The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1920-06-03
ASK TOBACCO CO.'S
AID IN FOREST-FIRE
PREVENTION
Secretary Meredith Suggests That
Printed Appeals Urging Careful
Handling of Fire Be Included
In Tobacco Packages.

Because of the very serious fire haz
ard created by tobacco smoking in tn,
forests, E. T. Meredith, Secretary o
Agriculture, has just written to sever
of the leading tobacco companies IL
this country asking their cooperation
in enlisting smokers in a campaign
against careless use of fire in all for
ests, both National and private. Smok
ers, statistics show. are annually re
sponsible for a large number of con.
ilagrations in timbered areas causing
immerce losses. The Secretarys letter
suggests that the tobacco companies
can render an invaluable service in
this movement by including in tobacco
packages brief printed legends urging
smokers to take every precuation to
prevent the spread of fire from
matches or burning tobacco. Action OF
this character reported to have been
taken by Canadian tobacco company
is cited by Secretary Meredith.
The letter is one feature in move
ment now being carried on by the For
est Service to lessen the number of
fires caused by smokers a ndothers
while working or enjoying outings in
the forests whose preservation is so
ESSENTIAL to national prosperity.
The letter of the Secretary is as fill
lows:
"In protecting the National Forests
of over 15O,OOO,0OO acres, the Depart
ment of Agriculture has to fight thou
sands of forest fires every summer due
to carelessness. Throughout the Unit
ed States we needlessly burn up every
year a great deal of our forest wealth
and turn productive timber into wastes
largely because the public does not
sufficiently realize the Importance of
a sense of individual responsibility in
the prevention of fire.
Smokers cause many forest fires.
Some lumber companies forbid smok-
ing in the woods, and tee extension of
this rule is being strongly urged. Such
measures would never have been con-
sidered necessary if smokers suffi-
GENTLY recognized the danger that at
tends the dropping of lighted match,
a pipe coal, or an uneXtinguished Gig
arctic or cigar stump.
Hunters, fishermen, and woods
workers of all kinds smoke in the for
ests, while Automobiles toss bit of
fire from their cars and speed thought
lessly on, unaware even though they
left an incipient conflagration behind
them. A single glowing cirgarette end
may cast the Government thousands of
dollars for fire fighting, to say moth
ing of the value of the timber destroy
ed, the desolation of scenic beauty, and
the harm done tod waterflows.
Your company can, l belilev, do
much tolessen these losses. Would it
not be possible for you to print a fire
caution on the outside of each tobacco,
NA6oi Cl6dltilC
dreds of thousands of people would
read such warnings. and their effect
would be very great. understand
that in Canada at least one important
tobacco company has already taken
this step.
1T is not enough to bring the inn
portance of fire prevention to the at
tention of an indidivual once or twice
The warning to use caution needs TO
be so drilled into his consciousness
that care become habitual ad instinct
i've. Perhaps you could see your way
clear to print on the reverse side of the
packing slips enclosed in tobacco cans
a fire warning, and to place the sin in
the can with the fire warning uD e.
tina it would catch the eye Coupons
and packing slips in cigarettes and
tobacco packages and cigar boxes
would afford further Onrrortunity for
fire warnings.
would it not be possible, also. for
you 10 CONSIDER putting slogan, ike
one of those ON the enclosed sheet, on
Autographs which you use in billboard
advertising? From its novelty as well
as from the evidence that it would a.
ford of desire to further the public
welfare, such advertising will perhaps
appeal to you. | am confident that /
may count on your interest in this sub
1ect, and your willingness to cooperate
in so far as you can with those who
are seeking to diminish the excessive
and startling number of amn-caused
fires in the woods. l would much APP
preciate advice as to whether the sug-
gestions made appeal to you ase being
practicable"