The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1920-05-25
CUBA BEGGED U. 5.
TO TAKE SUGAR CROP
IcABLECRAM FROM PRESIDENT
OF REPUBLIC is DISCLOSED
BY SENATOR M'NARY.

/ WASHlNGI YIN. - "a CdpleS am
from the president of Cuba to Sen
atcr Charles L. McNary, of Oregon
on January 6, five days after the
president approved the McNary sugar
hill. but refused to avail himself OF
the power vested therein for pur-
chase of the Cuban crop, was made
public today by the senator to set at
rest the charge by A. Mitchell Palm.
err, attorney general, that tallure OF
congress to act on the suggested eX-
tension of the Lever act was respon-
style for the high prices and short
supplies now confronting the Amerl-
can people.
Mr.. McNary said that although the
record of the sugar negotiations
showed clearly that the president
had ample legal authority to pur--
chase the Cuban crop in August and
September of last year, when all but
one member of the sugar equalization
board was urging such action, the
contention that even after passage
of the McNary bill Cuban sugar
could not be obtained in sufficient
quantities to stabilize prices and dis
tribution in the United States would
not hold in view of President Memo,
GALS cablegram of January 6.
In that message, sent in response
to an inquiry by Senator McNary as
to how much Cuban sugar remained
available for purchase by the United
States, the Cuban president used al
most imploring language in an effort
to have the United States acquire the
free of contract sugar. "A substan-
tial portion of the crop remained
available, the message stated. The
Cuban government volunteered to do
everything possible to aid the Amer
/ lean government in obtaining the
sugar.
Although Mr.. Palmer sought to put
the entire blame on congress, at
itention was called today to the fact
that on January /, when the white
house announced the president would
not acquire any portion of the Cuban
sugar crop, the reason assigned was
that the "peak of high prices" had
been reached and that lower prices
| for sugar would develop very soon.
1t is the view in Washington now
that the administration realizes 1t
made chad guess" and is seeking
some way out of the political plight
in which it would be placed this sum-
mer when sugar for canning purposes
probably would not be available,
even at excessive prices.
The telegram to Mr.. McNary,
signed by Rafael Montoro, secretary
| to President Menocal, and sent I'M
der the latter's direction, follows:
"The president directs me to
acknowledge receipt of your valued
cable in which you make inquiry of
the available supply of Cuban sugar
not under contract from the harvest
now in progress. There are no Off
cial records of these contracts, but
the quantity under engagement is es-
timated at 2,250,000 tons, prepon-
derance of this having been sold.
"What proportion is in the hands
of spectators cannot be determined,
but the unsold quantity is in the
hands of many producers and re-
mains to be harvested. The United
States is recognized as their princi-
pal market. They wish not only to
maintain but to strengthen by all
practical means the close relation
The exchanges in commodities in the
production of which both excel will
approximate this year in their total
value 81, OGO, 100000. The Cuban
government, conscious of the great
convenience and lasting Importance
of these economic exchanges, put
forth every effort to conclude by
agreement with the American gov
eminent the disposition of the en-
tire output of Cuban sugar for the
year 1920"