50 years ago in Expo history: France bows out of world’s fair, leaving West Germany as sole participant for Pavilion of Europe

Expo ’74 officials made a disappointing announcement: France would not participate.

This meant the planned Pavilion of Europe was down to a single participant: West Germany. Expo general manager Petr Spurney said the Pavilion of Europe would now be called the International Pavilion, with another country from the Pacific Rim or Asia taking over one of the slots. There was even a possibility that another European country would sign up. Spurney said he needed a firm yes or no from those countries by the end of the week, or it would be too late.

Spurney downplayed the impact of France’s withdrawal, saying that France had planned only a 4,000-square-foot pavilion, small by Expo standards.

France had earlier agreed to an exhibit, but no follow-up ensued. France was the only no-show to the recent exhibitors conference a few days ago, which forced Spurney to face the fact that France had lost all interest.

From 100 years ago: Spokane’s Dry Squad nabbed the “Blue Goose,” a notorious bootlegging car which had been involved in numerous shootouts.

It belonged to bootlegger Louis (Swampy) Critzer, but Swampy told police some other bootleggers had hijacked the car and stolen his load of liquor. Dry Squad officers found the car parked at Monroe and Riverside. They followed it to Browne’s Addition and then stopped it and arrested the driver, James Edward Larkin. Three quarts of liquor were found in the car.

The Blue Goose was a speedy Willis-St. Claire auto, which got its nickname from the emblem on its radiator.