398 



and that it is in nowise to be considered or to operate as a trade association 

 or to participate in any activity or give consideration to any matters 

 affecting the business conduct or activities of its members, and that its 

 activities in every respect shall conform to law and all decrees or judgments 

 of courts affecting or relating to the tobacco industry. 



In another document submitted to the Congress in 1957 entitled, "Tobacco Industry 

 Research Committee Statement of Policy Containing Conditions and Terms Under 

 Which Project Grants Are Made," the TIRC went on to state further: 



In so doing "(supporting research concerning tobacco and health)" the 

 TIRC recognizes the importance of independent research by competent 



investigators The Committee desires to have scientists work with the 



greatest freedom and without domination of any kind. It will make no 

 attempt to direct the administration of the project once started, to 

 influence its course or to control its results other than to be assured that 

 the funds are properly expended for the purposes of the grant and that all 

 flndings are to be reported in accordance with the best scientiTic practice. 



Since the TIRC was formed in 1954, the TIRC and the tobacco industry manufacturers 

 have appeared before Congress time after time to reiterate the independence of the 

 scientific research being conducted with TIRC funds and to reassure the public that 

 when and if it is established that smoking causes disease, the industry will uphold its 

 promise to the public and "do something about it." What follows are several excerpts 

 from testimony provided to Congress: 



1 . In July of 1957 Dr. Clarence Cook Little, chairman of the science advisory board of 

 the Tobacco Industry Research Committee told the House Committee on Interstate and 

 Foreign Commerce: 



The announced purposes and objective of the Tobacco Industry Research 

 Committee are to aid and assist research in tobacco use and health and to 

 make available to the public factual information on this subject.... My 

 appointment is annual and it is clearly understood with the Tobacco 

 Industry Research Committee that if, as, and when the slightest pressure as 

 to what type of direction we should take in research or what the publication 

 of the research should be, is evident that my resignation takes effect 

 immediately. I can say truthfully and honestly that during the period that 

 I have worked on this problem, there has not been the slightest effort to 

 "pull punches," to select evidence, or to limit objectives for research. 



2. On June 25, 1964, Bowman Gray, Chairman of the Board of R.J. Reynolds and 

 spokesperson for the tobacco industry testified before the House Committee on 

 Interstate and Foreign Commerce. In addition to his testimony the following exchange 

 took place between him and the Members of the Committee (Mr. MacDonald and Mr. 

 Curt in): 



Mr. MACDONALD. Sir, I have just one question to ask. I was not here 

 when you gave your statement but I read on page 4 about the Council for 

 Tobacco Research which you say is comprised of eminent medical scientists 

 and grants of over $7 million have been given to that body by the cigarette 

 industry or tobacco industry. 



