Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-09

The story of the presen: sugar short
age reveals one of the most interesting
phases of American economic life that
has ever been written.
Its genesis is a year old. Its field
covers two hemispheres. Its details
reach into the homes of millions.
For days past have followed its
trail from the counter OF chain stor,
in Philadelphia, through restaurants and
hotels where meager portion is dolod
out in diminutive envelopes. as in war
time, and into the Offices Of rcfiners
who declare that they are almost as
much at their wits ends as the Gus
toner who traipses from grocery To de.
partment store and back again in d
vain search for the elusive sweet.
To begir at the beginning
The world war played havoc with the
sugar beet fields and rcHncries Of Bel
GUM. France and Italy. The lack of
ocean tonnage cut off the world supply
from the English and French colonies
and the cane and beet sources of South
America Last year and while the war
was still in progress the United States
Government eI tered the field md pur
chased the entire sugar crup of Cuba.
But even then this government had
an elephant on its hands. 1t had the
sugar but no ships with which to bring
1t to our shores. At this point the
roval British sugar commission came
forward with proposition that it would
furnish sufficient tonnage to bring the
crop to this country. provided the
United States would sell it one third
of the amount for its, people, out Of
which a limited supply would be fur
nished other European allies.
Then RefrCrs Stepped In
The offer was accepted and the sugar
was delivered to refneries on the Allan
tic seaboard in British bottoms. Then
II was that a clever idea was suggested
by three American refners. Why not.
Instead of shipping England's share Of
the raw sugar across the sea, have 1t
refined in this country, thus enabling
American refinCrs to insure that their
refineries could continue in operation
during the dull times that threatened
the industry? The United States Coy.
ernment accepted the suggestion. and It
was also agreed to by England.
As opportunity afforded. and as the
British situation demanded, the Amer
lean mills refined and shipped to her
England's share of the crop. Not oil
of its allotment was at once claimed by
of it is being refined and sent urrosS
the sea to its owners. 1T is these car
goes that are now leaving Philadelphia
which have aroused such comment and
have created the widespread suspicion
that Europe was benefting at the cost
of the people OF the United States
In the meantime certain conditions
were at work which tended to create a
situation never before experienced in
this and. perhaps in any other country
on earth. 1t will explain why the per
ceptible consumption of sugar in the
United States has leaped beyond bounds.
While the normal amount per canita
for the last year, including the already
greatly increased consumption, should
not have exceeded seventy pounds. it
will reach. if not exceed, for the present
twelve months 112 pounds. These fig
ures, l am reliably informed. are based
upon late and complete estimates of re-
6ners.
The phenomenal Increase in the use of
sugar for all purposes began with our
entrance into the war. The conserya-
ton of food. which took the form Of
canning and preserving was the start.
People preserved and canned in 191T-1S
who had never done so before.
The world war in the United States
inaugurated an era of industrial pros
perity unknown in it's history. The