Show PROBE COST OF CUBAN SUGAR Claim Growers Pad Re-I Re Re- Re Reputed Reputed Costs Of Industry With Profits n B Bv HARDEN COLFAX X l Special I Corre Copyright 1924 by The Tho Consoli- Consoli Consolidated Consolidated dated Press Pre As Association WASHINGTON March llarch 29 29 2 Among Washington's forgotten In- In gone Eone dark n ii the th blaze blaz or of oil and allied Is I one flared to momentary light this week with the general appeal ap- ap peal to the housewife And nd the tha thea a orage an maTt man an Inquiry by the th into the th rela- rela tl the tle e costs ot of o producing sugar ug-ar ug Under un- un dr der the thc American flat flag and In Cuba chief source of ot oui sup- sup Pi S The Inquiry was directed Into the costs of ot sugar sug during the th pe- pe perIod pe period nod a pear ago a o when wh n the th rising price ot of the Cuban product domi domi- dominating dominating domestic markets to such heights that the gO took legal lecal action designed to End the tho profiteering Vb When en numerous factors Including enI a I generous of ot domestic cano cane and beet plus pIus supplies from Porto PortoRico PortoRico PortoRico Rico and Hawaii toned down the tho price to average reach public In- In Interest interest In Interest terest waned It Is an unusual testimonial to public memory that the present Inquiry touching touching prices prices then under hot bot fire tire has ld ed virtually no mention Is I VIT Ii TO INDUSTRY I For that reason perhaps there has been 0 overlooked thus thu far ar the th Injection Into the inquiry of ot a factor that tends to upset nil all the th commission slon s estimates of ot Cuban costs CoIS and may establish an en- en entirely entirely en entirely new method of ot procedure In log future costs with pro pro- profound pro profound found on the future of ot the th American sugar ugar the contention is made mad that the reputed costs gathered by the commission so tar far as Cuba Is concerned are not costs at all allbut but are loaded with y hea profits to the Cuban crow gro cm ers and for lor that reason should not be b consid conid- considered ered It If the tho contention pre pre the tho commission ion will hae ha o e to corn om corn pile new nen figures on an entire different basis The commission gathers leathers Its fig tg- figures tie ure ures In the United States Hawaii Porto Rico and Cuba Cub for the pur- pur purpose purpose pur-po pur pose e of ot determIning cost enes Cuban producers on ac- ac account account ac account count of at o the fertility of their fielis the climate cheap laboi labo and other factors actors pt uce sui much more cheaply than it can an be produced in the tho United States and its possessions A tariff duty ot of cents a pound imposed un- un under under un under der the McCumber act actis Is designed to enable producers the American flag to meet Cuban competition hl which theY claim they could not do other other- otherwise otherwise wise w ise TO rix What hat the tariff commission slon ants nants to learn Is whether the tho 1 TG 16 T cents pi is too great Upon Its findings it will make recommendations to the president tt-ho tt th o is authorized author under the flex flex- flex pro provisions of oC the tariff law 10 to re the up and do down don n by a maximum of ot 60 O per per- percent percent per percent cent It If the protection I is too that great that Is It If th the cost of ot pro production pro pro- production production In Cuba is not 1 76 cents a pound less than It is L in the United States Porto lorto Rico and the Islands Inlands the tariff could be 10 lowered ered to the minimum ot of about seven eighth ot of a cent a pound The president not the commission sion however would v be bethe bethe bethe the final determining dt authority Figures Introduced by refiners of oC Cuban before the com corn commission mission this week elk eek show the cost coet j ot of production to ha have hase c increased In Cuba b bv by almost per cent be- be bet be between t teen tween een December 1922 andIS and Ma IS 1 1523 These figures cannot be with similar figures from any American Held field It Is because o such data Jata his s not been obtained It is charged char also that they represent a small mall Ion of ot authentic Cu- Cu Cuban Cuban Cu Cuban ban figures f leu res The Tho Hawaiian producers producer In a brief tiled filed by Royal D Mead and andIn andIn andIn In testimony given Riven by W Jett Lauck economist attack these the figures claiming that while they are alleged to be cost figures In reality they contain the entire profits accruinG to th the era gro of oC utai Buga in Cuba Cuba Cuban II gro ers and mills mUla they claim are separ separ- separate separate separate ate in contrast to the situation In HawaiI where the th mill Interests InI I grow the th cane Th The Tho tariff corn com comI com I missions mission's figures of ot coss cos's coss cos it Is I charged begin with ith the price pric of ot I sugar at the th mill In Cuba The I situation Is I further complicated by the fact that the th groer gro er is paid on on a a sliding scale depending on the price of ot sugar In New r-ew York ADDED ADDID Thus It Is claimed when sugar prices price in New York Tork soar oar Cuban gro ers reap enormous profits Prices were high the th first t halt half ot of 1923 1 23 hence It is argued mil mil- millions millions mil millions lions ot or gIO erS profits are con con- contained con contained tamed In the th alleged altered Cuban cost figures Before Betor an accurate com corn com comparison parison can an be Lo made Mr Ir Meal claims the entire clement of ef o profits s must bo be b totaled out of the th first figures fleure The Tho commission listened with undisguised Interest td to the th pre pre- pre presentation ot of the contention It ItI marks anew though In sugar tar tar tar- tarlIE tr ft lIE economics and Is la generally re- re regarded regarded re as th the frs original con contribution con con- contribution to th theme which has hasben hasben hasben ben mad made In the two tco generations It has ha been under political die dis- discussion dis discussion Elimination ot of the tho Cuban I I trower gro gro ers profits will III show how It n ii far Car greatEr creater differ differ- ditter once ence between Cuban and Ameri Amen American American can costs cots than 1 76 Tt cents a 0 pound I 1 and result In justification for tor the til present rates rate Refiners ot of Cuban sugar main main- maintain maintain tam tain thit th the figures before betor be Core the commission represent cost to the refiners and that they have bave not gone behind them to the th extent asked by the th Hawaiian producers |