New-York tribune., 1919-02-28
Tea Is Urged
AS Americas
National Drink
Virtues of Beverage To Be
Sung Throughout Land
in Publicity Campaign
Competition Overlooked
Movement Is inaugurated TO
Have Product Used as
Substitute for Liquor

Americas beer mug may be trans
eormed into an enlarged tea-cup after
June 30. To convert the thirst of the
aation's billions for Intoxicating liq-
Iors into desire for tea is the pur-
pose of a nation wide publicity cam
Daign about to be undertaken under
The auspices of the Tea Association of
the United States.
Leaders of tie tea industry are
yrasping the meaning of prohibition to
their own business. They are beginning
to appreciate that at the end of four
months the masses of people in this
country will be without something
which they had before And the tea
men are recognizing that some substi-
tute-some moral equivalent"-fo
whiskey, wine and beer must be found
They believe that tea helps to furnish
he way out of the dilemma and they
are planning to bring their own con-
vlction to the attention of their no.
100000 fellow citizens.
The Beginning of 1t
The philosophy of the incipient move
ment to make tea the great American
beverage was briefly sketched yester-
day at an informal meeting of the COM
mittee which was appointed by the
Tea Association to devise ways and
means for the new kind of education
for the sons and daughters of Uncle
Sam. The campaign is just being born,
yet steps have already been taken to
seek the cooperation of tea associa-
tions in all the leading tea producing
countries of the world.
Tea men regard the approach of pro-
hbition as the psychological moment
to develor their industry to the full
ness which they think it should have.
Americans have never yet taken to tea
with the same avidity as the other
English speaking people whose per
capita consumption of the beverage is
from four to seven times larger than
that Of this country.
OF the 1.200000,0O0 pounds of tea
consumed throughout the world annu-
ally it is said only 100, 900 900 pounds
are consumed in the United States.
Australia, with population of 5,000,-
900, annually consumes $4,000. 900
pounds of tea. and Russia 400, 900, 900
pounds. If the consumption of tea
in the United States is tremendously
increased by the publicity campaign in
which it's charms and its lures and its
benefits will be stressed some repre-
sentative men In the industry believe
that American tea merchants could
soon control so per cent Of the worlds
output and thus sell that portion which
they would distribute in the United
States cheaper and of better quality.
Every One to Share
importers, distributors, package.men,
brokers factor in the tea indus
try is to be invited to participate in
the promotion work Part of the task
will be TO teach the American house
wine and the American chef how TO
make good tea. The experts say that
as tea makers Americans are a nation
of illiterates. Then, too, an effort
will be made to sharpen the consumers
knowledge about qualities of tea and
also to drive home to those who now
drink liquor the possibilities of tea as
stlmulant and as a food product.
The idea to sing the virtues of tea
all over the land has definitely taken
hold of the leaders of the trade, but
the technique remains to be worked
out. More than ever before competi-
tors in the industry are willing to CO
operate and to forget petty differences.
This industrial consciousness, it is felt.
Will drive tea on to new goals Trad
ing in tea is one of the oldest occupa.
tIons in this country. 1t is conceded
that Americans taught the japanese
many of the essentials Of producing
wage increase. which the men really
desired
Although no formal action was
taken, a considerable sentiment was
manifested in favor of trying to get
together with the men their leaders