COLLABORATION OF SCIENTISTS

In order to carry out the theme of the exposition, cooperation of the National Research Council of the United States was obtained. With its aid, and assisted by more than 400 of the leading scientists of the country, a general plan of exhibits was formulated.

EXHIBIT PLAN

The central feature of the exposition will be exhibits in the basic sciences. These will demonstrate, in a readily understandable manner, those fundamental discoveries in pure science which now form the basis of human progress.

The aim of the exposition is to put these results before the public in words of one syllable, so to speak. Here, for example, the visitor will be able to see those electric and magnetic phenomena which have proved so valuable to the engineer. Here he will be shown the new fields of chemistry opened up by the easy production of liquid air and by the discovery of radioactivity. Those biological discoveries which have made possible the recent advances in medicine and public health will also be displayed.

This central feature will be supplemented by exhibits showing the development of various industries, especially during the last 100 years, resulting from the application of scientific discoveries. These exhibits are to show for each industry

a picture of its origin or genesis, development, service, and needs.

The general plan for industrial exhibits will be applied to others demonstrating the changes in social relations which have been the natural consequence of the discoveries in science and which have culminated in our present civilization, together with the changes which present trends indicate may logically be anticipated for the future. The past century has witnessed nearly the entire development of popular education, the progress made in the prolongation of human life, the planning of modern cities, and the realization of the vast importance of providing for the welfare of the child.

INTERNATIONAL ASPECT

The international character of the exposition is indicated by the fact that, on February 5, 1929, a joint resolution of Congress was approved authorizing the President to invite the nations of the world to participate in the exposition, when he had been assured $5,000,000 had been raised by the corporation. This assurance was given to the President and the invitation was sent through our diplomatic officers to all nations on January 10, 1930.

The Century of Progress, held in connection with the completion of the first century of Chicago's life as a municipality, is not a local matter. Its objects and aims are of such a nature as to have induced Congress to recognize that national support is in all respects desirable and could not, in justice to Federal activities, be withheld. The exposition is therefore in every sense an international one sponsored by the Federal Government.

NATIONAL CHARACTER

In similar enterprises heretofore held in this country it was felt that the aspect of a national participation could be shown only by a separate building for each of the States of the Union. This has resulted in some useless expenditure of funds and in participation on an elaborate scale by some, in a scanty representation by others, and in no participation at all by many States. In some instances this participation has been largely a gesture of good will without compensating advantages to the State itself.

The exposition feels that it will truly record the changes in the last half of the past century when it arranges for the participation of all the States in one building, possibly surrounding a central section or structure occupied by the Federal Government, thus typifying the increased feeling of loyalty of the citizens to the Union. The various States will not be invited to construct separate buildings. A States' building, in which each State or Territory can rent such space as it might desire, will be constructed by the exposition in such form and architectural treatment as will harmonize with the other exposition structures, thus permitting as dignified a housing for its activities on the part of the State with a limited appropriation as for those which might desire a more elaborate display, and rendering it possible for each State to devote the greater part of its appro priation to exhibits rather than to building a temporary structure.

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LOCATION

The exposition has secured, by negotiation with the South Park commissioners In Chicago, the right to use for exhibition purposes as much as may be necessary of some six or seven hundred acres of newly made land destined to become an important link in the park system of Chicago. This land lies along the lake front opposite and only two or three city blocks from the very heart of the city; in fact, the main business section of Chicago is separated from Lake Michigan only by the park system itself.

To be included within the grounds of the exposition, and already in full operation, are the Adler Planetarium and the great stadium, Soldier Field, having a seating capacity of over 100,000. At the gates of the exposition are the Field Museum of Natural History and the Shedd Aquarium, and a few blocks to the north is the Art Institute of Chicago, an art center of international reputation. The features above enumerated are permanent structures, which could not be duplicated without the expenditure of enormous sums of money.

All transportation lines in and to the city, both land and water, converge at or near the site of the exposition. Thus are afforded ample facilities to a population in the city itself of 3,400,000 or to approximately 4,700,000 in what is called the metropolitan district, and to nearly half the population of the United States which is within a night's trip. It is believed that no exposition has ever been favored with a site so easily accessible to such a large number of people.

ORGANIZATION

The staff of A CENTURY OF PROGRESS at the administration building numbers 242. This includes official organizations in London and Paris and a representative in New York.

The paid organization has been built on a functional basis, with the following departments, responsible to the general manager, established to carry on the particular duties delegated to them: The department of exhibits, the department of works, the department of promotion, the department of general service, the department of concessions, comptroller's department, secretary's department.

Other activities are being handled by a group of technical assistants to the general manager. These, with the approach of the opening day of the exposition, will develop into individual departments.

