The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-07-06
Effort Demands of MIRA AAnd Extra Time
 F ails To Halt Work
Department Saved Persons $lO, ,70O Waterbury Ninth in Inter-Chamber Health Drive

Continued progress in it's regular activities despite the extra time and effort demands of the MIRA is shown in the annual report oi the. Waterbury Chamber of Com. merce. compiled by Secretar, Frank Green and approved b, President David B. Meth and past President Patrick Healey.
 From July 21, 1893, until May 27, 1885. the Chamber of Com merce building was a center oi MIRA activity and the Chamber personnel was used in handling MIRA affairs of many and varied kinds.
 Investigations by the Chamber of Commerce during the year from July 1st, 1884. to June 30th. 1895, saved many Waterburians from be- ing fleeced of funds. Among frau duIent schemes halted during the year were: the securing of adver- Using by a non-existant newspaper, sale of articles from house to house with the proceeds supposedly going partly to an orphanage, member ship in a fake protective associa- tion."
 The Merchants Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce continued to aid local retail merchants. An MIRA" sale day was held, as well as two Waterbury Days. The last Waterbury Day found GA firms par ticipating.
 The annual report in part fol- lows:
 FOrewOrd
 New theories of governmental relation to business, which early in 1883 began to impress notable new influences on all the agencies of business, while not altering the basic purpose of the Chamber of Commerce as the clearing house for problems of business, industry and the community as a whole, did greatly multiply the activities and increase the responsibilities of the chamber.
 Being set up as going concern allied with commerce and industry. the chamber was naturally sought by the federal government as the local nerve-center for the new pro- grams linking government with business. The MIRA, with multi tudo of subordinate agencies. is, of course, the chief of the new forces reaching out to affect the entire business structure. More recently, the Federal Housing Administra- tion, now engaged in campaign to stimulate building and allied lines, has become a major concern of our organization. Charles J. Allen is chairman of this commit tee of which the following are members: J. Francis Smith. c Dana Tyack and Frank J. Green.
 None of these activities, of course, has curtailed in any degree the pre- existing services of the chamber, which has pursued it's es- tabiished policy of Investigating and restraining fraudulent or ir- regular practices offensive to hon orable business concerns and dam aging to the community. And through the Merchants Bureau, the organization has sponsored ap- proved promotions, and has served as an intermediary between certain customers and members of the bu- reau. to bring about adjustments satisfactory to the member mer- chants, through cooperation of our own credit bureau.
 Miscellaneous activities over and above the routine schedules have been innumerable.
 MIRA
 With MIRA established and made effective by act of Congress in the spring of 1893. the Waterbury Chamber of Commerce was called on. by a telegram July 21, 1893 from General Hugh s. Johnson, the national administrator, to organize MIRA in the Waterbury district and direct the international and educs tional campaign. The question of the merits or demerits of any of the government policies was not, nor has it ever since been, in our province to comment upon. Con-