The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-11-29
PACK THEATRE
AT BIC RALLY
East Moline All Agog on Eve Of
New Civic Era-Speeches and
Music Hold Interest.
fsnecial Moline servlee.l

With red fire and aerial bombs,
poppy music and speeches ana sing
ing. East Moline last evening was
nut on its toes for the Chamber o.
! Commerce membership drive which
started at $50 this morning. A
crowd that taxed the capacity OF
the Strand theatre heard the pro
gram of music, talks on CIVIC
progress and community PRIDE, ana
some 900 men and women, young
and old, vert away with a better
understanding of what the Cham
Der of Commerce stands for.
Dan E. Weigle of st. Paul set the
East Moliners on a new line OF
thinking. He stressed the potency
Of spiritual power, soul power, the
spirit of enterprise, in the building
of cities.
"Out of this soul power" said
the speaker, ''is developed the in
tangible qualifications which make
us worth while"
ITO speak OF spiritual power in
commercial and civic activities" he
declared, ''is sound business sense.
The spiritual power is reflected in
the quality of the people of com
1nunity. We want a lot of jazz. But
we must develop men to think. That
is the purpose of the Chamber OF
Commerce-to make men think. 1t
is to the interests of each man OF
a community to see that the other
fellow makes money, SO that he can
pay your bill when it is presented.
This unselfish way of thinking,
without prejudice and cut-throat
/ methods, reflects the spirit of en-
terpr&e. This spirit of enterprise
has to be developed among men
and gotten under their hides if q
city would develoy. The law OF uni
; versal brotherhood OF man has tt
be recognized to get results in the
building of cities. The Chamber Of
Commerce is the motor which gen
crates this spirit of enterprise. The
men of the Chamber of Commerce
must have vision to follow th(
moves of the worlds movement anC
progress years in advance and keel
pace. The Chamber of Commerce
must teach the habit of giving, anC
teach the habit of appreciation. Tt
give to the building of your com
mnnity is an investment, and tn,
money you invest will be returned
in service and civic development
far greater than the amount yo,
invest. A Chamber of Commerce
!. will do little indeed if it does no
return to it's members in servic
; the equivalent of the $50 member
ship Dues.
THE city owes its citizens moth
ing; the citizens are under obliga
ton to pay for it's progress"
Jean A Pope declared that eacl
man is dependent on the other
that the. city is dependent on tn
factories just as the factories ar
I. dependent on the city. Therefore
he said, it behooves all to worl
together in the common cause.
George W. Ross, who acted a
chairman of the rally, declares
that the citizens of East Moline ha,
reached the point where they mus
make a decision one way or tn
other. I'VE have reached the forl
in the road" he said. Zone lead
down hill and is easily travelled
The other ascends to the acquire
ment of things worth while" H
expressed confidence that the pee
pie would take the upper road il
the present crisis. You have neve
failed me when 1 have appealed +
you in the past" he added.
Thanks was extended the peopl
by Ralph StolZ, secretary, on be
half of the board of directors. Mr.
Stolz then read the designations o
all directors, including himself, Il
take effect when the new member
have been enrolled. A constitu
ton for the reorganized Chambe
of Commerce Will be adopted at :
meeting of new members next Mon
day evening. At that time ais,
directors probably will be elected
Earle T. Smith of the American
City bureau commended the peopl,
for their progressive spirit as indi
Gated by the hearty response a
the two mass meetings. He con
demned the knocker and Offered
encouragement to the workers.
He said there was bound to b.
opposition to the plan No program
that might be arranged would be
acceptable to all. said he. and there
will be some persons who will picl
flaws.
A feature of the meeting was the
| playing of the Young Citizens band
under the leadership of John "
Casio, and the singing of the Silvis