The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-09-07
INFORMATION is CLASSIFIED

! INFORMATION IS CLASSIFIED
| These are only few samples selected
at random, from several thousand SINH
lar requests for information which are
coming daily to the Chamber of Com
| nerce offices from other sections. They
cover every conceivable form of indus
| try, employing every kind of skilled and
unskilled labor. They deal with every
kind of commodity manufactured. What
is done with them?
| The Chamber of Commerce has in it's
files classified information on the char
acter of business in which each one OF
| its 300 members is engaged. When de-
| tailed information is desired the acting
manager refers the writer to the firms
represented in it's files which can handle
the particular proposition. These firms
go after the business. Information of,
every description bearing on Birmingham
and the Birmingham district is on file in
the Chamber of Commerce offices. This
information covers municipal, industrial,
commercial and business activities. 1t is
so classified as to be readily accessible
for reference. There is also general lit
erature on Birmingham and the sur
rounding territory In this way the
Chamber of Commercials a reference bu-
reau for outside firms in every other
city. 1t is the distribution center for de-
tailed as well as general information
full business influence
But this is only the routine part of the
Chamber of Commerce work Its wider
aspects deal with a much larger theme
the general upbuilding of birmingham.
Examine the Chamber of Commerce pro-
gramme of work. Note the first point
in it's concrete SCHEDULED
assist in every possible way in secur-
ing for Birmingham an auditorium in
keeping with its population and CONNER
cial Importance"
The Birmingham Chamber of Commerce
financed, organized and led the auditor
ium campaign and put the auditorium
across. 1t handled all publicity connected
with the campaign.
CIVIC WORK OF CHAMBER
1t moulded public sentiment into unit
favorable to the auditorium bond issue
and literally crushed the opposition 1t
was able to accomplish this because its
membership stood convinced that the aud
itorium was a good thing fer Birming-
ham and worked together for it. Other
civic bodies joined and made the cam
paign a success and the auditorium an
early certainty. 1t is not the policy of
the birmingham Chamber of Commerce
to take a hand in politics" in the small
sense of that word But it's policies do
not restrict it to an acquescent, non
resistent attitude where the interests or
Brmingh are at stake.
When the open forum of the Chamber
of Commerce, the first of many future
meetings, went in record against the pro-
posed division of jefferson county and
branded the Pettus bill as a measure in
| furious to the future growth and devel-
| opment of the city the Chamber of Com
merce went into the fight without a mo-
ment's hesitation. But it did not move
until it had first tested the sentiment
| of it's membership on this important is
sue 1t did this through democratic
referendum among it's membership, and
at the open forum where both sides of
the question were fairly presented. 1t
found public opinion overwhelmingly OPP
posed to sicing Jefferson in two. Then
| it got busy AS the result of it's ac-
tive publicity campaign Birmingham
woke up in time to send a strong delega-
ton to the legislation to defend its in
verests All the civic bodies of the
| city lined up on the issue with the result
that Birmingham presented united front
to the hard working opposition. REPORTS
now forecast a defeat of the Pettus bill
| Another point in the Chamber of Com
! merce programme of work has direct
appeal to every resident OF the munich
pality 1t is this:
Assist the city school officials in their
efforts to provide proper quarters and
better educational facilities generally for
birmingham" This ink had scarcely dried
ON this point before the school bond is
sue doomed up on the horizon. The
Chamber of Commerce notified the city
Commission that it stood pledged to
better schools and would put forth every
effort in behalf of the school bond issue
The Chamber of Commerce asked It's
members to address the audiences OF NOV
ing picture houses on behalf of the
bonds. With the cooperation OF the
city newspapers, it presented the subject
in a convincing way. 1T asked its mem
bership to go to the polls and vote. The
school bond issue went over the top with
rush.
But it's work here is not complete. A
strong committee will be named to keep
in touch with the city commission and
assist it in the expenditure of this fund.
1t intends to follow up it's first stroke
with a thorough study of Birmingham
educa tional needs on the theory that an
intelligent diagnosis is essential to secur-
ing the proper remedies. 1t also intends
to keep on hammering away for better
schools, until Birmingham can boast OF
educational opportunities unexcelled any
where.
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION
Point Two: Take the necessary steps