Evening star., 1923-03-29
IT, AGENCIES PUSH
SUGAR INQUIRIES
Tariff Commission, Justice
Department Trade Body,
Are Active.

Several agencies of the>government
are functioning today in the situa-
tion arriving out of the sudden and
1t is charged, unwarranted increase
in the price of sugar, threatening
further advances. unless they are
checked by official action.
The Tariff Commission, under di-
rection of President Harding, is map
ping its plan of campaign to aScer-
tain if the new tariff law is in part
responsible. The Department Of
Justice. through it's bureau of inves-
tIgation. is following various cham
helS in search of possible conspiracy
which also has been alleged. The
Federal Trade Commission. within its
limitations. is also looking into the
case. SO that Uncle Sam is ION his
toes"
Chairman HuII's Comment.
Chairman Hull of the democratic
national committee. in statement
commenting on President Harding 8.
direction for an investigation by the
tariff commission of the possible reia-
tion of the tariff on sugar to the in
crease in prices. says:
Now that President Harding, III
telegram to the chairman of the tarln
commission has signified his willing
ness to reduce the duty on sugar ."
per cent. as | called upon him 10 40
of the tariff act, If the commission
finds that there is any ground Tor pc
lieving the duty to be even partially
responsible in making the abnormal
prices which prevail it becomes the
duty of the tariff commission to re-
port Immediately to him that the duty
is partially responsible On ouy-
ers' market reduction OF ou per
cent in the tariff would certainly re-
duce the reteail price between and
cents a pound.
There is no shortage of sugar, de-
spite the misleading bulletin or the
Department of Commerce; !ollo"eu IS
the wild speculation In this commod-
ity. Although the President mas IL
hard to believe that the tariH Is re
sponsible, even in part, for the hisn
price of sugar. the tarln coinmlsSion
should nevertheless do its PLAIN uutS
in the matter in order that the freSi,
dent may carry on his promise anu
thus give the public some measure OIL
relief. l., die
rress as result of this tarif lnha-
tion on sugar as well as other COM
moditieS il should do something ~
relieve the situation, and not SUD
missively continue to take lts snare
of the loot"
Lays Price to Tariff
Comments on the sugar situation
came Yesterday from Senator SIM
mons. democrat. North Carolina, " 30
led the fight in the Senate against the
administration tariff bill; 6ayt M.
Manly, director of the People Legls
Iattye Service who week ago urged
the President to order "A Department
of Justice investigation of alleged
price manipulation, and the Farmers
National Council.
Senator Simmons said, in a state
ment. that present high prices were
due to the preferential duty on Cuban
sugar He declared that President
Uarding's instruction to the tariff
commission suggests that "he must
have considered the tariff as at least
a possible cause of the present high
prices
Mr.. Manly said he had told the
President in telegram that his or
ders to the tariff commission were to
be commended provided the Depart
ment of Justice takes prompt acton
to stop speculation and punish the
conspiracy of profiteers who rugged
the sugar market.
Farmers' Council stand.
The Farmers National Counciis s
statement follows:
Government control of the sugar
crop from producer to consumer. as
would be possible under the Norris
Sinclair marketing bill. creating
government corporation. is essential
TO protect producer and consumer,
asserts the Farmers National Coun-
ell in a statement made public this
afternoon. The statement continues:
Gambling in all food products Is
prevalent. 1t is part Of our present
chaotic. wasteful system of distribu-
tion of farm products. 1t can't be
stopped by occasional prosecutions Of
gambling to the point of protiteering.
What food profiteers. however, fla
Grant, are in Jail today, and in what
food product is profiteering not ram
pant?
THE Attorney General will proba-
bly, almost certainly not send any
sugar gambler to Jail. but manipula-
ton of prices is constantly recurrent.
The Queensland government fixes
prices to sugar producers. and deter
mines the profits of wholesalers and
retailers of sugar. and fixes the price
the consumer has to, pay for sugar.
The act creating this sugar control in
Queensland was backed by the labor
organizations as well as the farm or
ganizationS of that state. Similar
control of sugr should be established
in the United States