Notes: 1: I did not scan this because the original hardcopy is in tender condition. 2: Any typos in the original text were fixed by me, if there are others, they were made by me. 3: I kept as much of the layout and look as I could considering that this is a plain text version (as in no underlines or centering of title etc.). The Constitution of the N.F.F.F Sept. 1945 Constitution of the National Fantasy Fan Federation (Adopted July 31, 1945) Article I. Name. The name of this organization shall be the National Fantasy Fan Federation. Article II. Purpose. The purpose of the National Fantasy Fan Federation shall be: To encourage the reading and collecting of fantasy and science-fiction literature; greater creative expression in amateur journalism; fuller dissemination of all phases of fantasy information; and to enlarge, co-ordinate and preserve fantasy culture in general. Article III. Administration. The Administration of the Federation shall consist of two (2) branches; the Executive, and the Directorate. (A)The Executive branch shall consist of the President, the Vice President, and the Secretary-Treasurer. (1)The President shall: (a) Act in an executive capacity; direct the activities of the Federation; act as official voice of the Federation; appoint committee chairman and special officers; call special elections when necessary; nominate members to fill vacated offices; and act in a co-ordinative capacity in promulgating fantasy fan activities; (b) Have the power to veto decisions of the Directorate; (c) Have the power to act in emergencies not specifically covered by this Constitution or subsequent amendments thereto, subject to the review of the Directorate. (2) The Vice President shall: (a) Assume the office of President, of Secretary-Treasurer, in the event either shall be vacated, or restrained by the Directorate; (b) Advise and assist the President in his duties; (c) Cast deciding vote in the event of a tie in the Directorate. (3) The Secretary-Treasurer shall: (a) Keep the permanent records of the Federation; (b) Prepare ballots for annual or special elections; (c) Maintain up an up-to-date census of the names and address of all the members, and submit a list of changes and additions thereto to the Official Editor one week before publication date of the Official Organ; (d) Collect, record, and disburse all monies of the Federation upon order of the President, or an order signed by at least four (4) members of the Directorate; (1) Shall be bonded in the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($250.00), fee for such bond to be paid by the Federation; (e) Submit a detailed report of accounts twice yearly for inclusion in the January and July issues of the official organ, and make a monthly statement of balance to the President and Official Editor. (B) The Directorate shall consist of five (5) duly elected members, the member receiving the most votes shall be declared Chairman. (1) The Directorate shall: (a) Grant Membership upon proper application, and revoke membership for just cause; (b) Approve or disapprove the President's appointments for officers and committee chairman; (c) Act in advisory capacity to the Executive Branch; (d) Have the power to override a Presidential veto of their decisions by a vote of reconsideration having not more than one (1) dissenting vote; (e) Have the power to issue upon any member of the Executive Branch, Minor Official, or Committee Chairman or Member, and Order of Restraint and Temporary Suspension of Power, for considered cause. Such action shall be taken when any individual shall be deemed guilty of misappropriation of funds; assumption of powers beyond those delegated; errors of judgement and performance of acts deems deleterious to the Federation and/or the best interests of Fandom as a whole. If such said acts are not immediately corrected to the satisfaction of the Directorate, it shall be mandatory upon the Directorate to institute impeachment proceedings. (f) Decisions of the Directorate shall be by majority vote, unless otherwise directed herein. Article IV. Membership (A) Any person interested in the facets of Fantasy Fandom may, upon proper application and acceptance, become a member of the Federation; (1) Applications shall be sent to the Secretary Treasurer, accompanied by the first year's dues; (a) Applicants for membership filing applications between July 1 and December 31 need send only one-half year's dues with application. (2) Upon acceptance, the applicant shall be notified by the Secretary; (3) All members shall be entitled to run for office, vote in all elections, receive official publications, participate in activities, use the name and emblem of the Federation on stationary or in any other honorable way; The exception to the right to hold office shall be that no minor may hold the post of Secretary-Treasurer, who must be bonded. (4) Any member failing to pay dues and/or vote in at least one election during the year shall automatically be dropped from the rolls after due notice, except members in the Armed Forces who are serving outside the boundaries of their country; (a) It shall reside