A group of committees of corporation trustees and citizens provide an eminent advisory organization to the paid staff.

FINANCES

The attached statement is submitted to show our financial condition as of November 30, 1931.

The guaranteed gold note issue, secured by 40 per cent of the gate receipts in the authorized amount of $10,000,000, is guarantedd as to its payment by $12,176,000 individual guarantees from leading Chicago business men.

All expenditures are under budget control and no commitments are made unless funds are on hand or in sight with which to meet such commitments. The attached statement does not include any expenditures contemplated by various companies for the construction of their own special buildings and pavilions. Buildings now erected or in course may be regarded as a kind of revolving fund. Ninety-three companies have contracted for space, about 80 per cent of which has already been paid for, thus releasing invested funds for use again.

From other associations of industry and leading corporations of the Nation have come additional assurances of support in the matter of renting space.

The South Park commissioners have given us full cooperation in all matters under their authority.

The extension to Northerly Island as part of the permanent park system is progressing. Construction of the bulkhead to inclose the new section of the island is being completed. Plans and specifications to provide for the filling in of the island extension have been issued by the South Park for bids. This will add 12 acres to the ground area to be used for the exposition and will complete a second lagoon of equal area to the one formed by Northerly Island. Stone from the south end of the existing island and from off the bulkhead inclosing the lagoon has been transferred to the bulkhead cast of the electrical group, raising the bulkhead in this area from plus 4 and 5 feet to plus 8 and 10 feet, thereby giving more thorough protection to the electrical group and other structures which will eventually be placed in this area, all without cost to A Century of Progress.

The South Park Commission has also cooperated in connection with obtaining free fill for points about the grounds, and have arranged the Century of Progress road project, so that this construction could proceed at the convenience of the exposition.

CONSTRUCTION

Individual buildings are turned over to one of the members of the architectural commission for study and design, following which the department of works prepares the detailed plans and specifications.

The commission, composed of Messrs. Harvey Wiley Corbett, Ralph Walker, and Raymond Hood, of New York; Paul Cret, of Philadelphia; Arthur Brown, of San Francisco; and Hubert Burnham, Edward Bennett, and John Holabird, of Chicago, has been at work for three years on the problem presented to modern society by the introduction of new materials and the necessity of meeting new purposes in buildings. No attempt will be made, as was the case in 1893, to repeat the models left by the architects of ancient Greece or Rome or the middle ages. The buildings will have a beauty of their own, but it will be a new beauty. They will suggest to builders of the future opportunities in the use of new mateirals.

The administration building has been entirely completed and presents a type of building which could be manufactured in the same manner as a Ford car, shipped in box cars to any section of the world and erected with a monkey wrench. a screw driver and a hammer, and directly attacks the high cost of rent in this and in other countries. The special features on display in the administration building, such as models and pictures in the exhibit hall, the diorama studio, the

rainiature science exhibits, the trustees' room, and the lighting laboratory, have Created great public interest.

The Fort Dearborn replica, the earliest Chicago settlement, was opened to the public May 16, 1931, and since that time has attracted much attention. Paid attendance to date at 25 cents for adults and 10 cents for children numbers 112,148, of which 55 per cent has been from outside metropolitan Chicago. The travel and transport building is now being used as an experimental labora tory for study of new types of booth spacing, heights, color and lighting effects, and floor construction. The dome of the transportation building incloses one of the largest areas ever before inclosed by man. This has been accomplished at a very moderate expense by the application of the suspension bridge principle by which the roof is suspended by cables supported by columns outside of the building. The success of this experiment demonstrates the possibility of inclosing any area which it is desired to have covered in such a manner as to leave the inclosed space without columns to interfere with the view.

The hall of science is under construction. One of the show features of the grounds, it will rise from colored terraces, two stories and a mezzanine in height, In its court will be a huge rostrum decorated with bas-relief ornaments. At one corner of the building will rise a 176-foot tower fitted with a carillon.

In a picturesque setting on Northerly Island, directly across the lagoon from the hall of science, is now rising the electrical group. This group, 1,200 feet long and 300 feet wide, will comprise three units—a radio building, a communications building devoted to exhibits of the telephone and telegraph, and an electrical building, in which the generation, distribution, and utilization of electricity will be portrayed. The steel work on this group is practically completed and a start has been made on the inclosure, for which a fire-resistant material, embellished with a metallic paint, is being used.

Each building will be full of suggestions as to the use of new materials and as to the manner of meeting new requirements in building. The exbibition buildings will be illuminated by artificial light exclusively, thus giving constant control at all times of the volume and intensity of light. These buildings will be practically without windows, but ventilation will be positive through the application of scientific studies by ventilating engineers.

