The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-12-21
SUGAR INTERESTS
ASK FOR INCREASE
IN TARIFF RATES
Argue That American Indus
try Faces Annihilation by
Cheaper Product From
Other Countries
BY Associated Press

Washington, December 20
American beet sugar and Porto
Rican cane sugar interests asked the
Senate finance committee today for
a duty of 2 cents a pound on Cuban
raw sugar, while Louisiana cane
producers and manufacturers urged
that the duty be made 2.5 cents a
pound. The rate proposed in the
Fordney bill is 1.6 cents, an increase
OF six-tenths of a cent over the
Underwood tariff.
Spokesman for the American beet
and cane interests. In concluding
fhe presentation of their case de-
Shared that the Industries were
threatened with destruction. This
would leave the entire American
held open to Cuban sugar.
The witness said the issue before
Congress was whether the Ameri-
tan sugar industry which now sup
plies half OF the nations needs, was
49, ~ eH1AAliNcN ~ dtA NuDd. lh6y
leaid there was no disposition to
Anture Cuba and that II production
pn that country was reduced to
Fomewhat near the pre-war total of
100000. or half of the amount con-
tsumed annually in the United States
the Cuban industry could be put
back on its feet.
The beet sugar spokesman de-
lciared that the Cuban producers had
1880, 600 tons of sugar from last
years crop which they were threat
lening to throw on the American
emarket at one cent a pound.
Representatives of tho beet sugar
isaid the two cent duty asked for
was necessary because of the diff
ference in costs in the United States
and Cuba.
File Brief
In brief filed with the commit
tee, Gray Silver, Washington rep
Tesentative of the American Farm
Bureau federation, suggested that
tho maximum rate on sugar be
made is cents pound with author
pty given the President to increase
this rate IF at anytime II should
become evident that American pro-
drcers were losing ground to the
detriment of the country"
Judge r. e. Milling, of New Or
leans, John NJ Rogers. of New Or
leans, and Joseph b. Chaffe, of ABB
beville, La, were the spokesman for
the Louisiana cane interests. Judge
Milling told the committee that the
World war alone had saved the
American sugar industry from an
Inhalation after the Underwood duty
of one cent a pound went into ef-
feet.
Judge Milling said the fight
against protection for American in
dustry was not new. 1t was waged
IN 1918. he said, by the refiners and
wholesale grocery association which,
he declared, an investigation had
shown was financed by the refiners.
Now II is the Cuban sugar produce
crs. he continued, but they are the
American refiners who have invest
ed in Cuba. IF you do not protect
the American industry" he added,
1.-The refiners can put up the cost
at will and eventually the American
public would have to pay more than
the cost of the entire sugar indus
try in the country today"
The committee was told by MT
Rogers that a careful investigation
had convinced him that the total
Investment in the sugar industry in
the United States, Porto Rico, Ha-
wall and the Philippines was ST.
O0o, 0o0, 900 instead of only $50o,OO0,-
O0e as asserted yesterday by Amer
scan producers in Cuba. He sald
Cuba was drawing cheap labor from
nearby islands and Spain to MAIN
tain the low costs.