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM ALTON
BUREAU
TREDERIC J. HA6dN. DarSet0<.
wAshtngtaa. D. @
PAY ONLY ELEVEN CENTS FOR
SUGAR

case OF almost any OtleT commonly,
1t is question just what is a fair price
and what constitutes profiteering.
But, altho most people do not seem
to realize II, sugar is still being sold
under the wartime regulations made
by the food administration, and rigor-
ously enforced by that organization
during the war.
The food administration is now q
mere whispering shadow of its former
self, but this sugar agreement remains
as monument to its days of glory,
and makes it easy for the department
of justice to get the man who seeks to
gouge the public on sugar prices.
/ Three wholesale dealers have recently
been arrested, and one Jobber has had
his Acense revoked, for charging ex-
cessive prices for sugar.
our desire is to secure a fair price
to the consumer" said Attorney Gem
eral Palmer in announcing a rigorous
enforcement of sugar regulations.
We do not wish to pursue a whole
sale policy OF recommending cancel
lation Of licenses. Where trade ad-
justs itself to a fair price for the fu-
ture. past violations, unless fragrant,
will not ordinarily be made the basis
of recommendation by this depart
ment for the cancellation of the
licenses"
Any housewife who pays more than
II cents a pound for sugar is over
I
istration- The producers and refiuers
are getting the same price for sugar
| today that they received during the
war. That price is to continue in ef-
feet for the remainder of the year by
| agreement between the refiners and
the government. II more than II
cents is charged the consumer,
profiteering is going on. and the gov
| eminent agents will take summary
action against the profiteers.
Reports have reached the food ad-
ministration that retailers have been
| getting as high as 6 cents a pound for
sugar in Chicago. Many cities report
that the retailers are charging II and
| Is cents. while right here in Washing
! ton, under the very nose of the food
! administration, grocers are charging
as high as IL u cents.
There is positively no justification
FOR an increase IN the price OF sugar
at this time. Last October, the sugar
equalization board. which IS q part OF
the food administration. purchased the
entire domestic and Cuban crops OF
raw sugar. The Cuban crop alone Is
estimated at more than four million
tons. One-third of this crop waI
| allotted TO Great Britain. There re-
mains about one million tons of the
American portion of the Cuban crop
and this Is now available for distribu-
| ton in this country just as fast as II
can be shipped and refined.
The equalization board sells raw
sugar to refiners at 7.2s cents q
| pound. Refiners arc under contrac'
with the board not to charge more
than cents to the wholesalers. The
latter are allowed a maximum margin
| of profit of IS cents per 100 poundi
for handling, while the retailers are
permitted to make a profit of y
/ v1Amnd hing q fair RriCA m
| IL cents 10 the consumer.
| Every sugar dealer in the country
| binds himself to live up to the price
arrangement made by the food ad
| ministration. when he takes out a II
cense to deal in sugar. This Hcens'
| can be revoked at any time by th'
food administration for the violation
of any OF the conditions of SALE
and distribution. Food Administrator
Hoover's large organization has beer
| reduced to a skeleton, and because o.
the lack of agents to see that thu
dealers have been able to do a LITTLE
cheating.
When there was q scarcity OF sugal
| reported in certain parts OF the coun
try few months ago, the jobbers i'm
| mediately took advantage of this stu
alton to boost the price. This wa
in direct violation Of the terms o.
their agreement But It is certain
that the price of sugar would have
been even higher in this country II 1
had not been under government con
troll all thru the war.
While there is an obvious scarcit,
of sugar in this country, the swee
tooth which endured such great hard
ships and privationS last winter beini
compelled to use one teaspoonfui o
sugar in the morning cup of coffee in
stead Of two. need not be undul!
alarmed. Government agents. VIII,
are in touch with the sugar situa
ton, are convinced that there j
enough sugar to supply the demand
until the next crop Is harvested.
! Congressman Martin. OF Louisiana
the leading sugar producing state II
the Union, attributes the scarcity o
sugar to three factors: The suddel
4 demand made for sugar by the fruit
canneries and confectionery factories
the limited capacity of the TWENTY-FIVE
sugar refiners in tnis country. and tn
strike of the marine union or New
York city. which held Cuban AM
Porto Rican sugar carriers at Atlanti
and Gulf ports for three weeks.
Almost every other nation is suffer
ing from the scarcity Of sugar mucl
more than is the United States. Asid
from that which the United State
. and Great Britain control by purchas
, OF the entire Cuban crop. there
but a small surplus of SUGAR In othe
foreign, countries. And where n sur
plus does exist. exorbitant prices ar
! being demanded.
That sugar Is higher in other coun
tries than II is in America was 1ndi
Gated in a recent report received fror
; French food officials to the effec
that France Is now facing seriou
/, sugar shortage The French are seek
ing an American supply. but recen
: embargo placed on the expectation Q
/ sugar from this country will proven
. France from getting a supply from u.
Sugar is said TO be available in Cze
cho-Slovakja. but the Czechs are ask
ing IS cents pound and getting it.
According to Congressman MARTYR
there is N question but that the worl
, is now short of sugar and has bee
a short all of the present year. 1t ma
turaliy follows that the removal c
war restriction on the consumption c
T sugar in this and other countries Ia
l Increased this shortage He Is of tn