Precedent Broken

"Lucky Strikes! A flood of reminiscences sweeps across my mind. I heard first of this fine cigaret many years ago in San Francisco where my sons and thousands of soldiers were confined in an Army Hospital. I recall The American Tobacco Company's generosity in giving thousands of cigarets to the wounded boys and how delighted they were in smoking them. I recommend Lucky Strikes because they are kind to my throat."

ERNESTINE SCHUMANN HEINK

By printing this testimonial beside a picture of Singer Schumann Heink and stating unequivocally: "When smoking, she prefers Lucky Strikes because they give the greatest enjoyment and throat protection," the American Tobacco Co. broke an advertising precedent (TiME, Feb. 7). Theretofore no cigaret manufacturer dared state baldly that women smoke.

Last week another precedent was broken. Singer Schumann Heink, in Atlanta, Ga., refuted the testimonial: "I never smoked a cigaret in my life, and, although I don't condemn women who do, neither do I approve of it in them. Why, even my sons are not permitted to smoke in my presence on the days I sing." Rarely had so gross an error crept into the advertising of an honest firm.

The explanation was simple. A whippersnapper told his chiefs that he could get an endorsement of Lucky Strikes from Singer Schumann Heink; she had long been a friend of his family. To her he said that she could help him earn some money, and she, benign woman, signed a note saying that she knew many American soldiers smoked Lucky Strikes in France. Later, too few questions were asked about this windfall testimonial. However, Singer Schumann Heink's reputation is too solid, she is too revered, to be injured by this boy's hoax.

In spite of this error, The American Tobacco Co. remains the first to print a woman's testimonial of cigarets--Actress Alia Nazimova's ". . . Even when I go abroad I carry with me my little trunk of Luckies--and enjoy a puff from America."