The Rock Island Argus And Daily Union

No, U. S. Won't Aid in Keeping Sugar Cost Up
Speculators and Profiteers are Bumped By the Sudden Drop.

Washington, Sept. 8.-"The department of justice will do nothing to keep the price of sugar up. It would be a violation of the Sherman act and the Lever law for it to do so. Furthermore, H. N. B. Floyd, who stated in New York that the government would help the wholesalers and refiners prevent a further tumble in prices, will be called upon the carpet. He was unauthorized to make such an assertion."

This statement was made by Robert T. Scott, private secretary to Attorney General Palmer. It was in regard to a statement of Floyd, a special agent of the department's New York "flying squadron," which is supposed to be running down profiteers. After attending a meeting of refiners and wholesalers in New York. Floyd stated that the government would assist the sugar dealers in preventing a further great drop in price.

Bottom Drops Out
The bottom has fallen out of sugar prices and a further decline seems certain.

A few days ago sugar was selling wholesale at 24 cents a pound, and one eastern refiner, who has ceased to operate on account of high prices, got an unexpected supply from Cuba and immediately dropped the price to 20½ cents.

Three western refiners followed suit and now sugar is retailing in many cities for 15 cents a pound.

Speculators and profiteers got bumped.

The sudden drop caused a panic among the big sugar dealers and they hurriedly called a meeting. Floyd's statement followed.

Shipments Cause Decline
"It's this department's business to lower prices, not help increase them,"stated Scott

The sharp decline in sugar prices is caused, principally, by large shipments of sugar received from Argentina Czecho-Slovakia and other countries.

High prices in America caused sugar to flow here.

Also, up to July 15 the people had absorbed sugar at the rate of 100.02 pounds per year, as against the previous high record for 1919 of 80.43 pounds.

J. G. Weatherly. department of justice sugar expert, said this indicated the people had sugar stocks about 35 pounds per family for the nation.

People Quit Buying.
The people quit buying and now the supply is much greater than the demand. Hoarders of sugar may lose millions as a result of the decline. Many wholesalers and retailers are unloading sugar below cost in anticipation of a further decline.

"It has been called to the department's action," said Scott, "that some refiners are holding customers to contracts made at high prices. If it is found that this is a violation of the Lever law they will be prosecuted."

Another thing that broke the price was the fact that many canners and housewives refused to make preserves and jams at high prices.

Chinese girls are, it is said, to be taken to Europe to act as domestic servants.

All the larger political parties in the new republic of Czecho-Slovakia gave the women members places in their councils, including the executive and administrative bodies both central and local.

In Hungary the women do not vote until they are 24, and then only if they can read and write.

Both in London and in Paris women were among the earliest to establish themselves in business as dealers in postage stamps for collectors.