Speech #760292335

I sincerely hope that our Nation will never be at war. but. if sugar is so important. let us do something to be assured of a steady supply for our people. irrespective of war or peace. Home production should not in any event be denied or restricted so long as America produces less than it consumes. In spite of this obvious fact. under the Iniquitous Sugar Act of 1937. we have set up a quota system in this country under which we must get twothirds of our sugar from areas outside our mainland. This sugar which comes to us from Cuba. the Philippines. and other offshore areas must be transported by boat. and recent figures from the Maritime Commission concerning its transportation indicate the danger of relying on offshore areas for our sugar. Over 85 percent of the vessels engaged in transporting sugar from Cuba to the United States are Scandinavian. and it must be remembered that Cuba supplies us with about onethird of our sugar consumption.