New-York tribune., 1919-03-27

War Opens in
Earnest Here
Continued from page I

French physicians are now being
brought into the movement, and it is
hoped to make the investigation world
wide in scope.
Those on Committee
Among the Americans who are al
ready on the committee are Dr. Walter
B. Cannon, Of Harvard; Professor
Henry W. Farnum, of Yale; Professor
Irving Fisher, of Yale; Professor F. W..
Roman, of Syracuse University, author
of tn widely noticed Nicotine Next"
pamphlet; George J. Fisher, of Y. M.
C. A. fame; Austin B. Fletcher, chair
man of The Tufts College board Of
trustees; Dr. Oscar H. Rogers, chief
physician for the New York Life In
surance Company; Dr. Eugene Lyman
Fisk, director of the Life Extension In
stitute, and George Foster Peabody.
Many of these men have expressed
themselves strongly against tobacco,
notably DR.. Roman and Professor Far
mum, with whom the idea for this sur
very originated last June, when the first
organization meeting was called. In
talking of the plans Of the committee
yesterday, however, DR.. Fisk empha-
sized the point that the commission
will begin with an absolutely imp partial
attitude and prosecute all its inquiries
in strictly scientific spirit
"No authoritative analysis of the
situation as whole has yet been
made" said he. "This matter is now
coming to the fore in the public mind.
1t seems destined to occupy more
and more conspicuous place. There =
fore the public should have the true
facts. We propose to get them. That
is all. The work may take us years.
When it is finished we shall render a
report covering all phases of the to
intclligently what they want to do
about it,"
For the purposes of its investigation,
DR.. Fisk continued, the committee Is
to be divided into separate divisions,
devoted to physiology, clinical mcdi-
cine, hygiene and economies The cx-
tent of tho land given over to tobacco
cultivation, in its relation to the
worlds food problem, will be consd-
cred, along with the purely physical
effects Of tobacco on smokers. SO will
tho relation of smoking to the spread
Of fires, with ITS correlntive applica-
During tho war, DR.. Fisk said, much
preliminary study of smoking and the
individual has been accomplished by
physicians independently IN connection
with their work with the army. Tho
general opinion, he said, seems to be
that tobacco excrts markedly dele
tcrious effect on It's dcvotccs.
TO Study Advantages, TOO
at will be the duty Of the commit
tee. however" he added "to weigh this
against whatever advantages may be
found to result from smoking"
Students, athletes, Office and indus
trial workers arc all to come in for cx-
tended examination by the committees
experts
The W. C. T. T., on the other hand,
for the present is going to devote most
of it's active attention to minors.
Things have to be undertaken in
their duo season." Mrs. Boolo said yes
terday.
She seemed somewhat nettlcd at the
tobacco planned to add Nineteenth
Amendment TO the Constitution, bar
ring it from traffic.
THAT suggestion came from DR..
Roman personally, as I understand it,
she said. "He advanced it upon his
own authority. 1t is true that he wrote
the pamphlet, Nicotine Next for us.
That was prepared more than six
months ago, though, and there Is no
mention in it of constitutional
amendment"
Most of the talk of tobacco prohibi-
tion as an immediate menace. Mrs.
Boole charged is duo to the liquor in
terests.
Trying to Terrify"
"They are trying to terrify the peo-
pie on the general score of prohibi-
ton" she declared, ain the hope that
they may evade the enforcement laws.
We have much work to do among them
yet For the present that work will
take precedence over the anti-tobacco
work. Besides, as an organization the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union
is not at present committed to an anti
tobacco amendment to the Constitu-
ton"
When a statement made earlier in
the day at Woman's Christian Tenn
perance Union headquarters to the ef
feet that "the anti-tobacco fight is our
bag work now" was quoted to Mrs.
Bool,e, she smiled mysteriouslv.
"Methods of propaganda change -
said she. perhaps the elimination of
tobacco may come about in another
way. Perhaps a constitutional amend
ment may not be necessary in this
case"