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H1 LL ANI1 }1NOW1.I(7N, Confidential for Members PR No. 73-59 INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM October 22, 1959 Re: American Public Health Association Anti-smoking Resolution An anti-smoking resolution was approved by the Governing Council of the American Public Health Association in late session Wednesday night,October 21, in Atlantic City. (See attachment #3) Observers report that about half of the membership of the Governing Council (83 out of 160) was present when the resolution was considered. Dr. Malcolm Merrill, director, California Department of Public Health and president-elect of the APHA, was presiding at the time. He had just taken over the chair from Dr. Leona Baumgartner, New York City health officer, who had presided during consideration of other resolutions. When the resolution was presented, a motion was made and seconded to table it. Dr. Merrill called for a voice vote, and declared that the "nays" had won. He did not call for a show of hands. Without further discussion, a voice vote on the resolution was held and Dr. Merrill declared it approved. A request for show of hands was made, and an estimated 50 to 55 voted for it with 25 to 30 against. No official announcement of the count was made. The first news.story came when the Associated Press reporter in Atlantic City telephoned a story on the resolution to New York Thursday morning. The statement of comment by James P. Richards was also issued in New York and Washington Thursday morning. (attachment #1) As reported in Tobacco News Summary No. 205, Dr. Robert C. Hockett submitted a statement to the Resolutions Committee urging defeat of the resolution. (attachment #2) The Resolutions Committee made several changes in the original form of the resolution, including the elimination of all references to "causative" and the insertion of the word "excessivd" before smoking.- These changes are shown in attachment #3. Chief proponent of the resolution was Dr. Lester Breslow, chief, Department of Chronic Disease, California Department of Public Health, who earlier in the meeting gave a paper on "Occupattons and Lung Cancer." Hill and Knowlton, Inc. Public Relations Counsel Attachments 150 East 42nd Street New York 17, New York 0 cc: Tobacco Institute and TIRC Members PR Representatives Legal Representatives Community Relations Committee