It　included　a　large　number　of　excellent　works　and　others　of　doubtful　merit。
  An　Emissary　to　France　and　Italy
  Meanwhile；　during　the　few　months　after　the　outbreak　of　war；　the　art　situation　in　Europe　began　to　look　more　hopeful。　It　seemed　possible　that　some　of　the　nations　concerned　in　the　war　would　be　persuaded　to　participate。　Captain　Asher　C。　Baker；　Director　of　the　Division　of　Exhibits；　was　sent　on　a　special　mission　to　France；　sailing　from　New　York　early　in　November。　The　United　States　collier　〃Jason〃　was　then　preparing　to　sail　from　New　York　with　Christmas　presents　for　the　children　in　the　war　zone；　and　the　secretary　of　the　navy　had　arranged　with　the　Exposition　authorities　that；　on　the　return　trip；　the　ship　should　be　used　to　carry　exhibits　from　Europe。　The　first　plan　was　that　the　exhibits　should　come　only　from　the　warring　nations；　it　was　later　extended　to　include　other　nations。
  In　Paris　Captain　Baker　found　the　situation　discouraging。　The　first　official　he　saw　told　him　that；　under　the　circumstances；　any　participation　of　France　whatsoever　was　out　of　the　question：　France　was　in　mourning；　and　did　not　wish　to　celebrate　anything；　if　any　Frenchman　were　to　suggest　participation　he　would　be　criticised；　furthermore；　Albert　Tirman；　at　the　head　of　the　French　committee　that　had　visited　San　Francisco　the　year　before　to　select　the　site　of　the　French　Pavilion；　had　come　back　from　the　front　in　the　Vosges　and　was　hard　at　work　in　the　barracks　of　the　Invalides；　acting　as　an　intermediary　between　the　civil　and　military　authorities。
  Then　Captain　Baker　appealed　to　Ambassador　Myron　T。　Herrick。　Although　the　ambassador　was　enthusiastic　for　the　Exposition；　he　said　that；　in　such　a　crisis；　he　could　not　ask　France　to　spend　the　four　hundred　thousand　dollars　set　apart　for　use　in　San　Francisco。　Captain　Baker　said：　〃Don't　you　think　if　France　came　in　at　this　time　a　wonderfully　sympathetic　effect　would　be　created　all　over　the　United　States？〃　The　ambassador　replied；　〃I　do。〃　〃Wouldn't　you　like　to　see　France　participate？〃　The　ambassador　declared　that　he　would。　〃Will　you　say　so　to　Mr。　Tirman？〃　The　ambassador　said；　〃Willingly。〃
  A　week　later　Baker　and　Tirman　were　on　their　way　to　Bordeaux　to　see　Gaston　Thomson；　Minister　of　Commerce。　They　made　these　proposals：　The　exhibits　should　be　carried　by　the　Jason　through　the　canal　to　San　Francisco；　the　building　of　the　French　Pavilion　should　be　undertaken　by　the　Division　of　Works　of　the　Exposition；　on　specification　to　be　cabled　to　San　Francisco　of　the　frame　work；　the　moulds　for　the　columns　and　architectural　ornaments　to　be　prepared　in　France　and　shipped　by　express；　the　French　committee　of　organization　was　to　work　in　France　among　possible　exhibitors；　a　statement　was　to　be　made　to　the　ministry　of　what　each　department　of　the　government　could　do　in　sending　exhibits　and　what　exhibits　were　ready；　a　statement　should　come　from　the　Minister　of　Fine　Arts　as　to　how　much　space　he　could　occupy　and　how　many　paintings　could　be　secured　for　the　Palace　of　Fine　Arts；　a　complete　representation　of　the　Department　of　Historical　Furniture　and　Tapestries；　known　as　the　Garde　Meuble；　was　to　be　made　for　the　pavilion。
  In　the　interview　with　the　Minister　of　Commerce　Baker　argued　that；　without　France；　an　Exposition　could　not　be　international；　and　that　the　participation　of　France　at　this　time；　with　her　flag　flying　in　San　Francisco；　would　be　like　winning　a　battle　before　the　world。　It　would　show　the　people　of　the　United　States　France's　gratitude　for　the　money　sent　the　wounded　and　the　suffering；　and　would　warm　the　hearts　of　the　American　people。
  Thomson　responded　with　enthusiasm；　and　soon　the　government　became　enthusiastic。　Several　thousand　dollars　were　spent　in　cabling；　Henri　Guillaume；　the　distinguished　French　architect；　experienced　in　many　expositions；　was　sent　out。　When　the　Jason　stopped　at　Marseilles　it　took；　on　board　one　of　the　most　remarkable　collections　of　art　treasures　ever　shipped　to　a　foreign　country；　the　finest　things　in　one　of　the　world's　great　storehouses　of　treasure；　including　even　the　priceless　historical　tapestries；　and　a　large　collection　of　French　paintings　for　the　Fine　Arts　Palace；　gathered　by　the　French　committee　after　great　labor；　due　to　the　absence　of　many　of　the　painters　in　the　war。
