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| BALTIMORE TO TRY TO RETAIN SHORE'STRAD Association Of Commerce Seeks To Counteract Estranged Business Relationship NATURE OF CRITICISM BRINGS PROTESTS Executive Committee Met Tues-j day To Chart Course Associat- j ion Will Follow The Baltimore Association of Commerce moved Thurs. to counteract the estramgied commercial relations between Eastern Shore business interests and that city. The course the association will pursue was iplaced before the executive sommittee for action. This committee of the association adopted a resolution of its committee on trade relations explaining its position in the matter. Tlis resolution said: "Baltimore owes much of that which is best in its own citizenship to the Eastern Shore and the ties of blood and affinity and the possession of a common heritage and history are a lasting bond between the two areas. "We are confident that the citizens of the Eastern Shore will appreciate the fact that the' citizens of Baltimore cannot control the contents or comments of the newspapers. "The members of "the association of commerce share the entirely justified indignation of the people of the Eastern Shore that the serious crime of the relatively few has been used as an excuse or opportunity for indiscriminate denudation of the people of an entire section." The reported wide spread severance of business connections with Baltimore is interpreted as the Eastern Shore's reaction to the nature of the criticism directed at the people on this side of the Chesapeake by the press, ministers and several organizations in Baltimore, an apology has been demanded by the Shore. A Trade Relations committee of the association met Monday to discuss the situation and review protests made to tbje association by business interests on the Shore and in Baltimore. As the result of this meeting Joseph P. Healy, committee chairman, issued the following statement: "The Baltimore Association of Commerce naturally is interested in maintaining and promoting close commercial contact and harmony with the citizens and business men of the Eastern Shore. During the last few days the association has received numerous communications from public and iprivate interests t-i the Eastern Shore and from its members in Balti-moer, relative to a proposed commercial boycott against this city. "The matter was referred by the president of the Association to the already existing committee on trade relations, organized with a representative state membership, to expand business relations between the city and its immediately surrounding area. "The committee discussed the matter fully today, and its comments and recommendations will be submitted to a special meeting of the executive committee, which will probably be held shortly. "The above is the only official statement that I as chairman of this committee am able to make this time." Business men throughout the Eastern Shore are severing connections of many years standing with the retail and wholesale houses and the industries in Baltimore. These Baltimore concerns are being told not to send their salesmen to make their periodical calls since there will be no orders placed with them. The movement is not confined to Salisbury but reports from many of the larger Shore towns are of the same import. The business is being diverted to Wilmington, Philadelphia and New York. The business interests of the Eastern Shore do not hold Baltimore businesses directly responsible for the damaging nature of the criticism coming from the press, the ministers, organizations and individuals of Baltimore, it was explained, but do feel that business men of the city have done nothing to temper or suppress it, when they could have taken such action. In these days of business stagnation, the loss of Eastern Shore business may mean the difference between profit and loss for many Baltimore businesses, and the severing of such relationship will be sufficient pressure to change the attitude of influential Baltimoreans toward the Eastern Shore, sponsors of the movement state. The belief is being frequently expressed that such unjustified criticism emanating from Baltimore is tending to undo much of the accomplishment of the Del-Mar-Va Eastern Shore Aysociation and the various chambers of commerce on the shore. In this work the Eastern Shore has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars. One Baltimore newspaper which has for several days featured these criticisms has been burned or thrown into the streets in some of the towns before the papers could be placed on sale at the newsstands. |