American Tobacco
1955 Annual Report, the American Tobacco Company
Fields
- Litigation
- 10004026
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- Annual Report
- Report
- Request
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- (Set
- 2)
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- Date Loaded
- 23 Nov 1998
- Attachment
- 60074013
- Author
- Atco
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CONFIDENTIAL
RELEASED FOR PUBLICATION
THURSDAY, MARCH I, 1956
NOT 5EFORE~ pLEASE
1955
Annual Report

f
NOTICE OF MEETING
Flemington, N. J., March 1, 1956
The Amlual Meeting of stockholders of Tm~ AMEmCAN TOBACCO COMPanY
will be held at No. 34 Camst Street, Flemington, New Jersey, at o~c-thlrry o'clock
~n the afternoon (Eastern Stand~-d Time) m~ Wednesday, April 4, I986, for
the folldwing purposes: (l) to elect Directors; (2) to consider and vote upon a
proposal (desi~ated Proposal A and set forth in the following proxy statement)
made by three stockholders; and (3) to transact such other business as may
properly come before the meeting.
The stock transfer books will not he closed, but holders of Preferred Stock
and Common Stock, to be entitled to vote, must be holders of record at the
close of business on March 5, 1956.
JOHN W. HANLOr~, Secretary

PROXY STATEMENT
The enclosed proxy i~ solicited by the ManagemenL The proxy may be revoked in writing given
to the Secretary at any time before being voted. Proxies in the form enclosed, properly executed by
stockholders and duly returned to the Management and not revoked, will be voted and, where a
specifi-
cation is made on the ballot provided therein, wiLl be voted in accordance with such specification.
Attendance
at the meeting does not serve to revoke the proxy.
The outstanding nmnficr of each class of vothag securities of the Company is: Prefected,
527,831
shares; Common, 6,512,522 ~bere~ (of which 1,560 shares will become entitled to vote only if
certificates
which piior to the merger with American Cigarette and Cigar Company on December 31, 1953, repre-
sented Corrrmon ¸Stock of American Cigarette and Ciger Company, are sur~ndeled in exchange for
Common S~Ck certificates of the Company by the close of business ca thu record date).
The Preferred Stock is enBtlnd to four votes per share The Cormnon Stock is entitled to one
vote
per share. The reooed date fo~ the determination of s~ockholders entitled to vote at the meeting is
the
dose of business March 5, 1956.
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors consists o{ ofneteen members who are elected to hold oglce until the
next
Aanual Meeting or until their snccessors are duly elected and quali~ed. It is intended that proxies
in
fl~ accompanyfo~ form wiB be voted for the nominees named below. These nominees, with the exccptthn
of William B. Young, are members of the present Board and have served as directors of the Company
for the periods commensing with the dates set after their r~spective names. The Company is informed
that these nominees ware directly or indi~eoLIy Ibe bene~sia| owners of outstanding securities of
the
Company at the dose ul business on February I, 1956, as sol forth after their respectlw names.
year First
Name
Orpheus D. Baxaiys
Alfred F. Bowden
Richard J. ~ylaa
ThorlRl9 P, Connor~
James IL Coon
John A. Crowe
John $. Dowd
Other po~ifioasand O$~¢es with Compa~"
sad prlacipai O¢cupatlon(a)
Vice-Presldent and 1Vianaglng Director,
The American Tobacco Company of
the 0rle,~t, Inc. (b)
Assistant to the Presidcah The Amcrloan
Tobacco Company
Vice-President and Director of Pur-
chases, The Amorisan Tobacco Com-
pany
D~reetor of Tramc, The American
Tobacco Company
Vice-President and Comptroller~ The
American Tobacco Company
V~ee-Pr~ident and Assistant Chie~ of
Manufacture. The American Tobacco
Company
Executive Vioe.Presldeat, American
Suppliers, Incorporated (b)
2
~le~ed
~¢ctor Commou Preforre~
1940 1,805 62
1951 650
1929 3~250 450
1946 300
1936 783 106
1931 800 105
1946 400

~me
A. Golxlon FindIay
Charles Gm~thow
Virgil D. Hagcr
Paul M. Hahn
Hiram R. Hanroer
Harry L. Hilyard
John R. Huteb~ngs, Jr.
