The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1942-02-04

fats comes from Secretary of Agriculture Wickard.
He points out that the United States called upon
to supply more of these commodities to Allies over
seas with corresponding inroads upon supplies for
home consumption
AS to sugar, Secretary Wickard notes the fact
that imports from the Philippines have been cut off
by war; and that, even with wars end, it will take
time to repair the damage done island plantations
by the invader.
1t must be assumed that the Department Of
Agriculture is well informed on these matters; yet
the thought that the American people must suffer
shortage of either sugar fats seems out of line
with production statistics and production possibilities
The departments report for the year l940-
al shows world production of sugar, cane and
beet combined, of 100000 short tons Philippine
production. cane only, was 128244o short TONS
2 That is a lot of sugar to suspend from use But
there should be to expect increase. rather
than reduction, of cane sugar supplies for the
American market from other customary sources. In
the 1940-41 year Cuba produced 2726000 short TONS
Hawaii 100000, and Puerto Rico, 907,564
In the same year, continental United States pro-
duccd $4,000 short tons of sugar, and 900
short tons of beet. We do not know whether there
is room for much increase in the cane of the
South but the possibilities beet sugar production
virtually unlimited.
Unlimited also is the capacity of this country
to produce fats of all kinds. The conscious con-
trolls" instituted by the Department of Agriculture
under Secretary Wallace, surely must by this time
have been lifted with respect to fats.
Obligations to the Allied countries must be pune
tously fulfilled. 1t is up to the American people,
on their own account to be thrifty and saving. But
a shortage of essential foodstuffs only by
restraint of production. This is unthinkabe.
And right in line with this the Philadelphia
Record has this to say under the editorial caption
Time to Ration Talk"
For the next commodity on the ration list. The
Record dominates talk-especally the talk which is
coming out of Washington.
Here's why: peias
On Sunday night Secretary of Agriculture Wick
ard told the American people there was serious
shortage Of sugar.
Now if it is necessary to ration sugar, our people
will accept it in the same high spirit with which
they accepted the raoning of tires, tubes cars, etc
Mighty little grumbing, plenty of good will and
cooperation
But the people would like to know-and they
have right to ask-why it is that up until Sunday
night Federal agencies were working overtime tell
ing them that there was no danger of sugar
shortage that sugar supplies superintendent
and that housewives who boarded sugar were just
silly.
Today the housewife who believed all that, and
didn't hoard sugar, will read over Wickards state
ment, and be plenty good and sore.
She has right to be. On the desk before us
is whole pile of news clippings with headlines
Sugar Supply Plentiful" Sugar Shortage Scare
without Basis; Stores Ration Sugar to Prevent
Synthetic Shortage ETC. One such story appeared
on the day Wickards speech.
True Philippine sugar supplies are cut off. But
the Government has bought the entire Cuban sugar
crop less than half of which has to the u S..
in the past And that extra half of the Cuban sup
ply is more than the combined crops of the Philip
pines and Hawaii
But we are not experts on sugar. And the I'M
portant point is not ratoning-nobody objects if
it's needed--but rather the way the public has been
told one thing one day, something contrary the
next.
The danger is that any further warnings against
food boarding, may have the opposite effect House
wives will remember sugar-and rush out and begin
boarding
Our people loyal willing and ready to make
any sacrifices necessary to win the That's why
it is important to give them facts and not confuse
them with conflicting statements from headline
conscious bureaucrats.