WASHINGTON, Friday—I was only a half an hour late in arriving in Washington from Seattle yesterday, which, considering the distance, is very remarkable. On both trips the weather was very smooth, and for this time of the year that means I really was very fortunate.

Last evening, after a quiet dinner with my husband and a few guests, I went to the opening session of the institute organized by the Washington Bureau of the International Student Service. Dr. Zook, of the American Council on Education, presided. Dr. Brown, also of the American Council on Education, who has been working with the Army and Navy on questions pertaining to the education of the young men in the services, as well as the preparation of youth in our colleges, spoke. He gave the young people a very good picture of the different plans made by the Army and Navy to obtain good material for officers and petty-officers, and to help the men already in the service to progress and improve themselves while they are on duty.

My mail is interesting reading these days. Yesterday, I came across a letter from a woman who is arranging free appearances for New York City actors and actresses, both on government request and for private organizations. She explained to me that there are a great many people who can adequately do what private groups want done, but that everyone seemed grieved if they were not offered someone whose name is known from coast to coast.

I realize, of course, that all groups want to make "their meeting" a great success, but I am afraid we cannot ask these ever-generous artists to be in more than one place at a time, or to do so much that they cannot do their regular work acceptably.

I have a very exciting letter from Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, of the Universal Pictures Co. Inc., in California. They are going to tour the nation's theatres in the near future, and every penny of salary which they receive, will go toward the purchase of a bomber. That is a goodly sum for two people to earn. I wish them luck and know we shall be most grateful to them for whatever they accomplish.

Day by day people keep asking me for jobs. People I know, who have jobs, are always in demand to do some new one, or to take on a little more than they are already doing. I suppose this means that when one has proved his capacity, he is in constant demand. Very few of us have the courage to try a new person, which, perhaps, we had better begin to do.