A. LeRoy Janson
WiUfam H. Og~bury
Jara~ F. Strickfand
Robert B. Walke~
William ]3. Young
Ot her Pe~itio~ and Omecs wlth Company
and ~iaelpal O~l~don (a)
Vice-Pre~ident~ American Cigazeit~ mid
Cigar Division of The _4meriean
Tobacco Compmay
Vice.President, Am~r~cau Cigarette and
Cigar Division of The Aravr]can
Tobacco C~lapany
Assistant to the Vice-Presidents in
charge of lnauufaetuze, "the American
Tobacco Company
Pres~dvnb The Amerlcma Tobsseo Com-
pany
Directer of Research, The American
Tobacco Company
Treasurer, The American Tobacco Com-
pany
Vlce-Presidenb American Suppliers, In-
corporated th)
Au011tor, The American Tobacco Com-
pany
~s;~tant Chk~ o~ ~anufacture~ The
American Tobacco Company
President, AmcxJc:m Supplier% lncorpo.
rated th)
Direolor of Sales, The ~aerican To-
bacco Com]pany
Assistant to the Vlce.Pxesidents in
charge of manufacture, The American
Tobacco Company
Year Firs~
F2eeled
Director Common preferred
1953 2,005
1953 1,000
1955 190
1931 6,784
1938 300
1944 350
1951 500
1948 418
1930 200 50
1946 820
1955 210
600
(a) lrt each instslleo, lhe pt~kioD.s and cruces wiIh the Comp~nb' and it~ su~sldlmrle~ llsted ~tor
the tt~¢ of tl nominee are aloe his
prlrtelpaI occupation.
(b) A~Ii~ted c~mpaay engaged in purchase and handlt~g of leaf tobacco.
The Company is also informed that none of the nominees was directly or indirectly the
beneficdal
owner on FebraalT 1, 1956, of outstanding securities of subsidiaries of the Company, other than
directors"
qualif~Sng shares, except William H. Ogsbury, wbo owned beaefieially on that date two shares of
Common
Stock o£ Cuban Tobacco Company Inc.
Mr. Young has been employed by the Company for more than 40 years. Since February 1, 1953,
he has se~zed as Assistant to the Viee-Presldents in charge o~ manufacture. During the past 5 years
and
for miniy years prior thereto he has been an assistant to the officers of the Company in charge o~
ils
man~aetm~ng operations.
In the eyelet any nornh~ee is not a candidate or is maabIe to serve as a dlreetor at the time
of the
eleetlon, which is not now expected, it is intended that the p~xJes will be voted for any nominee
who shall
be designated by the present Board of Directors to fill such vacancy.
3

Proposal A
The Company is informed that L~wis D. Gilbert, a record holder of 80 shares of Common Stock,
whoso address is 1165 Park Avenue, New York 28, New York, and/or John J. Gilbert, a record holder
of 80 shares of Common Stock, whose address is 3.165 park Avenue, New York 28, New York, and/or
John Campbell Henry, a record holder of 400 shares of Common Stock, whose address is 5 East 93rd
Street, New York, New York, intend to introduce at the fortheomi~ Annual Meotlbg the following
resolution (designated herein as Proposal A) :
"REsoLVr~: That the stockholders of The American Tobacco Company, assembled in annual
meeting i~ person and by proxy, hereby request that tile Board of Directors take the necessary
stops
to amend the by-laws of the Co*poration so as to increase the number of diroctot~ from nineteen
Io
t,aJen~y.'~
The proposers of tiffs resolution, ~iessrs. Gilbert, Gilber~ and Henry, have ~urdished the
following
statement setting forth the reasons advanced by them in suppoxt of their proposal: "I.ast year some
222,935
votes were ~ast in favor oi a slmilar proposal, showing many owners el A.~rican Tobacco share our
vinw-
point that the public stockholders shm~ld be represesated on the Board which, at lb¢ present li~ne,
includes
only empinyee~ of the Corporation. R. J. Re)molds Tobacco Company ha~ now put its ~rst no=-enapinyee
director on its Board and American Tobacco sko~dd do the same. This is o~peeially important at the
present time of uncertainty for the tshaceo intiu~try. If you agree, please mark your haUo~ FOR this
resolntth~, otherwise i~ is auto,helically east ag~lbst it."
The Management recommends that ye~ ~ot~ AG.~INST ProposaI A.
