South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-05-21

enjoyment and comfort OF the com
munity life has been hesitant and
behindhand
While other cities have taken the
long chance. gambling on the brains
and Drawn OF its leaders and follow
ers. and built ahead OF the demands
or the present, South Bend has been
content ito keep step with events"
Today South Bend occupies the en-
viable and somewhat dubious posi-
ton OF being able 20 take care Of
another factory. no matter how val
liable 1t might be.
A Step Behind.
The merchant who buys only for
tCdays trade is in greater danger of
failure than If he overstocks. The
store that always is Just out" OF
particular article finally loses its
trade. The city that is not a bit
overbuilt is heading toward second
place in competition.
Like our national legislation, South
i Bend is one step behind its industrial
: expansion.
II is not good argument 10 assert
that this is a wise policy from the
Z fact that South Bend did not feel the
4 nation wide business depression that
z other cities did. therefore its lack Of
q facilities 10 care for its industrial de-
\ mands is a good thing The argu-
ment is not good because Los An
Z geles has not felt the depression, and
right on the eve Of the depression
4 Los Angeles built six thousand
& houses in 10 months. Then there is
Auburn, Maine, that did not feel the
8 depression. and Charlotte, North
d Carolina, and possibly dozen other
places that space forbids mentioning.
The great need OF South Bend is
i expansion OF the individual vision
and service OF its people.
Welcome Expansion.
When the United States Rubber
company wanted 10 plant a factory
in Villa msport, Pa, the CONNER
i cial organization OF that city had no
3 difficulty in putting over the housing
i OF the newcoming employees because
8 Williamsport had anticipated the fu-
. ture.
When Goodyear Rubber company
= wanted TO plant a great factory IN
s. Los Angeles. the pioneer spirit Of
that city was ready to give decent
q welcome to the great enterprise.
q Oakland. Calf. is now building for
y FIVE hundred thousand people. Wa
u terloo. Iowa has a department store
that makes the mail order houses of
4 Chicago look sick"
Il A leader can have all the courage
Of Columbus, but he could not get
y anywhere with pack of rabbits.
3 Think Behind Times.
The two indispensable qualities Of
4 a successful community are vision
4 and courage. Without these a COM
4 munity must die either from acct
q dent or fear.
i For so years. according to the
8 newspaper files and Geographic as
we'll as historic sketches Of South
Il Bend. this city has kept step with
q the pantry, but has always been from
q two to four jumps behind the dining
s. room. the bed room, the parlor and
81 the clothes closet.
y There are people who thing South
q Bend is too large now, but if they
u dressed as they ought, we would sec
q ling along the cowpath Of the past.
y transportation is not facilitated
y BY sitting on the brakebeam and
8 splitting sand in the gearbox.
n An eght-inch lateral attached TO
s a six-inch main pipe is not only felt
81 in the water pressure. but IL is ulti-
g mately felt in the insurance rates,
q the rent you pay for your building
81 and the price you pay for your gro
81 ceries. This happens to be an actual
81 condition in South Bend today.
y Quality Not Quantity.
ID There are other cities that are
II keeping their growth a stunted af-
a fair. but not many.
81 What is the answer?
"a The only difference between a cow
q pasture and a city is organization.
q The only difference between cities
y is quality Of organization and not
y quantity Build in South Bend a
q strong, compact Chamber of Com
q merce. we'll financed and supported
= by the loyalty OF the people and this
81 city will build for a future Of 500, 900
81 people and money Will be made on
n the program.
81 plan is a system that beats the black
81 board, and in community growth il
can best be done through the Cham
81 Der OF Commerce.
g Vision Lacking.
q South Bend has put hurdles in
N front of its mills and factories
ii through lack of vision. housing and
81 municipal equipment and II has fol-
d lowed the policy in the support OF
81 its Chamber of Commerce.
Despite the fact that the support
Il il has received is now mostly con
81 fined to cities Of $4,000 people, the
s South Bend Chamber Of Commerce
has been doing more for the com
q munity that have most Of the Cham.
q bers of Commerce throughout the
81 country that have received from two
n to four times the income.
81 At that. South Bend is paying
every day for the lack Of support
e given 10 its Chamber.
Al Here is an organization that is re-
q ceivng an income OF less thar
i SIS 900 per year. and witness wha
81 IL IS doing
q Ten Million In Month.
= When the railroad strike threat
q ened last year, the Chamber OF Com.
u raerce had the city prepared The
q number OF trucks was known. Sta
81 tistics as 10 the available essential:
II for manufacture. sale and sustenanct
n were tabulated If the railroads
q quit. South Bend would be Stoke
n and a fleet Of trucks and convey
Il ances were ready TO tide over the