The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-03-11

Suggestions for the development OF
the Commercial club were made al
the annual meeting of the club Mon.
day night following a talk by Secre
tary Carl w. Ullman, who will leave
this week to take a position with the
Dollar Savings Trust Company and
First National Bank in Youngstown
Ohio.
Mr.. Ullman said: There are three
prerequisites for the successful work
of community-money, brains and
sustained interest among the member.
ship. Unless the organization has
these three essentials it cannot be eff
ficient in production.
II should like to see the thinking
people OF Richmond banded closely to-
gether in an organization Of this kind
that the organization may become OF
even greater value to the community
The organization Is now facing a
crisis.
II came here looking for a clean.
cut unuequivocal and properly sup
ported opportunity to bring about GER
tain changes of an economic and so
cial character in which this commu.
nifty like other communities stands
desperately in need, but under no
other conditions.
Nor did l come to see industrial
prospects receive sole consideration.
There have been prospects which
would have materialized had there
been capital available to finance them.
Richmond can only grow rapidly in
dustrially if our people choose to in
vest in local Industrial enterprises
rather than per cent preferred stock
OF selling corporations and gravel
road bonds. The Kilo Meter company
failed not because of lack of conf
dence In the prospective management,
but simply because of apathy. We
have put things over this year when
We wanted to, other things have been
left undone. No one individual or
any group of individuals is respon-
sible. Things were left undone for
sheer lack of vision in all of us, with
out which Richmond must keep on
running in the old Tuts of submerged
self competency
Urges Greater Civic Interest.
Il appreciate the support that has
been given us and l appreciate the
interest in the activities that have
been undertaken, but bespeak for
Mr.. Dill and my successor much
keener interest in civic affairs.
II wish to say to those who have
conscientiously criticized the organi-
cation during the past year that it
was not the fault of the machinery
here II things did not develop to their
liking, but rather because they did
not take advantage of their oppor-
tunity to discuss matters at member
ship meetings.
Il am hoping that during the coming
years more attention may be given
the surrounding country and that once
for all we may appreciate that the city
and country are interdependent."
Mr.. Ullman urged that the next pres
ident be man who enjoys the conf
dence of the entire community, and
that he sees that the organization is
adequately financed.
Mr.. Ullman said: Il should like
to see standard organization invited
to come to Richmond, revise the whole
scheme, change the name and if pos
sibie move into new quarters. Wipe
out the past entirely. Employ a man
Of ability as your secretary, revamp
the bylaws so that he would become
managing director and carry the larg
est part of executive power.
Broader Representation
'In this organization l should frame
the bylaws so that every particular
group of men could be represented.
would not only represent industry,
commerce, finance, agriculture, and
transportation, but also labor. Is il
not in the purpose of an organization
OF men such as you to take a definite
stand when a question affecting labor,
for instance arises. The condition of
labor is of paramount Importance to
the community. We know that there
is unrest We know that the old or.
der has changed. If the human ele-
ment dominates, and of the personal
element enters in, surely it is not only
within the purvue Of this organiza-
ton to take stand, but becomes
duty"
The report OF President Howard Dill,
who is also retiring from that office,
summed up the work done by the club
this year. No carefully considered
plan or program of work has been fol-
lowed owing to the unusual conditions.
The Williams Furniture company,
Auburn Spark Plug and Ignition COM
pany and the Richmond Copmercial
Club Training Detachment stand out
as tangible results. However, con-
sideration has been given to other
matters of even more material sig