NEW YORK—I left New York Friday morning for Charleston, W. Va., and had to make a 20-minute plane connection in Washington. This I missed by only a minute or two and then began a frustrating afternoon in which I tried to find a plane which would take me to Charleston.

It soon became apparent that I could not make the afternoon meeting of the American Association for the United Nations in Charleston, but I finally got a plane which brought me there at 7 p.m.

I was met at the airport and we went directly to the church for the evening meeting. Fortunately, Clark Eichelberger had been there all day, so the statewide meeting went off successfully. Everyone felt that there was a very good gathering in the interests of the AAUN.

I returned to Washington on a late plane and was met by my son, James. On Saturday morning my maid from White House days came to James' home to see me. Mabel Webster has changed very little since then and it was good to hear from her the news of so many people who were in the White House with us.

At 9:30 a.m. Mrs. Edward Hollander and her charming young daughter called to take me to the Shoreham Hotel, where the Americans for Democratic Action were meeting in surroundings completely familiar to me.

Those who come to the ADA meetings are enthusiastic and alive. There is real argument. People advocate things they care about, and I thought the speeches were among the best I have heard at any gathering.

Walter Reuther gave the keynote speech. His trip to India will help to inform a great many people in this country about the people there and their problems. I was thankful, too, that such a sensitive person had gone in these troubled times to that great country where we need friends and where, I think, our very excellent ambassador, John Sherman Cooper, had found not too many American visitors who could really help him.

The ADA dinner Saturday night was a great success and I particularly enjoyed some of the songs on the program that were of a somewhat political nature. My greatest pleasure, however, came with the opportunity to sit with Senator Wayne Morse, who always is a stimulating and interesting dinner companion.

Summer weather already has arrived in Washington, as in many other places, and I think I never have seen the azaleas more beautiful than they were there. I immediately noted that I must plant more azaleas around my cottage in Hyde Park!

After lunch Sunday I flew to Boston, where I spoke that night before flying back to New York. And now I am at home, starting my week.

My little garden here in New York is yielding wonderful tulips and daffodils and I had my first meal in the garden Monday morning. I was reminded of Sunday when we had eaten our lunch on the porch of Jimmy's home in Washington and had remarked then that it was just like summer and we had so little of spring.