Evening star., 1944-11-18
Writer Cites Reasons
For Cigarette Shortage
Crop Restriction, Poor Distribu.
ton, Advanced as Explanation

Crop Restriction, Poor Disribu.
tion, Advanced as Explanation
BY D0vid Laurence
The real reasons for q shortage Of
cigarettes are known to officials here but
they dislike to admit them. For the
truth is one Of the principal factors is
the failure Of New Deal administrators
two years ago to allow enough tobacco
to be grown to take care Of demand
that was plainly rising.
The excuse given hereabouts Is that
the difficulty is due to the war. But
this Is only in part the reason. The
average person doesn't realize that to-
bacco used in cigarettes has to be kept
for nearly two years before it is con-
sidered good enough. So what hap
pened two years ago in the limitation
OF the number Of acres on which the
farmers were permitted to grow a GER
tain amount Of tobacco brings about
today's inadequate supply.
The Agricultural Adjustment Agency.
usually called the AAA, doesn't admit
full responsibility for what has hap
pened but comedies that to some extent
acreage control was a factor.
Output Curtailed.
Tobacco manufacturers have continu-
ously urged higher quotas but the pur-
pose Of the limitation was the admin
istrations desire to give the farmers
higher prices. 1t was feared by the ad-
ministration that an excess of supply
would mean lower prices for the growers,
so, In order to assure higher incomes,
production was curtailed.
Now it turns out that the tobacco
farmers could have sold an estimated
100000, 900 more of tobacco than they
had available and that the Governments
own action has denied them this in
crease in income.
The increase in demand for ciga-
rettes comes from both civilians and
persons In the armed services but the
excess in demand would not alone
account for the shortage. Primarily the
problem is one of faulty distribution.
Thus it is declared that the usual time
elapsing from the moment the ciga-
rette leaves the manufacturer to the
time 1t reaches the consumer Is about
80 days. But somebody in the. Gov
eminent some months ago wanted a big
stockpile Of cigarettes built up in Eng
land for our troops, and so a large
amount was diverted for that purpose.
Then when the cigarettes had been
accumulated, some one else decided that
1t was easier to ship to France direct
from the United States instead of trans
shipping the excess supply of cigarettes
from Britain. Doubtless tonnage short
ages and the need for moving men and
munitions across the Channel instead
OF cigarettes was the reason for that
decision.
Anyway, 1t is said the supply in
Britain Is now being held at the present
stockpile limits and will be gradually
consumed without being Immediately
| replenished. AS for the stockpile in
France, this is being built up gradually
now and may take long time to COM
plete.
Supplies Need Time.
What Is required is about a months
| supply for the warehouses on this side,
month for transportation overseas
and two or three months supply over
seas. So, in all, nearly six months has
to be used up in supplying the need
overseas, which means that, whether
one-third or one-fourth of the total
supply of cigarettes is diverted for mill
tary purposes over six-month period,
actually in order to build up such
supply at given areas very much larger
| quantities have to be taken out of the
civilian supply until the stockpile is
| completed
This disrupts the normal distribution
| methods and causes acute shortages
These will be Strengthened out in due
time, but meanwhile many smokers will
have to 60 without cigarettes.
One OF the unfortunate circumstances
resulting from this mishandling of the
| problem is that tobacco that should be
permitted to age is being introduced
prematurely by some of the cheap
brands where there is a pressure to
reouce Quanty TO WIN market. Export
to civilians of other countries has been
| reduced and dealers in this country are
tncurring all sorts Of i'll will and COM
| plications in trying to allocate what
supply they do receive. Also "black
market" has been injected into the
| whole situation.
1t certainly would seem that the talk
OF congressional inquiry is warranted.
For the people are entitled to know
Just how the administrations policies
Of curtailment have failed even as late
| as 1912 to take into account the realistic
situations produced by the war emer-
gency.
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