Sugar Books

Americans got a good look at each other last week as they all stood in line in the country's schoolrooms and firehouses, waiting for their sugar-rationing cards.

When it came to filling out the cards, thousands of them did not know their own height. Many were not sure of the color of their eyes (Said one white-haired woman: "They are blue ordinarily, but then I fall in love they turn violet"; a man: "My wife has brown eyes with white spots"). Some were not sure of the color of their hair. Many forgot their children's names. Fat ladies shaded their weight bit. But the U.S. rationers somehow managed to register an estimated 122,604,000 (91%) of the U.S. people for their first ration cards.

The first U.S. experience with regimentation went well. With unlimited chance to cheat, there was little cheating. Several millions admitted hoarded sugar, had stamps subtracted or got no cards at all. News of the first week of U.S. rations:

>In Milwaukee, Fobes Ormsby Henderveld de Kaul--a cow called Mooie for short--received an allotment of one pound of sugar a day under the "Illness of Consumer" clause, because her owner, Farmer Harry Goebel, had a veterinary's certificate prescribing one pound of brown sugar daily, the only cure for Mooie's temporary insanity.

> The biggest hoard was 15,000 Ib. by a New Jersey electrician who filled a warehouse with sugar two years ago. His wife can get none of his sugar and no ration cards until he disposes of his 577-year supply.

> In Newark a patient registrar gave the best reply to one of the many women trying unlawfully to register unborn babies: "If you had twins, you'd be out one book."

> A Minneapolis woman brought her neighbor to testify that she had no sugar. She knows," she explained, "because I always borrow from her."

> Florida Agricultural Experiment Station scientists gave the public a formula for eking out sugar: mix 1 Ib. of sugar with 7 oz. water, 1/4 teaspoon tartaric acid, cover, boil for 30 minutes, cool. Result is equal sweetening, cup for cup, to straight sugar.

> A father in Secaucus, N.J. who had just registered for his family, rushed back the ration board for an extra book--his wife had another child while he was registering.

> Judy, aged 2, and Steve, aged 1, children the Harold Colverts of Oklahoma City, ate the family's ration coupons.

> An honest old Manhattan woman brought her remaining 2 Ib. of sugar into the registration board, was pushed as she stood in line, spilled it all on the floor.

> Bernard Baruch admitted that he had 200 Ib. on hand for himself and ten servants.

> From across the Mexican border, El Paso Texans may bring each day without interference from the customs guards 2 kilograms (4.4 Ib.) of Mexican sugar.

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