Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-21
SUGAR SCARCITY IS
AGAIN PRONOUNCED
Prospects Arc That Prices Will Go
Higher and People Have to
Use Less.

The scarcity Of sugar is again bccomin 2
acute. Applications at the most of the
uptown stores today brought the ropy
"All out" A great many Of the stores
having small quantities on hand are refus-
ing to sell to any but regular customers
Other stores say that they have n normal
quantity on hand which will last il
patrons do not make run" on IL.
ut is this condition" said one of the
statesmen at the G. ID. Kenny Co.'S store
this morning. that causes the scarcity
OF sugar. People hear that sugar is going
to be scarce and rush TO the stores TO buy
all they possibly can. Soon the stores are
sold out and those who really need sugar
are not able 20 buy it. If the peopI e,
instead of boarding sugar, would cut the
consumption until the shortage in re-
llevod, conditions would be much better. =
William Skellenger, president Of the
Retail Grocers Exchange, agreed with
this statement, saying that people are
still wasting sugar in spite of the shortage
He said that if the people expected TO have
the present supply last this year they
would have to use half the quantity they
are now consuming He said that the
strike could not he blamed for the in
creased cost of the article because the
by vessels.
Mr.. Skellengor said that he did not be-
lieve there were any Wilmington jobbers
trying To profteer but that exorbitant
prices had been asked by io bbers from
other cities.
w. II. Megear, wholesale grocer. In
speaking of the sugar situation, said tho
lobbers were getting about % per cent
OF the normal supply, and he saw no
prospects OF the shortage being relieved
during this year This is due To tho great
demand from all parts of the world for
the raw sugar production of Cuba. The
producers there are getting II cents
pound for the raw product. That is what
retiners have TO pay who buy there now.
A retiner cannot prepare the raw product
for the. market. at that price, and charge
less than or cents advance on the
pound
Some refiners have stocks on hand that
were brought below this figure. and that
accounts for the ability n the people now
To buy sugar NJ n cents pound In all
probability il will go higher. and the
people will have 60 use less suVar-one
pound where they are now using two,
II was stated in Philadelphia papers
this morning that United States District
Attorney McAvoy there was preparing 20
have warrants served on about twenty
alleged sugar pro6teers there today. Mr..
McAvoy said he intended to soc whether
tho Lever act could be made effective
in stopping gouging by sugar dealers
The men 10 be arrested il was said in
cluded retailers. wholesalers. brokers and
Iobbers
United States District Attorney Charles
u. Curley said today when inquiry was
made n him. that there hod been no
investigation here recently on the sugar
situation. and that so far as he knew there
was nothing contemplated IN the imme-
diate future. His office has made IL
plain. he said. that there would be
prosecution Of those dealers charging
mn unreasonable profit in the sale Of
sugar
As the prices charged by various re-
finers differ. on account Of the varying
prices they are paying and have paid
IN the recent past for the raw product, the
seems % he somewhat tangled.
The retailer cannot do business without
getting a profit on the sugar he sells,
and when he buys sugar for sale 20 the
that has come from refiner
who has had 70 pay p cents a pound for
the raw. he will have TO charge more than
most retail stores are charging now. After
all, It would be for jury 10 determine
or not under the law a dealer
was selling to the consumer at a reason
able profit There does not seem 10 be
much prospect for remedy BY law The
idea IS to use less sugar