The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1944-05-26
COP and Democrats
Work tremendously
On Arrangements.
BY AL JEDLICKA
eieased by western Newspaper Union.

Released by Western Newspaper Union.
Amid buzz and bedlam, color
and decoration, and teeming
thousands with their tingling en-
thusiasm, America holds its
great political conventions
every four years.
AS convention delegates fuss and
fume through the lengthy, historic
sessions, millions of Americans
throughout the nation follow the pro-
ceedings with attention and even
heat, since either the Republican or
the Democratic party embodies the
principles they hold most consistent
with their social ideals.
During the period Of the conven-
tons, well might it be said that the
heart Of the nation is conferred in
the localities of the meetings, bound
ing with the peoples delegates, with
newspaper men, newsreel men and
radio broadcasters milling to flash
stories of the unfolding events to an
anxious citizenry, and with visitors
attracted by the great spectacles.
Normally, cities compete to have
the conventions held in their locali-
ties, since the delegates and WISH
tors expenditures for hotel accom-
modations, food and entertainment
and shopping in the business dis
tricts amount to hundreds of thou
sands of dollars. But with the coun-
try riding the crest of a profitable
war boom this year, with housing
facilities taxed and heavy demands
made for limited stocks of mer-
chandise, only Chicago actively bid
for the conventions, offering each
party $4,000 for expenses. Ordi-
narily, it costs between 100000 and
$50, 1000 to run national conven-
ton.
When both parties accepted Chi
cago's bids, financial problems thus
were added to other special war
time difficulties confronting Republi-
can Walter Hallanan of Charleston,
w. Va, and Democrat Ambrose
O'Connell of New York in making
arrangements for the conventions.
On these two men falls the response
bility of setting up the smooth func-
tioning of the meetings assuring or
derby activity on the floor of the. con-
ventions and. establishing facilities
for quick transmission of news to
the waiting world outside.
Two Old-Timers.
Both O'Connell and Hallanan are
old hands at conventions, O'Connell
having attended his first as a men,
Der of AL Smiths encourage in 1928,
and Hallanan his as a newspaper
man in 1912. Although red hot parti-
sans inclined to admit nothing, both
men have worked together in MAX
ing the principal arrangements,
since the Republican convention Of
June 26 will be followed by the
Democratic on July 10.
Because of the heavy wartime
strain on the railroads, transporta-
ton posed one of the big problems
of this years conventions. But the
problem promises to be solved by
use Of day coaches by those within
61z hours Of travelling time of Chi
cago, and of provision of extra
sleeping and dining cars for ac-
credited representatives from far
Their distances. To assist delegates
from Hawaii to attend, the navy will
furnish plane service to the main
land.
Next to transportation, housing
has presented another major diff
Guilty. Although both parties were
assured of approximately 5000
rooms, the Republicans, for one,
could use another 5000. In quest
of extra housing, Hallanan has even
secured Chicago's outlying apart