within the powers of the Secretary-Treasurer to extend special consideration where circumstances warrant such action, subject to the review of the Directorate; )5) Membership shall be subject to revocation for cause, by the Directorate. Article V. Elections. (A) Annual elections of officers of the Federation shall be held the first of November of each year; and all ballots, to be counted, must be in the hands of the duly appointed tollers not later than December 10th of the same year; (1) Names of the candidates and their platforms shall be printed in the October issue of the official organ, said issue to be in the mails by October 10th. (a) Any member desiring to qualify as a candidate for any office shall submit to the Secretary-Treasurer the signatures of two (2) other members endorsing his candidacy, together with a short platform stating in general his policies if elected; (b) Nominating petitions and platforms must be in the hands of the Secretary-Treasurer by October 1st, with copies minus the endorsing signatures in the hands of the official editor by the same date; (c) The Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the newly elected officials not later than December 20th, and they shall assume office on January 1st of the following year, which shall constitute the beginning of the fiscal year of the Federation; (d) No member may hold two (2) elective offices at the same time; (e) Elective officers shall be eligible to succeed themselves once; (f) Candidates, to be elected, must receive a plurality of the votes cast in that election for that office; (g) In event of a tie vote, the encumbent Directorate shall cast the deciding vote; (h) Ballots, to be valid, must be signed by the voter. Article VI. Finances. (A) Dues shall be One Dollar ($1.00) per year, due January 1st, with sixty (60) days of grace, except that new members joining after July 1st shall be required to pay but Fifty Cents (50¢) for the balance of that first year; (B) The President shall have the power to raise additional funds at need, in any honorable manner deemed feasible, subject to the approval of the Directorate; (1) Direct and addition assessments on the members cannot be made without approval of the membership given by ballot, but donations by be asked for and received if the Directorate so approves. Article VII. Official Organ. (A) There shall be issued at least six (6) times yearly, and monthly when feasible, an Official Organ to be known as "The National Fantasy Fan," for the purpose of keeping the membership completely informed of the activities of the Federation; (1) Dates of issuance shall be as close to the fifteenth day of the month as possible, except the October issue which shall be in the mail by the tenth day of that month; (2) The Volume Number shall change with the January issue each year; (3) The January issue shall contain, another other information, the official results of the annual elections; the reports of the concluding fiscal year by the out-going officers and committees; a complete report of the Treasury accounts; and a complete list of all members together with their addresses; (4) All other regular issues shall contain, among other information, the names and addressed of newly-admitted members; change of addresses as received; the names of members whose membership may have been revoked since the preceeding issue; reports of the officers, Directorate and Committees as received; statement of the Treasury balance; and other such information as the officers shall deem proper and pertinent; (a) The pages of the official organ shall be open to the members at all times for brief, concise and pertinent discussion of any phase of activity interesting or beneficial to the Federation and/or Fandom in general; (5) The first time issue after July 1st shall also contain a detailed financial statement by the Secretary-Treasurer, and a complete list of names and addresses of the members; (a) It is understood that members serving their countries in foreign service shall not have their addresses printed, for security reasons, but that they shall be furnished by the Secretary-Treasurer upon request. Article VIII. Amendments. (A) Amendments to this Constitution shall be proposed in writing signed by at least (5) members, to the Chairman of the Directorate. (1) Such propose Amendment(s) shall receive the immediate attention of the Directorate, and upon their approval shall be printed in full in the next issue of the official organ; ballots for voting thereon to be mailed out one (1) month later; (a) If disapproved by the Directorate, the proposing members may overrule their decision by obtaining fifteen (15) additional signatures and sending them to the Secretary-Treasurer, whereupon it shall be mandatory to submit the proposed Amendment(s) in the next issue of the official organ, with ballots for voting thereon to be mailed one (1) month later. ------------------------------------------------------------------ The National Fantasy Fan Federation September, 1945 Stenciled by: Bob Tucker Cover by: W. Dunkelberger Mimeod and Assembled by: K. Martin Carlson W. Dunkelberger