The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-02-12
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SUGAR PLENTIFUL.

SUGAR PLENTIFUL.
1t is difficult DO see from the figures
any possibility of shortage OF sugar
in the United States that would hurt
anyone.
We normally use about 6,650,O00 tons
of sugar annually. Nearly 100000
tons is domestic production: 425,000
tons of cane and 1,550,000 tons of
beet sugar. We import 100000 tons
from Cuba, $4,000 tons from Puerto
Rico, $4,000 tons from Hawaii and
100000 tons from the Philippine Is
lands.
Conservative estimates are that we
will get about 100000 tons from
Hawaii this year and none from the
Philippine Islands, which cuts the
available supply 100000 tons. In adj
dition, some Cuban sugar will be di-
yerted into manufacture of industrial
alcohol, the demand for which has
increased materially because Of its use
in munitions. However, domestic pro-
duction, with quotas removed, will
increase considerably. The Army and
Navy will take more than the guam
titles their personnel would consume
normally because men doing heavy
physical work need more sugar, and
| in addition, some will go under lend
/ lease.
However, even the most conserva-
tive estimates place the total avail
able this year for domestic consump-
ton at 100000 tons annually. Three
quarters of a pound per person for
home consumption per week is more
sugar than many families use and
certainly would not be any hardship
on anyone, yet it would use only
LASS 900 tons, or less than half OF
the supply. Use of sugar in soft
drinks, candy, canning and similar
fields will be or already has been cut
considerably.
In 1e41, about 100000 tons Of
sugar were sold in the United States
but consumption, as nearly as it car
be figured, totaled only about 1900
600 tons, which leaves 100000 tons be.
ing boarded or held in larger thar
normal inventories.
There simply is no justification for
fear or boarding in the figures. In
fact, one official here told me that
if only everybody had conserved just
a little on use of sugar instead of
boarding, the odds are that no ra-
tioning program would have been
necessary.
Of course, Secretary of Ag
riculture Wickard's prediction
of a sugar shortage on a nation
al radio network before the
Administration was within &
month of being ready for ra'
tioning was just about as wrong
a move as could have beer
made. 1t stripped grocers
shelves here in Washington
inside couple of weeks.
A plea heard in Washington ovel
and over is that "our industry use!
only few thousand tons of rubber
or copper, or zinc or some other crit.
cal material and "surely that little BIZ
would not hurt the war program *
why can't we have it." Or they cite
reports of so many hundred Thousand
tons of crude rubber on hand, anc
compare their own small. requirement!
with the total.
If there is one lesson We should
have learned from Pearl Harbor, il
is to prepare for the worst, while
doing our best to make it better. MY
own feeling is that we should allocate
critical materials on the basis of the
most pessimistic picture those who
have all the facts can paint. Then il
the picture changes for better, We an
all to the good.
On rubber, for instance regardless
of glowing pictures of huge synthetic
rubber production in two years (anc
don't forget those plants are still only
conversational, I believe We should
conserve our available supplies as i
they would have to last us for al
least three or four years. That vii
be tough on many civilian require
ments, but it is better to take a few
raps now than to wake up in a veal
! or SO and find a critical shortage
really hampering our war effort. THAI
kind of wishful thinking cost u
Il