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Show WAR AND THE' SUGAR SUPPLY The outbreak or-war In 'Europe has resulted In a sharp advance In sugar prices. On July 30, the lowest net cash quotation of the New York refiners re-finers or granulated sugar was 4465 cents a pound, while raw sugar was, selling at 3.29 cemts. By August 10 refined had advanced to 6 cents and raw to 5 cents. Germany, Austria, rtussia and France, the nations actively engaged In conflict aro the chief sources of Europe's sugar supply, producing together to-gether somo 7,500,000 tons of beet sugar. This Is nearly 80 per cent ot tho entire output ot beet sugar and moro than one third of the total sugar crop of the world. Ordinarily Germany, Austria and Russia export a million tons or more of sugar to other countries, largely to Great Britain. Bri-tain. The largest production and tho largest exportation Is that of Germany. Tho harvesting of the German beet, crop is carripd on largely large-ly by laborers from Russlah'Poland, and this labor will not bo available if tho war continues during the harvesting har-vesting period. In all the countries involved In the war the labor supply is drained by military operations, and It Is likely that the beet fields may be devastated by the movement of troops. Great Britain is the chief sugar Importing Im-porting country of Europe. Her yearly year-ly importations are over 2,000,000 tons, of which approximately 700,000 tons ordinarily is drawn from nations now Involved In war. With this source ot supply cut off. Great Britain Bri-tain has turned to the New York market mar-ket to secure sugar, buying 40,00d tons within the first few days of August and "bidding up prices rapidly in order to obtain It. While the European Eu-ropean war, continues lit will be nee-' easary for the Britons to depend for sugar upon sources ot supply- on which they do not draw to any extent. ex-tent. It Is evident from what has occurred already that they are like-, ly to continue in sharp competition, for Cuban sugar which ordinarily comes to the American market. The supply ot Cuban and American grown sugar in sight at tho end ot July was Just about suluclent to meet tho estimated demands of,Aruorlcau. consumption up to tho tlmo when the crops now growing will become available avail-able Any considerable outside draft upon this supply, therefore, was bound to show its effect at onco in advancing prices. Fortunately for tho United States, In spite of the curtailment of production produc-tion in the cano nnd beet growing districts dis-tricts duo to the reduction of the tariff, wo still have a domestic pro duction of BUgar Including that of Porto Rico and Hawaii, which should amount to over ono and a, half million mil-lion tons this year. TJils will servo as a great steadlor of tho 'market In case of a protracted war, and will prevent prices from going as high as thoy otherwlso would, although tho necessity ot securing over . two million tons from outsldo the United States, in addition to the domestic supply, will leave the American market mar-ket under the influence of the genor-ul genor-ul ndvanco in world prices. Ono of tho arguments that has been put f oi ward against tho destruction of tho American sugar growing Indus try through tho removal of tho Import Im-port duty on sugnr Is that It would oxposo American consumers to nil tho violent fluctuations that take plnco in tho Kuiopean sugar market as a result ot war, speculation or crop shortages. Tho present situation affords a striking Illustration of tho truth ot this claim. It the Unltod States wore to doublo Us sugar production, pro-duction, as might easily be done by the systematic development of Its cane and beet growing industries, tho American peoplo would bo entirely en-tirely independent of tho rest of thb world for their sugar supply. Facts About Sugar. |