The Challenge of Tobacco

The Challenge of Tobacco By John D. Giles, of the Y. M. M. I. A. General Board "Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation." (Doctrine and Covenants, Section 89, verse 4.) 105,9 15,965,0 14 cigarettes were manufactured in the United States in 1928. THAT means an increase of nine per cent, or 8,739,359,530, over 1927 and an increase of almost one hundred per cent over 1919, when it totaled only 53,1 19,784,232. It is more than double the 1920 output of 47,430,105,055, the increase being 58,485,859,959. In 1928 the production was more than six times the 1914 figure of 16,855,626,104 cigarettes. A former official of one of the large tobacco companies is authority for the statement made while in Salt Lake four years ago that the aim of the tobacco "industry" in America is to reach a sale of 120,000,000,000 cigarettes a year, the equivalent of 1000 cigarettes for every man woman and child in the United States based upon an estimated population of 120,000,000 people. At the time this statement was made it was estimated that it would require ten years to reach the quota. It now appears probable, almost certain, that it will be reached by 1930, if not in 1929. In January of this year, 10,160,262,683 cigarettes were pro- duced, a gain over January, 1928, of over twenty-one per cent — • the second highest month in history. One manufacturer reports an increase of forty-seven per cent in the last two months of 1928 over the same two months of the previous year and predicts a still larger percentage of increase during 1929. It is estimated that the cigarette bill of the American people for 1928 was $850,000,000 — more than $7 per person. One tobacco company announces a net income of $30,172,563 in 1928. Another made in excess of $25,000,000. One single company has announced an advertising appropria- tion of $18,000,000 for 1929, with $12,300,000 of it to be spent to induce women and boys — largely women and boys — to become cigarette smokers. Advertising men estimate that between $40,000,000 and $50,000,000 will be spent by all companies advertising cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products in America this year. Every avail-

630 IMPROVEMENT ERA J^. 1929 able means, apparently, is to be used to encourage and increase smoking. jjj^j The foregoing facts present only in part the challenge of to- bacco— a challenge to every right-thinking person in America, re- gardless of church affiliation, and a challenge of extremely serious im- port to every Latter-day Saint. A Nation of Tobacco Addicts To get clearly before the reader the real character of this challenge, we quote from a recent cigar advertisement published by a cigar company that is a subsidiary of one of the largest cigarette advertisers: "The solid substantial masculine men have an instinctive preference for cigars. Let the ladies and boys smoke whatever they want, but avoid nervous habits yourself." Can "Nervous Habits" Mean Anything but Cigarettes? Here is the key to the sales strategy of the tobacco barons — all the men smoking cigars and the ladies and boys smoking cigarettes! What a picture! In these days of supposed enlightenment, an age when scien- tific truths are supposed to guide our living habits, a deliberate attempt is made to create a nation of tobacco addicts — a nation of ladies and boys who are slaves of "nervous habits" — cigarette fiends — and men who abandon themselves to the custom of smoking the filthy weed in cigar form. The Fight is Now in the Open After years of indirect suggestion, all pretense has now been thrown aside and direct appeals are being made, not only to young men and women, but to boys and girls. There was a time when tobacco advertising had the decency and propriety to direct itself to grown men who had, or were sup- posed to have, judgment enough to determine what is good for the body and who also would be least affected by the inroads of nicotine. But that time has passed. The appeal is now made openly and brazenly. The moral and physical well-being of the youth of Amer- ica, the country's manhood and womanhood, is pitted against the millions of dollars of profit of the tobacco interests. A flood of advertising, such as few industries have ever known, is being broad- cast through every imaginable medium to accomplish the damnable purpose. The $18,000,000 advertising appropriation of one of the lead- ing companies is said by advertising men to be the largest sum of money ever appropriated for the advertising of a single business.

