Evening star., 1924-08-21
KEEN
| IN SUGAR INDUSTRY
Much Larger Beet Crops in
Europe May Change
World Prices.
ny j. G. ROYLE.
Special Dispa tch to The Star.

ny ]. C. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. August 21-Europe
knows not only on which side its
bread Is buttered. but on which side
1t Is sugared. With exceptionally
good weather favorinE the European
growers Of sugar beets, there is every
prospect that Europe's sugar produc-
tion will be 100000 tons above tina,
Of last year. 1t follows therefore
that Europe not only will sugar its
own bread, but will sell enough OF
the sweet product to provide addi-
ttonal bread and butter.
This fact has an Intimate bearing
on the United States and one Of Its
hasic industries. Cuba Ia looking for
ward to record crop in 1925 unless
both weather and labor fail. There Ia
more cane on the island than ever be-
fore. and the condition Of the fields il
good. At least three new mills will
be completed in time to grind next
season.
keeneP Competition Seen.
The world outside the United States,
therefore, Ia preparing not only to fill
Its own sugar needs. but to compete
with America In every foreign mark ct
and even sell its product to this
country, should prices and customs
duties permit.
Every country. including the United
States. has had it's bitter experience
in being dependent upon foreign
sources of control. In 1921. when
the Cuban planters controlled the
visible supply. they ran prices up to
Is cents a pound in the United States.
These nriceS cnptinnAA until
ican-grown sugar came on the
market.
Scientists and farmers declare cul-
ttvatioN Of sugar beets was a large
factor In building up the agricultural
resources of continental Europe and
citizens of European nations naturally
are anxious to utilize this crop to the
fullest extent In restoring their lands
to former productive capacity. 1t was
the boast Of Germany before the war
that the country had become agricul-
turally great by selling to other ma
tions sugar which took nothing from
the land, but was derived from air
and water through the medium of
the sugar beet, and buying abroad
wheat and other foodstuffs which
made heavy drafts on the fertility
of the soil.
Other nations in Europe have learn
the same lesson. In Csechosio-
vakia. for example, the government
has fixed the wholesale price of sugar
at a figure above the level of the
could pay producers a good price for
their beets and keep up cultivation Of
the crop. Rumania, Bulgaria and
Jugoslovia have greatly increased
their production of sugar while Lat
via. Lithuania and even Finland are
making q strong effort to supply the
sugar requirements of their peoples
from their own soils. These facts
are born out by recent American
visitors to Europe.
The war gave European agricul-
ture terrific set back" said A. E.
Carlton, president OF the Holly
Sugar Corporation, who has just re-
turned from two months. survey of
the European situation today In
ability to apply fertilizer. lack of la
Dor and the necessity of concentrat-
ing on emergency food crops have
caused a rapid deterioration of the
soil and the European nations nat
ural1y are anxious to utilize the best
crop in restoring their lands to for
mer productivity.
PFOteetioA New Urged.
THE most striking example of the
i'm portanoe of the situation Is fur
nished by Great Britain. Before the
war Great Britain was fully COM
mttted to free trade. With a great
industrial population 1t bought its
food In the cheapest market. 1t pur-
chased sugar to the extent Of some
$200.o00,000 a year, much of it from
Germany and Austria Hungary, and
refused to do anything to encourage
sugar production at home or in it's
colonies. The result was to build up
the resources OF the central empires.
This lesson has not been lost on the
British.
Recently the labor government of
England. representing the class most
opposed to protection, introduced into
Parliament a measure providing a
protection OF over 4 cents a pound
to sugar produced within the United
Kingdom against imported sugar and
providing a smaller degree of protec-
tion for sugar grown in the colonfea
Would Raise More Beets.
"The United States has its own
problems. We are pro-
ducing too much Of certain crops,
S6uHVS HHu q C00y hoA ACS AS
the present depleted state of foreign
dnances, and spending hundreds of
millions q year for other products we
might produce at home. We need
greater liberalization of crops and a
more extensive cultivation of home
markets. No policy would do more
for American agriculture than the
of the sugar beet cul-
ture."
In support OF this contention do
nestle sugar men point to the fact
hat at this time, when the Cuba
,rop largely has been sold and the
market might otherwise be subject
% manipulation by refiners Of Cuban
sugar, California beet sugar, the
irst Of the domestic crop to reach
he market, is being sold as far east
Is Chicago at 6h cents pound, sea-
BOARD basis and guaranteed against
iecline, thus stabilizing the market.
BRIGHTER nlITIn0K