688 CONFERENCE ON NATURAL BEAUTY 



The task of selecting the panelists was begun. There were to 

 be 15 eight-man panels. Each agency submitted a roster of 

 nominees; various citizen groups did the same, and a number of 

 people volunteered their own services as panelists. Eventually, 

 some 800 "must" names were proposed. Striking the final balance 

 required a bit of study Whyte had to make over 1,000 phone 

 calls but 120 were eventually chosen. 



At the same time a staff man to work with each panel prior to 

 the conference and during the meetings was recruited from the 

 agencies whose programs were most directly concerned with the 

 panel's work. A press man and secretaries for each panel were 

 added. 



While the panels were being put together, Diamond was working 

 the organization with the liaison officers named by the Secretaries. 

 They soon added assistants to help out. In addition, George Lamb 

 was obtained from the Bureau of the Budget to coordinate the Fed- 

 eral assistance. Frank Gregg of the Conservation Foundation was 

 persuaded to join up as coordinator of citizen groups. Robert 

 Hutchings of the Public Health Service, HEW, was signed on to 

 head up the publication work including the proceedings to follow. 

 Richard Rogers of Interior was named press officer. 



This group of liaison officers and those with special assignments 

 evolved into a working committee with rather regular weekly meet- 

 ings with Diamond. A graphics committee with Stanley Olsen of 

 Interior and David Granahan of Agriculture was organized, and 

 George Bacca of Agriculture was obtained to be designer of exhibits. 

 State Department facilities were obtained. Hotel and transportation 

 arrangements were made. Again, more by evolution and interest 

 than anything else, a subgroup on arrangements composed of Col. 

 Russell DeGroat of Defense, Richard Pelz of Interior and Byron 

 Kennard of the Public Health Service, HEW, came into being. 



The departments and citizen organizations were asked to submit 

 names for invitation to the conference. Attendance was to be lim- 

 ited by the seating capacity of the State Department auditorium 

 800. An invitation committee, which shall remain nameless, re- 

 duced the 3,000 suggestions to about 1,400, and almost 1,000 of 

 these actually showed up. An additional category of observers, 

 composed primarily of Washington people in Government and 

 out, were invited to attend the panel sessions where the seating capac- 

 ity was greater. 



