Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1920-11-11
HAENSEL GAVE
GOOD ADDRESS
Members of Board of Trade
Secured Valuable Ideas
From Talk.
RE- ORGANIZATION PLAN READY
Educational Campaign and the Mem
bership Drive Were Questions
Discussed.

DiStu~Stus
Nearly 100 business and profess
sional men of the city attended the
Board of Trade meeting held in the
city hall Tuesday evening, at which
time the work has so far been done
in bringing about the reorganization
of the board into an effective Cham
Der of Commerce, and the work that
still remains TO be done, was out
lined An address of unusual merit
regarding the work Of a chamber Of
commerce was given by Charles w.
Haensel, manager of the Port Huron
Chamber Of Commerce, that held the
close attention Of those present.
The meeting was opened by
short community sing" and this
was followed by short addresses by
Harry Gerber, president Of the local
Board of Trade, and K. II. Reece,
secretary, who outlined the work
that has so far been done by the
board, and who explained the steps
that are yet to be taken in bringing
about an effective Chamber of Com
merce
Mr.. Reece took up the work that
still remains TO be done in the re-
organizing Of the board, which con-
sists of an educational campaign
covering a three-weeks period, and
drive for memberships, which will
follow the educational campaign
and then the election of board of
directors for the Chamber of Com
merce.
Charles w. Haensel was then
called upon for an address on the
work Of chamber of commerce. and
community spirit
In opening his address Mr.. Haen-
sci stated that the human element
was all that there is 10 vofs with
in making a successful chamber Of
commerce. He then stated that cit
es were the product of men and not
\. natural resources, proving his con-
tention by examples. that -tha-larger
cities of the country furnished He
stated that Chicago did not secure
its growth from an unexcelled har-
Dor, but because men willed Chicago
10 become great city; that Michi-
gan City, near Chicago, had a much
better harbor, yet traffic went
around Michigan City to Chicago
Grand Rapids did not secure its sue
cess as a furniture city becuase for
ests were in the vicinity, but because
men so willed. Nearly 90 per cent
of the furniture made there is made
from mahogany transported thous-
ands of miles, he stated. Newark, n.
j., did not become the leather center
because cattle roamed the marsh
land Of that state, but because of
the human element; the same was
true of textile New England, which
does not raise cotton Detroit be-
came the automobile center because
men so willed, and not because 1t
possessed any great natural advan-
tages, but because far sighted men
there had organized TO promote the
city and acquired confidence in what
they were doing, and because they
were seeking the greatest good for
the greatest number; because those
far-sighted men were 100 per cent
residents of their city
He then asked the Alma business
men how many Of them were 100
per cent for Alma How many were
80 per cent, and stated that the as
sets and the liabilities of commun-
ty were measured in its men.
A chamber of commerce is not
only 70 secure industries for a COM
munity he stated, but to aid in max
ing the city beautiful" look into
the social and moral factors of the
community, to create an atmosphere
of progress, to create the giving
habit that makes for the greatest
good for the greatest number. to es-
tablish a custom Of appreciation for
civic work done
He then mentioned a few of the
things which the Port Huron Cham
bre of Commerce had done in this
respect, opened an employment bu-
reau, a rental bureau, traffic de-
partment. a road department, etc.
His address was warmly greeted
by the business men of the city who
realized that il was the best address
on the subject Of "A Chamber of
Commerce. that had ever been given
here.
Charles G.. Rhodes was then called
upon, and he spoke of the necessity
of cooperation in making the forth
coming membership campaign a sue
cess. He called attention to some
cards, which were being passed out
asking those present to sign them,
and TO indicate on what days during
the campaign they might be used by
the board. Every man present signed
and turned in a card, offering at
least one days service in making the
Forthcoming campaigns a big sue
cess, which should insure the Cham
Der Of Commerce getting flying
start.
Long and short distance moving