Evening star., 1938-05-08
S60,0OOCAMPAIGN
OPENS TOMORROW
Board of Trade Committee
Seeks Fund to Bring
Visitors Here.

Visitors Here.
The Greater National Capital Com
mittee of the Washington Board of
Trade tomorrow will inaugurate a
campaign for 100000 to finance its
operations during the 1889 fiscal
year.
A luncheon meeting Of the campaign
chairman and subchairmen in the
penthouse OF the Chesapeake & Po-
tomac Telephone Co. will formally
launch the drive. John A. Reilly,
president of the Second National Bank,
is general chairman OF the campaign.
In operation for seven years. the
Greater National Capital Committee
has devoted its time to one business
that of bringing visitors to Washing
ton. Lloyd B. Wilson, president of the
telephone company, who has been
chairman of the Executive Committee
for the last two years, is now turning
his duties over to Edgar Morris, who
will have general supervision Of the
committees activities during the
coming year.
Visitors Bring Money Here.
Committee officials estimate that
since 1882 more than $500, 900 900 has
been spent in Washington by visitors
and convention delegates. They break
this down to show that the amount
Of money spent by visitors would meet
the pay roll for one year of ITS in
dustrial concerns, each employing 1000
employees at an average salary of $50
a week.
The committee has distributed more
than 100000 pieces of literature ad-
vertising Washington in the last seven
years. Members Of its staff, in cover
ing conventions and carrying on other
promotion work, have Travelled almost
,250,000 miles A motion picture Of
scenes in Washington has been shown
approximately 1850 times. In the last
five years, 1889 pictures and 899 en-
cravings have been distributed to
trade journals and other publications.
On the even of the campaign, Mr..
Reilly declared that to curtail the
efforts of the committee in any way
whatever would be very grave busi-
ness error on the part of our business
people"
Income Is S50,00O,000 a Year.
"In Washington we have two most
important sources of money for cir
culation in trade" he continued. THE
most important source is the Federal
pay roll and the second is the money
left here by those who visit as tourists,
who attend conventions or who come
on individual business.
This second source is the one to
which We are devoting our attention
It accounts for the circulation in the
city of something like S50,000,000
year. OF course. without any organized
effort, part of this money would con-
tinue to come to the city, but without
organized effort, in my opinion. this
amount would gradually dwindle in
stead of increasing, as it has since the
Greater National Capital Committee
has been in operation.
Since May /, 1887, we have had
210 conventions in this city We can
not say that the committee is wholly
responsible for bringing all of these
conventions here, but we do say that
1t has had contact with all of them,
has given assistance to a great many
and has been largely responsible for
most of them. These conventions, at
q rough estimate. have brought from
S12,000.000 to s14,000,000 for circu-
lation in the city.
"In addition, there are the people
who come here on business 1t is as
sumed that from this source came
from S12,00O,000 to $15.000.000 for
circulation in trade 1t is true that
the committee has nothing to do with
the business on which the visitors of
this class are intent, but through
general promotion it does have much
to do with whether these men who
come here on business are ac-
companied by members of their
families.
Convention Servicing is Important.
1T is worth noting that the servic-
ing Of conventions means great DEAL
If the convention is properly serviced
and its delegates are pleased, then
they become a continuous advertising
medium for the city. For this purpose
it is necessary to keep staff that can
be expanded to suit the needs of the
particular meeting. In some instances
five clerks are required, and in others
IS or even more. This servicing is all
taken care of by the committee. All
Of this work Is most important and to
neglect the proper support of the COM
mittee would be very serious |
mistake"
Supporting Mr.. Reilly, Chairman
Morris of the Executive Committee |
said: There is no more important |
civic enterprise in Washington than |
the one taken care of by the Greater |
National Capital Committee. A SUBJ
Bcription to the committee is not a
contribution. 1t is sound business
This statement needs no
explanation. There must be no reduc-
ton whatever in the support that is
given to this committee"
The subchairmen Of the various di-
visions are:
Thomas N. Beavers, David Bethune,
L. Clark Brown. Arthur G. Bishop,
James E. Collifower. John H. Davis,
ST.; Joseph r. Harris, John J. Hasley,
Arthur B. Heaton, Minor Hudson,
Joseph D. Kaufman, Wayne Ken
drick. Julius Lulley, James B. Luttes,
A. M. McLachlen. L. Gardner Moore,
E. K. Morris. Lyle F. O'Rourke, John
e. Parker, Herbert Rich, j. M. San
ders. F. P. H. Siddons, Albert Sig
mund, Fred A. Smith, William H.
Somervell, Marcy L. Sperry, C. Wohl-
gemuth, jr., and Dewey zirkin.
The Advisory Committee is COM