It is the viewpoint o~ the Management that all o:~ the stockholders nl the Company are public
stock-
holders who are represented faiHy and with due regard to the interest of every stockholder by the
Board
of Directors elected by the great majority of the Company's stoekhoIder~, The long-conBnued record
of
successful operation o~ the Company's business by directors giving their entire time and effort to
the
service of the Company and its subsidiaries has demonstrated, in the opinion of the Management, that
a
board so constituted is in the best in~ereBts of this Company. The Management believes that changes
in
the nmnaber of directors comprising the Board should ~xoL be promptcti by considerations such a~
those
advanced by die proposers of proposal A. At the t955 Annual "~eetlbg the stockholders defeated an
identical proposal by 96.54% of the votes cast.
The ~tianageraent is not aware at the dale hereof o:~ any matter that is intended to he
presented at
this meeti~ other than the electinn of directors and Proposal A. If any matter not lmown at the date
hereof is propeJly presented for action at the meeting, it is i~tended that the persons named in the
proxies will vote thereon aecm'ding to their best judgment.
RE~f[JNERAT1ON
R~muneratio~ el Directors and Officers. There ~s set leith in the following tabulbtinn~ on an
aeernal
basis, all direst remuneration pald by the Company and its subsidianios Lo the followlbg persons for
se*win~s in all capacities while directors or ofiqcers of the Cot~pany during its last fiscal year:
each
director, and e~sh of the thr~e h~ghcst pttid odice~ of th~ Company whose direct ~ggregale
remuneration
exceeded $30,000; said nil directors anti officers of the Company as a grottp. EstBuated annual
retirement
hanefil'~ to the ssane indlvlduals at normal retire~ncnt date under the ~egrement Plan for eml~oye~s
adopted by the stockholders at the 1949 Amauni Meeting are staled in Column (4).
4

(D
Name cff indlvidua]
or idcnfiLy of ~oup
Orpheus D. Baxaly~
Alfxed F. Bowden
Richard J. Boyl~
Thoraas P. C~oanor s
James R. Coon(e)
John A. Cr~wo(e)
Jolm S. Dowd
A. Gordon F~adlay (e)
Preston L. Fowler(e) (f)
Charles Gun,how(e)
Paul M. Hahn(e)
Hiram R. I4amner
EdmLm~l A. Halvey(g)
Harry L. Ililyard( el
Jolm R. llutchhxgs, Jr.
A. LeRoy Jansen
Wilffam H. OgsI~ary
James F. Strloldand
Robert B. Walker
Directors and Off'cars
as a group
(2) (3)
Capadfies h "~hieh ~gate
r~uner~t[o~ w~ received rcmu~eratio~
Vice-Fre$1dent and Managing Director, The $ 55,000
Amorican Tobacco Company o~ the Orient,
Inc.(a)
As~istavt to the President, The Axaerlcan 41,875
Tobacco Company
Vice-Presldent and Director of Pnrehases~ 172,179(b)
The American Tobacco Company
Director of Tra~c, The American Tobacco 36,0C0
Company
Vice.President and Comptcoller, The American 172,179(b}
Tobacco Company
Vice.President and As~isLant Chief of Mwau- 172,179(b)
fac~x-e, The American Tobacco Company
Executive Vico-Pr~ideat* Amerloan Suppliers, 60,000
Dmorporated.(a)
Vice-President* Ameaican Cigarette and Cigar 37,500
Divisi¢~ of The American Tobacco Company
Vice-Preaident and Chief of Mannfacturc, 172,179(h)
The American Tobacco Company
Vlce-President* Amea:mma Cigarette and Cigar 44,000
DiviBion of The Ameriua~ Tobacco Company
President, The Amerlean Tobacco Company 272,724(¢)
Director of Re.earth, The .Mnerlean Tobacco 50,000
Company
Vice-President h, Charge of Sale*, The Amer- 45,~4(d)
ican Tobacco Company
Treasurer, The Am~rloan Tobacco Company 55,000
Vice.President, American Suppllers~ Iocorpo- 49,000
rated(a)
Auditor: The American Tobacco Company 55.000
Assistant Chief of Manufacture, The American 50,000
Tobacco Company
Preside=t. Am~tlcan Suppliers, Incorporated (a} 75,000
Director o~ Sales, The Ar~erican Tobacco 31,015(h)
Company
Directors and O~tcer s as a group 1,694~41
(a) Affiliated oompany engaged hL p~xch~a ~d ha~dlil~ o~ leaf rebate,
{h) Iaclnd~ $122,I79 Article XIX incentive compensation.
