The sun., 1919-06-30
SMOKE FUND ENDS
WORK WITH PEACE
Although Contributions Cease
Soldiers Abroad Will Con-
tinue to Get Tobacco.
TWO YEARS OF ACTIVITY
Total subscriptions Amounted
to $t42, 000-Great Task
Nearing It's Close.

In THE Sun Of Friday, June 20, 1917.
announcement was made that THE SUN
and EVENING Sun with q preliminary
contribution of $1,000, which afterward
fund TO supply tobacco to the United
States soldiers in the trenches In France.
Invitation was extended to the readers
wishing to help along the work to send
in their contributions and the THE SUN
promised to SEQ that the tobacco was
bought and forwarded to the fighting
men with all possible speed. Thus be-
gan a fund which is now recognized as
one Of the most efficient and satisfac-
tory ever devised and carried out for
the soldiers comfort.
With to-day's issue announcement Is
made that no more contributions will
be requested. THE Sun Tobacco Fund
closes its subscription list because with
the signing of the treaty of peace a
great majority of our men still abroad
will start home Immediately. But It
will be n pleasure to readers to know
there still are quantities of Sun fund
tobacco at the distribution points in
France and on the Rhine and in transit
TO France. And It Is hoped this tobacco
will take care OF our soldiers as they
start back on their homeward journey.
Thus. while the subscription list closes
to-day. THE SUN Tobacco Funds activity
In the matter of actual distribution
abroad will continue for some time
longer.
A grand total OF $4,000 has been COL
lected. in which successive gifts Of THE
SUN and EVENING SUN are included.
and tobacco in its various forms as
appreciated by the soldiers, purchased
with this money, has been shipped and
delivered to the boys in a constant
stream for two years.
Two Years of Real Service.
Two years! 1t is a long time. or so
II seems In retrospect of daily work
unremittingiy done and continually re-
peated. but to these newspapers, that
have felt fully the help they were giving
to the soldiers as the task was being
performed, the time seemed short.
1t is the wish OF THE Sun newspapers
to acknowledge cordially what was done
by other publications in supplying free
smokes to the American Expeditionary
Force. Some $50 newspapers and 80
magazines throughout the country
raised total of s395.0oo. Combining
this amount with the total collected and
discussed by THE Sun Tobacco Fund 8
$4,000, the enormous quantity of to-
bacco sent to American soldiers abroad
Is represented by Ss37,000.
The instant popularity Of THE Sun
Tobacco Fund was shown by the list
OF contributions printed daily In the two
newspapers and repeated on sundays.
a custom that has been kept up from
the start Up to the time Of the armis-
tee gifts to the fund ran from $1,000
10 $4,000 q week, In round numbers. on
July 4, 1917, THE Sun Tobacco Fund be-
gan shipping tobacco to France to be
distributed among our troops. The ship
ments went over in army transports un-
der convoy. In it's first six months OF
existence the record OF shipments deliv-
cred in France was 100000 smokes
and five tons OF chewing tobacco.
Included in the shipments OF this
period 100000 sacks, containing more
than 10000 pounds. or more than ffty-
FIVE tons OF a particular brand OF to-
bacco, had been sent to the soldiers. OF
ready made cigarettes the number was
some 100000.
Fund Paid All Expenses.
Throughout it's functionins THE Sun
Tobacco Funds gifts to the soldiers
were shipped in bond. Bought in large
quantities at the factories, the tobacco
was sent under Government seal to the
ports of embarkation and delivered d.
rectly to the depot quartermaster. AS II
was not to be sold or consumed In this
country the tobacco was not taxable
and the money contributed to the fund
went into tobacco without deduction for
revenue.
THE Sun Newspapers, in addition to
the cash contributed for tobacco. have
paid all administrative expenses. Every
dollar received by THE SUN Tobacco
Fund went into tobacco 90 per cent. net.
and the tobacco was delivered into the
hands of the American soldiers ir
France at no other cost from start t.
fnish than the cost of the tobacco.
What tie fund started out 10 do was
to give tobacco necessaries to the Amer
lean soldiers in France. This great task
cannot be lessened by thinking It over
II Is only necessary to consult the official
figures of the American EXpeditionary
Force to realize how vast was the work
and by referring to the columns OF THE
SuN. in which testimony at first hand
from the soldiers themselves was daily
printed, 1t Is possible to md that thu
task was accomplished.
Special efforts were made on occasion:
IKE Christmas to get smokes into thu
hands Of every American soldier II
France. They We're carried out. The
soldiers by indorsing the postal cards
which went with the tobacco, and re
turning them TO THE SUN and to con
tributors. did their part in showing how
well the work was carried out.
After the armistice was signed TIL
Sun fund did not instantly stop tho
tobacco supply going over to Europe
instead. II increased for n time its ship
ments In order to repeat it's general dis
tribution of the Christmas OF 1917 on
the same holiday OF 1918. The field OF
distribution has widened necessarily with
the spread of the Army OF Occupation
into the Rhine zone Of Germany. but
otherwise the situation was unchanged
80 far as the fund was concerned. Since
the armistice American soldiers have
been kept in tobacco as they we're be-
fore 1t, and as has been said there is q
sufficient supply available TO continue
distribution for some time.
Help From Many Quarters.
The Sun Tobacco Fund appealed tC
all classes and gathered TO itself the
generous impulses OF individuals. clubs
societies and communities by reason o