June, 1929 THE CHALLENGE OF TOBACCO 631 Much of this advertising, according to the published reports and judging by what has already been done, is to have as its principal objective the conversion of women, old and young, and boys to the cigarette habit. The appeal to the public to use cigarettes in place of sweets is a direct appeal to women who have the reducing craze. One of the most vicious factors in the tobacco campaign is the attempt to induce young men and boys to become cigarette smokers, as witness the use of pictures and testimonials of leading athletes, motion picture stars, etc. When cigarette advertising contained pic- tures of middle-aged men, it was bad enough, but now pictures of young athletes are used along with the statements, purporting to come from them, praising the "virtues" of cigarettes and recom- mending their use. As late as 1927 the tobacco people had many reasons why cigar- ettes were not advertised to women. Now women and boys are the principal targets and in most cigarette advertisements today women are pictured as users of cigarettes. An analysis of current tobacco advertising indicates clearly that the two most fertile fields in which the tobacco people hope to in- crease the use of cigarettes are, first, among women and girls, and second, among young men and boys. The appeal to smoke cigarettes in order to "reduce" is clearly an appeal to women and girls, not- PRAWN BY F. M. FOLLETT Reprinted by special permission from The Saturday Evening Post of April 6; copyright 1929, by The Curtis Publishing Company. "AND MAMMA'S LITTLE MAN WILL NEVER, NEVER SMOKE THE NASTY CIGARETTES, WILL HE?'

632 IMPROVEMENT ERA ■/««. 1929 withstanding the fact that occasionally some male of more or less prominence is induced to say that he smokes cigarettes in order to keep "trim" — whatever that may mean. The use of testimonials and pictures of the athletic stars whose performances keep them in the public eye is a direct appeal to boys in their teens — boys who are in the hero-worship age. Herein lies one of the most serious phases of the tobacco problem. The increase in the consumption of cigarettes has grown faster in the past ten years than ever before. Here is the record from 1914 to date: 1914 16,869,520,643 1915 17,980, 1 64,482 1916 --- 25,312,486,611 1917 35,355,860,177 1918 46,656,903,224 1919 53,119,784,232 1920 .:. 47,430, 1 05,055 1921 52,099 ,529,826 1922 55,780,473,074 1923 6 6,733,896,288 1924 7 1,036,559,888 1925 - 79,979,763,871 1926 89 ,447,114,951 1 927 97, 1 76,607,484 1928 105,915,965,014 The goal of the tobacco people will soon be reached. Then undoubtedly they will set a new one. What Price Testimonials Exactly how much "celebrities" are being paid for "testi- monials" will likely never be known, but some information is leak- ing through advertising channels which serves as a guide. "$1000 and up" is the title of an article in a leading advertising magazine which has created a nation-wide discussion of the "tainted testi- monial." $25,000 is the reported price of the endorsement of King Alfonso of Spain. Amelia Earheart, noted woman flier, ac- cording to a leading confectioner's journal, admits receiving $1500 for "endorsing" a cigarette, but, she explained, her smoking was limited to three in a year and that she was not at the time she gave the endorsement, and is not now, a regular smoker. Her only reason for giving the testimonial was to aid the expedition of Commander Byrd and the check was promptly passed on for that purpose. Her statement has opened a general discussion of the credibility of the cigarette "testimonials" now being published. "Dishonest," "fraudulent," "fantastic publicity," "tainted," "raw," "buncombe," "hokum," "wanton," "unethical," "heroes with feet of clay" and "gullible public" are terms appearing frequently in advertising pub-