(e) I~hdea $152,72'b ArtieIe XN incentive eomi~o~atiom
(d) Inciudes $82,135 A~ieIe XII incentlve ¢om~cnsaUon ~ac~ed 12ri~ :o retirom~L
(e) Also o~iee~ o~ sFsliated company ~r zompa~e~
(~) Retiring April 4, I956.
(g} ReciredAprlI 6,1955.
(h) Remun~atioa ahown is for ~eriod subsc~tue~t to election a~ a ddrec~r oa April 6, I955.
5
(4)
Estimated m~nual
totireme~ be~¢~t
at aonomsl
~tlrement Onto
$17,000
15~500
17,000
11,434
17,000
17,000
18,308
14,000
14,816
11,143
25,000
1~,378
17,000
12,152
II,2~7
15,528
17,000
16:895
16,100

'P}m amounts referred to in the notes to the above table as Artie/e Xll inoentlve compensation
were accrued as incentive compensation (based 023 amount of Company profits), tmdez Article Xll of
the By-Laws, as anaended by vote ul the stockholders at the 1951 Annual Meeting.
No amount was set aside or accrued during tile Company's last fiscal year for pension or
retirement
benefits proposed to be paid under any existing plan by the Company or any of its s~sldlaries to
any
ulficer or director of t]w Company.
The Rellrement plan for employees adopted hy vote at the stock~ulder~ at the 1949 Annual
Meeting
covers approximately ]8,500 regular fpll-time empioyee8 of the Company and its subsidiaries.
Tke aggrngate amount of remuneration :~or the C~seal year 1955, re~elved from the Company and
its
subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, on an accrual basis, by all the directors and officers of the
Company a.s
a group, was approximately sixteen one-hundredths of 1% of the Company's consolidated net sales.
MISCELLAIX~OUS
Any stockhoMer making wrltten request therefor to the Seeraary of the Company will be
furnished a
summary of the Azmuul Meeting wbisi~ will be prepared after the meeting has been held.
Messrs. Lyhrartd, Ro~ ll~o~. & Montgomexy lm~ heex~ for marry ye~s d~e iudep~ndeu~ a,adito~s
f~ t~
Company, and are appointed by resolution of the Board of Directors. In aceorderlee with the
Company's
customary practice, a member of the film of auditors will attend the Annual Meeting and respond to
questions which may be asked by stockholders. Commezlts or suggestions by stockholders with regard
to
the audit are welcomed~ as they m'e with regard to all othew matters affecting the Company's
interests.
Flemington, N. ft., is reached by the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The present train schedule, wMeh
is subject to change and should be eoniirmed, is as follows: Leave Pennsylvania Station (33rd Street
and Sevetub Avenue, New York, N. Y.) 10:55 A. M. Arrive Flemlngton Jmletion I2:03 p. M. Leave
Flemlngton Junction 5:22 P. 1%~. Arrive Penusylvmtia Station 6:40 P. M. The Company wilt procure
transportation from New Yock to Flemington by railroad and return by railroad or, if expressly
requested~
return by b~, at Company expense for any stoeHlolder of record desirous of attending the meeting, on
his notitying the Secretary in writing at 111 Fifth Avenue, New York 3, New York, not later than
March 29,
1950, that be wishes such transportation obtained. If you do not pints to attend, you are urgendy
requested
to execute the enclosed proxy a~d mail it to the Company promptly.
Expense o~ $oIisittathn. The expense el the solthltatiort o1 proxies ~or this meetthg,
including the
cost of maillng, will be beam by the Company. In addition to mailing copies of this material to
stockholders,
the Company wiI1 t-eq nest pemons who hold stock in their names or custody or in the names of
nomthoes for
others, to forward copie~ of such material to those pexsons for whom they hold stock of the Company
and to
request authority for the execution of the proxies. To die extent necessary in order to assu~e
su~elent
representation at the meeting, officers and some regular employee~ of the Company and approximately
5
emplnyees of Philip G. Cameron Company will request the return of proxies by telephone, telegram or
in
person, at an estimated cost of about $12,000. The amount of the expense to be borne by the Company
will depend upon the volume of shares represented by the proxies ~ in response to the
1Notice of Meeting. If proxies are not received promplly, it may be necessary :~or the Compmay to
send
telegraphic solicitation to those stock]solders who have not responded.
