Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-29
IS BREWING
in CIGAR CAMPAIGN
Radio Commission to Be
Asked to Rule on Protested
"Spit" Ads.
BY MARTIN CODEL.
i'd now-"spit" goes on the air.

And now-"spit" goes on the air.
Around that distasteful word, re-
peated nightly over a Nationwide
Columbia hookup as part of a
radio advertising campaign of the
American Tabacco Co., storm of major
proportions is brewing. Both the to-
..bacco company, for the implications
carried in its announcements, ana the
radio network, for allowing its facilities
to be used for that type of advertising,
will be involved.
- Not only are complaints being pre-
pared by rival cigar manufacturers for
filing with the Federal Trade Com
mission, alleging unfair trade practices,
but the Federal Radio Commission, 1t
Is learned from reliable sources, will
soon be asked to rule whether such adj
eertising conforms with its official hall
mark of public 1nteresS, convenience
and necessity"
: AT least one member of the Federal
Radio Commission, after listening to the
announcements accompanying an other
wise excellent program of band music,
was outSpoken in his disgust.
Objectionable to LafOunt.
"It Is Just that sort Of thing" de-
clared Commissioner H. A. Lafount,
"that will kill interest in radio broad
casting. firmly believe in the adver-
Using support of radio rather than in
the set-tax system of most foreign
countries. But I think that radio ad-
vertisers have to be particularly careful
Of what they say and claim.
ITO me those spit announcements
are Objectionable, and believe they are
objectionable also to the great mass OF
American listeners. It is not my posi-
ton to say whether the advertising is
HafV FlVs III q kTln
nothing about the cigar business. I am
not sure whether we are even enabled
under the radio law to stop anything
at all that Is said on the radio. But
do think that something should be
done by the broadcasters themselves
to preserve the integrity of our Ameri-
can system Of radio.
Just as surely as fate, the continu-
ance of broadcaSting announcements
that so obviously offend our ordinary
SensibilitieS is going to lead to re-
volt on the part of the listening public.
Listeners can, Of course, censor their
own programs by turning the dial.
But I'm afraid many of them viii de-
mand that the Government take over
radio and operate it, as England does,
as q Government monopoly. ] prefer
the present system Of private COMPETE
ton, but the broadcaSters themselves,
by permitting this sort of thing, are
adding fuel to the fire of discomfort
that is already evident in many quar-
tiers against the outrageous practices
Of some advertisers"
All five Of the radio commissioners
were asked, in kilograms sent not to
their Offices. but to their homes, to
comment on the tobacco companys
widely heralded plan to "curtail COM
mercialism" on the radio by reducing
its announcements to 20 words. The
comments, of course, were intended to
be used as testimonials. Not a single
commissioner, it was found on inquiry,
complied with the request of the adj
vertising agency In charge of the
program.
PaIey Was Cigar Man.
Though the announcement itself
contains only 20 words, considerably
more verbiage is wasted in explaining
the announcement and introducing the
speaker of those 20 words. Then, as
If to carry the hoax still further, the
raweSt and most distasteful commercial
announcement ever heard in network
radio goes on the air.
1t was, OF course, too attractive a
commercial contract for the radio net
work 10 turn down, even though the
youthful head Of the Columbia System,
William S. Paley, himself came to radio
from the cigar business only n year OF
two ago. Mr.. Paley should know
whereof the announcer speaks and
whether his implications against other
cigar makers are justified. 1t was Mr..
Paley who was quoted in recent inter-
views as saying that he believed the
radio was elevating the public taste.
The American Tobacco Co. Is paying
Columbia S1,611 900 for the six IS
minute periods it will use during the
year in its provocative cigar advertis-
ing campaign. 1t Is one Of the latest
contracts ever let TO radio. The an
nouncements, it Is understood, are pre-
pared under the personal guidance of
George Washington Hill, president of
the American Tobacco Co. Hill was
the genius also behind the pro-
cigarette-anti-sweet campaign which
brought the organized confectionery
and restaurant people into fighting
mood several years ago. At least one
member Of the Federal Radio Com
mission participated in the conference
that led to an agreement between Hill
and National Broadcasting Co. officials
TO desist from that type of advertis-
ing. Though they may not have powers
of censorship, the commissioners can
exert tremendous moral force against
the radio people. There are indica-
tons that they will do so again In
the spit" campaign.