Robert Moses and Charles Poletti

American urban planner Robert Moses (1888 - 1981), president of the World's Fair stands in front of the Unisphere monument at the World's Fair site in Flushing, Queens, New York City, 1964.

This episode is from the WNYC archives. It may contain language which is no longer politically or socially appropriate.

Commissioner Robert Moses talks about plans for the upcoming World's Fair in Flushing Meadows. He comments about the presence of foreign nations at the Fair and how the world has changed since WWII - notably the creation of new nations. Moses also speaks very highly of former New York Governor Charles Poletti, who worked on the International Area of the Fair.

Charles Poletti speaks of the excellent Fair staff who have visited many countries to develop the International Area. He says he believes that more countries will be represented at this fair than at any other international exhibition. He speaks about the goal of the Fair: to learn more about the other people of the world.
Poletti refers to countries that are not participating in the Fair because they are members of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). In the case of some of these nations they will be represented by private companies, essentially serving as a substitution for their governments (countries that did not participate include Canada, Australia, most of the major European nations and the Soviet Union, as well as many countries of Latin America). Poletti states passionately that he believes it is a mistake for these countries to not participate.

Questions and Answers follow.

Questions and Answers follow.


Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection


WNYC archives id: 70495
Municipal archives id: T238