Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-09-24
Trade Group Back
Optimistic on Fair
Europe Tourists
Report Friendly
Reaction to Plan

A Washington Board Of Trade
delegation arrived home from
Brussels today with high hopes
that Washington will be able
to stage its own worlds fair in
1868.
Robert z. Mclaughlin, pres,
ident Of the Districts Board q
Commissioners, said he was en-.
couraged by talks held will
officials Of the Brussels Fai,
and representatives of partici.
pating European countries.
1.-THE conversations and ou'
tour have frightened the pros
poets for q Washington world
fair because we know q grea :
deal more Of what we have t.
contend with" Mr., Mclaughlin
said. He added that the dele
cation received a friendly re
action everywhere" to the ide
of a Washington fair.
His enthusiasm was echoe'
by William H. Press, executiv
vice president Of the Washing ..
ton Board Of Trade.
Two Rivals Loom
Washington has two possibl
competitors, Mr.. McLaughli,
and Mr.. Press revealed. Vienn
also would like to hold a world
fair in 1868 and Montreal l.
planning for a fair in 1867.
The 1868 date at which
Washington is aiming is no
final. Mr.. Press noted that it
could be pushed back q year.
The worlds fair, If it come :
of, will be even bigger and
better" than Brussels, Mr.. Pres
said. He added confidently
that Washington should be able
to top the more than IS mil
lion visitors who already have
poured through the gates a.
Brussels.
The Board Of Trade official
conceded he was fearful before
going to Europe that the coun-
tries participating in the Brus-
sells fair would be cool toward
the idea of another worlds
flair in 1868. On the contrary,
Mr.. Press said, he found warm
interest in Washington's big
plans.
II Tour Europe
The Board Of Trade group
included 81 members and
enough wives and other family
members to boost the total in
the delegation to II. The
group spent 20 days in Europe,
visiting London, Paris, Rome
and Bern, Switzerland, before
helping to celebrate District OF
Columbia Day at the Brussels
Fair last Monday.
The returning voyagers
Locked like a United Nations
delegation as they disem-
barked at the Military Air
Transport Service terminal at
Washington National Airport,
LOADED with souvenirs and
packages of all sizes.
A head count showed three
beretS, two green Tyrolean
hats with white feathers, one
Scottish tam, two gray Irish
top hats and an assortment Of
souvenir headgear from the
fair.
There are two chief stun
bling blocks to holding the
hoped-for Washington worlds
fair.
!. Congress first would have
to approve plans for use Of the
,000-acre Boiling Field-Ana-
! costa Naval Air Station tract.
} which would be the ideal site.
Mr.. Press revealed today, how
ever, that an undisclosed alter
native site has received some
consideration.
! The Air Force and the Navy
are due to end operations at
Boiling and AnacoStia in 1860,
! but Congress would still have
; to approve the plans.
2. Washington also would
have to get approval of the
the Bureau Internationale de
Exposition, a donation group
with headquarters in Paris.
Without the approval of this
organization, Mr.. Press said,
the European countries which
, make up its membership would
probably decline to participate,