The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1944-03-23

Every seat at the banquet table
was occupied (plates were laid for
1851 and this fact, in itself, is a
tribute to the work done by the To-
cal chamber during the past year.
President H. L. Mills, in his an
nual report which dealt mainly with
the last three months of 1943, since
he reported on the first nine months
activities at the fall membership
dinner, related the following six
major projects of the Chamber:
l. BULLETIN AND SPECIAL
RELEASES-The monthly bulletin
which has been published since July
1912, has now issued its Goth month
ly copy. The 1914 directory of or
ganization presidents of some odd
125 civic, service, fraternal and bust
ness and professional organizations
was again published this year.
3 MITTEE FOR ECO
NOMIC DEVELOPMENT - This
committee is surveying and study
ing local community trends and try
ing to analyze the post war condi-
tons that will face Hagerstown
when the war ends. Mr.. j. B.
Ferguson, chairman of the commit
tee has arranged several group
meetings at which outside speakers
attended, including j. Carlton Ward,
Jr., president of Fairchild Aircraft;
the Honorable Richard Sweeney,
Mayor of Hagerstown; B. Howell
Griswold, president of Alexander
Brow & Sons, Baltimore, Maryland,
who is the state chairman of c. E. D.,
and Mr. Felix Grissette, the regional
director of c. E. D. of Chapel Hill,
N. C.
The work of the committee is pro-
ceeding slowly but cautiously, keep
ing in mind the impact of sudden
change in our economic and indus
trial order. The committee recently
made partial survey of post war
manufacturing conditions in Ha-
gerstown. The summary covers %
representative manufacturing plants
from the largest to the more numer-
GUS smaller plants. Tentative tabu-
lations indicate that there will be
so per cent increase in the number
of people employed in the post war
period over the total number en-
ployed in 1889. However the report
revealed that there would be 40
per cent decline in employment over
present peak levels following the
war. 1t is estimated that 2506 men
are now in the Armed Services who
had previously been working in
these same plants. Local managers
Of industry assume that approx
mately 400 men and women would
stop working after the war due to
moving out of Hagerstown area and
housewives returning to tn cir
homes. Fortunately the survey
shows that there will be no recon-
version problem of any major con-
sequence. This is a distinct COM
munity advantage
8. AIRLINE SERVICE FOR HA-
GERSTOWN = The Chamber is
constantly on the alert to the end
that Hagerstown be placed on the
air map of the United States. In all
probability we will receive trans
continental and perhaps feeder line
service. To further strengthen and
consolidate this project l have APP
pointed a Chamber Aviation Com
mittee. Mr.. J. V. Jamison, Jr., is
serving as chairman.
f. LEGISLATION = The Cham
Der requested that the federal in
come tax form be simplified It has
endorsed the bill enabling our city
to purchase real estate for munich
pal purposes only. This would help
the city to carry out its postwar
projects. We regret that the legisla-
ture failed to take action on this bill
at the recent special session. Our
most recent step has been a resolu-
ton requesting our federal repre-
sentatives to inaugurate and support
policy of outlawing federal APP
preparation for projects of purely
local nature.
5. RETAILERS BUREAU-In at
tending the meetings of the bureau
l find that there is much enthusiasm
demonstrated on the part of its
membership. The meetings have
been very worth while and a num-
Der of important addresses have
been presented to the body on
| Merchandising Problems" TIL e
Retailers are united and their spirit
of cooperation continues to make it
self felt in our community. Mr..
Copley, who has been chairman of
the bureau for over two years, has