Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-24
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE:
A REAL WAR NECESSITY
Absurd Idea i'm Some Parts OF Coun-
try That Commercial Organiza-
tions Should Take a Rest.
LOCAL CHAMBER NEVER BUSTER
Keeping Up It's Bcforc-thc-War
Work While Helping to Win the
War-Such Bodies Needed Now as
Never Before.

An idea has gone forth in some parts
OF the country that boards of trade
and chambers of commerce and similar
organizations could we'll go out Of COM
mission for the period of the war
None OF the business organizations of
Richmond has taken on any such idea
On the contrary, the Chamber of Com
mcrce is right now doing the biggest
work of its existence. and is being
aided by the Retail Merchants Asso-
citation, the Business Mems Club and
! all OF the other Richmond organlza-
|, tons of that character. The chamber
while keeping up its industrial and
developmental operations. is proving
itself great power in winning the
war. 1t Is In the front rank. with
sleeves rolled up. when bond issues,
thrift stamp and Red Cross drives are
on. and, in fact. no war enterprise has
yet called for assistance that was not
ably aided by the chamber and by the
other organizations, and none Of these
have any idea OF going out OF COM
mission and relaxing their efforts I'm
any way.
This is not true In some other parts
OF the country. and here and there
these trade organizations are thinking
about taking holiday for the war
period For instance c. w. Roberts.
secretary OF the Henderson. n. c..
Chamber or Commerce. has recently
written letter to Editor 3dmonds.
of the Manufacturers Record. serious
~ asking advice as to whether or not
commercial organizations I'm the South
should be as vigorously maintained by
local people at In times OF peace. The
editor p.omp;ly replied that. in his
opinion these organizations should be
more literally supported by the bust
ness men of every community than in
times of peace. Mr.. Edmonds continued:
Tho one great, supreme and all
nf f- tha|
development OF our fighting power; but
this cannot be brought about except
/ through the combined activity Of the
people Of every community. There
must be some central organization
| around which all the forces that make
for war-crcatinS activities can center.
In these days the commercial organi-
cation of every community, il wisely
managed, VIII give a large part of it's
time and attention to things which
make Tor the development of war work
In this way these organizations can CO.
operate with the government; they can
quicken the thought of their own COM
munity; they can stir up interest in
Liberty bonds and in Red Cross work
and can, indeed. become the central
point from which Will radiate all OF
the patriotic life Of the community.
II should regard the discontinuance
OF commercial organizations as most
unfortunate for the welfare OF the
country. Instead of any commercial
organization being discontinued, I
think its activity should be Increased
The business people OF every COM
muntty should rally TO the support Of
these organizations, should have com
mittees constantly at work devisinc
ways and means by which the whole
life OF the community can be conferred
IN the things that make for the win
n'ns or the war. whether that be in
I lfvi inc - 10.
IN devising ways to bring about better
| food conservation, or in working out
plans by which the food produced in
the surrounding country can be
handled to the profit of the grower
wl,hout undue cost to the consumer.
inaeed' II there were no other work
before these organizations. they could
DC OF great value TO the country bv
Keeping the business community In
touch with the agricultural com
inunity. so that farmers could be mada
iuHy acquainted with the needs OF
1000 production and the consumers
I could be interested in devising the best
way OF handling food between the farm
/ and the town. and thus helping 10
avoid the losses which sometimes occur
now because OF faulty distribution be-
tween the farm and the city
These commercial organizations
could also keep in touch with the road
question, so that improvements abso-
iutely necessary to enable the farmers
TO market their products could bc
looked after. The ways in which com
mercial organiza tons can be made
se:Eiceable in this time Of war are 90
i'ii'i less that IL would be difficult to
enuEerate them.
r. rom the viewpoint of the indi
Vional community and the viewpoint
OF TIE nations ability to win this war
IN inc iite-and death struggle In which
we ara engaged. l feel, therefore, that
every community III the country should
more literally stand by its commerci,i
organization than it was ever neees.
sarg 10 do in times OF peace
war necessity"