De Reszke Cigarettes

From the Halifax Courier, 24th December 1915.

Text:

Gentlemen of genial bent
Cease your lamentation
That you cannot blow a cent
On a pal's potation

Since the Rulers that you trust
Rank it a transgression,
Hospitable feeling must
Find a new expression.

Dash the tear drop from your eye -
Things are not so pesky:
Friendship may be fostered by
Standing a "De Reszke"! 

The World-famous Quality of "De Reszke" Cigarettes remains Unchanged and Unchallenged

"DE RESZKE" Cigarettes are neither reduced in size nor in quality. The only effect of the Budget is slightly to increase their price.  In actual fact the rate of increase is much less on "De Reszkes" than on any other standard brand.

Thus it would be false economy to substitute a cheaper brand for "De Reszkes."  You could not avoid the tax by this means. You would only add to the burden because if you are accustomed to the real enjoyment to be had through smoking "De Reszkes" you could never be satisfied with a cigarette of inferior quality.
"De Reszke" Cigarettes to-day command three fourths of all the trade in cigarettes at their price, a leadership gained and maintained through sheer merit alone.

Your Friend on Active Service!

If you intend to send him cigarettes remember he is worthy of the very best. So buy a box of "De Reszkes" and post them with your own hands. Then you know that they will reach him safely.

ONE QUALITY ONLY-THE BEST

[Table of prices for TENOR (large size ), BASSO (extra large size) and SOPRANO (Ladies' size).]

Your attention is particularly directed to the "De Reszke" AMERICAN Cigarette, which is recognised in the Trade as the finest cigarette of its kind in England.

Sold by all Tobacconists and Stores or post free from J. MILLHOFF & Co., 86, Piccadilly, W.

[The rhyme at the beginning refers to the 'no treating' order, introduced in October 1915:  no-one could buy a drink for another person in a pub.  This was intended to reduce alcohol consumption amongst working people - employers complained that drunkenness was reducing productivity (and so affecting the war effort).  Notice that the rhyme cleverly tells you how to pronounce De Reszke.   

De Reszke cigarettes had also been featured in The Illustrated London News earlier in December, in one of their 'Christmas in the Shops' advertising features.  

Presumably the tax on cigarettes had been recently increased,],