June. 1929 THE CHALLENGE OF TOBACCO 633 lications describing the flood of "endorsements" now appearing. Much of this seems justified in view of the effect of this sort of material upon advertising in general and the information now avail- able regarding many of the testimonials. Two glaring examples are in point. A popular male moving picture star first endorsed a new brand of chocolates made in Los Angeles and almost before the ink was dry on his candy testimonial, he is alleged to have told the world via radio that he "reaches for a cigarette and passes up the sweets." Which testimonial should we believe? Then there is the story of the famous sea captain, who, in one of the most ridiculous testimonials of the lot, endorsed a widely advertised cigarette as being a "life saver," almost, during the rescue of the Florida. He is reported to have been asked, as he lighted a cigarette at a banquet, if he really smoked the cigarette he had endorsed so highly. After looking at the package he admitted that he was smoking another brand entirely but that his preference was really for a third make. What price testimonials? What price honor? To think that men who have accomplished great things in their chosen fields would, for a few paltry dollars, permit their names to be used for the purpose of inducing young men and women to become cigarette addicts and in many cases endorsing cigarettes which they do not even smoke! Some of the testimonials bring to mind the story of the boy who stuttered. In giving a "testimonial," or endorsement, of a physician to a fellow-stutterer, he said, "Gu, gu, gu, go to Du, du, doctor Tripett, he cu, cu, cured, mu, mu, me." Fortunately, and to their lasting credit and honor, many of our finest artists, athletes and other leading persons refuse to become parties to such practices. Katherine Cornell, famed actress, refused $11,000 for a cigarette "testimonial." Sinclair Lewis refuses even to consider testimonials and the story of Lindbergh's action is well known. , If space permitted, the whole story of deception, heartlessness and disregard, both for common decency and honesty in connection with the cigarette testimonial campaign, might be presented with beneficial results. Certainly our young people should be warned in such a manner as to prevent them from taking seriously the absurd and deceptive statements made. Is There a Limit to Audacity? Unless young people are warned there is danger that even these ridiculous statements may be believed. There seems to be no virtue that is not now being claimed for the modern "coffin nail." When

634 IMPROVEMENT ERA June, 19Z9 cigarettes are advertised as "good for the throat," "an aid in re- ducing," a means of "steadying the nerves," an antidote for cough- ing, and what not, one wonders if there is a limit to the audacity of the cigarette interests. With the highest priced advertising writ- ers and artists in their service and indications that conscience is on a vacation, every desirable trait conceivable is being claimed for "fags," regardless of how untrue and even silly the claims may be. The alarming and regrettable thing is that the most absurd claims are accepted by millions of people as an excuse, at least, for indulging in the disgusting and demoralizing cigarette habit. The Climax or the Beginning? Lest some may have reached the conclusion that the attempt to convert America into a nation of tobacco slaves has reached its height, it should be pointed out that indications already discernible and unmistakable are that the tobacco offensive is just beginning. The "Permissible Pipe" is a subject of an extensive campaign al- ready announced for the purpose of making pipes "proper" in restaurants and other public places. An entirely new brand of cigarettes, encouraged, no doubt, by the success of the past few years, has just made its successful "debut" in the East. Others may be expected to follow. The cigar manufacturers, stimulated both by the inroads being made into their businesses by cigarettes and the success of the radical campaigns of the cigarette people, are inaugurat- ing national campaigns with the most seductive appeals imaginable. Opposition is Crystalizing Fortunately the picture is not without some encouraging fea- tures. The insult to American intelligence is gradually being im- pressed upon the consciousness of the people. Naturally the candy and sweet-food industries are up in arms. They are rapidly being organized into effective fighting units and already results are be- ginning to show. The president of the National Confectioners Association has accepted the gage of battle and is prepared to lead his forces into the fray. In a statement to the candy industry he says: "We have relied considerably upon conferences, preferring to right the wrong this way than to enter into a more open fight if possible to avoid it. However, let me assure the confectioners that we stand ready to put drastic measures into effect if we are unable to remedy the situation amicably. "The cigarette manufacturer has not yet had to experience a direct cam- paign in the advertising columns against the use of his product, yet he ap- parently expects us to accept meekly this thrust into the vitals of our business. We most certainly will not. Every sensible person knows that we have let the cigarette manufacturers run wild with claims of benefits to be gained by cigar-

