Evening star., 1950-05-25
Truman Boosts
Fair
Revival Plans
But Warns Somebody
Will Have to Woke Up
And Push Project

President Truman today inject
ed new vigor into the drive to re-
Vive plans for a SeSquicentennial
Freedom Fair here. but tartly OBJ
served that somebody will have to
wake up and push the project.
The President commented at
his press conference after his at
tentlon was called to a resolution
adopted last night at a mass meet
ing of District citizens urging him
to remove from the Sesquicenten-
NAL Commission those persons OBJ
structing plans for the Freedom
Fair.
Recalling his long interest in
the fair. President Truman de-
clared that he intended to con-
tinue his support, but added that
he couldn't go out on the street
and stage it. That was some one
else'S job. the President added.
Pressed for his views on the re-
quest of local citizens that some
designations in commission per-
sonnel be called for. the President
avoided direct answer.
Up to Businessmen Here.
It's about time local business
men were waking up and finding
out what it's all about, the Presi-
dent commented. and then shifted
the discussion to other matters.
The President, himself is ex-
otflcio chairman of the Sesqui-
centennial Commission under a
joint resolution of Congress estab-
fishing that body. Six members Of
the commission were appointed by
the President. Other members
are the President protein of the
Senate. the Speaker of the House
and three members each from
the Senate and the House.
1t was not clear exactly what
the President referred to when
he advised local businessmen to
wake up after he was asked about
possible designations from the
commission.
The President said the fair has
had his support since it was first
proposed and he has done every
thing he could to encourage the
project. 1t was at this point that
he observed he could not be ex-
pected to go out on the street and
put on Freedom Fair by himself.
Expect to Have Fair.
The mass meeting of civic Lead
ers last night was called after
President Truman told newspaper
men last week that he thought
Washington businessmen were
apathetic toward the Freedom
Fair. The President was more
outspoken in his views today.
Meanwhile, j. A. Kamerow.
chairman of the Citizens Freedom
Fair Committee of the District
who presided at last nights meet
ing of civic leaders at the District
Building, fatty declared there will
be a Freedom Fair in the WASH
ington area in 1851.
If the Sesquicentennial Com
mission will not promote the fair,
Mr.. Kamerow declared, 1t will be
staged under private promotion.
I'VE are going to have a Free
dom Fair" he said. IF the COM
mission does not want it, we will
take hold"
Leaders of business, fraternal,
patriotic, veterans, labor and
other groups voted unanimously
for the resolution calling upon
President Truman to activate
Freedom Fair plans.
Says Capital Is Available.
Mr.. Kamerow said that he had
received word this morning that
capital is willing to put up $40
million to finance the fair" i'm
mediately. He said he could not
disclose the source of this offer
at this time. He declared a cor
poration would likely be formed
later to carry on the fair. If the
Government does not want to
carry forward with the program
Congress laid down.
The resolution at last nights
meeting was offered by John
H. Connaughton, former presi-