The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-04-20
THE CHAMBER or COMMERCE..

The statement attributed 10 President Nilos
that Tuls has not In fact a chamber or COM
merce but only the nucleus around which
real chamber may be constructed. naturally
contomplates that II IL the determined intention
Of the new president TO create the kind OF
chamber he has In mind. and Il affords an op-
portunty for al citizens of tho city 10
operate with him in eradicating defects and
strengthening the organization and conduct OF
an institution that should much 90
nlcipal effort.
In very conductive way The world de-
sires to offor some observations based crit
lcisms that reach II In great volume and have
for many months. The idea OF raiang a sub
stantial fund for uso by tho chamber Of COM
morco IN sound, providing tho fund when raised
IL not merely dlsSlpated In ornamental bureaus
and offices. II money raised Is used sparngiy
In tho matter Of overhead expense. and lberally
IN the matter OF achieving substantial things for
tho city. very great step forward will have
been made
II is tho almost universal complaint against
tho chamber that Il has become TO a very great
extent a mutual admiration society: that It's
time and money In devoted largely TO eating
and talking: that It ignores subjects that should
command It's attention In the interest OF mu-
to promotion schemes that smack too much OF
soifish interests
Disrcgardig the justice or injustice NJ these
observations Il must be agreed by all that such
Impressions must be removed And to remove
thom requires deeds. not words. Point to a
single achievement by the chamber OF COM
mcroe during the past two years" is a chai-
lenge heard whenever and wherever tho SUBJ
jcct IN discussed
Caudor compcls the admission that n most
embarrassing task is thus set a frond OF tho
chamber Possibly there has been something
achieved worth directing attention 20 In an en-
thusiastc way. but II so 1t must be discovered by
one more familiar with the inner working of
tho organization than tho writer
Certainly no charge can be brought against
the press OF the city that Il has been derelict in
its support. for day after day and week after
week and month after month unlimited space
has been given tho chamber and It's doings
But mere publicity OF this nature not only be.
comes trying TO the press. hut inevitably 1t ex.
cites ugly criticism from tho reading public:
because advertising inferior article only calls
attention 90 It's weakness, Better no adver-
t.ug.
The World thinks the chamber Of commerce
should bo made more OF a working. achieving
body and very much less a talking promising
body, II thinks Il should avoid subjects of q
controversial nature steer clear OF private promo
tions and schemes OF promotonal nature un-
less and until such schemes have been thorough.
y and carefully investigated and stand proven
to be free OF vast promoters profits. arc con-
seryetively safe and will result In municipal
benefit equal TO their cost
The chamber needs new blood--in copious
quantities. TO infuso new lifo and sustain the en-
thuslasm of rightly directed municipal achieve
montr The men who have carried the burden
thus far are entitled 10 great credit Tho re-
sponsibility for the chambers failure 10 do those
things that It should have dono-that It has
had the opportunity to do, rests equally upon
those who have not given it the direct support
1t entitled TO.
Members Of the chamber and officers ot the
chamber should neither in IL an opportunity
to advance personal interests nor should tho
directors permit any one 10 use Il for such
purpose. II should not direct It's Influence 20
the glorincation OF individuals. Because II a
chamber of commerce is anything more or less
than organization directed 10 tho public good
OF its community It becomes a positive menace
Its endorsements should he as iealously guarded
as those OF the honorable individual and In no
instance should go TO anything OF A contro-
yersial or partisaniy political nature.
The World sinccreiy hopes that President
Niles will very earnestly net about accomplish q
ing the reforms he evidently has in mind In
such work It assures him its unqualified and un-
stinted support II hopes that he viii be freely
accorded the support OF every citizen In tho
municipality. Deeds not woris-that Is a fine
Slopes sar the chamber TO adopt and live up to