Evening Star Newspaper, June 30, 1929, Page 91

THE SUNDAY STAR, 1929—PART 7. coln Memorial, the Arlington Memorial Bridge and 96 large photographs of outstanding build- ings in Washington and other United States cities. SPAIN is taking interest in city planning, which makes this exhibit particularly time- ly. To take cities in Spain that have grown up from as far back as the Roman conquests and even farther in the past and try to im- prove them along modern lines naturally is a difficult task and one which Spain will ap- proach carefully so as not to lose historical values, The Department of the Interior, represented by H. M. Gillman, jr., stresses education, reclamation, the Geological Survey, national parks, and Indian affairs in its exhibits, the latter subject because of the early contacts by Spanish explorers with American Indians, who subsaquently adopted Spanish ideas, as shown in their handicraft. Spain has much land now useless from lack of moisture, so that reclama- tion and irrigation are live topics. The exhibits show how the United States has met the same problem, To drive home the points the exhibits often have striking features. Thus the idea of good roads is illustrated by a scene on the American waste lands in the West, showing a prairie schooner struggling over bad trails, or un- marked country, while in the next scene there is a modern hard-surfaced highway with both automobiles and trucks getting the farmers’ produce to town, or Stherwise contributing to the comfort and well-ebing of the people. The Library of Congress sent over a large map that gives impressive proof of the extent of Spanish exploration in what is now the United States, beginning with Columbus’ dis- covery in 1492, although Columbus did not set foot on the North American Continent. Dif- ferent colored heavy lines trace the routes taken by De Soto and others, who not only ex- plored coasts, but went up rivers and overland in all directions. Spain thereby sees that we understand the contact and influence of Span- ish explorers upon early American affairs and down to 1800. Evidence of the Spanish influence upon American laws, reproductions of title pages of famous Spanish books upon America now in the Library, and of books by Americans upon Spain, such as Washington ‘Irving’s “The Al- hambra,” and other similar exhibits show that the cultures of the two countries have much in common. The books relating to Spain, Portugal and the Central and South American countries in the Library also are indexed. By playing up the mutual interests of the two countries the whole American participa- tion is credited with greatly increasing the good will existing," for much of the informa- tion is as new to many Spanish visitors as to American and other nationalities, save in the broadest outlines. ASIDE from the Bureau of Engraving exhibit the Treasury Department is represented by a Public Health Service exhibit, which shows how the medical authorities of the Govern- ment are coping with the same diseases and sanitary problems which are faced by Spain and Latin America generally. The State Department uses electricity to depict its activities. A large map of the world has varicolored, tiny electric lights at each of the more than 400 places where Washington is represented by Ambassadors, Ministers, consuls and other representatives. The lights flash on successively for each of the classes and then all together. Photographs of recent Spanish Ambassadors to the United States and of American Ambassadors to Spain adorn the wall. Inasmuch as Columbus, Magellan and other great Spanish explorers sailed from this part of Spain the American shipping exhibit has special interest. The Shipping Board has scenes showing where American vessels reach Latin countries, and there is a large relief map of the Panama Canal. Women find many exhibits specially interest- ing to them. The Children's Bureau of the Department of Labor has effective models showing the Government's efforts to improve child life. President Hoover's 10 command- ments for child welfare, written before he became President, are displayed, while scenes of various stages of child life from infancy to school and into workshops are recorded. The welfare efforts for women in industry also are graphically depicted. Aviation is a subject arousing keen interest in Spain. Consequently the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, represented by Chester W. Hicks, brought over the most re- cent ideas in aviation research, with models of the wind tunnel and other devices at Langley Field, operated by electricity to give layman visitors a clear idea of what is being done by the committee to make flying safer and more useful. The Tablada Aviation Field at Seville is rated well up in efficiency and it is here that the proposed air line from Spain to Argentina will have a terminal. Hence the American exhibit has been studied closely and appreciatively, a model airport being among the exhibits. The Bureau of Standards, with its display of precision instruments and exhibits of vari- ous kinds of rescarch work, is still another feature which, taken with the general nature of the American efforts here, causes most per- sons to speak of the “scientific” and “intellec~ tual” overtome manifest in the three buildings. Instead of a lavish revelation of the United States as the home of the highest paid work- men, the center of the greatest manufacturing industries and the possessor of more wealth per capita than any other nation in its class, Washington chose to put all those things in the background and reveal the United States on another side; and even if there is an initial disappointment among some persons who ex- pected us to outdo everybody else, to brag about oursclves and strut around generally, WASHINGTON, D. C, JUNE 30, the final effect, it is believed, will be beneficial through giving this other less known perspec- tive upon America. TK! permanent building, to be used after the exposition closes as a consulate, follows up the foregoing idea. There is every mod- ern home convenience, since the consul and vice consul will have living quarters in the building, as well as a section to be devoted to official business, and these American labor- saving home devices attract much interest. In addition there is to be one large room for a library to be used by American students who may come to Seville to study when the uni- versity planned by the Spanish government is operating in the great buildings that govern- ment has erected for the exposition. Some of the Americans here, such as Frank Willing Leach, special disbursing officer; Mr. Goll of the Department of Agriculture and Mr. Reeder of the Bureau of Engraving, have been American representatives at other expositions. It would be a mistake to assume that the signment to the work in Seville is equivalent a vacation. Much hard work has been and remains to be done. There are difficul of the language, food, a hotter climate than Washington in the Summer, housing and other problems. HE the exposition and remained until June. All started back to the United States in June or earlier for reports on the progress of the Amer- ican exhibition. John M. Denison, secretary of the commission, and others will remain to carry on. It is not possible to measure the success of the exposition by the attendance, which, in fact, Plate printing press of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing at the Seville E xposition. has not been large. But the Autumn is expected to bring large crowds, when it is cooler. More- over, the value of the exhibition of the United States will come not only from the numbers who see it, but from the special classes in Spain interested in the subjects and activities depict- ed, who study the exhibits intensively. The Army Band left on June 6 to play an engagement at the Barcelona Exposition and then started to the Uniled States. William J. Stannard, leader of the band, expressed the opinion in Seville just before his departure that the trip had been a success. The concert given in Madrid, which the King attended, was one noteworihy event in the band’s visit to Spain. High officials of Spain greatly appreciate the sending of the band to the exposition. Easy to Conquer. St. - Augustine grass of Florida, which makes such excellent lawns and golf courses, seems to be the favorite food of the chinch bug and in some s:ctions of the State the use of this type grass has been abandoned. ‘The control of the chinch bug is a simple Child welfare exhibit of the Children’s Bureau, Department o | Labor, at the Seville Exposition. Each section of the exhibig shows a stage in the life of a child. e