Milford chronicle., 1920-05-07
UNCLE TED'S
BEDTIME STORIES
WHY SUGAR COSTS SO MUCH
Current Events for the Children
and Grown-Ups, Too

upstairs to his mother just as Uncle
Ted came in the front door.
rs that a nice way to talk to your
mother 2" asked Uncle Ted as he hung
up his coat and hat. Whats all the
fuss about?"
Jack shuffled his feet around on
the rug and said, well, mother want
ed some more sugar and I went to
every store l could find and they all
said that what they had this morning
cost 20 cents a pound but it was all
gone"
1T probably costs more than that
by this time, was Uncle Teds only
reply as he made his way to big
easy chair in the living room. Sup
pose you call your sister in here and
I'll tell you story about sugar. It's
too damp outside for little boys and
girls this evening and know you will
like this story which may help you to
understand why sugar costs so much
and is so hard to get"
Jack finally discovered Ruth in the
attic getting out some old rags with
which to make summer clothes for her
dollies. When she learned that Uncle
Ted was home and would tell them a
story she couldn't scramble down the
stairs fast enough.
Jack was just telling me, Ruth,
began Uncle Ted, that he couldn't
get any sugar for your mother this
morning, even though it costs 20 cents
a pound. l thought you would like to
hear something about why sugar costs
so much and why it is so hard to get.
The Democratic administration in
Washington headed by Woodrow Will
son has made such a mess OF the
sugar situation that it may not be
long before we have to pay 40 cents
a pound for sugar, if we can get it at /
all. Not long ago Representative 7
George Holden Tinkham, of Massa- I
chusetts, made a speech in the House (
of Representative in which he said I
that sugar would cost 80 cents
pound, very soon because President
Wilson had done nothing to change
the situation and because the Attor-
ney General of the United States, Nit
chell Palmer, took certain action in
the case of Louisiana sugar upon which
price was fixed. He also said that
if the present prices of sugar kept up
it would mean that the people of the
United States would have to pay ST.
900 900, 900 more a year for their sug-
ar He says it is absolutely the fault
of President Wilson and Attorney
General Palmer and 1 agree with him
from what l know of the case.
''As far back as last August, the !
Sugar Equalization Board, which at !
that time was handling all matters J
with sugar for this coun- {
try, told Mr.. Wilson that he should
buy the sugar crop of Cuba for 1919
as was done in 1918 The board ex-
planned that the Cuban crop could be :
bought for 63s cents a pound at that
time. If that had been done, that c
sugar could have been sold to Jack f
this morning for II or II cents a
pound instead of his being told that :
It costs 20 cents a pound and that 1T
Is ALL GONE"
did Mr.. Tinkhan say anything :
lbout that?" asked Jack. :
Eyes, he did, Jack, will read you
iome of what he said, The cause of
he present high price for sugar. he II
aid and the great sugar scarcity in H
he United States is attributed sole II
y to the non-action of the President II
# the United States in August and II
September and in part to the action II
f the Attorney General in November III
asst. Investigation in Washington, II
There sworn testimony has been TAX II
n, has fully established these facts
eyond contradiction. In August and III
september last the Sugar Equalization III
Ioard recommended to the President
he purchase of the Cuban crop of III
919, as had been done in the case of iii
he 1918 CROP He then went on to iii
ay what have just told you about III
ow cheap it could have been pur- III
hased iii
Later on he said, The action which iii
le Sugar Equalization Board recon- HI
tended could legally have been ap-
roved by the President. He, how
YER, withheld his approval and has
ever asserted his reason for doing so.
4 November last, when sugar was
cling at retail at 10 cents a pound
nder control of the Sugar Equaliza II
on Board, and at 62 cents in Cuba, iii
lie attorney general concurred in a
rice of II cents and is cents at the iii
limitations for Louisiana sugar; thus
wing as it were an official govern
ent price for raw sugar. The effect III
this action in part was to advance
lie Cuban price. In December the
uban price had advanced over IL
,nts, and is now quoted at is cents iii
''The whole thing is that while they III
e trying to have investigations in III
sssiiiiiis; sii Z; sssS2 &C find cut whv sugar is III
scarce and why it costs so much, iii
e real reason seems to be just as =
r. Tinkham says, that President -
lsion failed to act when he had the
ance to get sugar for this country
a low price. Even by this time, l
pect that Mr.. Palmer has appeared
fore the committee of the House of
representatives. that is investigating
gar to tell about the agreement he
said to have made with the Louis
IA sugar men which let's them sell
cir cane crop at II and Is cents a
und.
of the big sugar
were called to Washington
talk with Mr.. Palmer and officials
the Department of Justice, but none
the officials of the department or
. Palmer would say anything as to
~ they were there. They simply
tied that these men had been called
to give the government all the in
nation possible about the sugar
uation All the sugar men seemed
have different ideas and the meet
didn't seem to do bit of good"
Why doesn't President Wilson buy
Cuban crop of sugar now?' ask
Jack.
Simply because it is too late, Jack
had the chance and didn't do it
I now we and our neighbOrs and
iryone in this country must suffer
it.