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Fantasite, v. 1, issue 4, July 1941

Page 14

THE FANTASITE     14

learned many things, that when asked if true of Sykora, Taurasi or Moskowitz, could not be denied. For instance, they stated that JVTaurasi had been refused publicity by all the editors, and that he hadn't even approached Pohl, knowing that said Mr. Pohl would never back a Taurasi conference or convention. The fact is, at TWS not only did he get refused, but got the editors so 'hot under the collar' that they said they were withdrawing support from both "conventions", and would wait until the fans made up their minds. Evidently Mr. Taurasi, when making his now famous remark at Newarrk about having "sewed up all New York editors", had figured that the fans were going to forget Denver , and turn over all support to him.
Continuing with the visit to the Futurians, they also told us that JVT had already set the date without telling us, which we found was true. Next they told us of the "expulsion act" that New Fandom pulled at NYCon,and at the QSFL meeting where Wilson and other Futurians were ejected after being invited. They also told of how Sykora rented the building in which the QSFL holds its meetings, and of how, when things don't suit him, he would over-rule the officials and threaten to have them thrown out, as he was paying for the building.
After this meeting with the Futurians, we began to disbelieve all the things that Taurasi and Moskowitz had fed us. We had requested Moskowitz to send us half the money spent on the postal cards, as the NSFL was behind the whole thing. he refused.
The following week, Gaetz and I went to Philly to attend the annual Philly conference. Here we sat in utter astonishment as Moskowitz got up and swore that he had nothing to do with the proposed Newarkon, and that he had never suggested such a thing. Before he spoke, he had taken Gaetz and I aside and requested us not to say anything during his talk, and that he would explain afterwards. Well, we waited. Afterwards he said that he was now a pro author, and that it might hurt his reputation if it was known he was mixed up in such a thing.
Next Art Widner got up and spoke on the same subject, but in a different way. he spoke against such a conference, and suggested that the Solaroids[[?]] get together and plan to go to Denver. After this a motion was put forward that a vote be taken to show whether or not the conference was in favor of the Newarkon. By some parliamentary tricks, Sykora got around this, knowing that the majority would vote against it. At this point I arose and informed Sykora, and Unger, who also got in the argument, of the things I had learned from the Futurians. They couldn't deny them. Taurasi had been afraid to come, or so it would see, for Sykora said that he had pleaded with him to attend, but JVT didn't show up.
During intermission, Sykora took Gaetz and I aside and tried to talk us into a conference, with him at the head, but we didn't commit ourselves, protesting that we had already taken the brunt of the blame for the Newarkon, as it was. After Art Widner's speech, Gaetz got up and informed the gathering that the Solaroids and Sun Spots were no longer supporting the Newarkon.
At the last NSFL meeting that we attended, Moskowitz admitted that the conference was definitely off, but he couldn't explain Taurasi's absence. He next request us to print in Sun Spots the following short explanation as to why we were going to have a conference at all:
The Newarkon was going to be held for one purpose; so as to rais enough money to send eastern representatives to the Denvention! He admitted, of course, that this was not true, but that there would always be that small doubt in everyone's mind, "Maybe that was the reason?" But we all knew it wasn't. Gaetz agreed to print it, not thinking of the consequences. After we got hime, we decided that it would be

(Contd. on page 16.)

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THE FANTASITE 14 learned many things, that when asked if true of Sykora, Taurasi or Moskowitz, could not be denied. For instance, they stated that JVTaurasi had been refused publicity by all the editors, and that he hadn't even approached Pohl, knowing that said Mr. Pohl would never back a Taurasi conference or convention. The fact is, at TWS not only did he get refused, but got the editors so 'hot under the collar' that they said they were withdrawing support from both "conventions", and would wait until the fans made up their minds. Evidently Mr. Taurasi, when making his now famous remark at Newarrk about having "sewed up all New York editors", had figured that the fans were going to forget Denver , and turn over all support to him. Continuing with the visit to the Futurians, they also told us that JVT had already set the date without telling us, which we found was true. Next they told us of the "expulsion act" that New Fandom pulled at NYCon,and at the QSFL meeting where Wilson and other Futurians were ejected after being invited. They also told of how Sykora rented the building in which the QSFL holds its meetings, and of how, when things don't suit him, he would over-rule the officials and threaten to have them thrown out, as he was paying for the building. After this meeting with the Futurians, we began to disbelieve all the things that Taurasi and Moskowitz had fed us. We had requested Moskowitz to send us half the money spent on the postal cards, as the NSFL was behind the whole thing. he refused. The following week, Gaetz and I went to Philly to attend the annual Philly conference. Here we sat in utter astonishment as Moskowitz got up and swore that he had nothing to do with the proposed Newarkon, and that he had never suggested such a thing. Before he spoke, he had taken Gaetz and I aside and requested us not to say anything during his talk, and that he would explain afterwards. Well, we waited. Afterwards he said that he was now a pro author, and that it might hurt his reputation if it was known he was mixed up in such a thing. Next Art Widner got up and spoke on the same subject, but in a different way. he spoke against such a conference, and suggested that the Solaroids[[?]] get together and plan to go to Denver. After this a motion was put forward that a vote be taken to show whether or not the conference was in favor of the Newarkon. By some parliamentary tricks, Sykora got around this, knowing that the majority would vote against it. At this point I arose and informed Sykora, and Unger, who also got in the argument, of the things I had learned from the Futurians. They couldn't deny them. Taurasi had been afraid to come, or so it would see, for Sykora said that he had pleaded with him to attend, but JVT didn't show up. During intermission, Sykora took Gaetz and I aside and tried to talk us into a conference, with him at the head, but we didn't commit ourselves, protesting that we had already taken the brunt of the blame for the Newarkon, as it was. After Art Widner's speech, Gaetz got up and informed the gathering that the Solaroids and Sun Spots were no longer supporting the Newarkon. At the last NSFL meeting that we attended, Moskowitz admitted that the conference was definitely off, but he couldn't explain Taurasi's absence. He next request us to print in Sun Spots the following short explanation as to why we were going to have a conference at all: The Newarkon was going to be held for one purpose; so as to rais enough money to send eastern representatives to the Denvention! He admitted, of course, that this was not true, but that there would always be that small doubt in everyone's mind, "Maybe that was the reason?" But we all knew it wasn't. Gaetz agreed to print it, not thinking of the consequences. After we got hime, we decided that it would be (Contd. on page 16.)