Evening star., 1937-08-22
Board of Trade Takes Lead
as Business Men Make
Advantages Clear With
Stream of Literature and
Letters Presenting Offers
Of Hospitality.

laughing matter to the committee
when a convention goes elseWhere-as
happened on one occasion-because
John t"is laid up with rheumatism
and it's maybe the last convention he
can attend, so We ought to have it in
his home town. or perhaps because
some retiring officer wants to secure
the convention for his own city as
final gesture before leaving official
life
These are the personal consider
ations. At other times certain cir
cumstances having to do with the
nature Of the convention determine
the suitability of the locality chosen.
Some cities. with large convention
halls or floor space for display, can
accommodate commercial groups or
medical groups that cannot convent.
emily meet where these advantages are
not availa BILE.
WASHINGTON secures, largely, ma
tional or international conven-
tions, with certain percentage Of
regional groups. differing thereby from
States that entertain their own State
groups. About 200 conventions on an
average, come to Washington through
out the year, and they bring with
them as many as 10000 or 100000
delegates. The average stay is from
three to five days. and the number In
the various groups varies all the way
from $50 delegates to 5000. Three of
the largest conventions ever to have
come to the Capital we're the Masorls.
the kiWanianS and the American
Nurses Association. This last group
was made up of 5000 delegates.
The executive director Of the
Greater National Capital Committee
and other officials of the Board of
Trade travel thousands of miles
annually in their efforts to round up
conventions for the city A complete
record is kept of the activities OF all
likely looking convention groups, and
an effort is made to contact them
personally whenever this is feasible
For example, if the card attached to
the case history file of a certain
organization indicates that this Or
ganization is holding a meeting of
officers in New York on a certain date,
arrangements are made to get in touch
with that official gathering before the
members return home.
1t may be that New York City
which is headquarters for many ma
tional anizations-promises to be
fruitful territory because several meet
ings are due to be held, during which
convention plans will be discussed by
officers. A member of the COM
-arranges schedule that will take
in all the groups during his stay
in that city. 1t is not unusual for
him to make as many as 200 or 900
telephone calls during the course of
his stay. in his efforts to get in touch
with individuals who may be helpful
in securing the interest of the group.
Sometimes, when circumstances seem
to warrant, personal contact is made
with the preside t or another officer
OF the organization or group, or the
Board Of Trade official may address
the gathering and offer the suggestion
that they make Washington their next
convention city
EVERY advantage is taken of these
visits to groups meeting in other
cities prior to their convention dates.
The procedure is different on every oc-
casion, for one cannot make the same
appeal to group Of educators, let
us say, whose sole interest in meeting is
scientific, as he may make to social
groups bent only on having a good
time. According to the mood and
temper of the delegates is the appeal
made. Perhaps attractive young
ladies are engaged to go through the
meeting rooms, offering large buttons
which herald the invitation, Come to
Washington" or perhaps musician
is engaged to charm with violin or
accordion while silently proclaiming
the hospitality of the Capital City by
means Of banner across his chest.
Whatever the means, they are we'll
chosen, for committee members are
expert and resourceful when it comes
to drawing attention to Washington.
II there are local groups represent
ing a national organization, these are
and the officers induced to
originate the invitation. Just how
many dinners. luncheons or other
attentions this entails is part Of the
statistics OF the committee, but per-
sistence is the order of the day, and
often winning over the local COM
mittee is as good as signing up the
president. Often-but not
always. Personal calls upon the ma
tional president or secretary, accom-
panied by the locsl office, may be
before the national organi-
zation can be fully convinced.
Private citizens sometimes turn a
hand TO securing a certain convention
for the city. They may take 1t upon