WORLD’S FAIR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 May 1939, Page 5

WORLD’S FAIR

OPENED BY PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT HOPE OF EVENTUAL PEACE IN EUROPE. BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS OF RACE AND CREED. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received This Day. 9.10 a.m.) NEW YORK. April 30. Opening the World’s Fair, President Roosevelt stressed America as a land where tolerance rules and expressed the hope that Europe eventually would break down barriers of races and creeds, and live in peace. He said: "We in the United States, indeed in all the Americas, remember our populations come from many races, kindreds and tongues. Often. I think, we Americans offer up a silent prayer that on the Continent of Europe, from which the American hemisphere was principally colonised, future years will break down many barriers to intercourse Detween the nations—barriers which may be historic, but which so greatly through the centuries have led to strife, hindered friendship and normal intercourse.”

The President expressed the opinion that the general participation in the Fair by other countries was a gesture of friendship and goodwill. Hundreds of thousands of people invaded the city in anticipation of the opening of the 160,000,000-dollar World’s Fair. ‘ Z A message stated that President Roosevelt would be closely guarded when he inaugurated the fair before an estimated crowd of 1.000,000. Though the President completed the draft of his World’s Fair Speech before Herr Hitler spoke on Friday, there was much speculation as to whether he would extemporaneously insert comments on Herr Hitler’s answer. Thirty-five warships are congregated in the harbour with 12,000 naval ratings and officers on board. Hotels in. the city are booked to capacity.