The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1919-11-26
GOVERNMENT AGAIN
TO CONTROL FOOD
Authority Formerly Vested i'm Hoover
Transferred to the Attorney GEN
hn RpUuu

cral. Sugar Distribution System to
be Begun.
Washington, Nov. 2l.--Presidcnt
Wilson today placed the government
again in control OF the nations food
supply by transferring the authority
Of food administration to Attorney
General Palmer.
Revival of the wartime functions Of
Administrator Hoover resulted direct
ly from government efforts to avert
a famine in sugar, but The powers
delegated to the head Of the depart
mcnt Of Justice will be used also to
help down the ever mounting cost Of
living.
For the present the attorney gen
cral will not put into operation all Of
the machinery permitted under the
executive order signed by the Prcsi-
dent, but should conditions arise to
make it necessary, the full pressure
of all the broad power vested in him
will be cXcrtcd to meet them
Mr.. Palmcr's staff will begin I'M
mcdiatcly to build up sugar dstr-
buting system which will advocate all
sugar stocks in the country. It will
provide an equitable system Of distri-
buting supplies and will defeat any
concentration or boarding, officials
said.
Plans, tentatively decided upon pro
vide for increasing the price OF all
sugar, excepting the Louisiana crop
for which a price Of II cents already
has been fixed, to l2 cents a pound,
wholesale.
Through this increase, new sources
Of supply are expected TO be opened,
with assurances that a fair margin
Of profit, said to be about $l.5l hun
drcd pounds, would be allowed, sugar
rciincrs arc ready to enter the Cuban
markets and purchase all available
stocks, it was stated. Thus officials,
believed the increased price will avert
a shortage which threatens to become
a famine during the next sixty days.
Immediate action also is cOntem-
plated in curtailng the consumption
of sugar by manufacturers whose pro-
ducts arc not regarded as essential
food This will appy particularly to
soft drink dealers and candy manu-
factnrers. The abnormal increase Of
sales Of these articles and the conSe-
qucnt heavy drain on the sugar sup
plies is traccablc, officials declared, TO
the enforcement Of prohibition.
While it has not been definitely de-
tcrmincd. the cut in sugar supplies to
about GO per cent.
Officials indicated that if the cx-
scncics OF the situation demanded
they would reduce the allowance to
soft drink and candy plants to - per
cent Of their normal requirements.
Arrangements have been completed
subject to changing condition Of the
sugar situation, whereby beet and
cane sugar rcfncrs will enter the Gu
ban markets Immediately. The de-
partment, however, will exact Il signed
agreement with firms entering that
trade to conSign all Of their pur-
chaScS TO this country. This will mean
that American dealers will get large
proportion OF the 100000 tons Of
raw sugar yet available in Cuba, Of
ficialS said
Normal consumption of sugar in the
United States is about 1000. 900 tons.
In other years about 100000 tons
was imported from the Cuban fields,
to which was added the average pro-
duction OF approximately 900 900
tons, in native grown. But Officials
were alarmed lest European dealers
should continue their heavy pur-
chascs, already in excess Of 900, 900
tins, in Cuban markets and deprive
this country of the full supply it
usually gets there. The refincrs who
have agreed to go into the Cuban
trade have been urged, it was said, to
use all haste that the stocks may not
be exhausted before this nation is
supplied.
The danger Of a sugar famine will
be greatest next month, it was said,
as stocks are rapidly being depleted
and in many sections already cx-
hausted and the necessity for garner
ing all available supplies from out
side becomes daily more urgent.
0rAva'e TssteIess chill 'ronIc