New-York tribune., 1919-12-17
McNary Bill, Passed 256 to
AZ, Empowers the Presi-
dent to Seize and Dis
tribute the Entire Supply
Senate Expected TO Agree
yone System Is Abolished
to Insure the Same Price
to All Consum er :
Neic York Tribune
v q 0ShMa0soN RRrsnu

,nonsibility for the nations sugar sup
NV during the next year soon Will rest
n the hands Of President Wilson He
vii have authority. 7 he elects TO ex-
src;se it. 20 take over not only the
entire supply m thc United States. hut
suy from Cuba and distribute the en-
ire amount in aa equitable way be-
tween the householder consumers and
manufacturers.
The Rouse to-day amended and then.
nv q vote Of 2s6 to - passed the Me
Nary sugar control bill. The Measure
rov goes back 10 The Senate, where
Senator McNarg. Of Oregon author Of
.he bill. believes the House amend
ments viii be accepted without delay.
Although fire President has been
strongly inclined TO the view .hat Fed
.ersl control should end on December
a. it is not believed he Will veto the
measure.
The McNary bill. IS amended all
thorizes the President to license the
sugar Industry and 20 requisition the
supply. The amendments by the House
merely continue Sections > and 10 Of
The Lever food control law, as regards
sugar. from December 81 TINS year
until the same date next year Under
.hese TWO sections the President has
absolute cont1ol over the sale Of sugar,
= he desires 70 exercise it, The Nc
Nary bill. however. abolishes the zone
system established las summer by the
Sugar Equalization Board 20 protect
-ne Louisiana cane sugar growers.
This feature Intended 70 insure
sugar 70 all consumers Al the same
price.
Democrats Charge Politics
Chief opposition to the bin in the
House cane fiom members from Louis
ian>and some Of she Democrats, who
say the Republicans are playing poll
t.cs n putting az Of the responsi ibiilty
on the President. a short hearing was
held before the Agricultural Commit
tee reported the McNaly bill. Mem
bers o. the committee decided the only
way to g. real results was 20 extend
the war powers of the President so
that nc could control the sale and dis
! irihufson of sugar. Representative
Inc ht for making the bill drastic.
George A Iabrishie, chairman OF tho
Sugar Eqaa zation Board. had insisted
tha. {. the board is to be continued
II must have power to license the IN
dusrry. The committee had no obiec-
ton 20 granting this power M Ia
briske has been quoted as saying that
the board viii quit If the zone plan
finally IS knocked out.
In both Senate and House there was
s,ronz demand that the board be
forbidden TO continue the zone system.
Several Of the members Of the House
Agriculture Committee took the stand
that If tne present board OBJ. ects to
func-ionirg without the zone plan 1t
would be he Presidents duty TO APP
point nov board.
Country Faces Shortage
When the bill was considered by the
Senate several Senator's objected to q
continuation Of the license system. and
tor this reason the measure was limited
10 continuation Of the equalization
board with authority to bay sugar.
Whether Senator'S Gronna, Of North
Dakota, Reed Of Missouri; Borah, OF
Idaho. and Norris. O. Nebraska, will
raise airy serious objection 10 the
House amendments remains to be seen,
but Senator McNary is hopeful they
VIII not
Representative Haugen. Of Iowa. pre-
so1ted some figures or the sugar sup
Yly 10 the House He said the country
IS faced with a shortage OF 100000
tons in the neNt year. The total
amount needed is $500 600 tons. The
domestic supply is l.777 600 tons There
IS still 10 be had in Cuba about .
100000 tons # the household con-
sumer is to get sugar, Mr.. Haugen
said. the government must take charge
Of The distribution The McNary bill.
as amended gives full authority TO ra-
tion the candy makers, hotels. restau-
rar,s. etc.
what viii be the effect if this bill
is passed ." Repres entatlve Smell, Of
New York asked Mr.. Haugen.
"That IS entirely up 10 the Presi-
dent Mr. Haugen replied. 1T grants
10 new powers It merely continues
wartime powers gwen the Pre- dent.
The present situation. Mr. Haugen
told the House, was brought on by
The failure Of the President to act
last summer when he had an opportu-
nlty 70 buy the Cuban crop at six cents
pound
"Unless the President acts now we
will not get any relief Mr llaugen
SAID mere Us no excuse lor hlM
not exercising the powers we are Civ
ing HIM and protecting the people
Sold at 81 Cents q Pound in France
In urging his sugar embargo bill
before the House Interstate and For
eign Commerce Committee to-day.
Representative Dallinger. of Massachu-
setts, declared that in the ten months
from January l to November l there
had been exported from this country
10 Europe l.2i5, $50 .4l3 pounds Of sugar.
< or about one and one-fourth pounds
OF sugar per person IN the United
states every month. He also called
attention to the fact that under orders
rom Secretary Of War Baker the War
department had sold % 100000 pounds
OF sugar. which the American Expedi-
,lohary Forces had left over, to the
reNcn a. Y cents a pound.
ne Sugar Equalization Board has
ried to stop exports. but has been
unable unable 10 do so, Mr.. Dallinger said.
vtoers received before the board made
US decision are being filled without
nrnouieestation. Also, according TO Mr..
oa4inger, there is no way to stop ex-
portstion on resales.
ror Instance" he said. "a broker
=. ~ New York has been, and still is, as
rec 20 buy sugar for q consumer in
sIshdoA as for a consumer in Chicago.
ti'er the sugar leaves the refinery
.nere Is no means of tracing where
- ,ne sugar goes, as it may be resold