Evening star., 1939-03-29
Turn CITY
Inside Out for
World Meet
Make Quick. Thorough
Job Of Preparations;
Propaganda Is Out
BY DREW MIDDLETON,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

NEW YORK. March 29.-All is
chaos in Helsinki and the country
side surrounding the capital of Fin
land. The Firms, long mainstays
of the Olympics track and field
events. are getting ready for the
1910 Olympics and are taking the
town apart and putting it together
again.
Buildings are being torn down to
make way for new ones. The main
stadium is being enlarged to seat
$1,000 Every hotel room, smoke
filled or otherwise, contains harried
officials planning the games pro-
gram. Taxi drivers. walters and
policemen sit in class solemnly in
toning such useful phrases as
"That'll be six bits, buddy" How
do you want these eggs?" and Where
va goin' Mac, to a fire?"
The roads around the capital are
filled with young farmers. mechanics
and students. All Firms are long
distance runners. and each of these
youngsters, the cream of the cur
rent crop, is determined to be an
other Paavo Nurmi. Walking in the
fields is dangerous. The javelin
throWers, keeping up an old Finnish
custom. are tossing the spear out
landish distances
Propaganda Spurned.
Uhro Toivola, director of press
relations for the Finnish foreign
ministry. is over here now telling
about the preparations. He is proud
to announce this will be nom
propaganda Olympiad with uni
forms used only by athletes and sa-
luting at minimum.
I'VE are going back to the old idea
OF sport for sports sake" he said
with a smile We know it is revo-
lutionary, anyway, but We are going
to try it."
The games will be held from July
20 to August IA and with only year
the Firms got the Olympics last
July l6 after Japan gave them up
to prepare the Firms are doing a
notable job
flnance. seating arrangements and
the reception. entertainment. hous-
ing and feeding of the 100000 or so
visitors expected are the chief prob
lens at present.
Biggest job financially was the en-
largement of the main Olympic
Stadium plus the construction of
stadiums for other Olympic sports,
such as swimming. rowing.
To pay for the former the govern
ment granted Olympic and stadium
trade marks to manufacturers.
Stadium pencils. ties. suits, note
paper and even lemonade were sold,
and about 2 per cent of the profits
went to the governments Olympic
fund. The stadium, started in 1886,
seated 10000 when first completed.
Now it seats $4,000 more. but Toivola
says. we could have one seating
100000 and it wouldn't be enough" ."
The housing and feeding OF the
visitors is troubling the hospitable
Firms most. Helsinki has popula-
ton of 100000 and Toivola said. We
haven't enough hotels"
So summer hotels and guest
houses are being built. Townspee-
pie have been called on to let por-
tions of their apartments. An Olym-
pic district has been created ex-
tending for 81 miles around the
city, and good accommodations and
speedy communication are guaran-
teed A score or so ocean liners will
be anchored in the harbor, and tour
lists will be able to live on board
The games will be cheaper than
in the past. For 1925 you can get
the best hotel room in town, and
dormitory rooms for young people
will be about so cents. The best
ticket for the games will cost S.
Standing room will be 20 cents.
The sale of tickets began in Feb
ruary, but half of the tickets will
be reserved for foreign spectators
Already the Firms, a loving
people, are complaining about the
ticket scarcity.
1T is an awful lot of work." said
Toivola I'm addition we are build
ing the Olympic village, organiz-
ing the program and teaching the
people foreign languages We are
having what Americans call some
fun and we are enjoying it."