The Rotary Balita no. 708 (November 6, 1952)

"The American revolution that resulted in the United States was conceived and planned over cups of coffee and the coffee shops in the thirteen colonies from Massachusetts down to Virginia served as the meeting places of the leaders of the American revolt against the British," declared C. Dewitt Dyckman, Technical Consultant of the Commonwealth Foods, Inc. He related how the fabulous Llyods of London began as a coffee shop which became the meeting place of London importers, exporters and shipping people who conducted their business over cups of coffee and eventually ended in gambling on the safe arrival, or non-arrival of shipments from all over the world and from which developed the origin of insurance or at least maritime insurance. He claimed that more money is spent on coffee advertisements and promotions than all soft drinks promotion and ads combined. Dyckman denied that coffee is the cause of sleeplessness. He explained that a good coffee contains less caffeine than a bottle of any of the well-known Cola drinks. It takes 96 cups of black coffee in order to take an ordinary dose of caffeine. Therefore, he continued, the infinitesimal content of caffeine in a few cups of coffee cannot possibly cause sleeplessness. Most people, he said, who cannot sleep because of headache will usually take a pill of Cafe-aspirin or any other headache remedy which contains more caffeine than fifty cups of black coffee, yet such headache sufferers will sleep soundly after being relieved by a little pill. He said further that it is the adulterated coffee that causes sleeplessness. He said that coffee is a dollar producing export for the Philippines. The one great asset of the coffee industry lies in the fact that in the United States it is a universal drink. The people of the United States drink more coffee than all beverages put together and that includes fruit juices, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages combined. Today and in the past, Dyckman stated, the Philippines seems mainly concerned in the exportation of Philippine sugar and a few other export products in spite of the fact that in the coming years, the United States as a market for the handful of Philippine products will become, most discouraging. With the exception of abaca, the few other major items of Philippine exports will find it increasingly difficult to compete in the great American market. It is evident, therefore, that the Philippines must necessarily adopt an extensive and intensive program of diversification of production. "Coffee should be at the top of the list," he said. "It grows successfully in countries close to the equator and grows best in volcanic soil. A very interesting fact about coffee is this - it thrives best in soil not suitable or desirable for other major agricultural products. For example, in the Philippines, coffee plantations do not have to supplant or occupy important rice land and sugar land mainly because coffee can be cultivated on hillsides or plateaus with the elevations way above sea level from 1000 feet and upwards." He continued that the Philippines could produce coffee rapidly for domestic consumption and endeavor to produce a substantial surplus for export to the world markets, particularly to the United States. This, he admitted, will save and earn precious dollars so important to the economy of the Philippines. Four "Babies" were inducted. They were Earl Carroll, sponsored by Danding Romualdez; Teodoro Evangelista, sponsored by Dan Gomez; R. R. de la Cruz, sponsored by Pete Teodoro; and Ephraim Gochangco, sponsored by President Hans Menzi. Finer Leroy Young did a fine job. Tony Rocha who was appointed consul for Chile, was first congratulated then fined the sum of ₱78.00. For the importation of cigarette lighters for this Christmas season, Joe Orosa was fined ₱25.00 while Edwin Varland of the Philippine Match Company who sat near him, was fined ₱25.00. Vic Buencamino was fined ₱25.00. Art Tanco, Jonby Carlos and Peg Green, for an uncalled for poster, were each fined the amount of ₱10.00. Yao Shiong Shio, for his successful trip to Taipei, was supposed to be fined but being a regular contributor to the fines box, he was instead given a round of applause Peter Lim who was with Yao was fined ₱100.00.