Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-09-30
PRICE TO DOUBLE.
SENATE 10 INFORMED
Senator Ns~ Btanss President Wilson
For Present Conditions In Trade and
For Not Enforcing Regulations
Looking TO curbins Of Spceuiatcrs-
Senate to Undertake investigation.
[By E. G. Dougherty.l

and q probable sugar shortage Of eS-
treme proportions next year, is in
sight, according to knowledge sent
here from the sugar equalization board
in New York. The board now has con-
troll OF the distribution Of all sugar Il
the United States.
According TO members OF the board
sugar will soon &c 20 Is cents 8 pound
or more, according TO the amount and
extent OF speculation there Is IN the
coming beet sugar crop. this raise to
take place after the exhaustion Of this
years sugar crop, now nearly gone
Responsibility for the increase and
possible famine will lie with President
Wilson. according TO the members Of
the board. for recomn endations look
ing TO control Of this years best sugar
industry.
The senate took a hand IN the matter
Saturday. when resolution introduced
By Senator New. OF Ohio, was unsni-
mously passed providing for the COM
merce committee Of the senate TO in
vestgats the prices Of sugar and the
current sugar shortage. The New
resolution which wss. adopted By the
senate authorizes the commerce CON-
-1.ttee 20 Investigate the shortage and
the prices Of sugar. and urges the sug-
ar equalization board to cooperate
with the committee. The resolution
further provides tina. the senate CON-
mittee OF agriculture Is directed 70 re-
port at the earliest possible time Its
conclusions on the following:
The reasons sor tbs shortage Of
sugar:
cInto-matton regarding prices Of
sugar. and whether any unjust or ex
oroitant profits have been made on
sugar. and II so, by whom;
3-The prospects Of relic. from the
sugar shortage;
fixing the responsibility for the
shortage of sugar,
b-Advice as 10 whether legislation
70 prevent speculation IN sugar Is de-
straole: -~.
board should be continued within its
present capacity.
New ceitieixes Wilson.
Discussing Ills resolution. Z, Senator
New said:
the sugar equalization board. au-
thortzed by The president, bought the
entire Cusar crop OF raw sugar for
1919 and made contracts with the re-
liners TO sell them their. entire allot-
ment with the understanding that the
refined sugar should be sold TO the
wholesale trade at cents less = per
cent r 0. B. refners. The sugar
&c ual.zation board Also controlled the
best crop Of 1913. but had no control
over the 1919 crop OF beet sugar IN this
country.
an October. 1913. the board allotted
10 the British royal commission. who
are the authorized buyers for Eng
! land, France and Italy, one-third Of the
raw sugar Of CUBA, which at that time
was decided to be a fair distribution
| for ourselves and our allies. Owing TO
the heavy demand. in this country a
/ sugar shortage developed in June this
year and all export orders were
stopped July l except the British royal
cor. 1..!.-5sier's share Of the Cuban crop,
which is being refined, in this country.
| Early IN August the sugar equal
! tzation board called the attention OF
! the president 10 the critical situation
confronting the consumer Of sugar and
advised, at that time that the board
/ control be extended to cover the beet
sugar crop OF 1919 and the Cuban sug-
ar crop OF 1920. in order to provide an
equitable distribution and price con-
troll and prevent speculation in sugar,
which would naturally prevail on a
| short supply. On Sept. the equaliza-
ton board could have made contracts
| with the beet sugar refners to sell
| their entire crop at 10 cents per pound:
also with the Cuban planters on the
same basis, making refined sugar 10
cents at seaboard instead OF 9 cents
| for this years crop.
Owing to the presidents failure to
act and extend this control. beet sDg-
ar refners are asking III cents for
| beet sugar today 2. o. 3. refinery, and
the stock OF raw sugar will be ex-
hausted in four weeks and refners out
Of sugar in November and December
resulting In serious shortage and
sugar famine for the entire eastern
half Of the country, at least. Mean
time foreign buyers have contracted
for % per cent Of the Cuban crop FOL
1920 and our refners in this country
have not contracted for a single
pound. awaiting the presidents deci-
sion as to final control.
| Unless immediate action Is taken
foreign buyers will buy 30 per cent o.
the Cuban crop, which will result in .
sugar famine and extreme shortage ir
this country all of next year, causing
Thigh prices and specuIation
The boards opinion Ia that sugal
should be rationed Immediately and al
distribution ana prices by under theil
control until conditions are norma
Iagain In production and distribution
The failure of the president TO act OF
the boards suggestion has already
resulted in N cent advance above thu
price offered the equalization board OF
Sept. 1, and without control the re-
fners will not mako contracts for fu
ture delivery, which will result in IS
cent sugar Wholesale and probably q
cents to the consumer.
When the present crop of raw
sugar is refined from Cuba, the suga:
equalization boards duty ia over ant
the manufacture and distribution o
sugar will depend entirely on the re
hners and wholesalers, and all VII
have to obtain their supplies as hes
they can without any government as
sistance. It Ia the belief Of the boar
that the present emergency win result
seriously as regards obtaining sufficien
supply for the consumer, unless thi
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