The Washington times., 1929-01-23
SUGAR B 0 v |
BA I I | {
BREWS
a
BY b. C. FORBES

Dy -. - EVADG0
Universal Service Staff Correspondent
The battle Of the sugar bowl
is on.
Fifty witnesses are appearing
in Washington this week before
the Ways and Means Committees
hearings into the tariff on sugar.
Home beet and cane growers de-
mand an increased rate, certain
other interests oppose any
change whatsoever, while Cuban
interests would like to have their
product come in free instead Of
being given a preferential rate
Of 1.76 as compared with the
regular rate OF 2.20 cents q
pound
That Cuban sugar viii be al.
lowed In free is most unlikely
in fact. entirely out Of the ques-
ton, according to those in in.
innate touch with what's what.
III any, sugar tariff changes are
made, they are certain to be in
the upward direction. It may be,
however, that the decision will
be to leave things exactly az
they are, except that legislation
may be recommended placing q
limit upon duty-free imports from
the Philippines.
Domestic interests count upon
President Hoover's support in
their demands that they be given
sufficient protection to enable
them to develop from the status
a. minor industry to a big strong,
healthy industry, thus enabling
the United States to approach in
time towards the self-supporting
stage sugarwise.
But serious objections to this
are raised. Higher tariff levles,
It is claimed, would benefit the
Philippines, Porto Rico. and
Hawaii far more than domestic
producers, and would Increase the
American family's total sugar bill
ridicuiously more than the amount
which would actually go to the
pockets Of home producers.
Also. it is emphasized that
Cuba's enormous increase in her
production was brought about at
the most urgent behest of the
United States during the World
War and that, therefore, it would
be entirely unfair for us to take
any action which would make con.
ditions in Cuba worse than they
already are, Over-production has
been SO serious that grevious
losses have been sustained since
the war, and, even without add.
fional tariff obstacles. it Is in
evitable that great many of the
smaller and weaker Cuban growers
suffer humiliation.
Since sugar was discussed in
this column several weeks ago.
letters have poured in, indicating
that interest in the subject il
keen and widespread. One large
manufacturer, whose product is
not associated in the slightest in
the pubIic's mind with sugar. tells
me that, were the wishes Of do
mestic growers granted, his profits
would be cut down fully one-and.
a-quarter million dollars a year
and that, because Of the fixed
price at which the product is sold.
it would be impossible to recover
this loss.
On the other hand, domestic
growers paint impressive pictures
of what could be and, in their
judgment, should be done to build
UP sugar growing were what they
call proper protection afforded.
Few other steps could be taken
by the United States Government,
they contend, which would do
half as much to provide farm
relief in various States. In addi-
ton to stimulating beet growing
enormously. they claim that cane
growing would be developed rap
idly and successfully, especially in
Louisiana and Florida, where
millions are now being invested
in fields and plants.
Copyright, 1923. by b. c. Forbes)