The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1942-06-25
THE SUGAR SITUATION
A front page Editorial in the Cumberland
Sunday Times

Cumberland housewives, together
with those throughout the nation, find
it difficult to reconcile the sugar stu
alton as it has been outlined by the
government, with the facts as de-
termined by investigation and set
forth in the New York Times and other
metropolitan newspapers that have
been going to the bottom of ration
ing plan. What the housewives want
to know is this: Why are they COM
PEELED to stand in line and register
for a limited amount of sugar to be
used for canning purposes, when, it is
we'll known, the supply of sugar on
hand this year is 400 900 tons more
than it was in 1911 which, in turn,
was considered by experts an abnor-
NAL year for sugar sales?
In other words at the beginning of
the present month there were $780,
900 tons of sugar in the store houses
Of the United States. At the time the
sugar rationing was planned, it was
estimated that there would be only
$500, 900 tons 1t would seem that
with this increase in the sugar sup
ply, there would be liberalization
Of the rationing edict. Yet such is
not the case. In many sections of the
country, including Western Maryland,
this is the preserving season, but SUI
gar for this purpose is virtually I'M
available. Sugar within limited
amounts may be had for canning, but
canning and preserving are different
things and the latter requires much
more sugar than the former.
Sugar refiners and producers are
urging the Office of Price Admins
tration and the War Production Board
to increase the allowance of sugar to
be had under the rationing system.
They point out that their warehouses
are filled to bursting. They want to
move this sugar to make room for
fresh supplies from this years pro
duction. They explain that sugar can
not be stored out-of-doors and unless
they can get sufficient space for the
new crop it will go to waste. Small
wonder that with such a condition
existing the housewives of the nation
are all at sea and are beginning to
get little hot under the collar. They
argue that the preservation of food
stuffs during wartime is not only good
economy, but a substantial part of
the war effort AS long as there is
plenty of sugar they cannot see why
they are not allowed to go ahead with
this work of preservation.
The federal government, or those
agencies of it responsible for the ra-
tioning of sugar in the first place, are
not to be criticized because they
adopted this precautionary measure.
1t was no doubt honestly believed that
the sugar supply would be far less
than it is. Likewise it was foreseen
IIldI vast dllOUnIS Vi iilOlSiSSCS "Ould
be needed for the manufacture Of al
cohol which would eventually be used
in making munitions. But under
more recently adopted plan, most of
the alcohol for this purpose will be
made from grain. Thus, apparently
there is sufficient sugar to permit the
~ ,t,,,N,
Conditions have changed, but the gov
eminent has not kept pace with them.
The effect this has upon the people is
disconcerting. They are confused by
it all and become distrustful Of every
measure adopted for the regulation
of ordinary life in wartime. This does
not make for the morale we must es-
tablish if we are to win the war.