Stockl~olders who do not intend to be present at the Meeting are urged to send in their
Proxie~ without
delay. Prompt response ~s helpful, and your eooperatien wilt be appreciated.
February 15, 1956.
6

NOTICE OF HEETING
F|em~ng~on, I~. ~., March l, 1956
The Annual Meeting of stockholders of TaE A~ERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY
wilI be held at No. 34 Cour~ Streot, Flemthgton, New Jer~ay, at onc-thlny o'clock
in the afternoon (Eastorn Standard Time) on Wednesday, AprlI 4, 1956, ~or
the foLlowing purposes: (1) to elect Dff~etors; (2) to consider and vote upon a
proposal (desigaafed Propo~ol A and set ~orLh in the folIowi~g prnay sb~tement)
made by tln~ stockholder~; and (3) to ~ransact such other business as may
properly come 5eforo the meoting.
The stock Lransfer hooks will not he closed, hut h~ders of Preferred Stock
and Common Stock, to be entitled to vote, must be holders of record at the
dose o5 bL~iness on ~vIoxch 5, 1956.
JOHN ~. ~L~LON, Secr~ary

PROXY STATEMENT
The enclosed proxy is sol~clted by the Management. The proxy may be revoked in writing given
to the Secretary at any time before being voted. P~oxles in the form enclosed, properly executed by
stoc~ioldsrs and duly returned to the Management and not revoked, will be voted and, where a
speeifi-
~atinn is made on the ballot prov4dsd thex¢in, wi]] be voted in accordance with such specification.
Attendance
at the meeting does not serve to revoke the proxy.
The outstanding number of each class of voting socurltle~ of fl,e Company is: P~¢Jerred,
527,831
shares; Common, 6,512,522 shares (of which 1,360 shares will become entitled to vote o~ly if
certificates
which prior to the merger with American Cigarette and Cigar Company on December 31, 1953, repre-
sented Common Stock of American Cigarette and Cigar Company, are suxrendered in exchange for
Cormnon Stock cortillcates Of ~he Company by the close of business on the record dato).
Tho Preferred Stock is entitled to four votes per share. The Common Stock is entitled to one
vote
per share. The record date f~r the determination of steckholdsrs entitled to vote at the meeting is
the
closo of husine~ March 5, 1956.
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Dineetors consists of nineteen meanbcrs who are elected to hold office until d~o
next
Annual Moetin$ or until their successors are duIy eIected and qualified. It Js intended that proxies
in
the accompanying form will be voted for tho nominees named beIow. These nominees, with the exception
of William B. Young, aro members of the present Board and have served a~ dlreclors of the Company
~or the periods commencing with the dates set after their respechve names. The Company is informed
that these nominees wero dJreclly or indircelly the beneficial owners of out~tanthng securit~s of
the
Company a~ the closo of bt~incss on Fckruary ], 1956, as set forth after their respective names.
year Frrst
~rame
Orpheua D. Baxaiys
Alired F. Bow~Ien
Richar¢l J. Bo~la,
Thomas P. Connors
James E. Coon
John A~ Crowe
Jaha S. Dowel
Other positions and O~ioe~ with Compe~y
and Principal Occupation(a)
Vic~presi~eut and Man~ng IY~ector~
The American Tobacco Company of
the Orient, Inc. (b)
Assistant to the President, The Araerlcan
Tobacco Company
Via~-Presi~r~t and Director of Pur-
cb~sc% The Am=ri~an Tobacco Como
Irony
Director of Traffic, The American
Tobacco Company
Vice.Presldent and Comptroller, The
American Tohe~co Cemp~my
¥ice Prcslden~ and A~slstant Chief of
Manufactare, The American Tobacco
Company
Executive Vice.President. ~%m~rlcen
Sepp][e~s, Incorporated (b)
2
Elected
Director C~n~mm. Prefexrcd
1940 1,805 62
1951 650
1929 3,250 450
1946 300
1936 783" I06
1931 800 105
1946 400

Year First
Other Position~ and Off~¢e~ .~th C~mp~ay Elected
N~me J~td ]~rlndpal Oemupatlon (a) Dir eat ~r
Common preferred
A. Cordon Findlay Vice president, Amerlean Cigarette and 1953 2,005
Cigar Division of The American
Tobacco Company
Charles Ganshow Vice-Resldent, Amerlcma Cigarette and 1953 1,000
Cigar Division of The American
Tobacco Company
Virgil D. Hager Aasistm~t to the Yicc-Pres~dents in 1955 190
clmrgs of manufacture, The American
Tobaoea Company
Paul M. Hahn President, The American Tobacco Corn- 1931 4,784
party
Hiram R. Hanmer Director of lle~earch, The American 1938 500
Tobacco Company
Harry L. riilyard Treasurer, The American Tobacco Com- 1946 350
pony
John R, Hutohiags, Jr. Vicc-Predde~t, A~nerican Suppliers, In- 1951 500
coIporatsd (b)
A. LeRoy Jonson Auditor, The American Tobacco Corn- 1948 418
pony
Williara H, Ogshnry Assistant Chief of Manufacture, The 1930 200
50
American Tobacco Compm~y
J~roes F. Strlckland President, American Suppliors, Inoorpo- 1946 8.20
rated (b)
Rober~ B. Walker Director of Salcs, Tim American To 1955 210
bocce Company
William B. Young ~ssisrant to the Vie~.Prcsidcnts in 600
charge of man~actme~ The American
Tobacco Company
(a) lrt e~mh instance, the positions and of~ccs with the Company ann[ its ~ubsid~i~ listed a£ter the
~xa~ o~ g nomgnee are ~a hla
pr }~¢ipz~ occupation.
