Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-08-28
NO EXTRA SESSION
FOR ADVERTISING
State Chamber of Commerce Rejects
Expensive Plan

The Virginia State Chamber of i
Commerce has declined to join in the |
movement now under way to have
Governor Trinkle call a special ses-
sion of the General Assembly to Sc
cure an advertising fund to counter
act the exodus of hundreds of Vir-l
ginians to Florida. despite the fact
that the plan called for the direction
of the campaign through the Vir-
ginia State Chamber of Commerce.
Major Leroy Hodges, managing di-
rector of the Virginia State Chamber
of Commerce has made this clear
in letter to w. B. Shafer, Jr., of
Norfolk, who with others have APP
pealed to Governor Trinkle to call
the General Assembly in special ses-
sion to counteract Florida Advertis-
ing"
In their appeal to the governor,
the proponents of the plan, which
asks the State to finance an advertis-
ing drive, point out that hundreds of
virginians are leaving. selling their
Virginia investments and taking the
money with them
While heartily approving an all
State advertising fund, and acknowl-
edging the necessity of this move
ment, Major Hodges states that indi-
vidualc cnp,p,upst;oe o,d h,.;~o.a
interests of all Virginia should unite
their efforts to secure a pooled all
State advertising fund. instead of diff
fusing the energies of the entire
State in overlapping, unrelated pub
licity undertakings.
In part his letter to Mr.. Shafer fol-
lows:
"A question of this sort must be
considered from every angle, and l
frankly do not believe that the best
interests of the State would be served
by calling a special session of the
General Assembly for this purpose at
this time
governor could be induced to call a
special session. it would be necessary
that he give at least 80 to 60 days
notice before converting the legisla-
ture. Again, even if a special ses-
sion should be called, l have very
grave doubt, in view of the treasury
deficit oopfroo+;,o, H. c.o+o 80 ~
members of the General Assembly
would fayorably consider making an
appropriation for State advertising
purposes. A special session, of it
self. would cost at least $4,000; and
with the regular session of the Gen
eral Assembly following within two
or three months, when the biennial
State budget must be considered.
there is. when all things are consid-
cred, little to justify an extra ses-
sion.
THE Virginia State Chamber of
Commerce has a well organized and
competent department of publicity,
which may be provided for conduct
ing an intensive nationwide or even
world encircing advertising cam
paign in the interest of the Old Do
minion. The results which the State
Chamber has accomplished with the
limited funds at its disposal during
the last year is sufficient evidence of
what it could accomplish if adequate
funds were had
when Virginians awaken to the
fact that in Virginia we have the
greatest advertising potentialities of
any State in the Union, and we get
away from our sectional provincial
ism, 'AIl-Virginia' will move more
rapidly forward.
Instead of diffusing our energies
in unrelated and overlapping public
ity undertakings. and in attempting
to call an unnecessary special session
of the General Assembly, it would
better serve the State if we would
all-individuals, communities and
business ts-concentrate our
efforts in securing a pooled ALI
State" advertising fund to which the
General Assembly at it's regular SEES
sion might be asked to contribute.
What State-other than Virginia
-of all the states of America has
within its borders a jamestown, a
Yorktown and an Appomattox; or a
Hampton Roads on its seaboard,
Valley of Virginia between its noun
tain ranges, and the vast mineral
wealth at its upper end such as vir-
ginia possesses in its great south
west?
Again. what State has within its
borders a Mount Vernon, an Airing
ton, and Monticello? And what
State, with such possessions as these,
is located within 500 miles of nearly
so millions of people with unrivalled
recreational facilities both in it's
mountains and on its seashores?"
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