WASHINGTON, Tuesday—Yesterday noon, I went to buy a stamp at the exhibition which opened "Retailers For Defense Week." This effort on the part of retailers to do a real job for defense, is a very wise move. While it may curtail some of the buying at the present time, it will put money in people's pockets for future use. We shall need that money to keep us from too great a business slump during the transition from defense work to normal activities.

It seems to me that in everything we do today, we should have an eye to our present needs, but at the same time think far enough ahead to guard against some of the difficulties we have undergone in the past.

For instance, if the production of automobiles is going to be drastically curtailed in order that industry may take a bigger share in defense work, why not plan to put money, which in ordinary times we might set aside for a new automobile, into Defense Stamps, and call those stamps: "Our Automobile Fund" for the future?

We may have to use our old car a bit longer than we would ordinarily think wise, or even economically sound, but at least we can arrange our own finances so that they are helpful to the government at present and useful to us when the day comes for buying that new car.

Women are as interested in all these business questions as men. During the week of October 5th to 11th, which will be observed as Business and Professional Women's Week throughout the nation, there will be special emphasis on the plans laid by which women, many of whom are influential in business and professional groups, can aid the defense program.

I wish they would all think not only of the problems which come before them in business, but also of the many local problems which in the end, are going to be very vital in national defense. A particularly vital problem is participation of volunteers in work where their efforts will be valuable.

I am counting on these important women's organizations to make a valuable contribution in the working out of the volunteer services. They must be rendered on a very large scale if this country is ever to be really well prepared and fully defended.

I was very much interested to see yesterday that the "Reader's Digest" is going to be published in Portuguese as well as in Spanish. This publication has proved that it is possible to bring out in this country a magazine that is read by our South and Central American neighbors with interest, and I wish this new venture great success.