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Proclamation 1579—Canceling Licenses of Dealers in Sugar and Sugar By-Products

October 30, 1920

By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

Whereas, under and by virtue of an Act of Congress entitled "An Act to provide further for the national security and defense by encouraging the production, conserving the supply and controlling the distribution of food products and fuel", approved by the President on the 10th day of August, 1917, it is provided among other things as follows:

"That by reason of the existence of a state of war, it is essential to the national security and defense, for the successful prosecution of the war, and for the support and maintenance of the Army and Navy, to assure an adequate supply and equitable distribution, and to facilitate the movement of foods feeds, fuel, including fuel oil and natural gas, fertilizer and fertilizer ingredients, tools, utensils, implements, machinery, and equipment required for actual production of foods, feeds, and fuel, hereafter in this act called necessaries; to prevent, locally or generally, scarcity, monopolization, hoarding, injurious speculation, manipulations, and private controls, affecting such supply, distribution, and movement; and to establish and maintain governmental control of such necessaries during the war. For such purposes the instrumentalities, means, methods, powers, authorities, duties, obligations, and prohibitions hereinafter set forth are created, established, conferred, and prescribed. The President is authorized to make such regulations and to issue such orders as are essential effectively to carry out the provisions of this act."

And, whereas, it is further provided in said act as follows:

"That, from time to time, whenever the President shall find it essential to license the importation, manufacture, storage, mining or distribution of any necessaries, in order to carry into effect any of the purposes of this Act, and shall publicly so announce, no person shall, after a date fixed in the announcement, engage in or cany on any such business specified in the announcement of importation, manufacture, storage, mining, or distribution of any necessaries as set forth in such announcement, unless he shall secure and hold a license issued pursuant to this section. The President is authorized to issue such licenses and to prescribe regulations for systems of accounts and auditing of accounts to be kept by licensees, submission of reports by them, with or without oath or affirmation and the entry and inspection by the President's duly authorized agents of the places of business of licensees."

And whereas, by virtue of the above provisions certain public announcements were made by the President from time to time, as a result of which the importation, manufacture, storage and distribution of certain necessaries were licensed.

And whereas, a changed situation has been brought about by the present armistice in the war between the United States and Germany, and by the approaching expiration of the powers granted to the President by an act of Congress entitled "An Act to provide for the national welfare by continuing the United States Sugar Equalization Board until December 31, 1920, and for other purposes", approved by the President on the 31st day of December, 1919.

Now, Therefore, I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the powers conferred upon me by said Act of Congress, hereby find and determine and by this Proclamation do announce that it is no longer essential in order to carry into effect the purposes of the Act that the importation, manufacture, storage or distribution of certain necessaries be subject to license, to the extent hereinafter specified.

Licenses heretofore required for the importation, manufacture, storage or distribution of certain necessaries are hereby cancelled, effective November 15, 1920, with respect to the following:

All persons, firms, corporations or associations engaged in the business of importing, manufacturing, storing or distributing sugar, or any product or by-product of the foregoing named necessary.

All regulations issued under the said Act covering licensees so dealing in these commodities are hereby canceled, effective November 15, 1920.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done in the District of Columbia, this 30th day of October, in the year of our Lord One Thousand Nine Hundred and Twenty, and of the Independence of the United States of America the One Hundred and Forty-fifth.

WOODROW WILSON

By the President:

Norman H. Davis, Acting Secretary of State.

Woodrow Wilson, Proclamation 1579—Canceling Licenses of Dealers in Sugar and Sugar By-Products Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/350401

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