CHICON III

Annual Business Session – Martin Moore, Chairman

9:00 A.M., Florentine Room – Sunday, September 2^nd, 1962

MARTIN MOORE: Will the business meeting of the 20^th World Science Fiction Convention please come to order? Is Mr. Ben Jason present? (No) Mr. John R. Isaac? (No) These two people have submitted motions, and as yet have not arrived.

I have Ben's motion here, a resolution. I shall read it:

“Whereas, it has been determined that the present standardized rocket award trophy, more popularly known as the 'Hugo' has been , and is presenting production difficulties as well as financial problems to Convention Committees, and

“Whereas, there is a strong possibility that the aforesaid production difficulties and financial problems will increase still further when the present producer of trophies ceases to produce them after 1963,

“Therefore,be it resolved that the Chairman of the 1963 Convention Committee appoint a committee of five to look into the advisability of replacing the present standard rocket trophy with some other award device which could be more easily manufactured or purchased by future Convention Committees and that the report of these findings be presented at the business session of the 1963 Convention. Submitted by Ben Jason.”

Basically, this is the problem; Ben will not make any more “Hugo” awards after 1964. And for the group that wins in 1964 they must have some alternate award. What Ben has proposed is that the Chairman of the 1963 Convention appoint a committee to look into finding some other source of supply for “Hugo” awards. That is what Ben is asking this convention to do. Is there any discussion of the question?

Q.: (untranscribable)

I have a motion to table the resolution.

I now have a second.

All in favor say “Aye”; those opposed, “nay”. All right, let's take a show of hands. Those in favor (17 hands counted).

And the nays (16 hands counted). 17 to 16, the motion is tabled.

Q.: (untranscribable; something to the effect that in order to table a motion, a 2/3rds vote is necessary.)

That is correct in this case. Another point of order?

Q.: You have ruled on the point, the original motion is still open for discussion.

I wish to argue quickly that any report of a committee is a report of a committee and is hardly binding on the Convention Committee itself. A committee will look into the matter, make a recommendation, but the 1964 Committee is the one who must take the action. They aren't being given a block of red tape, if you will permit, they are simply being given the 1964 Committee's recommendations.

MARTIN MOORE: Under the circumstances I think the best thing to do is to delay this piece of business until the end of the meeting and hope that Mr. Jason will arrive and further explain his intent and purpose.

Has Mr. John R. Isaac arrived?

Q.: I would not like to see this matter deferred at all. I suggest that it be delayed until tomorrow-

MARTIN MOORE: It has been voted on and-

Q.: Call for discussion or question on this motion; then we will go on to the next one.

MARTIN MOORE: But also a question has been made. All those in favor? We are voting on the resolution – I will re-read it:

“Be it resolved that the Chairman of the 1963 Convention Committee appoint a committee of five to look into the advisability of replacing the present standard rocket trophy with some other award device which could be more easily manufactured or purchased by future Convention Committees and that the report of these findings be presented at the business session of the 1963 Convention.”

Q.: May we have an explanation of the Washington people how they feel about it? Bob, how do you feel about this motion? I don't know if it is in order, since I tossed up the question.

BOB PAVLAT: Nonetheless, if I am not ruled out of order I will say that basically we in Washington are taken care of. We have arranged that we have “Hugos”. We have secondarily made certain arrangements that the “Hugo” tradition can be carried out by one means or another. We think that this is a subject which has to go into a committee type deliberation.

MARTIN MOORE: The question has been moved. All those in favor please raise your hand – (33 hands are counted). Those opposed? (3 hands are counted.) The motion has been passed.

Is Mr. John R. Isaac present? (no)

I believe that calling the question is voting on the subject at hand. Shall we have the vote on the question? All those in favor please raise your hands (They are now voting on the motion). (31 hands are counted.) Those opposed? (2 hands are counted.) The motion has been passed. The next order of business is the 1963 Convention site.

The Chair will recognize Mr. George Scithers.

GEORGE SCITHERS: The Washington Science Fiction Association has formed a small committee which now seeks your vote for a convention in Washington, D.C., in 1963. Our basic promise is that we will do the best we can. Thank you.

MARTIN MOORE: The Chair will recognize Don Ford, for a second.

DON FORD: I would like to second this motion. We of Cincinnati feel that the Washington, D.C., group is well qualified and able to produce a good Convention. Thank you.

MARTIN MOORE: Since there are no other nominations for the 1963 Convention, I believe it would best be done by acclamation. All those in favor? Opposed?

It is moved by acclamation that Washington, D.C., will be the site of the 1963 Convention.

There is only one other item of business, that of Mr. Isaac's, and Mr. Isaac still isn't here. I think it is only fair that Mr. Isaac have every possible chance of presenting his motion and I will hold the meeting open until 10:00 a.m., the scheduled closing time, in order to allow him to do so.

GEORGE SCITHERS: I move that the meeting go into recess until the Chair calls it to order again.

Q.: Second.

MARTIN MOORE: It has been moved and seconded that we recess until the Chair recalls for further business. All in favor?

Yes sir, a question?

Q.: Is Washington prepared to accept memberships at this point?

MARTIN MOORE: Not until the recess is voted on.

BILL EVANS: I have here 299 membership cards. I think that will cover what we have here.

MARTIN MOORE: It has been moved and seconded that the business meeting recess until Mr Isaac arrives to make his motion. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? We stand at recess.

MARTIN MOORE: Will the meeting please come to order? Is Mr. John R. Isaac present? Mr Isaac does not appear to be present.

The Chair will entertain a motion to adjourn.

Q.: Moved.

Q.: Seconded.

It has been moved and seconded that the business meeting of the 20^th World Science Fiction Convention be adjourned. All in favor? Aye.

Those opposed? (None)

We stand adjourned.

[Transcribed by Tim Illingworth from “The Proceedings; Chicon III”, edited by Earl Kemp.]