The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-03-15
No. 3-COntinued From
Page One.


cents a pound, as was done in 1918.
But he neglected to make the pur-
chase, though the recommendation
was made by the sugar equalization
board, which he created. Seven mem
bers of that commission recommended
and urged upon the president the pur-
chase of Cuban sugar at L. cents
a pound.
'The board pointed out TO the
president that except in Cuba alone
there was a shortage of the sugar
crop of the world, and if the president
did not take advantage of his oppor-
tunity the price would necessarily
mount very high. Still the president
did not act, and again in September
1919. the opportunity was once more
offered, and again the president re-
fused to take advantage of his OPP
portunity.
The next official action came ap-
parently as a sequence to the refusal
of the president, when the attorney
general agreed with the sugar planters
of Louisiana upon IT cents a pound
for one grade of sugar and Is cents
for another grade. Was there an I'M
Outstanding between the attorney
general and the president-that the
president would not purchase the
Cuban sugar crop at IL cents a
pound so that subsequently the at
torney general could enter into an
agreement with the sugar planters of
Louisiana to pay II to IS cents? It
appears so. One action follows the
other in natural sequence, and the re-
suit today is that the American people
are paying from 10 to % cents a pound
for sugar, instead of 10 and IL cents
a pound.
They are paying 25 cents in many
parts of the country continued Mr..
Campbell. This is an anomalous sit
uation. The democratic party is in
power today as a result of promises
to the American, people to reduce or
keep down the cost of living, but it
has acted directly against the public
welfare and has increased the cost
of living almost a billion dollars a
year by increasing the price Of sugar
alone"
The words of Congressman Camp
bell may be taken as what the repub-
licans hope to indisputably prove by
the congressional investigation.
Mr. Zabriski, head Of the sugar
equalization board, which urged the
president to buy the Cuban crop, as
was done in 1918, expressed his dis
satisfaction with the course of the
president and the attorney general
as follows:
The ridiculous price of II cents
wholesale for the raw sugar now
charged by the Louisiana planters is
an outrage. 1 can't say that Attorney
General Palmer fixed the price, but
it was known in Louisiana that he
would stand for it. 1t was this folly
ahat inspired the Cubans to make their
gouge. When they saw American sugar
planters getting away with IL cents
they decided it was perfectly leglt1-
mate for them to get some OF the
plumber, and today the people are pay
ing the price for the attorney gen.
erals mistake.
Had the sugar equalization board
been permitted to exercise its own
Judgment, instead of the country
facing a famine. as it now does, we
would have had the largest crop Oh
sugar in history at 1-2 cents"
CONGRESSMAN Martin, of Louisiana
democrat, representing the sugar
growing section, declared that mad
the Louisiana planters been allowed
to market their crop without inter
ference by the attorney general, they
would have received 81 to 2S cents a
pound for It. Under the theory OF the
republicans, Martin said, by liking
the price of the Louisiana sugar at II
and IS cents a pound, the attorney
general had kept the Cuban sugar
from selling at 81 or % cents.
The Louisiana planters made
scarcely any profit by selling their
sugar at IT and IS cents, Martin as
serted, because they raised only one
third of a crop because Of bad weather
conditions.
When the Louisiana sugar came on
the market in November there was a
sugar famine and people all over the
country We're willing to give fancy
prices for it and offered % to ~ cents
a pound for it, Martin said.
IF it be true that the Cubans raised
their price from 1-2 cents to IL 1-2
cents a pound because Louisiana was
getting IT cents" said Martin. .'tnen
| If must follow that they would have
raised their price still higher if
! Louisiana sold at 27 cents, which it
| would have done had not Attorney
General Palmer fixed the price at II
| cents. So, instead of the American peo-
ple paying ssoo, 900 more for their
sugars, they would have paid $780,
| 600 600 more il the attorney generai
had taken no action; or. in other
| words. Palmer saved the people $780,
600, ooo.'
The resolution OF investigation
nassed the house by a strictly party
vote. 1872 to 124, and the committee is
expected 10 begin its inquiry in few
days.