The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1920-01-29


high sugar prices are one of the fruits
of the partisan strife stirred up here
early last year when the Republicans
took control of the special session of
congress.
Along in August, after the partisans
had shouted all summer about the
over-exercise OF government control,
the question of continuing the sugar
equalization board another year and
buying the Cuban sugar crop came
up. AT that dime there was at least
one member of the board itself who
thought it was time for the govern
ment to get out of the market, and
the sentiment among the majority in
congress seemed to urge such a
course. One school of economics
holding this theory argued that the
peace treaty would be signed and all
the nations would be released from
! their war alliance and ready to go
into the market on a supply and de-
mand basis.
Then came October with world
markets still unsettled and when the
sugar board appeared before con-
gress it urged that its existence be
continued until December 81, 1920,
| and that it be authorized to purchase
the coming Cuban crop. But con
gress still seemed to favor getting out
of the market and there was no ac-
ton. In December the attorney gen
eral, who had taken over the food
! situation, announced that the board,
lacking congressional continuance,
would cease to function after Decem.
Der 81.
This meant that the relentless law
Of supply and demand would have to
| be allowed to enter an unready field
again after that date. In other
words, with an actual existing sugar
shortage, the bars were to be thrown
control There would be no wholesale
distributing scheme and every corner
Of the world was to get what it would
pay for. Realizing what their failure
to act was bringing on, congress al
the last minute got busy and on De
cember 20. the sugar equalization
/ board was continued for another six
months.
By this time, however, the Central
Cuban agency had gone out of exist
ence and control of the market could
net be secured through one agency as
before, but the market must b
chased down wherever Cuban pur
| chases were possible Meanwhile the
allied nations whoc ontrolled the Gu
/ ba nmarket last year had unbound
| themselves from their alliance an
were already in the field as our com
petitors. Besides in renewing the life
Of the board congress had failed to
provide it anew with its former pow
ers of equalization and distribution
In face of the new situation the
| board has been forced to act in the
most serviceable capacity possible and
will continue to make available pur
chases and the licensing operations
But to go into the Cuban field at
this time would mean that it would
prices up against itself and against
all other purchasers In other words
I congress acted 50 late that ii is now
impossible for the government agen.
ces to secure control of the Cuban
supply by purchasing operations with
out 'sky-rocketing' prices. And since
it is going out of business in July it
would be uneconomical to purchase
the entire crop
Uncle Sam will undoubtedly secure
the bulk of the Cuban crop "by de-
fault" because most of the other in
ternational bidders will be limited to
their purchases II is estimated that
there will be approximately 4.200,00O
tons available. The nations of Eu-
rope are limited as to purchasing
power and only part Of their pur-