European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 5, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse Gathers to pick the Man who by Ben Funk a staff writer Al a cavernous Hall built for the i purpose the Republican party will meet aug. 5 before the biggest press television and radio army Ever Assem bled for one of its presidential nominating conventions. The troubled world situation violent unrest in the United states and the certainty that a new president will take the Helm of the nation has led to quadruple demand for press space from foreign countries. Finland alone hag asked 30 Iofel in the Shock wave of sen. Robert f. Kennedy s assassination the emphasis swung sharply toward Security As plans moved Forward for a convention that will bring some 40,000 persons to Miami 6-foot High Chain link Fence is being built around a 14-acre area surrounding the convention Complex. No one will get inside the Fence without credentials and Knowles said we believe our credentials will be almost the Hilton Plaza and americana hotels respective Headquarters for Richard m. Nixon and gov. Nelson Rockefeller took a hard new look after the Kennedy slaying at Security arrangements which already were the toughest the hotels had Ever top three floors of the Hilton Plaza will be sealed off. Elevators will be rigged and corridors and entrances guarded so that Nixon will be Able to move about in Complete privacy. Similar precautions Are set at the americana. Miami Beach police will go on 12 hour shifts effecting a 50 per cent in crease in manpower. Extra police will be brought in from neighbouring cities the sheriff s department and the Florida Highway patrol. All units will be under radio control from a police operations Center adjoining the convention the local forces will be some 20 secret service agents assigned teach of the announced candidates including Harold of the $4 million Conven gop convention Hall 1968miami Beach and a 6-foot Fence. Tion Hall was launched immediately after the republicans decided to meet South of the Mason Dixon line for the firs time since they went to Baltimore in 1864.the City already had two connecting buildings a 3,500-seat auditorium use for such events As boxing basketball and recording of the Jackie Gleason tvs Hows and a 15,000-seat convention Hall. Both these structures will returned Over entirely to the news Media. Newspapers and news services will take Over the auditorium. The Hall win be jammed with the equipment of the to and radio cameras also will be Strung along Washington ave. Running in front of the Complex where peaceable demonstrations will be permitted under close police supervision. Police chief Rocky Pomerance says his forces will move in quickly if trouble starts. A microwave Tower was erected be Side the convention Hall and coaxial Cable Laid to every major hotel Alon Collins ave. The american Telephone and Telegraph co. Said this work had been planned for the future but when the gop convention was landed it jus went ahead and took care of five years expansion in 10 months. Conventions How High the Cost Miami Beac convention Hall by Arnold b. Sawislak up staff writer National political conventions like National politics involve big Money. N o one knows just How much but personal expenses alone for 10,000 participants could run to 45 million or that estimate is based on an average outlay of $500 for each Delegate alter Nate. Relative visitor party functionary 5rk news an and technician who attends the Republican and democratic conventions. It does not include the direct expenses a Conye Nuon arrangements by the pares and the cities involved. Neither do sewer outlays by the news Media for Suppi ate in Tallau is they must no or example the broadcasters say i costs them $3.5 million just to move monday August 5, 1968 their equipment Between two convention a Rock Bottom estimate of the Money expected to change hands at the two conventions gives a Good clue Why a City will bid hundreds of thousands of dollars to attract one of the parties it expects to get Back tens of year. Miami Beach won the re publican National convention by offering the gop 150,000 in hard Cash and $150,000 in goods and services for the aug. 5-8 meeting. Chicago was awarded the democratic meeting aug. 26-29 for combined Cash and services bid of $900,000. Chicago estimated a Conven Tion influx of 50,000 visitors Miami Beach should get 40,000.local business interests Are the prime sources for convention guarantees Al though some tax funds usually Are contributed As Well. There is no doubt about what s in it for the businessmen. Conservative estimates place a convention City s added Cash Register take at $10million. For the local governments the outlay is an investment for future tour ism and conventions. Another big source of financing for both parties is what Are euphemistic ally called convention unreality these Are devices for collecting Money from big National companies inthe form of advertising. The Cost of such ads topped out in 1964 at $15,000 a Page in the democratic Book which grossed $1.5 million. This Price inflation caused such a Fla that businesses were threatened with loss of tax deductibility for convention program ads and Congress was impelled to write a strict new code of Rule for such books. This year the two parties will sell advertising jointly any com Pany that wants a democratic and must buy one of equal size from the Republic the stars and stripes cans and the Price will de escalate to $5,000 a Page. All of the profit must go for convention might sound As if the two parties could count on holding their conventions and Bank some profits out of these Rev Enue sources. But the republicans produced audited reports for 1964 showing convention expenditures of $665,000, and if expenses have increased Only 5 per cent since then the entire $800,000 from Miami Bach would be needed to simply balance the democrats Are something else. Their books showed a $750,000 outlay in 1960 and they did t even make Public a certified statement for 1964. But Esti mates of their collections for the Atlantic City convention totalled $2.1 million which was explained As the Price for putting on a first class the reason for All the mystery continued on Pace 1.1 Page u
