New-York tribune., 1919-12-09
Arrival of so Million Tons
From West and Expected
Additional Shipments to
Bring Plenty, Say Officials
Price Goes Up Next Year
Williams Cautions Against
DangerofH Hoarding; Prof
iteering Charges Heard

The end Of the local sugar strn-
sency within few days was predicted
Yesterday by E. Henry Costello, chair
man of the raw sugar division of the
Sugar Equalization Board. Mr.. Cos
telos prediction was made shortly
after he had announced the arrival
here from the West of $4,000, 900
pounds of beet sugar-enough to give
more than pound to every man,
woman and child in the Eastern sec
,ou. Substantial beet sugar receipts
viii follow soon, Mr.. Costello said,
until the new Cuban crop is available
Some of the 1920 Cuban cane sugar
is now grinding" or being prepared
for the local market. George A. Ia
briskie. pres dent of the board. said
recently that more than $4,000 tons
would be received before the end of
the year.
Fifty million pounds are required for
all needs in this city. At least this
amount is guaranteed after next week
according to retiners and members of
the Sugar Equalization Board. They
made strong pleas against boarding,
charging that this practice has been
partly responsible for the worst sugar
famine ever experienced here.
Price to Go Up Next Year
The price in 1920 will be about Is
cents to the consumer. A. P. Williams,
of the subcommittee on wholesale
groceries Of the Fair Price Committee
said Mr.. Williams is a member of the
firm Of R. c. Williams & Co. When his
prediction was put up to Mr.. Costello
the latter declared that he was inclined
TO agree with Mr.. Williams
Although Mr.. Costello said that the
Sugar Equalization Board goes out of
existence on December 81, Federal Food
government control would be retained
over traffic and prices
Mr.. Williams received more than 100
complaints last week against grocers,
charging them with profteering in
sugar. investigation revealed that the
dealers were selling Java, Brazilian or
other costly sugar and exacting only q
fair profit.
A. P. Williams, in discussing these
high priced sugars, said that his firm
was selling Java sugar at 22.5 cents
pound. More than 1,700 bags were
sold in a single day, he said. The
sugar was formerly used almost ex-
clrsively by the Dutch, but large
portion of it found its way into Mex
leo, he said, whence vt was obtained
by enterprising brokers here. De-
spite the high price for it, he de-
CARED almost any quantity on hand
disappears in one day before the un-
precedented demand
Rainbow or colored sugar is another
Of these high-priced sugars, according
70 Peter II. Amor, president of the
He said that this sugar, colored a
chemical, was originally prepared for
sale to South America. 1t is being
sold at retail for fourteen cents. he
said. He thought the coloring was an
attempt TO attract the South Ameri-
cans to the sugar.
Up to yesterday dealers were re-
ceiying about per cent of their nor
nal sugar supplies, they reported.
The Sugar Equalization Board issued
statement denying charges that huge
supplies Of sugar are being exported
while the domestic trade starves The
statement points out that there were
1850 900 pounds of sugar available
here December l, which, coupled with
62,720,0 600 due to arrive before the next
crop, makes a total of $3.50, 900
pounds remaining of the 1919 Cuban
crop. OF this total. 9S,56o 600 pounds
belongs to the British government, be-
ing merely sent here to be refined
This sugar, according to the statement
was bought last year by the British
Royal Commission, which did the pur.
chasing for France and Italy. as vel
as for the United Kingdom.
"This sugar is no more available te
US than If 1t were at the North Pole,
Acc0rdinc- To the atatem ent.