NEW YORK—I read with joy the other day a statement by Senator Mike Mansfield of Montana urging that our farm surpluses be used in many cases as a substitute for cash in areas of the world where food is more important than money.

I am delighted that in our government at last we have a spokesman who is beginning to think of surpluses as a benefit and not as a burden. I hope this means that we will gradually reconsider our whole policy on farm surpluses.

I have forgotten to mention in my column a service rendered late last Sunday afternoon by the National Broadcasting Company that was of major interest. NBC gave an hour's program telling the story of the American Indians in our country.

The show was called "The American Stranger" because, though this land once belonged to the Indians, so few of us today know anything about what has happened to them.

I hope this program brought so much favorable comment that NBC will be encouraged to bring specific situations as they occur to the attention of the people of this country. We owe the Indians real gratitude, and we have given them very few signs of our gratefulness.

There are many Indians today still living as primitively as they have ever lived, and we have never done enough for health and education among them. We now strive to give them full citizenship without having prepared them to make use of it. It might almost be said that we have done them more harm by introducing them to whisky than we have ever done them good in any other way.

So, I welcome a program that will acquaint us with the needs of the American Indian in every part of our country.

In New York City we have had a number of very fine Jewish rabbis who have left their marks on the mental and spiritual life of the city, reaching out beyond their own congregations. Rabbi Stephen Wise was one of these and he will live in people's memories for many years.

This month Rabbi Israel Goldstein is completing 40 years of service in the rabbinate. He has been one of the great Jewish leaders of our time and has held more presidencies of Jewish organizations than any other living Jew. He has fought for civil rights, for interfaith and interracial cooperation and, besides the active ministry of his congregation, he has been a scholar and an author.

On December 9 he will be presented at City Hall with a scroll and from then on until he leaves with Mrs. Goldstein on a trip around the world there will be a number of occasions that will do him honor and at the same time help in some of the interests he holds dear.

All of us of whatever faith wish him a happy vacation and congratulate him on his 40 years of service.