(b) A~liatod company engaged in puxcha~¢ and Laa dling o~ leaf tobacco.
The Company is also informed that none of the nominees was directly or indirectly the
beneficial
owner on February 1, I956, of otttstanfilng securities of subsidiaries o~ the Company, other thou
directors'
qualifying shares, except William H. Ogsbury, who owned beneficiaIly on that date two shares of
Common
Stock o~ Cuban Tobacco Company Inc.
Mr. Young has been empIoycd by the Company for more than 40 years. S~ce Fcbraary 1, 195,3,
he has setwed as Assistant to the Vice-Presidents itx charge of manufacture. During dm past 5 years
and
for many yeat~ prior thereto he has been an assistant to the officers of the Company hl charge of
its
manufagturing operations.
In rite event any nominee is net a candidate or is unable to serve as a director at the time of
the
election, which is not now expected, it is intended that the proxies will he voted for any nominee
who shall
be designated by the present Board of DhreeLors to fill such vacancy.
3

PTvposal d
The Company is informed that Lewis D. Gilbert, a record holder of 80 shares of Comraon Stock,
whose address is 1165 Park Avenue, New York 28, New York, and/or John J. Gilbert, a record llolder
of 80 ahares of Common Stock, whose address is 1165 Park Avenue, New York 28, iNew York, and/or
John CampbeB Henry, a record holder ul 400 ~laxes of Common Stock, whose address is 5 East 93rd
Street, New York, New York, intend ~o introduce at the forthcoming AImual Meeting the following
resolutimi (designated kereha as Proposal A) :
"RESOnVED: q~at the stoelsholders of The Amerlean Tobacco Company, assembled in annual
meeting in person and by proxy, hereby request that the Board o£ Directors take the necessary
steps
to amend the by-laws of the Corporation so as to increase the number of directors from nineteen
to
~.wenty3~
The proposera ol this resolution, Messrs. Gilbert, Gilbert and Henry, have furnished the
following
statement settiz~g forth the reasons advanced by them in suppmt of their proposah "Last year some
222~935
votes were east in favor of a similar proposal, showil~g many owners of American Tobacco share ore"
view-
point that tile public stocld~olders should be represented on the Board wiffeh, at the present time,
includes
only employees of the Corporatiom R. I. Reynolds Tobacco Company has now put its fixst non-employee
director on it~ Board and A~erieon Tobacco should do tke same. Tiffs is especially important at the
present time of mwertaiff~- for the tobacco iDdustry. If you agree, please mark yottr ballot FOR
this
resolution, ether'also it is automatieaUy cast against it."
The Management reeolmnends that yoz~ vote AGAINST Proposal it.
It is th~ vie~oint of the Management that all of the stockholders of the Company are public
stock-
holders wire are represented fairly and with due x~egmcd to the interest of eve~T stockholder by she
Board
of Directors elected by the great majority of the Company's stockholders. The long-eontiffued record
of
suoeessfui operation of the Company's business by dlreetm's giving their entire time and effort to
the
sexviee of the Company and its subsidiaries has dernozmlrated, in the opinion of the Management,
that a
board so oonstituted is in the best interests of this Company. The Management believes that cbanges
in
the r~umber of directors comprlshag the Board should not be prompted by considerations such as those
advanced by the proposers of Proposal A. At the 1955 Annual Meeting the stoekhalders defeated an
identical proposal by 96.54% of the votes cast.
