Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-18
FAIR At LAST COMES TO
GRIPS WITH HARD FACTS
Introduction Of Realities Into an AMI.
mated Meeting Of the Directorate 10
Tonic Sign Of construe-
tive Effort

AVA the Sesqui. Centennial yesterday In
meeting which displayed closer contact
with reality than any held since the enter
prise was first launched.
The reaction from obscurity is sharp. In
the glare of hard facts, problems demanding
energetic solution stand out stripped of
high sounding phraseology and plain even
to the most Indifferent citizen.
The necessity for direct responsible lead.
ership was clearly appreciated in the election
of Edward Box as president of the Fair
Association. Among other merits this step
has had the signal merit at this time of
cliciting from the recipient of the honor
letter emphasizing the immediate need for
a vigorous work of reorganization.
Mr.. Bok's written suggestions are very
much in line with those which citizens, ap-
preciating the magnitude OF the fair possi-
bilttoS and the responsibilities which must
be assumed if the project is to amount 10
anything. have desired to be advanced. The
selection of prominent men for high offices
is not the exclusive recipe for the success Of
the undertaking.
1t is imperative, as Mr.. Box points out,
to devise at once practicable scheme OF
financial operation. 10 define the boundaries
Of the exposition site, to provide u Steering
Committee to expedite the general program
during the summer months. to empower the
president of the association with the right
to make contracts and in cooperation with
the directorate to make expenditures and to
secure at once director of public works
and a director of publicity.
These are basic. elemental needs beside
which even the presidency Of the fair, which
Mr.. BOX in his letter refuses until the
groundwork has been laid, is at this mo-
mcnt n subordinate matter.
Decisive selection of the 1926 date renders
the obligation of initiative all the more
pressing. Although the association is TO be
congratulated for terminating controversy
which threatened to become stutifying. in
choosing the more formidable of the alterna.
tves. it has set standard for explicit
performance which lays heavy demands upon
conscientious constructive effort.
1t is now more exgent than ever that
rcactionary and discretionary influences
which have embarrassed the fair should be
promptly sQuelched This means. as Mr.. Box
has urged. that all the faint hearted should
be excluded from the fair management and
that the wedding out processes should be
adopted promptly.
Purging the fair direction Of pulhacks
should be followed by comprehensive and
large scale publicity operation calculated to
Instruct the public concerning the authentic
possibilities Of the exposition. It's material
and spiritual advantages TO the community
and in general It's prosperity building assets.
The Sesqu- Centennial is not the first un-
dertaking in which timidity and skepticism
have been mistaken for wisdom. At the
dawn Of history belief that what existed was
preferable to what might be. produced the
first reactionary. An imaginative French
man, speculating upon the fanced effect of
an advance notice of the Creation, has pic
tured the perfect pullback as piercing the
void with the despairing cry, 20 Lord, pre-
serve the chaos
While this is perhaps an extreme conjec-
ture it represents a wariness which is re.
current in human affairs and persists in
spite of n prolonged series Of defeats. Fair.
shy Philadelphians have apparently taken
an acrid pleasure in forecast!ng illimitable
ills from the exposition project, in some
instances actually pluming themselves on
their fears
Among these forebodings the dread of in.
creased wages for labor has been expressed
When even the possibility of prosperity has
been heralded as n danger signal, calamity
croaklng assumes a character accorded to It
by that mordant philosopher who sobbed be-
.ln. .hOt ,,,
grumble at.
There has also been panicky alarm over
the redemption of the city in the central
Schuylkill area, CONSERVATION at the pros
pect of inevitable and, If properly watched,
a stimulating rise of real estate values: over
the possibility OF immense crowds during the
exposition year and the alleged inconvcn-
fences involved in acting as host to the
| world.
1t is indeed quite possible, according to the
| temperament OF the prophet, 10 conceive Il
| the fair as an ahysmal failure or as a tower
ing success. Nothing constructive can be
| accompanied without genuine faith by the
direct management and hearty, honest CO..
operation by the general public.
| IhlluQelUniHnS rs u "HOtc nave not eXerteQ
| healthy imaginations regarding the fair.
| Much of this failure to visualize its vir-
tues Is attributable TO lamentable neglect
of entirely legitimate publicity campaigning.
| # IL not easy 10 desire something that is un
| conceived.
The opportunity has arrived for laying the
solid foundations for the Sesqu Centenna
this summer. The path to achievement was
outlined at yesterdays meeting The road
bed is not yet smooth, but it can be made ar
approach to splendid edifce s!gnalizing
patriotic anniversary, civic enterprise anC
world progress If the new grip on actua
conditions and unadorned necessities i
maintained
GOOD READING
TJ,I!E list Of books suggested for a two