New Britain herald., 1918-11-18
Commerce CHAMBER
HAS HELPED GOVT.
Activities Must Now Be Directed
Toward Boosting New Britain

Pertinent extracts from the annual
the chamber of commerce, prepared
for it's members, shows that during
the past IL months the organization
has devoted much of its energy to-
toward aiding the government in the
various campaigns, food production,
conservation, etc. with the approach
Of peace the organization looks for
ward to a new era of practical de-
velopment for the general good of the
city A resume of the report fol-
lows:
THE New Britain Chamber of Com
merce completed it's fourth full year
on October /, 1918. A year ago the
conditions looked anything but favor
able but with the untiring efforts of
Acting President w. w. Leland a
large majority of business men were
held in line and with the final cleo
ton of z. w. Pelton as president the
factory interests were brought to-
gether unitedly and the entire or
ganization was brought out of its
weakening condition
Works to Secure Friends.
devoted almost entirely to an attempt
to know your business men, TO know
your particular business conditions
and to analyze these conditions in the
light of why the chamber has failed
to retain the support of every busl-
ness man. It has been due largely
I feel to two causes: the first, a mis-
understanding on the part of many Of
he 1le1I IA
and the second to a lack of feeling on
| the part of some that what they got
out of the chamber must be measured
in terms of what they put in. My
first remedy was then to visit every
proprietor as could, to talk with him
to admit that his grievances were fair
and just, and to change his attitude
of mind. This in many cases where
he has not been an active member for
nearly two years. Your secretary has
tried and I think succeeded partly in
creating a different Interpretation Of
this feeling towards the chamber. My
second task was to attempt to con-
vince the merchant and the business
man that he must not sit back in his
| chair and think-why doesn't my bus
iness increase now that the chamber
has started in again, why is that I
| have to pay dues every year and at
the end of the year I feel that I
| haven't had my moneys worth? just
| SO long as the member gauges the
| chamber by this manner Of thin king
| just so long will your present Secre-
! tary, or any other secretary whom you
| might obtain, be powerless to build UP
| chamber like the ones we learn of
| in any progressive city.
Cooperates With Government. 70
For the last year your chamber has
| devoted a great deal of it's energies
| to helping the government The Lib
| erty, loans, the thrift stamps, the Red
| Cross drives, the home gardens and
| canning movements, the food conser-
| walton program, the fuel savings and
| all these were first and foremost in
| our minds and though the chamb
| itself has not always been the means
| through which this work has been car
| ried out, still its members have been
| actively engaged and that has found
| the support of the entire organization
| Perhaps the ost notable of these was
| the home gardens and war gardens;
| with it's efficient committee the num-
| Der of gardens this Year was practi-
| cally doubled, 500 to 1850. A splendid
showing when you consider that an
estimate production amount to $4,000
bushels as compared with $500
! bushels Of potatoes alone and all crops
valued at $4,000 as to $1,000 last
! year. Your secretary strongly recon-
| mends that the same work be carried
| on next year and that the present
committee be appointed to carry on
| the work, throughout the entire year.
Along with this progressive work.
came the establishment of the Ameri-
can 1atlon Bureau, New Britain being
one Of the first cities in the state to
organize and proceed with this excel
lent work. Much credit should be
given to Stanley H. Holmes, your