The Maimgement is not aware at the date hereof of axty matter that is intended to be presented
at
this meetthg other than th~ election of directors and Proposal A. If any matter not known at the
date
hero0l is properly presented for action at the meeting, it is intended that the persons named in the
proxies will vote thereon according to their best judgment.
RElVlU~RATION
Remuneration o~ Direeto~ and O~cer~. There is set forth in the ~ollwalng tabulation, on an
accrual
basls, all direct remmle~ation paid by the Compsny and i~s s~bsidiarie~ to the ~oBowing persons ~or
services in all eapacMes while direetor~ or oi~ee~ of the Company duAng its last fiscal year: each
~lirector, a~d each of the ti~'ee iff~est paid officers, of the Company whose dire~ aggregate
remuneration
exceeded ,~30,000; and ~1I dlrectol~ and officers of the Company as a group. Estimated annual
retirement
benefits to the same individuals at normal retirement date muter the Retirement Plan for emplo~es
adopted by the stockhoMers at the 1949 Aroma1 Meeting are stated in Coiffmn (4).
4

(i)
or id¢~- o~ ~roup
Orpheus D. B~alys
Alfred F. Bnwden
Richard 1. Boy]an
~a~ R. Coon(e)
John A. Crown(c)
John S. Dowd
A. Gordon Findhy (e)
Pro*ton L. Fowle.r (e) (f)
Charles Ganshew(e)
P~I M. Hahn(n)
I~ram R. Hanmer
Edmund A. Harvey(g)
Harry L. Hilyard (e)
John R. Hntchlng*, Jr.
A. LcRoy Janzon
Willlam H, Og~bary
James F. Striekland
• Robert 13. Wa~er
(4)
Estimated znnual
(~) (3) zotirement b¢n¢6t
~pa~i~es irt which Aggregate at rtormal
remuneration ~ reedved remuneration retirement date
glee-p~csldent and Managing Diceztor, The $ 55,000 $17,000
Kmerican Tobaooo Company of the Orient,
L~e.(a)
Assistant to Iho President, Thc American 41,875 15,500
Tcheceo Company
Vice-Presldent and Director of pnrch~, 172~179(b)." I7.000
The Ame~tc~m Toheeeo Company
D~teetor of T*a~fic, '~he Am~,ican Tobacco 36,~ 11,~¢
Company
Vice-PreValent and Comptroll~, The American 172,179 (b) 17,000
Tahacoo Company
Vice-Presldent and Atf~tant Chief cf M/mu- 172,179(b) 17,000
faerie, The American Tobacco Company
Exeeativv Vice-President, A:merican Supphers, 60,000 18,308
fncorporated(a)
Vice-Presldenb Amerloan Ci~a~tte and Cigar 07,500 14,000
Didslon of The Amorloan Tahae~o Company
Vice.Presldent and Oaief of Manufacture. I7~I79(b) 14,816
The American Tobacco Company
Vice-President, Amerleml Cigarette and Cigar 4~000 ll,l~
Division of The American Tobacco Company
President, The Americlm Tobacco Company 272,724(c) 25,000
Director of Research, The American Tobacco 50,000 14,378
Company
Vice-President iu Charge of Sales, The Amer. 46,404(d) 17~005
icaa Tahacea Compvty
Treasurer, The AmeaS~n Tobacco Company 55,000 /2,152
Vice.Pros;dent, Amerlean SnppIiers, Ineorpo. 49.000 11.237
rated(a)
Audilor: The American Tobacco Company 55:000 15,5~8
Assistant Cblef of Manufacture, The American 50,000 17,000
Tobacoo Company
President, American SuppI/ers, Incorporated (a) 75.000 16,305
Director of Sahe, The American Tobacco 31,015(h) 16,200
Compa~ly
1,694.841
Direete~ and Ofl~cers Dhe~to~s and O~cera as a group
as a group
(a) A~iated compm~y ~,~gaged in purchase and handling of loaf teba~0.
(b) I~lude~ $122,179 ~ticle XTI incentive eomp~ns~ti0n.
