| Show it takes heap 0 aussin to make a hall into a H orne for major political parties parti es national conventions GOP and democrats work harmoniously on arrangements by AL JEDLICKA released by western newspaper union amid buzz and bedlam color and decoration and teeming thousands with their tingling enthusiasm america holds its great poll political tibal conventions vent ions ever every yd four 0 ur years As convention delegates e lega tes fuss and fume through the lengthy historic sessions millions of americans throughout the nation follow the proceedings ce with attention and even heat beat since either the republican or he democratic party embodies the principles they hold most consistent with their social ideals during the period of the conventions t ons well might it be said that the heart of the nation Is centered in the localities of the meetings bounding with the peoples delegates with newspaper men newsreel men and radio broadcasters milling to flash stories ot of the unfolding events to an anxious citizenry and with visitors attracted by the great spectacles normally cities compete t to 0 have the conventions held in their localities since the delegates and visitors expenditures for hotel accommodations food and entertainment and shopping in the business districts amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars but with the country riding the crest of a profitable war boom this year with housing facilities taxed and heavy demands made for limited stocks of merchandise only chicago actively bid tor for the conventions offering each party tor for expenses ordinarily it costs between and to run a national convention when both parties accepted chi cagos bids financial problems thus were added to other special wartime difficulties confronting republican walter hallanan ol of charleston W va and democrat ambrose oconnell of new york in making arrangements for the conventions on these two men falls the responsibility of setting up the smooth functioning of the meetings assuring orderly activity on the floor of the conventions vent ions and establishing facilities for quick transmission of news to the waiting world outside two old timers both oconnell OCon neU and hallanan are old hands at conven conventions pons oconnell having attended his first as a member of al smiths entourage in 1928 and hallanan his bis as a newspaper man in 1912 although red hot partisans inclined to admit nothing both men have worked together in making the principal arrangements since the republican convention of june 28 26 will be followed by the democratic on july 19 because of the heavy wartime strain on the railroads transportation posed one of the big aroble problems m S of this years conventions but the problem promises to be solved by use of day coaches by those within 6 hours of traveling time of chicago and of provision of extra sleeping and dining cars lor for accredited representatives from farther distances to assist delegates from hawaii to attend the navy will furnish plane service to the mainland next to transportation housing has presented another major biffl difficulty although both parties were assured of approximately rooms the republicans tor for one could use another in quest of extra housing hallanan has even 15 scoured Chi cagos out outlying lyng apartment districts for accommodations and it was reported that some good republicans offered to come to the aid by boarding convention attendants As it if oconnell and hallanan were not having trouble enough they have been pestered for accommodations by that type of individual who feels that no business Is so important as that of finding a 1 particular room for him even though all hotel arrangements are to be made by the head bead of the state delegation plenty of problems preparation of Chi cagos huge streamlined stadium tor for this years conventions has not been without its problems either until the citizens committee which bid to bring the conventions to chicago arranged to furnish the stadium for to each party hallanan estimated that the cost of readying the amphitheater alone would amount t to 0 not including rental 1 the services of over men working about three weeks are demanded for preparing the stadium canopies Cano pies outside the main entrances must be draped with bunting one hundred and twenty flags must be hung from the rafters to sway impressively above the floor three emergency hospitals must be set up and equipped with medical goods light and water A huge platform holding people must be constructed with a special conference room underneath it and of course seats enclosed within stanchions for the different state delegations must be put up elaborate preparations must be made to accommodate the press newsreel and radio especially this year when the two conventions will attract international attention already reservations have been asked by newspaper representatives from britain russia south america china sweden and french africa and in all about observers with their technicians will be on the job to describe the proceedings to the U S and world not only will the press be seated in front of the main platform but a special caal newsroom will be provided in the basement at both places telephone and telegraph facilities must M us t be established to send out stories from the building darkrooms Dar krooms will be constructed tor for photographers to develop pictures microphones everywhere important tor for transmitting the actual reality of the convention atmosphere to the world all four of americas great radio networks will make elaborate arrangements tor for covering every detail of the conventions contact will be made with delegations through tigh microphones on the floor portable equipment will be used to interview dignitaries throughout the entire building special booths will be erected to accommodate the radio commentators and facilities will be installed to pick up the rumbling roalnd peal of the huge stadium organ approximately will be spent by the parties to furnish newsreel men with enough lighting to take moving pictures ot of the proceedings with watt incandescent searchlight units set up enough light to illuminate a medium size town will be provided cameramen shooting from the high rafters this lighting must be arranged to permit shooting from any angle of the building without causing blind spots from rom too much light on any one point in making a success of a convention the little things are as important as the big ones and sometimes the little things cause as much bother as the big ones for instance oconnell OCon neU and hallanan have had their difficulties providing badges and tickets because of wartime metals have been unavailable for badges and it has been necessary to secure plastic material to convention wise ambrose oconnell there is more to badges than meets the eye for instance they must be to so designed as to avol avoid catching onto clothing and ripping it and all kinds of different types must be used to restrict the movements of the various attendant atten danty throughout the stadium tickets a headache too also because of wartime there has been a scarcity of certain paper stocks a condition of particular pique to bustling walter hallanan since it is necessary to print tickets on material that cannot easily be counterfeited incidentally in the distribution of tickets to the conventions each delegation is allotted a percentage usually depending upon the approximate distance of its state from the meeting site the idea of course being to provide more seats for those who might be able to come in by auto etc from neigh neighboring borin g regions civic committees which put up the finances to bring the convention to their cities also receive an allotment of ducats dubats unique in that this jears years conventions vent ions will be the second in the history of this country held during wartime wai time the first being in 1864 the impending republican and democratic meetings are expected to lack some of the nourish flourish and hoopla of bygone days however they are not expected to be bereft of all pop ular enthusiasm so easily stirred over a candidate or over the expression ot of a bartys outstanding ing principle stressing the hopes the aspirations and the achievements of 0 its partisans in their excitement over the swift stream of dramatic events often accompanying compa nying conventions even the soberest politicians and statesmen sometimes forget their r immediate immella te environment and lapse into what afterthought er must characterize as the comic for instance during the 1932 democratic convention in chicago ocon 0 connell remembers the heated fight fig ht over the election of a permanent chairman which would have demon strati strat ed the strength of the contending factions actions As the fight developed the mississippi delegation caucused caucuses caucus ed only to find venerable old senator pat harrlson harrison absent without further ado some members hurried off to his hotel and after pressing the urgency of the situation upon him hustled him back to the convention hall ball in his pajamas carpet slippers and bathrobe there to cast his vote As hallanan said this years conventions vent ions will be marked by the soher sober restraint of a nation at war once events have stirred up the attendants tend ants the enthusiasm may carry over into the typical hysteria ot of these great national meetings k ii t wk w y s wf ik iW w eswa WS wA r wy na 7 ag Jf lK mr ite MX clr at biily A ya 1 l it t nax f 18 1 A dozens of workmen ate preparing ft the huge chicago stadium for the coave unions upper left is pictured walter chairman of the republican committee on arrange meats and lower right ambrose oconnell Demore atio chairman |