  When　Captain　Baker　left　France　he　had　accomplished　far　more　for　the　Exposition　than　he　realized　himself。　Reports　of　his　success　in　securing　French　participation　preceded　him　to　Italy　and　helped　to　prepare　the　way。　The　Italians　listened　to　his　proposition；　all　the　more　willingly　because　France　had　been　won　over。　Besides；　he　had　a　warm　supporter　in　Ernesto　Nathan；　ex…Mayor　of　Rome；　who　had　paid　an　extended　visit　to　San　Francisco　and　had　become　an　enthusiastic　champion　of　the　Exposition。　In　a　few　days　he　had　made　arrangements　that　led　to　the　collection　of　the　splendid　display　of　Italian　art；　shipped　on　the　Vega；　together　with　many　commercial　exhibits。　Captain　Bakers　work　in　France　and　in　Italy；　accomplished　within　three　weeks；　was　a　triumph　of　diplomacy。
  Foreign　Participation　in　General
  Germany　was　not　to　be　completely　over…shadowed　by　France　notwithstanding　previous　indifference　on　the　part　of　the　government。　German　manufacturers　wished　to　be　represented；　and　they　actually　received　governmental　encouragement。　Austrians；　not　to　be　outdone　by　Italy；　unofficially　came　in。　In　fact；　despite　the　war；　every　country　had　some　representation；　England　and　Scandinavia　and　Switzerland　included；　even　if　they　did　not　have　official　authority。
  There　are　those　who　maintain　that；　in　spite　of　criticism；　the　Fine　Arts　Department　is　now　making　a　better　showing　than　it　could　have　made　if　there　had　been　no　war。　American　collectors；　with　rare　canvases；　were　persuaded　to　help　in　the　meeting　of　the　emergency　by　lending　work　that；　otherwise；　they　would　have　kept　at　home。　It　was　thought　that　many　of　the　Europeans　would　be　glad　to　send　their　collections　to　this　country　for　safe　keeping　during　war　time。　But　such　proved　not　to　be　the　case。　A　good　deal　of　concern　was　felt　about　sending　the　treasures　on　so　long　a　journey；　subject　to　the　hazards　of　attack　by　sea。　Furthermore；　from　the　European　point　of　view；　San　Francisco　seemed　far　away。
  Looking　for　Art　Treasures
  A　short　time　after　Captain　Baker　sailed　from　New　York　another　emissary　went　abroad　for　the　Exposition；　J。　N。　Laurvik；　the　art　critic。　A　few　weeks　before　Mr。　Laurvik　had　returned　from　Europe；　where　he　had　represented　the　Fine　Arts　Department；　looking　for　the　work　of　the　artists　in　those　countries　that　were　not　to　participate　officially。　At　the　time　of　the　outbreak　he　was　in　Norway　and　he　had　already　secured　the　promise　of　many　collections　and　the　co…operation　of　artists　of　distinction。　His　report　of　the　situation　as　he　left　it　persuaded　the　authorities　that；　in　spite　of　the　difficulties；　he　might　do　effective　work。
  When　Laurvik　arrived　in　Rome　he　found　that　Captain　Baker　had　already　prepared　for　his　activities。　Ernesto　Nathan　was　devoting　himself　heart　and　soul　to　the　cause。　But　the　Italian　authorities；　for　the　most　part；　were　absorbed　in　the　questions　that　came　up　with　the　threat　of　war。　Working　with　the　committee；　and　aided　by　Ambassador　Thomas　Nelson　Page；　Laurvik　quickly　made　progress。　He　secured　magnificent　canvases　by　the　President　of　the　French　Academy　in　Rome；　Albert　Besnard；　painted；　for　the　most　part；　in　Benares；　with　scenes　on　the　Ganges；　and　a　collection　of　pieces　by　the　Norwegian　sculptor；　Lerche。
  Notable　Collections
  From　Rome　Laurvik　went　to　Venice；　where　he　was　greatly　helped　by　the　American　consul；　B。　H。　Carroll；　Jr。　Though　the　International　Exhibit　held　in　Venice　every　two　years　had　closed　several　months　before；　many　of　the　works　of　art　were　still　there；　their　owners；　either　afraid　or　unable　to　take　them　away　and　yet　concerned　about　their　being　so　close　to　the　scene　of　war。　It　was　the　general　concern　that　enabled　Laurvik　to　secure　some　of　his　finest　material。　Together　with　the　Italian　work；　he　arranged　to　have　shipped　here　on　the　Jason；　Norwegian　and　Hungarian　paintings　and　fifty　canvases　by　the　man　regarded　as　the　greatest　living　painter　in　Finland；　Axel　Gallen…Kallela。　He　also　made　a　short　journey　from　Venice　to　the　home　of　Marinetti；　the　journalist；　poet　and　leader　of　the。　Italian　Futurist　painters；　who；　after　much　persuading；　promised　to　send　fifty　examples　of　the　work　done　by　the　ten　leaders　in　his　group。
  On　leaving　Venice　Laurvik　started　for　Vienna。　In　spite　of　the　war；　he　was　promised　support　by　the　Minister　of　Art。　Unfortunately；　the　art　societies　fell　to　quarreling；　and　gave　little　or　no　help。　Then　Laurvik　appealed　to　the　artists　themselves。　In　Kakosha；　one　of　the　best　known　among　the　Austrian　painters；　he　found　an　ally。　The　collection　he　made　in　Vienna　included　several　of　Kakosha's　canvases；　lent　by　their　owners；　and　a　large　number　of　etchings。
  The　Hungarian　Collection
  In　Hungary　Laurvik　had　a　powerful　friend　in　Count　Julius　Andrassy；　a　man；　of　wealth　and　influence；　the　owner　of　one　of　the　newspapers　published　in　Budapest。　From；　his　own　collection　of　Hungarian　art　Andrassy　made　a　large　contribution　and　he　inspired　other　collectors　to　do　likewise。　The　getting　together　of　the　material　was　full　of　difficulties。　Much　of　it　had　been　taken　away　f