NEW YORK—What an astonishing thing it is to look at a picture of the hidden surface of the moon! Looking back over only a very few years it hardly seems possible that such a picture could be presented to the world. Such great strides in electronics and other sciences are breathtaking.

Man's research and discoveries are absolutely amazing as one looks back on the past few years, and one feels that the knowledge acquired will mean a much more rapid building up of new knowledge for the next generation. With all the current interest in outer space, however, we must guard against our losing interest in what goes on here on our own earth.

As everyone must know, Tuesday, November 3, will be Election Day. This is not a Presidential nor is it a gubernatorial election year in New York State. In a number of states, though, governors will be elected.

But even in the states where this office is not to be filled, it is important for the voters to go to the polls and vote for their representatives in other offices of their communities and states and nation. Congressmen, state legislators and local officials all will be on the ballots.

In New York State there also will be some important propositions that we should vote on, and our metropolitan newspapers have been giving us descriptions of what each of these really mean. Every voter should get an understanding of what these various propositions are that appear on the ballot, and if he can't get it from his newspaper he should contact his state League of Women Voters.

The young people should set the good example of everyone eligible to vote by going to the polls on November 3. That is the very least all of us can do to fulfill our citizenship obligations in a democracy.

I was interested to read the other day about Mr. Morton I. Teicher, dean of the Yeshiva University School of Social Work. He has actually gone into politics, and on last primary day he was elected district leader of the 21st Election District, Third Ward, in New Rochelle, N.Y.

Mr. Teicher is a social worker by profession, but he says "whenever I preached to students that a social worker must do more than deal with individual problems eight hours a day in an agency, I always felt this was just words unless I could set an active example that our responsibilities include collective action for social betterment."

Senator Herbert H. Lehman, whose advice is so often sought by young people, is one whose advice Mr. Teicher sought, and after talking with the Senator he went actively into the politics of his district. During the past year he directed the 100 volunteer specialists—educators, engineers and other professionals—in drafting the Westchester County platform.

Mr. Teicher's social work background is shown by the fact that he has put into the platform a plank on open occupancy housing, and his expert knowledge of questions of health, education and welfare is certainly reflected.

This is a fine example of putting what you preach into practice and I hope his action will inspire many of his students. We need the kind of grassroots democracy that he is trying to develop and which our young people will carry forward if they once see its importance.