1
a great fair serves as a stage
for our
achievements and hopes also for cold wars and girl-watching.
v .
the
world
shows
off at
Brussels
The world holds up a mirror to itself
in Brussels this year.
What it sees are impressive strides
in science and industry, new horizons
in architecture, a history of accomplish
ment and progress. And something else
a giant atom hanging over it like a
sword of Damocles and two dominant
powers contending for popular favor.
The mirror is the $400-million Belgium
World's Fair which almost succeeds in its
goal of showing "the cooperation among
nations and the advancement of human
ity" almost succeeds.
The advancements are reflected in each
of the exhibits and pavilions sponsored
by 41 nations, eight international organi
zations, and numerous commercial
institutions. But the spirit of "co
operation" has turned, as in the world
itself, to a spirit of competition.
Symbolically, the two biggest and most
popular pavilions are those of the
United States and the Soviet Union.
Built directly opposite each other, they
vie for fair-goers just as they do for
influence in the world outside.
Their exhibits are studies in contrast.
The Russian pavilion is massive and
museum-like; the U. S. one, graceful and
airy. Russia's presentation of her cul
ture is deadly serious; America's, bright
and witty. Tourists complain that the
many heroic statues in the U.S.S.R.
pavilion make them feel like they're being
watched by Big Brother. But there are
complaints about our presentations,
too particularly the high prices for ham
burgers and hot dogs, almost as
expensive as Russian caviar.
Other countries may have smaller
exhibits, but they have not been over
shadowed by the two colossuses. The
Dutch, for example, have displays of
miniature working machinery to show
how they salvage precious land from
waters of the Zuider Zee. West Germany
depicts its accomplishments in post
war building with a handsome pavilion
constructed from prefabricated parts in
only 18 hours. Israel, celebrating its
10th anniversary as a nation, contrasts
modern achievements in agriculture
and industry with scenes of the Holy
Land in Biblical times.
On the lighter side, but equally sig
nificant, is an amusement park featuring
a trip to "outer space" for children. A
giant "rocket ship" uses motion-picture
screens as windows to give youngsters
the illusion of blasting off from the fair
grounds and soaring over Brussels before
circling the moon and returning.
Another symbol of our age, the
Atomium, hovers dramatically over all
the exhibits. Representing a crystal of
iron enlarged 150 million times, the struc
ture consists of eight burnished metal
spheres surrounding a "nucleus." The
spheres, many occupied by scientific
exhibits, are connected by slim tubes
which enclose escalators. Visitors who
ride to the top "electron," 320 feet high,
can enjoy French cuisine in a swank
restaurant whose view commands
the entire fairgounds.
Officials expect 35 million persons to
visit the fair this Summer. So far, the
parade of sightseers has been particularly
fascinated by the Russians' display of
their beloved Sputnik and the relatives
of its dog passenger, the late Laika. Yet
the U.S. appears to have trumped this
Soviet ace with an age-old weapon
pretty girls in stunning dress
at a daily fashion show.
But it's a rather hollow victory
only one of the models is American.
Aerial gondolas travel much of the fairground area to save Much of U. S. pavilion is parklike. Said a Russian
visitors' feet for the lengthy walks around the exhibits, upon seeing pool: "We'd have put a machine there!"
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7
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Faces of visitors from all nations reflect interest in a United
States display. Our presentations include panoramic views
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At night, lights of each sphere flash to represent orbits of
the electrons as they move around nucleus of Atomium.
Things are different at the American pavilion. High
is a fashion show which, so far, has even outdrawn
of Philadelphia and electronic brain that answers
in 10 languages any history question from 4 B. C.
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The Soviet pavilion is popular, but gay fair-goers
find little fun here just "hard sell" propaganda.
spot
Sput
nik and the sturdy miss who trains dogs for space
travel. But Russian cultural events are topnotch.
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r-
Family Weekly, July , 195J
II
Family Wetkly. July 5. 1S5J