Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-04-03
Much INTEREST SHOWN

Large Attendance of Business Men AT
Meetings Held Last Night to Or
ganize Retail Merchants and Pub
licity Bureaus.
| Enthusiastic meetings of the Retail
Merchants Bureau and the Convention
and Publicly Bureau were held last
right at the Chamber Of Commerce
The meetings were held simply to be-
gin definite organization. but it was
difficult to hold the desire for activity
back and these bureaus started actual
work. The meeting of the Convention
and Publicity bureau was especially
active, and reports this morning indi-
Gated that committees appointed al
the meeting last night were already
on the job.
The Rrfail Merchants were first
called to order with Robert (. Knight
in the chair. The roll call showed
that 65 members had already signed
up with this bureau. Mr.. Knight an
nounced that the bylaws provided
that the bureau should be headed by
committee of five, which the chair
man should appoint. He asked the
meeting to name this committee by ar
election, but on motion of several OF
the members, he was directed to name
the committee himself.
An outline of the field of work for
the bureau was then made. It was
shown that there was a big field for
trade expansion work if the members
Of the bureau would work together
along lines tried out in many other
cities to bring more people into the
stores Examples of where home
trade was greatly increased by foster
ing public sentiment to spend money
at home instead of in other cities were
given in detail. 1t was shown that the
real growth of Oakland, Cal, began
when a great buy-at-home mOvemen;
was started there. The people of that
city had been building up San Fran"
cisco at the expense of their home
city, and il was impossible for busi-
ness TO grow in Oakland. Property
values remained at a standstill Their
came the great Oakland movement
with the motto, Oakland. My City
First The people began 10 buy a
home and soon the stores OF that city
began 10 expand and today the retail;
district of Oakland compares favor
ably with San Francisco.
One of the activities of this bureau
will be to show the people of AlcE
andria that it pays to buy al home
Economy. reciprocity. and civic, pride
are reasons why every one should
support his home city tirss.
Another activity suggested was au-
tomoble excursions in nearby coun
ties to meet the people and slgges;
to them that they do more trading il
Alexandria. This idea will probably
be carried out in the near future. Plans
TO take over the old Retail Merchants
Association were also discussed.
' Howard W. Smith, chairman of thf
Convention and Publicity bureau
called that bureau together Immediate
" after the adjournment of the lie.
tail Merchants. He left the appoint
mcnt of the executive committee OF
the bureau to the meeting, and NJ. /.
Dinwiddie, J. William May and Pau:
B. Hulfish were elected The other
two members are Wallace Lindsey
and Mr.. Smith.
Steps to have moving pictures made
of the activity in Alexandria and rX-
hibitcd in moving picture houses were
taken and that committee is at work
today. The matter Of conventions was
discussed and various ways of adver-
tising Alexandria to bring more labor
here, people to build homes and apart
mcnt houses and to attract new. Indus
tries.
Tonight the Manufacturers an6
Jobbcrs' Bureau meets at 8 O'Clock
sharp, and the Agricultural Bureau al
.. $50. These are important meetings
and those who have enrolled. or desire
to enroll in these bureaus are request
cd to be present.