The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1957-05-21
S2,OOO,OO0 Labor Pay
Here Threatened By
Leaf Industry Cuts
Huntington Warns
Rotarians Against
Public Apathy

If the dark-fired tobacco industry
is lost to Farnville and there are
serious threats to its existence a
So 900 900 slash in the income TO the
local labor force would result, j W
Huntington. president Of Huntington
Tobacco Company. warned in and ad-
dress Friday before the Farmville
Rotary Club.
The tobacco executive said such
a poss bility not only would hurt
farmers and those employed in the
industry. but would be a serious
blow TO our merchants
He coupled his economic situation
warning with advice in another
field: 1t is a failing Of all of US
not to appreciate what We have We
have this industry. and it means
two million dollars to FaTmville We
should do everything possible to
keep the industry alive. and even
to improve it r
Demand Sources
Behind the tobacconist s t. on g
words were his opinions 0 u
dwindlng acres. At the present
time we are producing less than
we are consuming. which is not
healthy and which cannot continue
to exist. =
TSnctN1fa th.A Jyny. ne NIB
Virginia tobaccos, Huntington said
there still remains a good snuff in
dustry in this country. and "a very
reasonably good business on the
Continent of Europe"
American-groWn tobacco, about
one-third Of world production, faces
stiff and growing competition from
other producing countries, but our
soil and character OF tobacco make
it the best in the world, he said II
cannot be identically duplicated
abroad. either, he added
The Virginia crop normally brings
five to SIX million dollars annual in
come to farmers, and this is supple
mented by much more paid out to
labor employed to handle the crop
To handle the industry here in
FarmVille amounts. in my opinion,
to two million dollars" he said.
Soil Bank Hurt
This income to farmers and to
businessmen and merchants gets its
chief threat from the acreage cuts,
Mr. Huntington said. The soil bank
hurt rather than helped the indus
try, he feels
1t is mystery to me why so
many farmers put as much tobacco
IN the Soil Bank as they did last
year, when the Soil Bank viii pay
10 dollars and the crop averaged
approximately 40 dollars hundred
pounds
II figure that one Of the main
reasons IS that they were pressured
by our officials IN Washington work
ing for the government. l have no
idea who paid the bill, but lots OF
articles appeared and lots Of adver-
tising appeared urging them to put
tobacco into the Soil Bank.
Il don't believe that half Oh the
farmers who put their tobacco into
the Soil Bank realized what they
were doing or what they would &C
complish II they would read the
agreement carefully, they viii real
lie that perhaps p to 80 per cent
of them Will violate the contract
without knowing it, and will not be
eligible Tor the money at all F"
On the current effort III Washing.
ton to separate Virginia and Ken
tucky-TenneSsee types, Mr. Dun
nlngton said he was doubtful if we
get any favorable action this year.
He added tobacco people are do
ing everything within their power
to keep alive the dark Virginia bust
ness, and that your Congressman
Watkins NJ Abbitt, has been work
ing untirinely on the subject"