Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-11-18
NON-COMM|TTA[ ON
PARK SITE FOR FAIR
Falrmount Commissioners Will
Not Say Definitely Whether
For or Against Il.
WAITING ON sesouI ASSN

Members Of the Fa.rmount Park
Commission decline to say definitely
whether they are for or against the Park
40 the site for tho Sesqui. Centennial
Exposition.
Nine Of the thirteen members Of the
Commission were asked their attitude.
Among those who could not be seen was
r. T. Stotesbury. president Of the
commission, who recently resigned as
chairman Of the permanent Finance
Committee Of the exposition.
In answer to a letter from the North
Philadelphia Manufacturers Associa.
ton, opponents Of the fair. the rark
Commission recently announced thot
the Sesqui. Centennial Association bud
never been granted official perihission
to use ths Park as the fnir site. Al. a
commission passed resolution promis.
ing CO. operation with the Fair. .Associa.
tion In case Suitable site" were
chosen.
The commission Is now waiting for
the association to submit definite plan
to It. The forces Of the manufacturers
,nre prepared meanwhile to try to frus.
trate the attempt Of the Fair AssOcin.
tion to attain the Park as the exposi.
tion site.
Senator Peprer. solicitor for the
commission, on Thursday said he was
heartily In favor" of the Park as the
site. for the exposition. and that his
suggestions Of Chestnut street as court
of honor and Broad street as n street
Of nations were merely to supplement
the original idea.
On the specific question, "D0 you or
do you not favor the Park as a site for
the exposition?" some Of the nine com.
mission members seen declined any com.
ment at all. avoiding all reference to It
in their answers. Here are the replies /:
Sidney w. Keith-"Personaliy, I
was pleased with the report Of DR..
Paul Cret. I think 1t would be o grea:
step backward not to hold the fair
after it has. progressed this far. I am
for the Parkway plan as long as it is
Re meant that the fair plan must b.
practicable and not tear up the Park.
Carleton r. Davis. chief Of the Water
Bureau-"1'n with the Administra.
Eli Kirk Price. vice president Of the
mmission-'Cntil the Sesqui Cen.
tennial Association submits a plan of
the property 1t desires for the purposes
of the exhibition and makes formal ap.
p!ication for its use 1t would be mad.
visable to express an opinion as to the
think Mt this time the best interests of
the exhibition would be most admirably
served II its supporters can be directed
toward helping Judge B0nniwell's com.
mittee enlarge the membership OF the
association. When the association in
cludes in its membership an adequate
proportion. Of the population. no,
merely Of Philadelphia. but Of the
United States the success Of the fair
will be assured and a proper and ade.
quate site. for the exhibition will un.
further prolonged discussion at this
time Of the relative merits Of any par.
ticular areas Of ground quite useless
and likely to divert attention from the
main object now to be sought to imma.
terial details Of execution.
Richard Weslein, president Of Coun.
cil-"It Is too great an international
event to be kicked around like a football
much longer. What We need is some-
thing definite as to character and cost" {"
John 4. vogelsoG. chief cf the Blu
appropriate celebration of the 15Oth
anniversary Of the signing Of the Dec.
lnration Of Independence. Just what
form it will take Is still under discus.
sion. I certainly would not want to
make public my views on the Park
plan until 1t Is formally presented be.
fore the commission"
Theodore Justice-"I feel that the
shortage Of water is such a very serious
problem that until that Is solved the
Sesqui- Centennial should not be held.
The water shortage, in view of the In =.
creasing population. is. the most serious
problem confronting the city,"
DR.. Charles b. Penrose-''I am on.
posed to holding q Sesqui. Centennial
exhibition. have nothing further to
say"
Emory McNlichael-"I don't care to
t;:Ips express !. any opinion at the present
Joseph Widener-"I have nothing to
say"