Kingsley, public relations expert and New York S-F Circle member.  I was complete2y
agreeable with this, as I felt that Dave had certainly worked hard enough to deserve
this unquestionable honor.

     As I watched Dave pulling the strings on the WSFS election, I cnuldn't help but
think back to a similar day, eighteen years prior.  As stated above, Dave was always
quite happy in the role of the fan politician and, even in 1939, this tendency dis-
played itselP.  Some of you, through reading THE IMMORTAL STORM, remember the famous
pamphlet passed about the morning of the first day of the NYCON which started off
thusly:  "Beware of the Dictatorship:" and went on to instruct the attendees to be
wary of any move made by the unholy trio (Moskowitz, Sykora and Taurasi).  While the
pamphlet resulted in the barring of Wollheim, Michel, Lowndes, Pohl, Kornbluth and
Gillespie, old smoothie Dave (who wrote, printed and distributed the pamphlet) was
permitted access.  Throughout the years Dave has been quite active in "smoke-filled
rooms" at conventions and, as another example, worked hard to sway public opinion in
favor of the Philly Phans when the PSFS pulled one of fandom's biggest upsets by
easily winning the 1953 convention away from the Little Men of San Francisco.

     Dave is a very Pascinating character and his fanac goes back a long way.  He
was writing letters to prozines back in 1934, and some of you may be startled to
learn that he sold a story to WONDER STORIES in 1935, when he was but fifteen years
old:  The April, 1936 issue of WONDER announces as coming next issue - "The Golden
Nemesis," by David A. Kyle.  However, fate intervened, for the April issue was the
last under Gernsback.  The magazine was peddled to Standard Magazines (under the
aegis of Leo Margulies) and all material on hand was, apparently, returned.  Some
years later this story did show up in STIRRING SCIENCE STORIES, I believe.  Of course,
Dave was also a super-active fan in the years preceding WWII and, to a certain
extent, has been active since the end of the war.  But enough of Kyle at this time
(except to say that Dave and I have always been the best of friends, even when on
opposite sides of the fence) and on with the business meeting.

     Looking about the room I noticed many familiar faces:  Bob Silverberg, Boyd
Raeburn, Joy and Vin Clarke, Chuck Harris, Sam Moskowitz, John Roles, Ken Bulmer,
Ron Bennett, Bobbie Wild, Will Jenkins, Norman Shorrock, Frank and Belle Dietz, and
about fifteen others.  Ted Carnell called the meeting to order and asked for nomina-
tions for WSFS Directors.  Dave responded with a well-done spiel for his man, Art
Kingsley.  "Any other nominations?"  I raised my hand - but what was this?  Joy
Clarke was vigorously waving her hand, and she was awarded the floor.  Joy nominated
Helle Dietz and it was rather obvious that Dave and Ruth Kyle were visibly annoyed
at this turn of events.  My nomination of Newman followed.  The voting ("vote for
two of the three") was as follows:  Dietz, 21; Newman, 16; Kingsley, 15.  At the
time I didn't think too much of the results, even when Dave stated publicly that he
had been double-crossed.  But this was the beginning (to my knowledge, at least) of
the infamous feud which still persists and which resulted in the death of the World
Science Fiction Society.

     Only one other business matter remained:  election of the following year's
consite.  Forry Ackerman nominated "South Gate in '58", explaining the fine Fannish
tradition behind this battle-cry.  Rory Faulkner seconded the nomination and it was
approved unanimously.  What had started out as a "tongue-in-cheek" fannish slogan
more than a decade before had actually materialized.  Which proves that no one should
underestimate the powers of Trufandom.

     In an effort to idle away a few hours during the long plane-flight from New York
to London, Forry, Sam Moskowitz and I participated in a battle of wits in which we
asked very difficult questions of each other.  Sam would toss one out and give Forry
and me the chance to answer it; then it would be Forry's turn, etc.  Some of the
spectators thought something like this would go over real well at the convention -