Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-28
c. or c. EXPANSION
POLICY IS OUTLINED
Enlarged Membership Will
Permit Bureau System,
Says Rudolph lose.

community support, coupled with tins
reorganization of the machinery of the
Washington Chamber of Commerce
win constitute an important factor to-
ward the success CT the extensive five
year expansion program of the local
chamber, to be inaugurated this week,
according to statement issued yester-
day by Rudolph Jose, vice president of
the chamber and chairman of the ex-
pansion committee.
In outlining his conception of the
program. Chairman Jose pointed out
that the object of his committee is to
analyze the job of the Chamber of
Commerce in the community and to as
certain in what ways 1t can be made a
greater influence in the general well
fare of Washington.
The investigation of the Washington
situation started several weeks ago with
the appointment of a committee head
ed by Jose for this purpose. A complete
study of the work of local organizations
of various kinds engaged in community
work was undertaken.
Scale of DuessShown.
The statement of the committee chair
man, in setting forth some of the facts
tlnsarthed by the investigation. reads,
in part; -
ton Chamber of Commerce are $40 a
year. Practically all cities of any size
above $4,000 population appear to have
standardized on $25 annual dues, with
the exception that number of cities
in Washington's class have dues from
$50 to $50 for the individual
I'VE found that most Chambers of
Commerce had amazing incomes from
membership dues as compared with
Washington, population. of course, being
taken into consideration. We also found
much larger number of members TAX
ing actual part in the work of the or
Ranization.
I'VE found in cities of 100 900 popula-
ton or over, and in many cases in
smaller cities, that the local Chambers
Of Commerce have developed a depart
mental or bureau form of organization
with an assistant secretary in charge
OF each. Practically all such organiza-
tons have Civic Bureau, to which
all civic matters are referred. They
have a Trade Extension and Industrial
Bureau, Convention and Publicity
Bureau and a Traffic and Transporta-
ton Bureau. Members we're given,
choice as to the departments they
wished to be assigned to.
Sources Of Incomes.
1--WE further found that the financial
support of these highly developed organ
izations came from two sources:
Il. From the membership dues.
20. Large subscriptions paid annually
BY the mercantile, industrial, financial
and other more substantial interests of
"A comparison Of what similar lines
In Washington are doing in civic or
ganization work puts Washington firms
at disadvantage.
I'VE also noted in these other organ
1zations, strong tendency to place
membership and financial support on a
purely unselfish basis. 1t appears that
the citizens of such cities have been
educated to feel that they owe a
responsibility of service to their cities
through their Chamber of Commerce
and that when q man is invited to Join
the chamber it was not on the basis
Of what he could get out of the member
ship, but rather what he could put into
the membership in. the way of service
70 the community.
Il would like to see the washington
Chamber of Commerce encourage MEM
bership only from individuals, firms and
corporations in tie city that can see
the Chamber of Commerce as a purely
unselfish organization for the upbuild-
ing Of the general welfare of the COM
munity.
For Benefit of All.
Almost every line of business has its
trade organization where there is no
thought of altruism, but where all
thought Is given to the bsnefit of the
particular lines of business That is
perfectly legitimate. But there should
be IN every community centralized or
carnations where msmbsrs do not work
for any direct benefit but for the ben
mt OF all. This conception of the
Chamber of Commerce has developed
very strongly in the last quarter Of a
century all over the United States and
the remarkable growth unquestionaply,
of local chambers of Commerce, Is due
TO this unselfish conception.
Our committee realizes that we can
not in single campaign carry out a
great program such as we have in mind
but over period of five years we can
do these things:
i. Build up membership where it
will compare favorabiy with the cham
bers of commerce in cities of our class.
2. Build up financial income so that
our Chamber of Commerce can de-
yclop q BUREAU form OF organization
and can adequately support a modern
type Of Chamber of Commerce.
Greater Personal Effort.
"3. Encourage personal participation
Of members in Chamber of Commerce
activities. The bureau plan is ideal to
bring this about. It must be done
gradually, but certainly 1t can be ac-
complished over a f1ve-year period.
a. To make the Chamber of Com
merce to live wire, dynamic clearing
house for unselfish community leader
ship, place that viii attract public
spirited men and women to serve in
repaying community obligations: an
organization that will have the. fullest
confidence of the average citizen, so
that when it is desired to crystalize
public sentiment quickly, here viii be
an organization whose motives will be
so well understood and its representa-
ton so wide that it can actually speak
and act for the community"
Y. w. C. A. WILL CONCLUDE