Evening star., 1923-05-04
SEEK TOOFFSET
HIGH SUGAR COSTS
Gamers and Confectioners
Also Act to Counteract
Advances in Wages.
BY J. G. ROfLE.

III y. - no1 LIZ
Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, May 4.-Canners,
packers and confectioners already are
ttking steps to counteract the pos
sible maintenance Of high sugar prices
and of advances in wage scales this
season.
In many cases these measures are
soltdations.
Plans are we'll under way today for
q combination involving number of
Che largest vegetable and fruit pack
Ing plants in Colorado and Utah. The
object is to reduce overhead ex-
penses, lessen cost of materials by
buying in larger quantities and COM
bine marketing facilities in order to
provide a broader distributing field
Principals in the proposed merger
rave obtained the financial backing
of eastern bankers to the extent of
$4,000.000. the f1nanciers having
agreed to underwrite bond issue Of
that amount.
Gamers Cutting Expenses.
:, Gamers of the northwest and Pa
ctfic coast are cutting expenses to the
bone to meet Increased material costs
Many firms which have been Offering
Royal Anne cherries at firm prices
have withdrawn from the market.
Growers are getting 10I2 cents a
pound for their cherries. as compared
with to cents a year ago.
Sugar has advanced nearly 90 per
cent. as compared with last year. Box
shocks are higher and labor is in
short supply and highly paid
California packers are contracting
with growers for cherries at II cents
a pound and for clingstone peaches at
$50 ton. Many of the smaller pack
ers who have not arranged for the
necessary supplies of sugar are hav-
Ing difficulty in obtaining the usual
loans from their banks.
Expect Big Season.
Gamers have prepared for a big
year and have contracted for large
suppfies of vegetables aad fruits from
growers. The extent of the volume of
y business expected may be judged from
the fact that the American Can Com
pany is expected to buy more than
100000 boxes of tin plate this year
above the original estimated require
lnents. Other can companies are buy
ing heavily. and the American Sheet
and Pin Plate Company sold out its
production for the third quarter of
the year within a week after books
for the quarter had been opened
sumers are already looking around for
sugar substitutes. In this connection
one large consumer of sugar and
sirup is preparing today to place an
order for $4,000 pounds Of New York
maple sugar. II is expected that the
American production of this product,
which totaled in the neighborhood of
e1.000.000 gallons OF sap, or 5000. 600
pounds of sugar, this season, will be
cleaned up shortly. Prices for maple
sugar are firm around 25 to 30 cents
pound. Honey also is in an improv-
ed position as result of the sugar
situation. and some imports of honey
are expected II sugar prices DO not
fall.
Bitter Feeling in Raisin District.
Efforts to induce growers In the
Fresno district to sign up co-opera-
Gently reorganized Sun Maid Raisin
Growers. Inc, have resulted in two
fatal shootings. The casualties re-
suited from clashes with Arme nian
growers who refused to sign.
Eighty per cent Of the growers OF
the district have signed up. 1t is
estimated that S5 per cent of the
growers are necessary to the sue
cess OF the new marketing plans
Most of those who have refused to
sign are foreigners, who. other raisin
raisers say, hope to profit without
expense by remaining Independent
OF the association.
Potatoes Flood Markets.
1t is estimated today that less than
six weeks remain in which to dis
pose of the remainder of the 1922
rStato crop. After that time the
tubers will have sprouted and soft
ened to such an extent as to be
unmarketable. Markets are flooded
and demand is slack. Prices are
ranging about 1 cent a pound and
it seems certain that q large tonnage
will be left on growers hands be-
tore the middle of June. This, how
ever. has not seemed to dampen en-
thuSiaSm in many sections where
potato acreage shows little, IL any,
diminution from that of last year.
Other railroads arc expected to
follow the example of the Pennsyl-
vania and Santa Fe roads, which
have raised wages Of maintenance
or way employees and some of the
shopmen.