June, 1929 THE CHALLENGE OF TOBACCO 635 ette smoking which in no case can be substantiated but may be easily proved false by the best scientific minds of the world. "There is no habit of the American people more open to attack from the standpoint of health, from the standpoint of personal efficiency and from the standpoint of the health of future generations than that of cigarette smoking. For us to launch a direct attack on cigarettes and their demoralizing effect upon those that use them, would destroy the cigarette industry. * * * There is not the slightest trace of truth or foundation, in fact, for any claim ever made by any cigarette manufacturer that cigarettes are beneficial to the human body or mind and we can easily wage our campaign along these lines and tell nothing but the truth." Producers of sugar, candy, honey, molasses, ice cream and other sweet foods, candy dealers, druggists and supply men, with fifteen national associations included, are already organized and plans are well in hand to combat the cigarette evil in an effective manner. Medical authorities, health authorities, athletic coaches, church lead- ers and womens' clubs all over the country are becoming aroused. The advertising fraternity is up in arms because of the detrimental effect the cigarette campaign is exerting, destroying public confidence in all advertising. The St. Louis Post Dispatch editorially flays the tobacco cam- paign and adds this significant statement: "It is unlikely, we think, that the cigarette people can put themselves out of business as the distiller and brewer did, but they can arouse a public opinion which will demand regulation of their advertising even to the point of censor- ship and they are on their way to do just that." Other publishers are joining in the fight. The International Advertising Association has been appealed to and before the year is over it appears likely that the real character of the tobacco business will be brought into the lime-light and, let us hope, the truth of the curse of the use of tobacco will be placed before the people. In the meantime tobacco in cigarettes, cigars and pipes is being flaunted before our young people as never before. It is being given qualities in its advertising that have never before been dreamed of. The tobacco people have laid down a real challenge. They have defied ethics, decency and truth. This challenge is not to us alone. It is to all the American people. Will they accept it? Will the Latter-day Saints accept it? Are we going to sit idly by and submit to the greed of the tobacco barons while our boys and girls, our sweethearts and wives, and — Heaven forbid — our mothers, become slaves to nicotine? Are we, who believe tobacco to be poisonous, to be injurious to the body, detrimental to morals and a violation of the word of God as revealed in our day, to ignore the challenge of tobacco and permit our young men and women to be drawn into its satanic power, or are we to accept the challenge and redouble our efforts

636 IMPROVEMENT ERA June. 1929 to offset its attack by placing the truth before our young people and by showing them the actual results of falling victims to the per- nicious tobacco habit? With the foregoing facts before us there can be but one answer. The Biggest Sucker in the World Brother Willard D. Spires, of the Yellowstone stake presidency, recently asked a tobacco salesman how many cigarettes a day an ordinary smoker uses. He was told that twelve, each about three inches long, is the average, and from that he makes the following figures: 36 inches, or three feet, of tobacco each day; 252 inches, or 21 feet, each week; 1,095 inches, or 91 1/12 feet, each month; 13,140 inches, or 1,095 feet, each year. Surely the man who sucks that much tobacco into his system annually is the biggest sucker in the world. A Unique Pageant By Harvey L. Taylor On a carefully selected and beautiful spot fifteen miles out on the Arizona desert, our Red Knolls pageant was presented. More than twelve hun- dred people were in attendance, and the performance netted us $800. It was an inspiring presentation. All members of the faculty of the Gila College and every student were either in the opera or on the committees, and every commit- tee functioned per- fectly. Though the place selected for the presentation was so isolated, everything went as smoothly as it could have done in a well arranged and convenient auditorium. We had a lighting sys- tem come all the way from Phoenix, 187 miles. It required 5000 feet of wire to wire the stage. I consider it the greatest pro- SCENE OF THE RED KNOLLS PAGEANT ject that I have ever had anything to do with to date. The accompanying photograph will give you a meager conception of the beauty of the place, but it would take many photo- graphs, and done in fanciful colors, to convey any- thing like an' ade- quate idea of our surroundings. Over two hun- dred boys took part in the Gila College Pow- Wow this year, and more than three hundred peo- ple were present. A beautiful out- of-door campfirc court of honor was the crowning feature, at which time the first Eagle Scout, a member of the Gila Col- lege troup, played a prominent part. A public-spirited citizen donated a gigantic flagpole to be dedicated to the first Eagle Scout, Jimmy Anderson.