The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1918-09-28

- a bearing, more or less direct, on
the one national aim of preserving popular rule
for the world. Thus, not only will there be
vital interest in the exhibits Of the war
and navy departments, but in the displays OF
the work of the department of agriculture in slim
ulating increased production of food; the activi-
ties of the food administration in encouraging the
conservation and equitable distribution of this
fundamental war munition the addition of new
food sources through the bureau of fisheries of
the department of commerce; the safeguarding OF
human life and indirectly increasing of coal pro-
duction through the work of the mine rescue cars
of the bureau of mines, department of interior;
and the spreading of official news through the
committee on public information
The joint mi on government exhibits,
which acts for the various departments in admin
~Istrating the displays and is headed as chairman by
f. amson-Scribne of the department of agricul-
ture, has contracted for the exhibits to be shown
simultaneously on five circuits of approximately
So state fairs and expositions from the Atlantic
to the Pacific.
Organization of five circuits does not mean that
any one circuit is being favored or ~crimina
against in the quantity or quality of displays.
The government exhibit material is of such magni-
tude that no fair has been able to offer more space
than can be filed. The army and navy exhibits
have been made up in five duplicate sets. In fact,
practically the only variations of note in the dis
plays are in those of the department of agriculture,
winch mas planned, IN auulJOn TO lLS eADlDltS OF
general interest, displays of particular Importance
for specific regions. For instance, where wheat
growing is all-absorbing, wheat will be featured,
and where cattle fever tick is sucking blood and
destroying meat, special emphasis will be placed
on the fight to rid American territory of this para
site.
The government exhibits have much to detain
even the idly curious, but informing the people Of
government work and of important aid which the
public can render the government In the national
crisis is the big aim. All exhibits are educational
and those of purely technical interest are rarely
used. Displays are the product of years of ex-
perience in exposition methods and every effort is
made to visualize subjects in such manner that
observers will be Informed as well as entertained.
To list and describe adequately every item In
the exhibits would require many words. Features
selected here and there, however, may serve to
give an idea of the, complete show,
The war department display can hardly fail to
place Americans more closely in touch with their
boys who are making more uneasy the heads that
wear the crowns. There are Browning machine
guns for infantry use and Lewis machine guns
of the aircraft type; mountain cannon that can
be pulled to Alpine heights; figures clothed In reg
ulation uniforms, including an a~viators flying
toys; rifles of the latest model used "over there"
ind wooden blocks showing penetration of the old
Ond new bullets; complete equipment Of the be-
! loved "doughboy," and a trench periscope through
! which he watches for freshness on the part of the
'Fritzies - gas masks that he dons when the Hun
spreads his favorite poison the trench helmet that
protects him and the hand grenades he hurls; the
shovel with which he digs a trench and the pump
that takes out the water.
Then there are models of the various kinds of
tents used by the army, national and regimental
colors in silk, storm and post flags, a portable field
wireless outfit, heliograph Instruments lanterns for
night signaling, day and night rockets and signal
flags.
And IL any American hasn't learned yet to dis
tinguish a sergeant major from a brlgadier gen.
eral, he can do so from boards which carry the
insignia Of officers and the chevrons of enlisted
men, with the wound and service chevrons au-
thorized for officers and men serving in France.
The navy display shows more of the tools that
ore making this world an unsafe place for inter
national burglars, and also some rifles captured
from German soldiers. The navy shows a depth
charge of the kind whose bubbles often mean the
end for some submarine pirate; a naval mine and
anchor. and a big torpedo with its truck. Projec-
tiles of various sizes are accompanied by bombs
tai airpianes drop. The clothing display includes