HYDE PARK, Thursday—I have just received a letter from Mrs. Emil Ludwig from Switzerland. She expresses her deep gratitude to the people who read my column telling of the difficulties in which she found herself after her husband's death and of the desire of some of her friends to help her so that she might retain her home in Switzerland. She and her husband had lived there many years and he had been most helpful to all artists who might be in need.

The American people are a generous people and their hearts are quickly touched. From college campuses and other groups interested in literature a response must have gone directly to Mrs. Ludwig. Evidently many people who had read Emil Ludwig's books wanted to make some return for the pleasure and profit they had experienced. In some cases they took up collections; in others individuals acted alone. The result brought forth an outpouring of gratitude in this letter from Mrs. Ludwig.

The sum of money may eventually prove to be small, but the kindness has evidently lifted her spirit enormously and I wanted to pass on her gratitude and mine to any of my readers who had responded.

I am sure that many people feel as I do that the marijuana weed everywhere should be destroyed. If a quantity of this weed is needed for medicinal purposes, then it should be grown under strict control and supervision. It should certainly not be available to our young people.

Everyone must have been glad that the Senate voted an eight-months extension of controls. It was important to have that done before June 30th when the present bill expires.

I agree wholeheartedly, however, with Eric Johnson, Economic Stabilization Administrator, who assails the Senate Banking Committee for having blocked any further rollbacks in the price of beef or any other commodities before passing the bill. Mr. Johnson said this action was "bad news to every American housewife who is struggling with her own family budget."

It is also bad news, I think, that credit controls are modified. It does not seem to be quite understood as yet by our legislators that inflation can hurt this country almost as much as war and by lightening credit controls they are making it easier for people to buy. By the same token they are going to make people's money worth less unless they permit rollbacks in prices and wage and price stabilization.

It is essential, even though we are not actually in a great war, that we keep our economy on a sound basis. If anything should happen to bring about wide-spread depression here, it would be exactly what the Soviets prophesied and they would make full use of it. It looks as though the shadow of the 1952 elections is already hanging over our Congress and making the members think more of immediate discomforts than of the ultimate objectives that we must strive for in the economic field.