THE TRAFFIC FIELD PART III COMMUNITY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT J. P. HAYNES 'Traffic Commissioner, Sioux City Commercial Club, Sioux City, Ia. THE TRAFFIC FIELD PART III COMMUNITY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT Introduction-Historical Antecedents-Commercial Asso- ciations-Development-Federation-Purpose tion for the City-Competition of Localities-Coöperation INTRODUCTION The type of organization usually known as an "association of commerce," "chamber of commerce," or "merchants' exchange" of a given locality, furnishes a field for community traffic management. Too often, such an organization is only a social club. Its rooms, on one of the main streets, are equipped with comfortable lounging chairs, one or more billiard or pool tables, a more or less complete library, and copies of such publications as The Illustrated London News, Life, and Judge. The organization has no definite program or constructive policy, and failure to put before its membership local problems worthy of consideration accounts, as a rule, for its natural death, notwithstanding the enthusiasm which may have attended its establishment. The appellation "business men's club," "chamber of commerce," or the like, to such an organization is a misnomer. Yet such is the situation, especially in the smaller communities. A competent business or traffic manager has, in many cases, restored such a languishing organization, and made it a power in the community, and an essential factor in the success of its members. HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS Commercial Associations In the recent years of progress, chambers of commerce have become important factors in the growth and welfare of our cities. In this country the term "chamber of commerce" is used interchangeably with "board of trade" and "commercial club," to signify a typical association of business men. These associations and commercial organizations are not of recent origin, but date back to the merchants' guilds of the twelfth century. History shows that the name "chamber of commerce" was applied for the first time to an association of merchants of Marseilles during the fifteenth century. The first board of trade was formed by Charles I of England in 1636. These early organizations were closely affiliated with the government, and, to some extent, this is true of modern European organizations of a similar type. Development In this country, the State of New York, City, is the oldest. Chamber of Commerce of the founded in 1768 at New York Boston and Philadelphia soon |