Road construction required by agreement with the South Park Commission has been practically completed. The drive along the lake shore will be closed to public travel upon construction of a fence around the entire exposition site. It was therefore necessary for A Century of Progress to construct a roadway to carry such traffic along the western edge of the area being used by it. From Sixteenth Street to Thirty-ninth Street a pavement of 84 feet in width has been finished, leaving some widening to be done at a later date.

Utilities created a vast problem. These studies on sewerage, water supply, electrical service, gas service, roads, walks, etc., have now reached a point where plans and specifications are in preparation for installation next spring.

The city of Chicago has granted the privilege to the corporation of taking its water supply from the city tunnels and plans are being prepared for a pumping station and connections at the Park Row shaft to the tunnels supplying the water from Lake Michigan. The privilege of connecting the sanitary sewer system of the exhibition area to the sewer system of Chicago has been given. This cooperation facilitates carrying out projects for water and sanitary sewers both expedi tiously and economically.

FOREIGN PARTICIPATION

In spite of the adverse conditions, much progress has been made in securing foreign participation.

Official acceptances have now been received from France, Greece, China, Guatemala, Ecuador, Persia, and Honduras. Mexico, Japan, and Lithuania have accepted in principle. Large committees are working on the subject in Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Hungary, Finland, Yugoslavia, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Rumania, Spain, Austria, Colombia, and Peru are actively considering the matter of participation.

Regulations governing foreign participation were prepared in conformity with the agreements of the Convention Relating to International Exhibitions at Paris and have been approved by a commission of that body.

Several trips to European capitals have been made by the staff of the London office, where it was found that great interest is shown. Dr. David Kinley, president emeritus of the University of Illinois, undertook to visit China and Japan as the emissary of the exposition, but unfortunately was unable to complete

his mission at that time. If Doctor Kinley's health permits, it is anticipated that he will make another visit to these countries during the next few months. Mr. Charles S. Peterson, vice president of the exposition, has recently returned from Mexico, where much interest was aroused among the officials of the Mexican Government in participation. Mr. Carlos Contreras, architect and head of the planning commission of the Mexican Government, was recently sent as a representative by the Mexican Government to make a tentative selection of a site for the Mexican building and has just returned to Mexico following an inspection of the exposition grounds.

Dr. William Montgomery McGovern, of Northwestern University, is now in Turkey and Persia on behalf of the exposition. His efforts have resulted in offers from the Turkish and Persian Governments of the loan to the exposition of remarkable collections of art objects.

Mr.

A great deal of interest has been shown in A Century of Progress by Central and South American countries, and an official representative of the exposition is now en route to those nations to renew, on behalf of the president of the exposition, President Hoover's invitation to these countries to take part in the exposition. Representatives of the French Government have shown interest in the section of the exposition known as "Old Europe" and also in the science exhibits. Paul Cret, of the exposition architectural commission, has been designated by the French Government to collaborate with French architects in the design of their buildings. Three and one-half acres have been set aside in "Old Europe for French use, and a space is being reserved next to the hall of science on which France plans to erect a building to house French science exhibits.

In view of the interest shown in the science exhibits, a section has been set aside in the hall of science so that other nations may secure space for national sections if they desire.

FEDERAL PARTICIPATION

Investigations and reports have been completed covering such legislation as is necessary for carrying out the project, for instance, customs regulations, patents and copyrights, immigration, etc.

Bills are now pending in Congress to cover an exhibit of the United States Government.

STATE PARTICIPATION

The people of every State in the Union were invited to participate in the exposition through formal invitations addressed to the governors of the Stater in January, 1931. This invitation was followed by personal calls on the chief executive of each State by representatives of the exposition. These representatives were instructed to furnish any information requested, in order that State commissions might be created, decision expedited, and commitments received as early as possible. No intrusion on the part of the exposition was made into the deliberations of the State legislatures.

The result is tabulated below.

Sixteen States have passed bills for appropriation: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Wyoming.

Thirteen States have passed bill for commission: Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Tennessee.

The governors of 10 States have appointed commissions: Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, New Hampshire, Virginia, and North Carolina.

Favorable action has been taken in the Territories. Hawaii has passed a bill for an appropriation and appointed a commission. Alaska also has made an appropriation. The Governor of Porto Rico has appointed a commission, and the last advice from the Philippine Islands is that their legislature is considering favorable participation.

Commissions from the following States have visited the exposition and made favorable reports: Kentucky, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Maryland, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and South Dakota.

The decision to have a States building to house all State exhibits, rather than separate State pavilions, has met with unanimous approval.