Evening star., 1933-02-28
WASHINGTON RENOVIZE GROUP
STUDIES PHILADELPHIA DRIVE
Quaker City Shows Good Results From
Campaign in Which $22,0O0yO0 Is
- Spent for improvements.

Back from q flying trip to Philadel-
phia with one of the most inspiring
depression breaking stories Of the times
Arthur B. Heaton and his group ol
renovize campaign investigators today
were ready to recommend application tc
Washington OF . tonic that already has
produced s22,000,ooo worth Of property
improvements In the Pennsylvania city
The story IS one of large industrial
city which, refusing to give up when it,
back was against the wall Of hare
times. began an aggressive. concerted
counter fensive along self-help lines
that has put thousands Of men to work
loosed the shackles Of idle money and
injected into the arteries of general
business a remarkably effective stimu-
liant
With its original goal Of SIS, 5,O00, ,00C
OF renoviung work quickly exceeded and
new goal Of SOS. 1000, ,0C0 almost at.
tanned. the enthusiastic Philadelphians
esti hate that the renovize Philadelphia
campaign, touching eventually every
phase Of business through the increased
flow of dollars will give rise to a gros,
annual business totaling ,s625. .o00. 900.
Work Is Outlined.
Chairman Heaton and a "fiyins
squadron" of local renovize campaign
leaders, including Claude w. Owen. vice
president of the Board of Trade; James
w. Hardey. chairman of the Advertis.
Ing Clubs special Renovize Publicity
Committee; Col. Leroy w. Heron, 8
member Of the clubs committee, anC
Charles j. Columbus. managing director
OF the club, learned how Philadelphia
did 1t during a six-hour visit to that
city yesterday.
In series Of conferences With lead
ers OF the Philadelphia drive. including
James w. Follin, general manager, and
George H. Thornley,, publicity director,
tne local campaigners learned that the
Philadelphia drive was heralded by the
biggest publicity splurge since Liberty
loan days; that an organization of 1000
canVaSsers made hotlse-to-house sur
vey OF $500 properties in the metro
pohtan area: that the survey resulted
IN signing Of pledges for repairing. re-
modelling and restoration work Costing
SO 100000; that follow-up system has
been instituted to check on fullfillment
OF the pledges, and that a renoyizinp
exposition Ito show property owners
what can be done at today's bargain
prices Is proving an important aid.
The keynote Of the Philadelphia cam
paign, 1t was emphasized, was not to
help others but help yourself" Prop
erty owners were not asked to make
improvements because the work would
aid employment or do somebody else a
good turn, but because it would en-
nance the value of their own prop
ertles and aid their own business.
Suffered Stagnation.
The campaign slogan was Good Bus,.
ness Tor You and Good for Business
When Philadelphia conceived its
renovizing crusade the city was suffer-
ing from severe stagnation of busi-
ness. Morale was at low ebb, Mr.. Fol-
I'm pointed out. There had been bank
olfnculties and hunger marches and
other demonstrations. Industrial lead
ers decided not to sit by and look to
the Government or some one else for
aid, but to take concerted action In
their own behalf.
Cleveland had staged a renovizine
drive with Indifferent results. A study
OF Cleveland's experience convinced the
Phlladelphians that the reason for fail
ure in the Ohio city was the lack of an
active solicitation effort as a follow
up to the publicity Advertising with
out salesmanship was ineffective. they
reasoned
Prof1ting by Cleveland's experience,
the Philadelphians decided not only
to launch an unprecedented publicity
campaign. but to follow it up by a
home home, business to- business can
vas for signed pledges.
Mr.. Thornley,, an executive of the