The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-21
TELLS OF ACTIVITY
 OF CIVIC CHAMBER Johnson Reviews What Has
 Been Done by Body THE CROP CAMPAIGN
Responsible for Diversification of Crops in State-Suggested Means to Relieve City's Financial
 Distress

l That the Chamber of Commerce Is a valuable asset to the city is set out in an interview with Crawford Johnson. president of the chamber who points out
 some of its recent activities. He calls att
 tention to the work done by the chamber 1 in the investigation of the city's finances.
 the establishment Of playgronnds the for
 nation of tax league and the crop di versifcation campaign that brought such
 splendid results,
 l "The work of the Birmingham Cham Der of Commerce has been of more value
 to the city than is generally realized.
 said Mr. Johnson.
 Few people know just how great is tho
 demand upon the officials of such an or
 ganization as Is our chamber; few people | realize just how active a part we arc 1 called upon to play in the affairs of tho whole city.
 l For instance. 1t is not generally known l that officials of the Chamber of Com
 merce have been of material assistanc, l to the welfare committee in their invest-
 sation of various local organizations. Suggested Means of Relief "A most notable contribution to tho ] welfare of the city was that of the Cham l Der of Commerce in response to the fe- l quest of the board Of commissioners ask ing that citizens committee be named l to investigate the citys finances and sub init plan which would bring relief and
 remedy existing conditions. This com
 inittee went into the matter thoroughly, 1 investigated the various city departments
 and made recommendation pointing to economies which might be made and sug 1 gesting changes in the present taxation l plan of the city. These investigations developed the fact that the citys affairs were being administered with care and prudence, with due regard to the wise use of the peoples money.
 Another contribution to the progress of the city was the work of the Chamber | of Commerce In establishing the play ground and recreation system; financial assistance by the chamber secured the 1 southern headquarters for the Playground 1 and Recreation Association of America,
 and made possible the comprehensive playground system which has developed during the past two years. This has been | curtailed recently because of the city's condition but the interest shown by every
 section of the city and the good results
 obtained make it certain that the move ment will be maintained and restored to | it's former basis soon the city's funds will permit.
 1 Another movement along entirely dif- l ferent lines was that of the formation of 1 the JeHpfSon county Tax league ana US
 a utilization with the Tax Reform league of 1 Alabama. The Chamber of Commerce was an active factor in this movement and through it's encouragement the leagae was thoroughly organized in this county
 and was d strong element in the forma- 1 tion of the state organization; this has re- 1 suited in material changes of the state l taxation system which were effected at 1 the recent session of the Alabama lesislA- 1 tufe.
 Crop Campaign
 1 Tt is directly due to the efforts of the | Birmingham civic body that the record- breaking crop diversilication campaign in 1 Alabama was made possible This move- ment started in Birmingham and spread
 throughout the state. Between 6000 and
 5000 people attended meetings i'll one day | in Jefferson county. and at the conclusion 1 of the statewide campaign more than | HOO meetings had been held in a5 coun- ! ties with a total attendance of more than | l5o0O0 persons. In this movement. active l cooperation was secured from business l men. bankers, railroads educational 1 forces. farm demonstration agents, the l United States government. farmers and 1 individual citizens of the state. The
 interest aroused surprised even the most sanguine. and one of the gratifying things l is that the practical results obtained have
 more than justified the efforts made. 'The exhibits at the recent state fair | plainly showed that the gospel of divers- l fication has been acted upon and that lasting results have been achieved. If l the Chamber of Commerce had done noth- l ing more during the past F months this classification campaign itself would have I justified it's existence many times over.