Second Time Around

With fireworks exploding the morning sunlight, a 16-float parade snaking past new-laid sod and sudden flowers, and the beaming presence of the Vice President of the United States, the New York World's Fair came out for the second round last week. Everybody in volved -- from terrible-tempered Robert Moses down -- was determined to profit by experience. And profit was of the essence: the fair's first season ran up a rocking $17.5 million deficit and sent four pavilions into bankruptcy.*

Not that the fair was foul. Last year's 27 million admissions were more than any fair anywhere has drawn in the same period of time. But this was about 10 million fewer than Bossman Moses had projected. There had been plenty of grumbles. The price tags were higher, for exhibitors and fairgoers alike, than anyone seemed to have counted on, the queues for the most popular shows were almost unbearably long, the transportation system seemed to have been devised by a committee of leprechauns, the so-called Amusement Area was notably unamusing, and everything snapped shut at 10 p.m. --hardly an inducement to New Yorkers who had to work during the day.

A Porpoise on the House. So this season was ushered in with a great rustling of new leaves being turned. Some of the big exhibits have taken steps to shorten their waiting lines by opening earlier, staying open later, taking advance reservations for seats, increasing auditorium seats (General Electric) or speeding the flow with an extra door (Ford). The three-car Glide-a-Ride trains have been rerouted and coded with color to make their destinations less of a mystery, and the $9-an-hour, four-passenger Escorters--famed for their frequent breakdowns--have been eliminated altogether. Admission is up 50-c- to $2.50, but there are more free shows. Florida's trained porpoise, for instance, which cost $2 for adults and $1 for children last year, is now free, as will be an elaborate water ski show when it opens May 8. Admission to the 4,000-ft. monorail ride (80-c- for adults, 60-c- for children) now entitles one to unlimited rides. One of last year's most popular shows, Les Poupees de Paris, has cut its $2 admission price in half.

And in addition to some $2,000,000 spent on refurbishing the old exhibits, about $5,000,000 has gone into creating new ones. Items:

> The Churchill Pavilion has been mounted with great skill by Designer Philip George in the vast and vacant geodesic dome that was called the Assembly Hall. The story of the great man's life is told in a walk-through illuminated by 500 photographs, after which visitors find themselves surrounded by 32 charming Churchill paintings, which amply demonstrate that he was no mere Sunday painter.* Also on display is a reconstruction of his study at Chartwell, and more than $1,000,000 worth of Churchill memorabilia.

> The People-to-People Fiesta is a miniature world's fair in itself--a bazaar with booths of more than 40 nations. Here foot-weary fairgoers can picnic, entertained by strolling musicians, craft demonstrations, and a peppy, swinging ballet about Manhattan staged by youngsters of the Police Athletic League.

> The Hall of Presidents in the Federal Pavilion displays the mementos of 13 Presidents (including General Eisenhower's battle jacket), plus the original Bill of Rights, the Emancipation Proclamation, the manuscripts of Washington's Inaugural and Farewell Addresses and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

> The Vatican Pavilion has added a beguiling statue of St. John as a boy, attributed to Michelangelo, a Gutenberg Bible, and the jewel-encrusted papal tiara Pope Paul VI presented to the American people.

> The Spanish Pavilion no longer has the famed Majas, but has three other Goyas, Ribera's Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew, plus work by Velasquez, El Greco, Picasso, Miro and Dali.

> The Belgian Village--so plagued by problems last year that it was not completely open until two days before the fair closed--should be one of the smash hits of the new season. For $1 visitors may step into a wonderfully fashioned old-world town, wander up and down the crooked, cobbled streets, drink or people-watch in sidewalk cafes, eat in an inexplicably Hungarian restaurant, shake at a discotheque, snack on beer-marinated hot dogs or champagne-broiled steak sandwiches, and ride on what may well be the most beautiful merry-go-round in the world.

Frugging Until 2 a.m. Newest newness in the new fair is its relaxation of the famed Moses austerity. In the Lake Amusement Area, rechristened the Lake Area, a roller coaster whooshes and roars, bumper cars carom, and there is a bit more corny, carny fun for one and all. There are even cancan girls in the former Texas Pavilion, which has been renamed Carnival.

And there are almost as many discotheques as hamburger stands. Bourbon Street alone has four of them, and the Whisky a Go Go in the Hollywood Pavilion sports a glass-encircled booth in which passers-by as well as patrons can be titillated by the sexy gyrations of a couple of not-too-scantily-dressed girls. For the frug-minded at least, things will be jumping at the new fair until 2 in the morning.

* Wonder World, Texas Pavilion, Ice Trava-ganza and Louisiana. * Nor Sunday sculptor. Churchill's one sculptural effort, a bust of Sculptor Oscar Nemon, finished in four hours while sitting for his own portrait bust, is good art as well as a good likeness.

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