Evening star., 1939-05-07

9eH VII DeduIy
OF Zurich
Ancient and Modern
Are Side by Side
In Lovely Setting
ZURICH, May 6.-The nearest
thing to a worlds fair this summer
in Europe is the Swiss National Ex-
position at Zurich which opened to-
day and will continue until Oc-
tober 49, 1t occurs once every
quarter of century and will not be
held again until 1864. 1t will not
be as large as the American fairs
on Flushing Meadows and Treasure
Island, but both the New York and
San Francisco fairs can be envious
of the site of the Swiss Exposition.
1t occupies two parks on opposite
shores of the Lake of Zurich at the
end of the lake, with green noun
tains nearby and snow-capped peaks
in the distance. If New York S
Worlds Fair could arrange for the
Rocky Mountains to encircle its
snowy acres and move Lake Cham
plain south to occupy part of the
Meadows. it might approach the
beauty of the Swiss site.
But the Swiss Exposition has the
further advantage of being almost
next door to millions of many ma
tions All roads will lead to Zurich
this summer. If you are in Paris it
will be less than 400 hundred miles
to Zurich. Genoa, in Italy, is only
about 300 miles away; Berlin,
Amsterdam about twice as far, and
London nearly TOO, but the farthest
of these great cities is not so distant
from Zurich as Indianapolis is from
New York. Switzerland is a great
but little country, and while New
York State is not large. there being
% States larger, it could hold three
Switzerlands and still have enough
land to spare to hold eight areas as
large as New York City.
Five Languages Prevail.
With so much restlessness about
frontiers and nationalities, Switzer-
land offers the traveller the unusual
pleasure of being in a beautiful land
where five languages are spoken, a
confederation of % cantons or states
who have learned to live together
finely. Most of Switzerland is Ger
man-speaking, but there are large
areas of French and Italian speak
ing populations and small districts
where one may still hear the ancient
Ladin and Romansch tongues. Many
of the cantons are bi-lingual and tri-
lingual. 1talian-speaking Ticino has
in its highlands the German-speak-
ing settlement of Gurin, while in
the Grisons there are German, Ital-
ian and Romasch districts. All of
these people with their different
cultural attainments and ideals
form harmonious nation, and it
is to tell the world in 1899 about
this nation, its ideals, crafts and
culture that the great National Ex-
position is held every IS years and
will this year be at Zurich.
While the exposition has the
usual displays of national products
Illustrating the industrial and ag-
ricultural life of the people, a most
unusual gala program of festivals
and sports is scheduled. Costume
and yodeling fetes, operas and
concerts under the direction OF
world famous conductors and daily
exhibitions of Alpine pastimes will
keep eyes and ears Of every one alert
and busy.
Ideal Exposition City.
Probably no city in Switzerland
is better suited for an exposition
intended to interest those who live
outside the country. Even the Swiss
when they come to Zurich act like
visitors from some far country and
look twice at the things to be seen
to be sure they are seeing right. It
is in the heart of the William Tell
region and many a Swiss looks upon
trip to Zurich in much the same
mood as Americans look on a trip
to Washington.
The city combines both the mod
ern and the ancient Medieval tow
ers are alongside electric railways,
smart shops are rubbing elbows with
gray, wrinkled old homes built CEN
turies ago. Its two world-famous
bridges, the Kapell and Spreuer
bridges, with their wood tiled roofs,
cannot be duplicated elsewhere in
the world. Not content with merely
spanning the river, they also try
to be art galleries. On one II fres-
Goes depict the deeds of the city's
old-time saints and heroes, while
the Spreuer Bridge is renowned
for its 18th century paintings in
terpreting in 64 scenes the famous
Dance of Death"
Frescoed Houses, Too.
From frescoed bridges the visitor
in turn is charmed with the frescoed
houses, most of which may be seen
near the ancient Rathaus. One of
the best is the Gasthaus zu Pfistern
which bears the coat of arms OF
the bakers guild, but on other
houses one may see the simple
domestic scenes of the citizens and
old time festivals. 1t is all medieval
and utterly charming
Best of all, the incompatible lake
front, main highway to the exposi-
ton. will be the continual rendezvous
of the visitor. Its famous Seeprom-