419 



Tobacco Industry Research Coaalttee to "all doctors* 

 in the United States; 



established "personal liaisons" in organizations liXe 

 the Anerican Medical Association and American Cancer 

 Society to secure "advance information ... concerning 

 research" and "first-hand knowledge of the theories, 

 methods, and personalities of those involved in 

 research on tobacco and health"; and 



ultimately succeeded in shifting national opinion, so 

 that by 1956 Hill and Knowlton could report that 

 "neither the press nor the public seems to be 

 reacting with any noticeable fear or alarm to the 

 recent attacks." 



As recounted by one Hill and Knowlton executive in 1953, 

 the chief executive officers of the leading tobacco companies 

 were "emphatic in saying that the entire activity is a long- 

 term, continuing program, since they feel the problem is one of 

 promoting cigarettes and protecting them from these and other 

 attacks that may be expected in the future." Forty years 

 later, the Council for Tobacco Research is still in operation 

 and the campaign of disinformation continues. 



Chronological Summary of Kev Documents 



December 1953 . Dr. Earnest Wynder and his colleagues at the 

 Sloan-Kettering Institute in New York City publish research 

 showing that cigarette tar condensate causes fatal cancers when 

 painted on the skin of mice. The research study, a copy of 

 which is attached as exhibit 1, attracts massive media 

 coverage. 



December IS. l»53 . The chief executive officers of th« 

 nation's largest tobacco companies meet on the morning of 

 December 15, 1953, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City to 

 discuss the implications of the new health research. Hill and 

 Knowlton executives attend the seeting and, later in the day, 

 write a memoranduB susmarizing the meeting. The memoranduB is 

 attached as exhibit 2. 



The aeeting is unprecedented: it is the first time th« 

 CEOs had Bet together outside of occasional dinners honoring an 

 industry leader. In attendance were Paul M. Hahn, President, 

 American Tobacco Company; Joseph F. Cullman, Jr., Chairman and 

 President, Benson k Hedges; 0. Parker McComas, President, 

 Philip Morris k Co.; and J. Whitney Peterson, President, U.S. 

 Tobacco Company. 



At the meeting, the CEOs agree that the health criticisms 

 are "extremely serious" and "worthy of drastic action" (p. 3). 

 According to the memorandum, "the officials stated that 

 salesmen in the industry are frantically alarmed and that the 



