Evening star., 1942-03-08
Quit Making Alcohol
From Sugar, Use Corn,
0'Mahoney Urges
Senator Suggests PIon
To Offset Loss of
Philippine Imports
By J. A, O'LEARY,

Inc Government COuld go long
way toward assuring an adequate
sugar supply by having the liquor
industry manufacture from surplus
corn the industrial war alcohol now
made from sugar and molasses, Sen
ator O'Mahoney, Democrat, of Wy
oming declared last night.
The Senator indicated this is one
Of a number of suggestions likely to
be studied at conference which
Chairman George of the Senate FL
nance Committee will call in few
days with Government officials 20
see what steps can be taken to pre-
vent the sugar situation from be-
coming acute.
The primary reason, Senator
OMahoney said. that prompted him
to ask Chairman George to call the
conference was his belief there is
need to coordinate the planning of
new war agencies having to do with
sugar and to integrate that plan
ming with the work of the perma
nent departments that handle the
sugar problem in normal times
Agriculture, Interior and State.
Corn Supply Huge"
There is another phase of the
problem, namely. the apparent fail
ure of the Government to utilize
our surplus corn supplies for the
production of needed war alcohol"
Senator O'Mahoney said. We have
huge supply of corn We have huge
supply of liquor. We are deficient
in sugar and in alcohol, but, instead
of using corn to make alcohol. we
insist upon using sugar and mo-
lasses.
Il am told that the supply of
alcohol needed for the war in 1912
amounts to between 275,0O0,00O and
100000 900 gallons Of this amount
$4,000 900 can be obtained as by
product of the petroleum industry
That leaves approximately 250,0OO,O0O
gallons of alcohol to be obtained
elsewhere
I'VE insist upon using sugar and
molasses. although I am told that
the liquor industry. which has a
five-year supply of liquor on hand,
has distilling capacity enough to
make 100,000,O00 gallons of 100 proof
alcohol and that there is additional
capacity sufficient to manufacture
l5O.O0O,000 gallons of high wines,
or alcohol of 120 to $50 proof.
No Conversion Effected.
But the liquor industry is not
being converted to the manufacture
of alcohol 1t took six months or
more to convert the automobile in
dustry to war production and the
conversion was finally made. 1t will
probably be acknowledged that the
manufacture of liquor is not quite
as essential in our present critical
condition as the manufacture OF
automobiles, yet the liquor industry
is not being converted to the use OF
corn instead of sugar for the man
ufacture of alcohol.
I'VE are told that the War Pro-
duction Board is stated, partially
at least. by experts of the alcohol
industry who are more experienced
in making alcohol from molasses
than from corn. 1t is probable that
1t is only habit and experience
which prevents the conversion. OBJ
Viously, however. it would be great
public service if the way could be
found to eliminate the sugar short
age by using surplus corn to make
war alcohol"
Senator OMahoney predicted that
use of corn for industrial war alco-
hol would make available at lease
100000 tons of sugar-or about
the amount this country will be de-
srived of while the japanese occupy
she Philippine Islands.
Benefits Not on Agenda.
Although Chairman Byrd of the
Joint Congressional Economy Com
mittee launched a move Friday to
suspend benefit payments to beet
and cane sugar growers, since the
var has done away with all acreage
restrictions. Senator George indi-
Gated last night he is not concerned
about the sugar processing tax or
the benefit payments, in the forth
coming conferences with department
officials.
The finance chairman said he was
interested mainly in finding out how
an adequate supply of sugar can be
maintained during the war. He said
also he had no intention of consid-
ering or interfering with price con-
troll or rationing of supplies.
Opposing repeal of the sugar pro-
eesing tax, Senator OMahoney said:
The repeal of the processing tax
on sugar would have the effect not
only of curtailing our domestic
supply. but also of cutting off
substantial source of Federal rev.
enue. The processing tax pro-
duces more by far than it costs
to administer the entire Sugar
Act. Moreover. it is not a burden
on the consumer because the price
of sugar to the consumer is con-
trolled in two ways, first, in ordl-
nary times. by the power of the
Secretary of Agriculture to increase
the supply if the price should get
out of line and. second, in time of
war, by the power already exercised
in o. P. A. to fix a ceiling.
IF the supplies OF continental
sugar beets and sugar cane we're
curtailed, the inevitable result would
be that the domestic consumer
would be wholly dependent upon
offshore sources, which are not ca
pable of producing and shipping
what we need"
New Agencies Pre-emptive.
In suggesting the forthcoming
conferences 10 Senator George,
Senator OMahoney said the .Agri-
culture, State and Interior Depart
ments in the past have been rea-
sonably well co-ordinated in deal
ing with sugar, but added:
They have. however, been pushed
into the background by new agencies
performing new functions, some Of
which may be listed as follows:
Il. The Office of Price Admins
tration. which has charge of the
rationing of sugar; as we'll as the
~~;aa