Document gBK13ame73jLBvk9zqB2wyNJ

INTERNATIONAL SMELTING AND REFUTING COMPANY ( December 12, 1938. ^ ,j ^ PNYC00000118 Mr. Frederick Laist, Vice President, International Smelting & Refining Company, 25 Broadway, New York City. Dear Mr. Laist:------------------------------------------------------------- I was--sorry not- -to-be-able- to-talk various matters over with you last week. One of these that will need to be decided with in the next few weeks is the question of the proposed joint advertis ing campaign to be conducted by the Lead Industries Association. This campaign is designed to promote the sale of high grade paint, which, of course, means white lead. This campaign, obviously, aiU be conducted whether v/e join it or not. The mining people led by ft. Joe and the pigment manufacturers, .particularly the National Lead and Eagle-Picher Lead companies, decided to proceed and I think their decision is sound. They wouldn't do this if the chances of increasing the consumption of pig lead in c market where the lead does not return if they did not believe that the chances of success are good. Mr. VTormser has covered the salient features of this movement very well and I aa enclosing two copies for your consideration and reference to others if needed. Enclosed you will also find two copies of a budget in the amount of $250,000, and the preliminary break-down by companies of this amount. In this connection, you v/Lil note that based on last year's sales our donation to this fund for the white lead end ivould be v9,764.40. In addition, our refinery ouIti pay $1,040.00. There is nothing in the mining end for our company, because Mr. Worcser was unable to say what this should be. I presume you or Mr. Tfeed will have this, and I will appreciate your estimate based on the 40 per ton assessment. Personally I think that this pro posal is well worth trying. Of course, we are not down to the point where the actual advertising program is ready for consideration. I have, however, gone over this in a general way with Mr. McDonald and I understand from him that he thinks the fundamental idea is good. Further, Mr. McDonald has promised to attend the meetings and go over the actual advertising proposals with me. Of course, this is pre dicated upon your approval of the proposition. I would appreciate your consideration and if possible your opproval. Yours very truly, F0C:vlc enclosures (Signed) F. 0. Case (1) White lead is the most important market Tor the product of the lead miner today* (2) White lead consumption has been declining* It has a market today about half as big (100,000 tons); as it had in 1922 (195,000;tona)# because (a) White lead has been displaced in part by cheap substitute low-grade paints containing chalk, bary tes, sand and other adulterants, and because (bpWhite lead receTvea~intensive attack from the advertising of prepared paint companies who stress the greater convenience of using prepared paint, often containing only small amounts of white lead, and who do little or nothing to encourage the crafts manship,. the backbone of fine paint work* H (3) White lead is being promoted nationally by only one company in fac6 of competition from a great number of competitive prepared paint manufacturers* (4) White lead remains the finest paint pigment known to science and to commerce today* White lead is used (a) in paste form as the sole constituent of paint, or (b) as an ingredient of prepared paints (generally in minor amounts*} It is the only pigment that may be used alone with linseed oil to sake a durable, economical paint and in addition all fine outside propared paints require some proportion of white lead* (5) White lead is sold in concentrated form and competitively costs shout $1*00 laaa per gallon, when diluted to paint consistency, com pared with any equivalent high-grade prepared paint* (6) White lead will continue to loseits position in the paint ln-_ toatry unleaa some effort is devised to offset competitive attacks and :to acquaint the publio widely .with the merits of the product* tn White lead is also constantly subjeot to attack from the health Standpoint*. It ia'; proposed to correct this situation and to capitalize on the traditionally excellent reputation of white lead paint by coopera tively^ engaging -in a promotional campaign, including various forms af sales promotion* with the objective of not only arresting the iDwnward,tendency but increasing the consumption of white lead* campaign by showing the importance of white le&d to Industry Duld^help offset the constant threat of anti-lead legislation and vopoganda*. 9 *. ewe***#*#*#.** * **#*##* . # N14124.01