Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1919-09-18
THE SUGAR QUESTION.
To Our Customers:

. j ~
THE SUGAR QUESTION.
To Our Customers:
| 1t would be our idea that very pos
sibly great many customers Of our
retail friends have laid in large
supply of sugar than they will need
for the coming few weeks. If this is
the case, there will be no harm in
asking them to divide with their less
fortunate neighbors. We all under
stand this is the American idea. and
the main trouble now seems to be we
have kept on dividing with our neigh
bors across the water until we are
pretty we'll cleaned out ourselves on
the sugar proposition. Be that as it
may, we will keep smiling" The
foregoing suggestion comes to us
simply as last resort
We expect to have sugar to offer
in very limited lots not to exceed pos
sibly single bags, from time to time.
Same will go out as fast as it comes
| in. So far as is known, we have no
sugar rolling at this time, and less
than 500 bags in stock.
Now is the time for everyone to
pull together-use just as little su-
gar as possible-urge the people who
are canning fruits or making jelly, to
use less than usual as that is the on
ly way we will make any impression,
or in small way care for this most
unpleasant shortage.
Preference on Sugar BY way of
explanation, we wish to add that
while we have large untitled con-
tracts with refiners, both east and
west, there is little prospect of our
receiving anything more than an oc-
casional car at irregular intervals, on
any of the aforesaid contracts now.
outstanding. In the west the strike
tied up the refiners, and now they
claim they cannot ship sugar on ac
count of the impossibility to obtain
empty box cars. By the time these
demand for sugar for cannirg put
poses will be OYER. In the east the
Marine strike set back refinarY of CD
ban sugar for several weeks ard in
addition to tnls fat, We understand
quite al. an. ~ as 4 l., Europe
to fill contr,r.ts made there. We don't
know anything as to the truth Of this
statement. but it comes to us and we
give it to you for what it is worth.
1t is hard to get a correct under
standing of the real cause of all this
shortage, but. the fact remains thai a
very serious shortage exists and that
lis what troubles us most.
Now referring to the occasional
cars which we may get in from time
to time. There will very likely be a
great deal of discomfort among GUS
toners that preference is being
shown by us as to who receives ship
ments. 1t surely will not be our in
tention to do this. but beyond any
question there may be an occasional
shipment go to one customer ir a
town where others will not I've so for
tunate. This will come from .he SIM
pie fact that 800 bags of sugar will
not even make dent in taking care
Of 1000 customers, each one CT whom
is clamoring for sugar, so you see
when we get in a car of say 200 bags,
the result will be that one customer
out of every five will get one bag.
We place this issue fairly before you,
and wish to give assurance that it
will be our intention to make the
sugar go just as far as possible, with
the full understanding on our part
that it will not go very far at best.
We have gone into rather lengthy
explanation of the entire situation,
but before another thirty days has
passed, believe our friends will con-
slider that the subject was we'll worthy
Of the time taken for their careful
consideration.
In conclusion we wish to again call
the attention of every person., that
saving of sugar by the retailer and
by the consumer is most absolute
necessity at this time.
Sincerely yours,
WARFIELD-PRATT-HOWELL CO.,
NIln1oc,1, C,,aoo..