New-York tribune., 1920-01-03
President Ignored Plea by
Hoover to Purchase Gu
ban Crop at Time Deal
Was Possible at Low Rate
Public Footing Bill Now
Price Expected to Go to 25
Gents a Pound; Might
Have Been Only III Cents
By Carter Field

NeD York Tribune
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2.-American
housewives will pay not less than
$810,000,000 more for their sugar this
year than they would have had to pay
had President Wilson needed the ad-
vice of Herbert Hoover and bought the
Cuban crop when it was available at
from 5h to 6 cents a pound, experts
here have figured out.
1t was learned to-day that the price
of sugar would be not less than 90
cents pound until the beet sugar
crop comes on the market late next
fall. AS result there was much COM
ment to-day over the statement by
Secretary to the President Tumulty
that Mr.. Wilson probably would not
exercise the power given to him in the
McNary sugar bill to buy the Cuban
crop, and further that he (Tumultv)
thought the peak Of prices had passed
and the price of sugar would probably
now decline.
Had the President needed the advice
OF Mr.. Hoover, and bought the Cuban
crop at that time, sugar could have
retalled, with full allowance for nor
NAL costs of handling and profits of
middlemen and grocers, at 10 cents
pound, according to students of the
situation here. Allowing that the price
might have been II cents, one Senator
figured to-day, the American house
wives are paying and will continue to
pay nlne cents pound more than
would have been the case had the
Cuban crop been bought without watch
full waiting.
Storm Of Protest Urged
Members of Congress, who, despite
protests from the Administration, went
ahead and put through legislation un-
der which the government might take
over and distribute the limited sugar
supplytat fair price and with equality
as between the household consumer
and the candy maker, say the only
hope for relief is to set up such a
storm of protest that Mr.. Wilson must
take notice and direct the Sugar Equal
ization Board to get busy.
much Cuban sugar is coming in now."
The first consignment of the new crop
reached the local market about the
same time Mr.. Tumulty predicted the
decline in prices. Persons who We'd
nesday managed to get Louisiana cane
sugar at 20 cents a pound were privi-
legged to, pay % cents pound for the
Cuban crop. In most instances the re-
tailers here have been insisting that
fore they hand over small quantity
OF sugar at about double last years
price. This practice, however, has been
discontinued now that consignment
of sugar has arrived from Cuba.
While the local price for the new
Cuban sugar is % cents pound which
figure was fixed by the Fair Price
Committee. the New York and Phila-
delphia price for some of the same con-
signment has been limited to 20 cents
pound. 1t is being predicted here to-
day that the average price Of sugar for
the United States is likely to soar to
% cents for a time until the Cuban crop
begins arriving in larger quantities.
Drop Tumulty Sees
The suggestion was made that per-
haps the decline in prices, which Mr..
Tumulty forecast, will be the drop
from the expected advance of 25 cents
pound to a later average Of 20 cents
pound
AS result of the method in which
sugar situation there are three prices
for as many kinds of sugar. The beet
crop price was fixed at 101a cents and
later raised to IL; the Louisiana cane
at II and 18 cents, and now the Cuban
price, which, for this locality, has
been fixed at figure that will give
the retailer fair profit when sold at
% cents. The only way the consumer
can keep from being gouged by his
he is getting. And the average per
son must take the dealers word for
the kind of sugar.
In August, before the public was
aware of any sugar shortage, the
Sugar Equalization Board recon-
mended to Mr.. Wilson that the Cuban