The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-03-02


 part of some people that the Connec- ticut State Council of Defense IS try ing to reduce the tobacco acreage this year from what it was last year. That is not the position which the Council has taken. The Council has declar- ed against increase in this year. acreage over that grown last year; it has not taken stand intended to bring about a reduction in any grow CTS acreage"
 This statement was made today by John T. Roberts, chairman of spe- cial committee of the State Council of Defense appointed to hear appeals of tobacco growers resulting from the Councils rulings against increase Tn acreage. The other members of this committee are Frank G. Macomber and Automobile Commissioner Rob- bins B. Stockel
 "My attention has been called to several editorial comments on this ] matter appearing in Connecticut 1 newspapers," said MT. Roberts "The ] idea appears to have been given out | that the Council is conducting cam paign for the reduction of the Con- necticut tobacco acreage. l nave no proof, but I feel reasonably cer- I tain that this story that the Council is trying to cut down the acreage has it's origin among certain tobacco |. growers who feel that by means of l such a story they can work up a l feeling against the Councils perfectly legitimate rule against increased acreage this year.
 I Any grower who wants it may be assured of a hearing if he appeals | from the ruling of the Council. Our 1 committee has already held a number | of hearings and has others sched- | uled. To secure hearing, the grow CT has merely to apply for it and file | a questionnaire giving information l concerning his farm, number of em- ployes, acreage grown last year and | contemplated this year, and other | similar matters. Every grower who asks for hearing may be certain ot fair treatment at the hands Of the council and it's special committee The Council, however, will not con- slider that any consideration is due nersons who do not ask for hearings and who may take steps to increase their acreage.'
 s"The attitude of the tobacco grow CTS who have appeared bGfore the committee when they have been asked about their willingness to grow more foodstuffs has been excellent" MT. Roberts said. Practically all of them, when it has been suggested, have
 of d. stuffs. Some have volunteered the in- formation that they contemplate growing more foodstuffs. The in- crease in foodstuffs acreage over last year by those wh6 have appeared for hearings runs from 25 per cent. to nearly 300 per cent. This attitude On the part of the growers has the hearty approval of the committee and of the Council of Defense"
 On December, 12, 1917, MT. Roberts
 explained, the Connecticut State Coun- cil of Defense adopted a resolution set
 ting forth it's position Gin relation tC
 enterprises and undertakings within
 the state not essential in the prose
 cution of the war or the furnishing o1
 the necessities of life or the mainten'
 ance of public interests
 The council gave tobacco growers
 an opportunity to present facts con
 cerning effects of that resolution upoT
 their industry and to state their view , before adopting the interpretation o1 , khe resolution as it applies to the , Connecticut industry of producing to"
 bacco. The result of this MT. Rob
 erts explained, was the adoption of tht
 following regulations concerning in
 crease in tobacco acreage.
 "1) No person, firm or corporation shall, in Connecticut in the year 1918
 increase Or cause to be increased tht = acreage controlled by him or it, O primed tobacco, whether of shad 8 grown, Havana seed or broad lea , tobacco, over the acreage of such to l bacco grown Or controlled by him O.
 it in the year 1917 in Connecticut.
 "(2) No person, firm or corporation
 shall, in the year 1918, in Connecticut
 change from growing primed open 1 grown tobacco to growing shade
 grown tobacco, i.e., he or it shall not
 in 1918, produce shade grown tobac = co on land which was used in 1917 t u produce open grown primed tobaccc
 "(S) Provided however, that tn  Il council, will, through an appropri1 e committee, hear and in it's discretio1 = determine the application of an Il grower for limited exemption iron l. the foregoing restrictions where it e shown that by reason of expenses in l. cured or unavoidable liabilities as
 stunned in good faith, such restriction . would, in' fact, cause substantial pc
 cuniary loss other than loss of antici - pated profits.
 "(4) Nothing in the foregoing in
 structions imposes any restrictio
 whatever upon the making of smal
 increases in acreage of stalk" o 'f "cut" tobacco, where the increase i l. the case of any given grower does no exceed five acres. Any grower wh a desires to make a greater increase i ~ stalk or cut tobacco should first appl "a to the council for its approval" 4 In announcing these regulation ;,. the council of defense has given to n tbacco growers the following assur V ances:
 fe ."The council obviously cannot giv ta any absolute guarantee that no addi
 tional restrictions or limitation wi
 be imposed by federal authority. Bu |