Daily Kennebec journal., 1918-03-18
PLAN TO BUILD UP
CHAMBER COMMERCE

There was a gathering of about %
members Of the Chamber Of Commerce
at the city council rooms Saturday
forenoon to listen to talk by FREQ
Richardson Of ths American City Bu-
1eau Of New York on the best methods
Of developing Chamber Of Commerce
founded on a substantial, practical
basis; one thta would be a real help to
the community and that could stand
behind any projects for the growth and
welfare OF the city with real lnnG-
ence.
Mr.. Richardson has been engaged on
a campaign in Bangor for the four
weeks Just past, where he has been IN
strumental in re-constructing the Ban
gor and Brewer Chamber OF Commerce.
He was asked to come here with ref
erence to the desire of the local Cham
ber to do something to help the Cen
tral Maine Fair to reach its coveted
status Of being the real State fair Ct
Maine.
Mr.. Richardson told of the efforts of
the city Of Springfield, Mass, the work
that had been accomplished there and
how it had been done. Their purpose
was to establish large center for New
England where the best crops and the
best stocks could be brought for exhi-
bltion and where people could go 10
get a new interest in agriculture. A
group OF 30 or 40 men went to Chicago
and met committee of the National
Dairy show TO come to Springfield. The
committee made answer that there was
no proper place for such an exhibit
that the stock was so valuable there
was no place to show 1T. The Spring
field men promised to have place
ready They organized campaign,
raised the money and had the place
ready in October and MIR. Richardson
told how they did it.
You have the same vision that
SPRINGFIELD had" said the speaker ana
if you are going to hold Maine YOU got
to go after that project as united
body. That is human engineering ana
can't he learned in n minute He tolu
Of the campaign in Bangor as re-
sult Of which there is a Chamber OF
Commerce with a membership OF over
800 members with annual dues of $2o
membcr, giving the Chamber working
fund of $1,000 and a pledge OF the
same amount for three years to come
munity what the community most
needs, you will find what course IL is
best to pursue 1t is not the function OF
tho boards of directors or executive Oh
Hcers 10 say what the Chamber or
commerce should do, but its the 1unc-
.,on Of the members. In the direction
of the campaign, the hrst WORK is "
build n program OF work 1or a iais
body Of men. If you give them some
thing definite t. do they Will go dl'ei
it, AS soon as the program OF the wo,A
is developed you can lntelllSehtly puitu
M committee work ana Win tnls pd7'S
YOU can have a working organization
that is permanent. A Chamber OF Com
mcrco needs a good manager ana thc
work of The Chamber of Commerce IS
a profession today. You need soou
man to work for you.
..\fter members have worked on
plan for a year they become trained
men and know how to work together.
Mr.. Richardson emphasized the need
of a spirit of hospitality and clted
case in Huntington where there IS
Community Center house, where farm
crs wives can come, take children ana
leave goods when in the city. Ihe
house was built by the Chamber OF
Commerce and furnished by the farm
crs.
When asked by II. l.. Emery what
guarantee of success he could give, Mr..
Richardson said that the contract that
the American City Bureau makes has
that point especially in view. Before
VIC go away you'll be running insti-
tuition. You report to the New York
ONCE every month. 1t is necessary that
you succeed. if not we are not paid
and no commissions come to the Amer
lean City Bureau. We are absolutely
dependent on the success of your or
ganization.
I'VE can put across anything" said
Mr. Emery. "but the thing is to keep
1t going. We have no use for anyone
that can't keep the thing going
I'VE first want to find out" said
DR.. F. G.. Thayer. "Of course we as
sumo we ought to have live organiza-
ton, but first we want to investigate
and find out whether he's got the goods
and can deliver them to us / renem-
Der the first thing that made Water