(¢) ~¢lados $15~7~4 Artlele XII mc¢~iv* eompen~afioa.
(d) In~htd~ ~32,135 A~iele XH in¢cnlive eompensat~n e~cd piior to retirement,
(e) Ablo o~e~ of ~ed eompsmy or ~mpa nle~
{f) Ratlring AIx~l 4, 1956.
• (g) R~e,i Aprll 0,1~5,
(h) Ramun~r~ioa ~hown is ~r ~eriod ~ubsequ~nt to eI~t~aa a~ a dire0ter on April 6, ]955.
5

The amounts referred to in the notes to the above table a~ Article XII incentive compensation
were accrued as incentive eompen~alion (based on amount o£ Company profits), under Article XII o~
the B~Laws, as amended hy vote of the stockholders at thB 195I Annual Meeting.
fqo amount was set aside or aeorned during the Company's last fiscal )'ear for pension or
retirement
henefits proposed to he paid trader any e.xisting plan by the Company or any of its suhsldiaries to
any
officer or director of the Company.
The Retirement Plan for employees adopted by ~¢oto of the stockholders at the I949 Annual
Meeting
covers approaimately 18,500 regular fuR-time employees of the Company and its subsidiaries.
The aggregate amount of remuneration for the fiscal year 1955, rccolwd from the Company and
its
subsidiaries, dixeefly or indirectly, on an accrual haais, by all the directors and ofl~ce~s of the
Company as
a group, was approximately sixteen one-hundredths of 1% of the Company's eomolidated not sales.
MISCELIANEOU$
Any stockholder making written l't~quest therefor to the Secretary of the Company will he
fur~qished a
sm~mary of the Ammal Meeting which will he prepared a~er the meeting has been held.
Messrs. Lphrand, ~oss ~ros. & Montgomm'y have heen for many years the independent auditors
for the
CompaJly~ and are appointed by resolution of the Board of Directors. In accordance with the
Company's
customary practice, a memher of die firm of auditors wil~ attend the Ammal Meeting and respond to
questions wlileh may be ~shed by stoekilolders. Comments or suggestions by stoekholders with xzgard
to
the audit are welcomed, as they are with regard to ail other matters affecting the Colllpa~|y's
interests.
Flemington, N. J,, is ~aubed hy the Lehigh VsBey Railroad. The present train sched~o, which
is subject to ubaxJg~ and should be eortfilmed, is as follows: Leave Pemisylvaaia Statiort (~3rd
Street
and Seventh Avenue, New York, N. Y.) 10:55 A. M. Arrive l~emington fftmetion 12:08 P. M. Leave
Flemington Jonetion 3:22 P. M. Arrive Pennsylwnia Station 6:gO P. M. The Compmly will proettre
transportation from New York to Flemin~on by raiirnad and return by railroad or, if expresslZ
reguesge~
return by bus, at Company expense for ally stockholder of record desirous of attending the meeting,
on
his notifying the Secretary ill writing at t 1 ] Fifth Avenue, New York 3, New York, not later than
March 29,
1956, that he wishes such transportation obtained. If you do not plan to attend, yon are urgently
requested
to execute the enclosed proxy and mail it to the Company promptly.
Egpe~ae o[ Sollc~t~ior~. The expense of the soileltatlon of proxies for this me*ling,
ineluding the
cost of rr~ailing, will he borne by the Comparty. In addition 1o mailing copies of this material to
stockholders,
the Company will t~quest persons who hold stoeh in their lames or custody or in the names of
nominees for
others, to forward copies of such material to those persons for whom the3 hold st~ck of the Company
~nd to
l'eqttest authority foe the execution of the proxies. To the extent necessary in order to assure
safgcient
representation at the meeting, of~cers and some regular employees of the Company and approximately 5
employees of Philip G. Camerort Company will request the retttrn of proxies by telephone, telegram
or in
person, at an estimated cost of about $12,000. The amount of the expense to he horne hy the Company
will depend upon the volume of shares repl'eSented by the proxies reeeive~ in response to the
Notice of Meeting. If proxies are not received prompdy, it may he neccssaly for the Company to send
telegraphic solleBaBon to those stoddlolders who have not responded.
StoeItholders who do not intend to be pre~ellt at th~ Meeting are ~tr~ed to send in their
Proxies witho~t
delay. Prompt resoozme is helpful, and your cooperation v¢~ll be appreciated.
February 15, 1956.
g
