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ARTIST FOR VICTORY
Incorporated
101 Park Ave
New York, NY
MUrray Hill 5-6249

JOHN TAYLOR ARMS
GREENFIELD HILL
FAIRFIELD CONNECTICUT

Mr. Hugo Gellert
63 East 11th Street
New York City

Dear Hugo,

You will remember that I said I should be glad to contact you and the other members of your Committee any Wednesday when I was in New York, in regard to the exhibition which you discussed with me the other day = the one that is being sponsored by the Coca Cola Company for the purpose of reproducing the prize winners in a calendar which they plan to publish.  Last Wednesday when we were at the Executive Board Meeting, I heard you speaking of this exhibition and outlining its terms but I was so busy going over with Mrs. Frobatfield matters pertaining to the British show that I did not have time to take part in the discussion.
It all sounded very generous and interesting and I am heartily in sympathy with anything that tends to raise the standard of commercial advertising.  In other words, I am definitely not one of those artists who are snooty about taking part in a competition that is purely commercial in character.  One thing that disturbed me, however, and that is what I am writing you about, is that the Jury of Awards will not be made up of artist members of A. for V., for this is going to make trouble I know.  It always has, and it always will.  Artists resent having their work judged by laymen and many are entirely unwilling to have it so judged.  If it were possible to arrange with the sponsors that the awards be made by an A. for V. jury, I think it would do much to avoid the inevitable repercussions.
This is an exhibition which will not attract the artists with the biggest reputations because in spite of the very large and attractive prizes, the old hue and cry of "calendar art" and "commercial art" will surely be raised.  I am not saying that I am in sympathy at all with this point of view.  On the contrary, I am warmly in favor of anything that will bring more beauty into the things of everyday life.  I am merely warning you that if past experience is any criterion, this exhibition will not have appeal for many of the top-ranking artists of the country.  Here, then, I think is the chance for the "democratic jury" for which so many members of A. for V. have been asking for as long.  I would suggest, in this case, a Jury of Selection made up of one representative from every one of the constituent societies, and, for the awards, I should like to see a large and representative A. for V. jury.  This is just the kind of show that needs a method of selections such as many of our members were asking for in the case of the British show.  The letter is strictly a quality affair which could only be assembled by a strictly hand-picked jury.  This, on the other hand, will be a bigger show and the average of quality will, of necessity, run much lower.  It is the only kind, I am convinced, which can be assembled by a big jury representing all the societies.

I hope I have not bored you by these suggestions.  I shall be very glad to discuss them, or any other details, whenever you want and at any time when I am in the city and we can get together.  Meantime, every good wish to you.
Cordially yours, 
John