THE NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR 1964-65 - THE BILLION DOLLAR BIGGEST FAIR OF THEM ALL - ALL IS BEGINNING TO TAKE SHAPE. ON A 646 ACRE-SITE AT FLUSHING MEADOWS SOME 7,000 WORKMEN ARE PUSHING UP THE STEEL SKELETONS OF WHAT WILL BECOME 150 SEPARATE BUILDING REPRESENTING 37 FOREIGN NATIONS, SCORES OF AMERICAN INDUSTRIES, TWO DOZEN AMERICAN STATES, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

THE FAIR, CLAIMED TO BE AS BIG AS TEN SEATTLE FAIRS, FINER THAN THAT OF BRUSSELS, AND FAR IN ADVANCE OF ANYTHING OF ITS KIND EVER CONCEIVED, IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN ON APRIL 22ND. BETWEEN THEN AND OCTOBER 17TH, 1965, AFTER TWO SIX-MONTH FAIR WEATHER SEASONS, A MINIMUM OF 70 MILLION VISITORS ARE EXPECTED TO PAY 120 MILLION DOLLARS AT THE TURNSTILES. THEY WILL SPEND TWO OR THREE TIMES AS MUCH WITHIN THE GATES AND EVEN MORE FOR FOOD, LODGING, AND ENTERTAINMENT IN THE CITY ITSELF. NEW YORK'S MAYOR WAGNER HAS SAID THE FAIR WILL PUMP 6,000 MILLION DOLLARS INTO THE CITY'S ECONOMY.

THE FAIR HAS FACED MANY SETBACKS. SEVERE WEATHER SLOWED DOWN THE BUILDING PROGRAMME AND THREATENED SHORTAGES OF BUILDING MATERIALS. THE WORST BLOW OF ALL WAS A BOYCOTT BY 30 MEMBERS OF THE BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITIONS. THE BUREAU HAS A NUMBER OF REGULATIONS, AMONG THEM A LIMIT OF SIX MONTHS ON INTERNATIONAL FAIRS AND RENT-FREE SPACE FOR FOREIGN EXHIBITORS. THE NEW YORK FAIR CONTRAVENES BOTH THESE PROVISIONS AND AS A RESULT ELIMINATED OFFICIAL PARTICIPATION BY MOST OF THE EUROPEAN STATES, INCLUDING THE SOVIET UNION, AS WELL AS BRITAIN THE COMMONWEALTH.

MUCH WORK IS STILL TO BE DONE BUT THE ORGANISERS ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE FAIR WILL OPEN ON TIME. ITS THEME: "PEACE THROUGH UNDERSTANDING" IS SYMBOLISED BY A 'UNISPHERE' A GREAT STAINLESS STEEL GLOBE 14 STORIES HIGH."