The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1918-05-24
NOTE COOK SKETCHES

SlOlldl OlIUIlS are USlIlS ulduS W pidCc
contracts for the 1918 tobacco. Just
what inducements buyer can offer
growers to enter into contracts for the
sale of product months before it is
grown it is hard to conceive. The pros
poets for prices to decline before an
other crop is ready to market are very
remote, so what good reason can be
advanced that would influence farmers
to tie themselves up at this time. Be-
sides such transactions so often lead to
trouble at delivery time there is small
chance Of very much business in op-
tions being written in the older sec
tions now.
The additional cost of doing business
is creeping in everywhere and the to-
bacco packer has to shoulder his share.
The difficulties of the warehouse men
and cigar manufacturers are thus de-
scribed by Lancaster, Pa, exchange:
The men have foated from ware
house to warehouse, too. When pack
er would have a sufficient force of men
it was only to lose them IN numbers by
an inducement of higher wages offered
at other warehouses. To get them to
return meant still another advance and
to hold them again meant still more Of
an inducement in wages. But withal
the packers in the main have gotten
through pretty successfully and expect
to realize we'll on their investment and
troubles Labor troubles are affecting
the cigar manufacturers no less than
The packers. Many cigarmakers are
leaving the factories to accept work
elsewhere at higher wages, the muni-
tion plants having made heavy toll Of
workmen in the cigar factories. In re-
linquishing their work in the factories
the men complain that the stock they
are given to work is too poor, that they
cannot make time with it and cOnse-
quently the pay they receive does not
compare favorably with that given In
other lines of work Under the cir
cumstances the manufacturer is. COM
PEELED to use poorer grade of tobacco
than he would ordinarily utilize under
normal conditions. Tobacco is high in
price and the manufacturer must needs
cheaper his product as much as possi-
bic in order to manufacture at profit.
In tah.acco circles the handwriting is
seen on the wall, and it means the
passing of the six cent cigar just as
the five cent cigar has gone out. The
seven cent cigar is looming up bigger
before the trade each week.
-
Since our government has acquired
and is still acquiring a gigantic volume
of tobacco products, of manufactured
tobaccos as well as cigars, it has been
suggested, at least it is whispered in
Washington, that the Office of Di-
rector General of Tobacco Supplies or
a Tobacco Administrator may be Gre
ated to act as the Food and Fuel Ad-
ministrators in their particular spheres.
The supply of all types OF tobacco pro-
ducts has become now as essential for
our Army and Navy, both in our can
tonments at home and in the fighting
fields in France, as any other life sus-
tanning commodity. The acquisition
and control of the other necessities has
been invested with almost absolute
power in the hands of the War Trade
Board. This Board provides the guam
tity and fixes the price of all commodi-
ties necessary for the maintenance and
support of our Army and Navy. The
suggestion has, therefore, been made
to extend the powers of the Board also
to the acquisition of the supply OF to-
bacco products and as the specialties
of the supplies to acquire are assigned
to certain officials, directors as heads
of particular departments, director
of tobacco supplies lit is supposed) will
be assigned to handle and determine
the tobacco acquisitions. Such a di-
rector would prove as useful and eff
ficient for the government service as
for proper adjustment OF the pur-
chases from the manufacturers. The
question Of quantity is not the only one
to be decided. 1t is more so question
of where to get what is wanted in the
shape and quantity required. The price
question is also another consideration.
It depends both on the labor wage and
on the price of the raw material. Un-
doubtedly, the government has SO far
made the best possible contract for the
price of tobacco products. No doubt it
| looked out against profteering, at the
same time conceding the due interest
of the manufacturers. But whether
such an equitable arrangement for both
parties could continue for any length
of time will largely depend upon wheth-
er the manufacturer producing ex-
penses will remain fixed for period
agreed for steady supply. u. S. To-
bacco Journal.
*x*
Lieutenant w. D. Lilly, formerly of
Baltimore, has been placed in charge
of the purchases of cigarettes, smoking
and chewing tobacco for the army.
| Lieut.. Lilly is with the quartermaster
generals Office as is Preston Herbert
who performs similar duties in connec-
tion with the purchase of cigars. AS
previously stated, there is no author
| ization by Congress for the issuing of
tobacco, ETC., as part of the ration,
so the purchases now being made are
for the purpose of keeping the company
and regimental stores amply supplied.
| Lieut.. Lilly says that up to the present
time there had been no necessity for
Communicating any supplies of tobacco
| in the hands of manufacturers or deal
4 hI1f GhOjJId fho nococcifu arise the