New Britain herald., 1923-04-25
COMMUNICATED
Editor, New Britain Herald,


 My Dear Sir:
 l. MT. B. B. Bassette sent me clips from the Herald and your surprising and delightful editorial of the 18th | instant. for which thank you both. You surprise me by the possession of so full and accurate knowledge of my very plain and simple message and ability to make discrimination which | many papers seem unable or unwilling to make.
 Smoking or using any form of to-
 bacco is moral delinquency under the protected age as it is also actual law breaking. In Colorado a most en1- phatic though typical case was that of a principals own son, told me by himself I could name many similar
 cases. A physicians word came to me
 iii N. Y. c. by his friend, a surrogate,
 namely that "the poisons of tobacco
 get into a boys soul" Yet, if high
 grade men and boys are valuable, then
 there should be more reformers and
 less editors. Or better still why should
 not all editors become reformers? To
 be called "reformer." often used as a term of reproach, is richly repaid
 by the privilege of saving one boy
 from tobacco and tobacco conse- quences.
 I must say tobacco" for clement ary boys chew tobacco H. s. boys use pipes and cigars. children in many parts of our land are habitual users of snuff at tender age, and also in many parts, such children are using dads pipe or cigars or cigarettes and teachers in Alaska told me the Indian boys of the government
 (U. S.) schools, chew or eat snuff. The quantity made yearly provides plenty of it, about B million pounds.
 You may see in how good company you are when I remark that in your city two churches, 3 public schools and one business college allowed me to speak i times with the doors open still for the future and dates pending. And your kindly disposed editorial will surely add confirmation to my message regarding one of the most vital issues of today and the most neglected.
 Significant reduction of four inches in standard stature for the army and ten pounds in weight, was made near the end of the war. Also for the Brit ish army reduction is recorded of 1e inches during the past century in four steps downward, there as here in order to get men.
 While my message is for the young of all ages, l mention to the mature that urge continued abstinence from tobacco, for it is always poison and poison never forget that it is poison. Tobacco is just as poison the day after 21 or any other period, as it is the day before. Abundant testimony comes to me from employers of their discount ing or declining smokers for service. | In N. Y. c. business man said to me, q smoke, but would not have in my office clerk who rides fifteen or twenty miles into town every morning I in a smoking car. He can't have my money, his brain is doped."
 Tho employment man in the San Francisco Y. NJ. c. A. said to me, T won't put my name on reference for 1 d smoker. I want my name to count | and it will lose value if l try to boost the man who can't make good"
 The manager of wholesale cotton | house in N. Y. c. said to me, T would | like to fill this house with young men who don't smoke, I can't get them" I may add here that 10 years ago one hundred thousand children in N. Y. c. failed at promotion yearly. costing ! forty-five dollars yearly, which means | four and ono half million added to | the school budget for delayed scholar ] ship. And the manager just mention ! ed or the house. is helping to pay | about a million and half weekly for supporting the schools. Yet he says, T can't get them"
 In Greenwood, S. c. a contractor | said to me. T had an outside job that was going too slowly I said to the | men, T will advance the pay ten per cent of every man who quits tobacco, and I will dock every man ten per cent who doesn't" Every man rose to | my offer and the work went through | on time"
 Similar cases could be multiplied | almost indefinitely from memory, but I close with one from Wall street. When speaking with the private sec retary of one of the richest men in the world, he said, Right here in this office in Wall street are plenty of < these men looking for 12 o'clock so they may go out and smoke" Then he said with impressiveness which l cap't reproduce "rThoso mon are not giving us value" This is not fiction