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24. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, December 20, 1967 SStrickman Denies Filter Test Report by NBC; University Is Silcnt hp 'rt W'.A i.L 5•rnaEr JoonNx e Sltr f/ RClPorf er NEW YORK-A National Broad'casting, Co. report that the new Columbia: University cig- ~ aret filter isn't significantly more effective than ordinary filters was vehemently denied by the filter's inventor, Robert L. Strickman. "A testing program now is being conducted ; by Columbia in its own laboratories," said I NBC, a Radio Corp. of America subsidi.ary. , "The testing is nearing completion and in- i dications are that the filter hasn?t lived up to l promise. It isn't much better-if any-than the I commercial filters now in use."' However, a spokesman for Mr. Strickman II ,said that the testing thus far has shown that !the new filter is a "significant improvement" over ordinary filters. "I don't know where NBC got its information," said the spokesman, "but. ~ they didn't interview Mr. Strickman or any of the Columbia University scientists testing the filter."' j Columbia University declined to shed anyy light on the controversy. A spokesman said the i University wouldn't make any public statement~ j on the testing of the filter until the results had! I been passed on to the U.S. Senate. Dr. Grayson Kirk, president of Columbia, appeared before a Senate Commerce subcom- 'i mittee in August to answer questions about the ~filter: NBC also declined to comment on the mat- ter. The filter, which Columbia announced in July, is claimed to~be70''o more effective than existing filters in reduoing, the tar andl nicotine content of cigaret smoke. Moreover, it's as- serted the filter has~ fn•ercome a problem that has prevented public acceptance of other hiThlh• effective filtcts.. The new filter leaves 'I the ta,te of the tobacco in the smoke, tts.propr , nents say. l.,.,-,._. ~V,