Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-04
Circulation Every 1A0n1
Evening Yesterday x4ZVx
WEDNESDAY,, FEBRUARY 4, 1920.


s<o the great dissatisfaction Of thousands
of consumers. Their dissatisfaction is ag-
xrsvated by an entire inability to under
stsnd the situation, to see clearly why 1t is
there should be such difficulty in obtain
ing even hand-to-mouth supplies OF sugar,
and why the retail prices should be so
variable, and in some instances so high.
During the height Of the war the peo-
pic vol understood the sugar Etuation-
War brought about diminution OF pro-
duction in many lines, while it at least
did not tend to decrease consumption
Yet throughout the WAY period sugar was
obtainable 20 . reasonable extent, and
the retail price, thanks to government
Yegulation--a very undesirable and mis-
chievous element in business, however, as
rule-was kept at llla cents pound.
But now the devastating and waste
full war is over. Production, while not
up to the desired limit, is going on much
more rapidly. Yet sugar is a scarce COM
modify in our country, and since the gov
eminent regulation was lifted the retail
prices have gone far beyond the former
limit Of IL u cents 3 pound.
We cannot blame the retail dealers for
this situation, this apparent imposition.
They are restricted in their supplies, and
although there is lack of positive Informs
ton, there 10 room for the impression that
the variance in retail charges Is due to the
fact that retailers look differently upon the
situation. Some regard it desirable TO re-
tain the good will of their customers by
selling what sugar they can secure at
price that will merely cover the costs,
sacrificing sill idea Of profit. As fact,
for years, there was an axiom among
Rrocers that sugar was sold only as an
accommodation, at price that would
cover costs, and was not to be considered /!
g source Of profit. Other dealers I'm |
doubtedly look upon their sugar holdings |
Is commodity to be disposed OF at what |
ever profit the market may bear Hence
the varying charges. We have from one
leading grocer of this city a statement that |
be bad just secured a consignment OF
SUGAR that cost him ls}4 cents per pound,
which he proposed to sell 1T % cents 8
pound, thereby only meeting actual costs.
But still the people cannot understand
the situation. They do not see any reason
for such shortage in the supply, al
though they realize that the shortage In
any commodity is legitimate reason for
higher prices. And SO the question OF the
hour is: What's the matter with sugar"
BY the current issue of The Cash
Grocer, trade publication Of Philadel-
phia, we are thus informed: ''Ilne scarcity
Of Sugar is more acute now than at
any time during the sugar shortage, and
the trade are more insistent upon having
granulated sugar now than ever before,
making it doubly hard TO satisfy the de-
nand A time back we felt privileged 10
send yellow sugars if perchance we had
nothing else, but conditions have so
changed that we do not feel free to send
them out unless especially ordered. We
have no very great encouragement for
being able to supply anywhere near
the demand for sugar during the week;
come Of the refneries here are not running
at all; others only on part time, having
only limited quantity Of raws on which
to work, occasioned by the strike of the
longshoremen and the seamen IN Cuba
holding up almost one hundred vessels In
Cuban ports that should have been here
two to three weeks ago, all of which is, of
course, beyond our control. We shall be
only too glad TO furnish you with sugars if
1T is possible TO secure them"
Here we have what appears to be a
explanation. The supply at
the shipping portsmay be ample, but it is
held up by untoward conditions. But
will there be any difference after these re-
tarding labor troubles are settled and
unrestricted shipments are resumed? Will .
high retail prices and varying retail prices ,
disappear after the resumption of some ;
what normal conditions as to supplies and !
shipments? That is what the people +,
would like TO know.
Meanwhile, We will have TO possess our =
souls in patience and wait as hopefully as
possible for better sugar days.
>- 9
Will City Council endeavor to do some :
thing to correct the evil conditions in !