Evening star., 1923-05-17
STYLES IN CIGARS
BOW T0PR0GRESS
Manufacturers Discuss
Changes to Stimulate
Public Interest.

And now the cigar is going to
change its style.
A committee of cigar manufacturers
was appointed at the closing session
today of the Tobacco Merchants AS
sociation convention in the Willard
Hotel to devise a new method to take
the place OF designations such as
Claro, Colorado CIaro, Maduro, etc. The
tobacco men did not blame the influ-
ence of King Tut or women's fashions
but a preference for wrappers Of
light color that has resulted in high
er prices for the lighter leaves with
out an opposite effect on the dark. A
method other than that OF designa-
ton by color was suggested.
Changes or Standardization of
sizes Of cigars also was discussed and
steps will be taken by the association
in connection with the United States
standardization in the cigar indus
try.
Seeks Greater Demand.
A resolution designed to create a
greater demand for cigars was adopt
ed by the organization. 1t was point
ed out that this product alone OF the
tobacco industry has failed to in
crease in recent years, while demands
for other products have greatly in
creased. Another resolution was
adopted indorsing a continued CAM
palgn against the attacks upon the
tobacco industry or propaganda
against any use Of tobacco.
Officers Of the association will be
elected at this afternoons session.
Reduction in taxes on tobacco,
which would enable manufacturers
to produce the good nickel cigar so
popular before the war will be sought
at the next session Of Congress under
plans made by the cigar manufac-
turers' group.
Prices Down 20 Per Cent.
Tobacco taxes, said Henry G. Wem-
mer of the Deisel-Wemmer Company
of Lima, Ohio. chairman Of the
group. are as high as at any time
during the war period, and the to-
bacco taxes are among the very few
war levies that have not been re-
duced.
At the same time the cost of leaf
tobacco Is higher than before the
war: wages in the cigarmaking in
dustry have more than doubled in the
last decade. while retail prices of
ufacturing costs, have been reduced
at least 20 per cent since the war
peak period.
Because Of these conditions, it was
ercise Of the stricest economy that
the manufacturers have been able to
prevent a steady climb in prices to
the smokers. So successful has this
work of economy been that 1t has
been possible to reduce the costs OF
tobacco products to greater degree
than in many other industries.
Cigarette Total Great.
DR.. Julius Klein, director Of the
bureau OF foreign and domestic com.
vention that enough cigarettes to en-
circle the globe twenty-six times, If
laid end to end on the equator, were
manufactured in the United States in
the first three months OF this year.
Although representing only about
one-half OF I per cent OF tho culti-
waited crops Of the United States. to-
bacco is one of the most valuable
items Of agriculture, Secretary of
Agriculture Wallace declared last
night at banquet Of the tobacco
manufacturers at the Willard.
He said the total value of the to.
bacco crop is exceeded only by corn,
hay and forage. cotton. wheat and
potatoes. This country leads tho
world in tobacco production. he said.
Brig. Gen. Lord Speaks.
The national budget was explained
by Brig. Gen. Herbert M. Lord as
simply the ordinary, everyday routine
business of the United States, the
biggest business in the world.
Other speakers were Mai. Gen.
Frank Mcintyre, chief Of the bureau
OF insular affairs of the War Depart.
ment; DR.: Thomat p. Green Of the