Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-09-24
SUGAR SHORTAGE
AND The CAUSES
The State Food Department of Iowa
is Trying to Explain to the Peo-
pie the Real Cause of the
Sugar Shortage Over
the Country ..
ASSIGNS SEVERAL
"a REASONS FOR THE FAMINE,
Spectators Corner Much of the Pro-
duct, the Beet Sugar Crop is
Short and No Production.
Whatever i'm Some
Countries

The sugar shortage which prevails
thruout the country is due to com
bination of circumstances, according
to information which has been re-
ceived by the state food and dairy
department. This information sets
forth the situation as follows:
The United States food admin
istration has sugar adjunct known
as the United States sugar equaliz-
alton board. This board, under the
authority of the United States gov
eminent and Jointly with the repre-
sentatives from France, England ano
Italy, was formed for the purpose of
handling the Cuban, Porta Rican
and other West Indian products. The
same board controls the shipments Of
sugar from the Philippine Islands,
the Hawaiian Islands and the island
of Java. "-.
/ From the sources enumerated
practically all the worlds supply oil
sugar that is shipped out OF the couE-
! tries of production and into the
countries of no production. is obtain
ed. The price of raw sugar is regu-
lated so that they are standardized
! to a set price and the price of raw
sugar at 9 cents per pound to whole
salers is also standardized and not
subject to fiuctuation. These ron-
ditions have prevailed for almost
year and will continue until the 31st
! of December, 1919. Wholesale groc-
ers must pay their own freight and
they are regulated so that their pro-
fit can not exceed 80 cents per humid
red pounds plus Is cents for hand
ling.
Furthermore the sugar bins of
the country were entirely empty
when this present shortage became
apparent. The consumers were with
out an appreciable quantity. The re-
tailers We're buying from hand to
mouth. The wholesale grocers had
but limited supply.
Spectators in large centers like
New York, Chicago, St. Louis were
successful in getting a large supply
for the reason that they were in the,
position to receive inside informa-
ton and several weeks ahead of the
other fellow. An extreme shortage
would not have occurred had it not
been for the marine strike which
continued for almost two, months.
During the period but few cargoes of
raw sugar arrived at our shores anu
no vessels departed to the sugar
countries during the strike. ~,
Furthermore the beet sugar crop
of 1918, which is under the control
as the other crop, became exhausted.
This radically increased the short
age.
Most people have the idea that
the United States produces most all
of the sugar that it uses. The fact
is that the United States, including
the beet sugar production of the
country, the cane sugar of Louisiana
and Texas, the Hawaiian and Philip
pine island, sugar crop, only pro-
duces abont one-third of the sugar
it uses and the other two-thirds
must be imported from other coun-
tries.
THE sugar consumption per capita
in the United States is about eighty.
five pounds. This includes what is
consumed for candy, cooking,I can
ming and household purposes"