Evening star., 1942-01-25

act on that assumption now. If the
situation does improve the restric-
tions can be relaxed later"
In working out the final detail:
he, said be hoped to make. provision sioE
FOR xi1fait commercial users WIKI
make and sell such products a.
candy in their homes and thus
necessarily buy in larger quantities
than housewives purchasing fol
normal household use. 4.,.-..e
Equitable. Distribution.
"I would also like to point out,
Mr.. Henderson said, that under
the War Production Board sugar
order now in process Of revision
wholesalers will be asked to make
distributions to their customers or
the basis of their proportionate
receipts in the past, thus making
for equitable distribution as among
retailers"
Mr.. Henderson paid tribute to the
retailers for their handling of "a
very difficult situation during the
past few weeks" He said the public
should understand that where
shortages have occurred, it was moi
the fault of the retailer.
The price administrator recalled
that on December 13 a prioritie'
order limited the amount of sugal
that could be shipped to industria
users and jobbers.
CAS- result" he said, "th'
amount of sugar that can get 1ntt
retail channels and on to the re-
tailers' shelves is now controlled
We know that our supply of sugal
will not be dissipated but rather
will be available throughout the
year."
In the interim until formal ra'
tioning is ordered, he said, retail
ers may be expected in many cases
"to restrict the amount OF sugar
which can be purchased by any one
customer"
Warns of Penalties.
Retailers may not, however, re-
quire consumers to buy a certain
amount of other groceries to get
the sugar. The Justice Depart
ment said yesterday that such prac-
tices might lead to prosecution un-
der antitrust laws and a spokes-
man said penalties up to $4,000
fine, a years imprisonment or both
were possible.
Mr.. Henderson pointed out that
over and above defense and allied
consumption, sugar cane must be
used to make molasses from which
alcohol is derived for use by the
Army and Navy especially in the
manufacture of explosives.
According to the price admins
traitor, the basic sugar facts are
these:
Sugar supplies last year were ap-
proxlmately 1889 900 short tons as
compared with $500, 900 short tons
from the same sources in 1912
These sources include domestic pro-
duction, the Philippines, Hawaii
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands
Cuba, other foreign countries, and
miscellaneous frozen stocks.
In recent years sugar consump-
tion of this country has ranged
roughly between 6,500,000 and T.
100000 tons annually. OF this
amount some IS per cent is used
by industry and 65 per cent in
homes, restaurants, hotels, etc.
It is expected distribution of do
mestic beet sugar Gas distinguished
from cane sugar. will be less dur
ing the coming year. Cane will be
up about $4,000 tons.
Philippine imports have been cut
off.
Twenty-four-hour grinding of
sugar in Hawaii will probably be
curtailed because of blackouts and
other war effects.
Cuban Supply to Be Cut.
Receipts from Cuba will be mate
rally reduced because of shipments
to the Allies. Some of their i'm
portant sources in the past, includ-
ing the Ukraine and Java, have
been cut of, with the result that
they must draw on sugar from the