Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-10-07

known, the Harrisburg Chamber of
Commerce devoted all of its efforts
to helping win the war. The duty
of the new administration was to
aid, as much as possible, in the re-
adjustment and reconstruction work
that was necessary to put the city,
state and nation on a firm footing"
1.-THE Chamber of Commerce is
at all times equipped and qualified
to handle effectively. any emergen-
cies which may arises. In this readi-
ness to serve alone may be found
one OF the organization of this
kind
"The housing problem, probably
the most important is very diff
cult one. Undoubtedly the agitation
on the part of the Chamber was
largely the cause of the large in
crease in building permits issued this
year. The problem has not yet been
solved for Harrisburg. The houses
being built are neither sufficient in
number or of the right kind to give
us the answer. Much work remains
for the new administration in this
field. "---
lone of the important matters
started during the year and one
which was not included in the pro-
gram of work, is that of a federation
of charities. Everyone will agree
that there have been too many cam
paigns for money, and we all know
of a number now under consider
alton. The plan under discussion by
our Public Affairs Committee, and
which it is earnestly hoped will be
solved before another year, is to have
one big campaign, after ascertaining
the annual needs of all Harrisburg
institutions which find it necessary
to go to the public for money. This
would include institutions like the
hospitals the Children's Industrial
Home, Sylvan Heights Orphanage,
Y. M. c. A.,Y. w. c. A, Nursery
Home, Rescue Missions, Red Cross,
Salvation Army, and many others.
The scheme is much like the war
chest idea in use at a number of
places during the war. and the ad-
vantages are so self-evident that it
is not necessary to take the time to
point them out.
lone matter of great satisfaction
to your Board has been the wonder
full gain in members this year. On
January 1st there were 731 members,
and to-day we have 974, a gain Of
243, or 33 per cent. This gain. from
which has been deducted the normal
losses due to death, removal from the
city and resignation, is particularly
gratifying in view of the fact that so
many applications came voluntarily
and shows that an increasingly large
number of people regard it an honor
and a distinction to belong to the
Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce
and to participate in the work the
Chamber is doing for the welfare Of
the community"
The Chamber of Commerce CO.
operated with other organizations in
Harrisburg in extending to the re-
turned service men a hearty well
come, opening opportunities, to en-
able them again to take their prop
er places in the civil life of the
community.
EARLY in the year the Chamber
in cooperation with the State En-
ployment Bureau and the United
States Employment Service conduct
ed a census of the industrial enter
prises of Harrisburg and secured
from every employer the promise to
reinstate his soldier eX-employes.
Asa result the Chamber was direct
ly instrumental in providing en-
ployment for seven hundred to one
thousand service men. A meeting
VI all locai "eildre agencies also
was held in the Chamber offices,
through the activities of Chamber
officials cooperating with represent
atives of the United States Army,
and arrangements were made for CO.
ordinating all local efforts in behalf
of the soldier unemployed, with the
result that the question ceased to be
an issue at an early date in the pres
ent year.
Much publicity of a helpful ma
ture, through speeches at luncheon
meetings, newspapers, and the or