The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-01
SUGAR COULD NOT HIDE

L ne sugar gamblers are likely TO De
caught between two floods, one the
piling up of sugar due to so-called
housewives buying strike, and the
other the inpouring stream of new
crop sugar from Cuba. The argument
of the gamblers has been reversed and
turned back upon them. A few days
ago they said that the world could
consume the entire sugar surplus in
ten days. The consumers retort is
that in ten days judicious economy in
the use of sugar would double the sur
plus, and there you are, and there su-
gar is. The consumer has discovered
that he really has the upper hand
whenever it comes to a matter of
gouging, for he can always do with
out. Indeed, there are few commodi-
ties that are actual necessities when
one comes right down to it. There
are no commodities that people cannot
use less of, if they so make up their
minds. Evidently the housewives have
made up their minds that the family
shall do with less sugar, until this
price hoisting is over with.
1t is becoming apparent that the
department of commerce has been
right and that there is really an actual
and a prospective surplus of sugar.
Even if the crop has fallen off as
compared with last year, the percent
age of decrease is small and warrants
not at all the nearly one hundred per
cent. increase in the price. The fed
eral law forbids pyramiding in sugar
and the selling of futures on margins,
yet figures show that during the past
three or ivur months there have been
actual deliveries of only one-tenth of
one per cent. and less. 1t is along this
line that government investigation has
doubtless followed and that indict-
ments, if any, will be found. That the
violations have occurred is revealed by
statistics. Fixing the responsibility is
more difficult, for where there is no
tangible transfer it is easy to hide or
obscure the records.
Publicity, however, has revealed the
plot and made the people aware of the
imposition attempted and partially
successful. One of the great lessons
of the situation is making the buying
public aware of it's power. There can
be no gouging where there are no
sales, and no profits where there are
no buyers. The public is learning to
distinguish between high prices that
are unavoidable due to conditions, and
high prices that are deliberately the
result of manipulations. The govern
ment is beginning to learn also that
timely publication of figures and per-
tinent information is a great help to
the public in defending itself against
exploitation. The great manipulations
in the past whereby the people were
made to pay extortionate prices be-
cause of artificially created shortages
and secret control of supplies were
successful because people were then
more gullible and more easily fooled.
But the general intelligence is rising,
and greater percentage of people
than ever before read the papers and
achieve an understanding of public
frauds and impositions of which for
merly they were unsuspecting victims.
That enlightenment, together with the
long arm of government, which has al
ways found constitutional authority
for extending itself to reach to any
length in the public behalf, are work
ing together to protect the American
people from extortion and exploita-
ton