Evening star., 1926-01-07

4.6 pounds, and Americans, 4.07
pounds. While these figures are not
guaranteed accurate in comparison
with present per capita pounds, yet
they indicate comparisons between
the nations. Certainly in the United
Kingdom. where smoking by the
ladies' is much more prevalent than in
France, there would now be found a
greater per capita per annum
Accurate figures for France show
that in the year before the war the
tobacco consumption was 2.962 pounds
per capita, and in 1922 it was 4SO0
pounds-the peak of the war infiu-
ence. In 1923 it had dropped to $50
pounds and in 1924 had gone slightly
below the pre-war average: it was
2.S47 pounds.
Competition between nations supply
ing French leaf tobacco is keen; and
American exporters are not always
in the lead. In January and Febru-
ary. 1924. we sold France 6,62OS55
pounds, but in the same two months
last year only 53,351 pounds. In the
same two months, 1924, Brazil sold
France 43.S72 pounds. but last year.
1,905.656 pounds. In the first two
months in 1924 we supplied all but
207,45 pounds out Of her total i'm
ports of 6,S2S,30S pounds. while last
year, in the same two months. we gave
her only ] per cent of her imports.
This was due to our short crop and
not to any loss of favor: at the same
time the French crop was unusually
large.
The French tobacco monopoly is
strafning every effort to become in
dependent of imports by stimulating
home production. but America sup
piled total leaf imports of 81 per cent
in 1923 and 50 per cent in 1924. Al.
sace-Lorraine is supplying 1900 900
pounds, formerly coming from the
United States.
One of the great difficulties in the
tobacco trade of America is the vast
number Of varieties and grades, and
the absence of any public standardiza-
tion by which buyers and dealers may
understand each other. If q manu-
facturer in any other country desires
to place an order for a particular va
riety and grade in America, he must
send a personal representative with
samples, to be sure that he will get
what his purpose demands. Conse-
quently, only dealers who have previ-
ously sold the distant buyer, and so
know what he uses, can possibly fill
| an order. Dealers consider their lists
| Of customers, with the records of the
varieties and grades they use, an in
valuable asset in business.
For years the Department of Agri-
culture has been working out a stand
ardization. There are found to be 29
| distinct varieties of tobacco produced
in the United States, including Porto
Rico, and each variety is produced in
many grades-numbering from 40 to
! 106 grades to each variety, or total
of more than 1000, perhaps 1900.
items in the list.
The dealers and warehouse manag-
ers are generally opposing the de-
partment's efforts to standardize,
| claiming that it is an impossible un-
dertakfng. They object, because each
company has it's own confidential
grades, and they are fearful that the
law will force the use Of the standard
tzed grades, and compel the dealers to
keep more complicated records even
| than are now required.
| It is stated officially. also, that the
dealers fear that the Standardization
is in the interest Of the cooperative
associations of growers, since such
organizations must have a uniform
| basis on which to make accounting to
their members. With legal grades the
| facilities in the markets of the CO.
| operative organizations will be en-
| hanced. They will then be able to
compete in the export markets, for
buyers can then clearly designate va
! rieties and grades. Hence the six
great cooperative associations, and
| many others, as well as all the great
manufacturers of tobacco products,
are supporting the standardization.
| Not many years ago the same ir-
regular grading of grain and cotton
| was standardized, against equal op-
position from dealers or "middlemen,"
but the law now makes 1t compulsory
| for interstate marketing.
lCou1righA 1920. hv Paul v. caIliaah :.