The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-04-17


port of the activities of the Chamber
fCommerce the past year, which
we reproduce for the interest it will
have for our readers and for the in
formation it contains. The report
follows:
! Since we met last year this coun-
try has entered into the bloody
struggle which for four years has
been raging in Europe. Our own boys
are not only in France but they are
in the front line trenches, meeting
the so-called shock troops of the
enemy and giving them hell as they
60 over the top.
This organization did not wait I'M
til drafted for war work by the Gov
eminent as every other commercial
organization seems to have done.
We volunteered that memorable
week in June last-two months after
war had been declared-and helped
to put Lakeland over the top in the
Red Cross Campaign. We have been
in it ever since and this office has
been and is now engaged in war &C.
tivities as follows: Executive Sec.
rotary of the Red Cross War Fund
Chairman of the Y M. G. A. War
Work Fund, Chairman of the Ma.
tional War Savings Committee. Dep
uty Food Administrator, Enrolment
agent U. S. Public Service Reserve
and Chairman of the Council of De.
Tense.
These activities on the part OF
commercial organizations are not
now voluntary, but such organizations
declining to take up this work are
considered slackers by the Govern.
ment-because the chief business OF
this country today. whether we real.
ize it or not is war, and all such
agencies and every individual mem
Der Of society calling himself an
American is called upon to do some.
thing he can to help the war.
need not remind you, therefore
that this work has added heavily to
the routine of the office, though only
few perhaps realize the heavy de-
mands made upon it. Our failure to
do all we could is only limited by
physical capacity for there s an in.
creasing demand to do more and
more. May | suggest in this connec
ton that there ought to be created
now in this organization an active
War Work Committee ready and
wiling to devote in a systematic way
some time to many details which one
man cannot carry out. Such commit
tees have been doing splendid work
in Tampa, st. Petersburg and other
places in the State as well as out
of it,
The Tourist business this past sea.
son has been the best ever. We went
after it hard and we got 1t. While
we could not do all we might have
done, with great profit to all con,
cerned we did the best we could with
what we had to do with. We have
entertained more than 1000 visitors,
over 5000 of whom registered. More
than half a million dollars is con
sentative estimate of the amount
these people spent here simply for
living expenses, while If these people
only averaged one dollars day
each for other spending the grand
total would be over three quarters of
a million dollars-three times as much
as our railroad pay roll This is bus
mess which is worth more than the
poor investment we make in it and
| am assured that if we areto con
tinue to hold 1t we shall have to
broaden our views and go after it in
a more aggressive and business like
way. We shall have to have more
attractions and better facilities for
entertainment or los out in competi-
ton because other good towns are
alert to the opportunity. 1t is a
commentary on our easy-going dis
position to neglect the improvement
of our lakes which at present are
not an available asset, yet which
might be a great natural attraction
to our visitors. Our little park is in
adequate to the demands made upon
it and we need more room.
Our new industries have made
great progress during the past year
The Iron Works has passed into the
hands of Senator Eaton who has de-
Veloped it into a splendid industry
employing large amount of high
class labor with pay roll isl 900
a week, with almost unlimited pos
sibilities.
The Collins Canning Co. are taking
care of all citrus fruit they can get
and are now equipped to conserve the
great waste which has been going on