The New York herald., 1920-01-14
Sugar Board Kept
Agreement Secret,
Refiners Charge
Did Not Let Them Know CT Under
standing with British Board
for Cuban Crop.

In MS annual report 10 the Nationa
association in Refined Sugars, OF which
he is president, l.. v. n Cameron yester,
day placed the blame for the sugar short,
age on the United States Sugar Equaliza.
ton Board. The Board he declared. en-,
couraged export business last year before
Great Britain claimed the one-third OF
the Cuban crop of 1slS-1sl9 which she was
10 receive by allotment When sugar was
ABOUT 10 be exported, according 10 Mr.
cameron, Great Britain demanded her
snare and the critical situation followed
agreements with the British Royal
commission regarding shipments on its
account never have been published. said
Mr. cameron. IF the details Of the agree
ment had been published by the Equaliza-
ton Board. would it not appear that a
large portion Of the accumulated stocks
IN the refiners hands in the early part
or the year actually belonged 10 the Brit
ish Royal Commission? If the country
had had knowledge of these facts would
not the wholesale dealers and manufac-
turers have protested themselves against
the impending shortage
The entire Cuban crop of f91s-1919 was
purchased by the Board and two-thirds
or It were allotted to the United States for
domestic needs Early in the year Ameri-
can refiners had an ample supply and the
Royal British Commission found ii neces-
sary to postpone shipments because OF
lack OF tonnage, according to Mr.. Cam
eron, AS result of encouragement by
the Board, he says. orders were placed
with American brokers In May, June and
July of last year for sugar shipments to
various parts of the world. The Cuban
crop failed then to prove as large as ex-
pected and the result was "a famine in
sugar in the face of an assured quantity
OF cane sugars in the early part of 1918
plus large crop of Louisiana and beet
sugars"
Mr.. Cameron declares the situation fur
ther was aggravated by the offering OF
large quantities of sugar through un-
licensed brokers at profiteering" prices
I'm all of these cases." said Mr.. Cameron
latter tireless search it was found that
no such sugar actually existed
With a view to prosecuting growers and
other dealers who force combination sales
on customers in violation of the Lever
Food Control law, Mrs Louis Reed Welz-
miller. Deputy Commissioner of Markets,
declared yesterday she will confer imme-
diately il possible with the Department of
Justice. Yesterday she received a COM
plaint from Emil Roschi, of No. 1872 Bos-
ton road, the Bronx. secretary of the
Bronx Retail Grocers' Association stating Q
that chain stores and other retail esta b.
lishments in that borough have been
forcing such sales.
l.. r. Sherbourne, representative Of p.
NJ. Leavitt & Co.. No. 1fS State street.
Boston. who advertised to sell sugar in
100 pound lots for $3.50 called on Arthur
Williams, Federal Food Administrator
yesterday. He assured Mr. Williams that
his firm is opposed 10 so-called chain
grocery stores and that a rebate of 81 65
would be allowed any grocer ordering
sugar from his firm If it was found the
grocer was not ''chain grocer" IF a
chain grocer orders he will not receive the
rebate.
Mr. Williams told Mr.. Sherbourne that
residents of New York would probably
object to paying ~ cents pound for suga r
that was obtainable here at from 16 to 10
cents a pound.