Show It takes 10000 workers and a million dollars just to set the stage for our two big political powwows In Chicago some 50 carpenters are busy hanging colorful bunting and building sideshow-lik- e cubicles Beside them are 100 electricians installing floodlights power lines and intricate communications systems In San Francisco nearly 100 clerks recently arrived from Washington D C are buried beneath tons of memorandums and correspondence Nearby a construction crew is pulling giant cables uphill A circus coming to town? A Hollywood premiere? Well fit our both descriptions quadrennial national political conventions which begin August 13 in the Windy City and switch a week later to the Bay City The backstage powers who really moke the conventions tick — the estimated 10000 clerks craftsmen and technicians — have been on the job long before this however Their work started more than a year ago after civic boosters in Chicago and San Francisco successfully bid for the Democratic and Republi- $500000 alternates will daily newspapers alone About 20 telephoto circuits will send big show Included in the expenses are the salaries of a small army of workers and such items as the $6500-- a day rental for the arenas The great convention machinery was started by only 2 world moments after action conclaves Pride not profit was their incentive since politicians are notoriously close with their own money — and delegates pay their own expenses They’ll about a dozen clerical workers in February 1954 As time passed each party enlarged its staff They answered such questions as: “IIow do I get to see a con- spend about $160 each an average many conventioneers with an expense account could match without even padding Nevertheless the cities paid $250000 apiece to win the conventions The money will vention?” help offset the $400000 to each party will spend just setting the stage for the can red-blood- a request for spectator tickets from ed (Make either party’s national committeeman for your state) “What color do you want for your 8000 yards of bunting?” (Red white and blue! What else?) “How many delegates and attend?” (About 4000 Democrats and Republicans) As zero hour approaches workers are taking over from the office set For example at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago 3000 television employees are setting up equipment GOO blue-coll- ar and in San Francisco networks are constructing special towers to relay signals from the Cow Palace which is set in a valley Communications workers are also contributing toward making this the convention in history Their circuits worth about $2 million will be used by 4000 newspapermen who will file 15 million words a day to best-cover- ed pictures throughout the on the it will convention floor By this time most of the 1800 telephones have been installed for the two conventions and the special platforms and caucus rooms which require some 5000 man-hou- rs to construct are waiting now for the stars of the show — the convention delegates— to take over But when the last hurrah is heard and the spotlights dim the behind-the-sce- ne workers who'll have the last word— like the crew of 100 janitors hired to pick up programs and banners and sweep away tarnished promises and broken hopes JACK II Y A Y be Photos: United Press i -- W ' h wkcticot " V ! i' 5 7 ur iresnr MmflTHWXOlA 'VERMONT ? H®6£2 :v7T7iZry-— r XV5ii a -- r j - : jmg jF f WS fjLjAhX OREGOS — V Setting up for "favorite son" speeches fQJLL History will be made later - today it’s just another job By the time stars arrive $500000 has been spent Bm mm ' t- - A proud symbol for both parties gets special care A problem is to widen aisles enough for demonstrations And now the hero of the hour— the janitor! Family Weekly Magazine July 22 J35S 9 |