WASHINGTON, Monday—Yesterday, in New York City, was spent partly in seeing people with whom I had appointments, and partly in trying to allocate the things which have to be packed in our two houses.

I went to my broadcast and was met there by a young woman who had sent me a questionaire for her magazine article, and was not very well satisfied with my answers. She felt that if she could see me, I would give her more satisfactory information, so we journeyed back to the house in a taxi while she tried to gather the answers she needed.

I took the night train back to Washington and found that the crowd was so great that they were running it in three sections. There is certainly no lack of people travelling these days by train and plane.

I noticed a New York Times editorial, which mentions the anniversary of the death of Benjamin Russell Hanby of Ohio. I think it is a good sign that, even in the midst of war and rumors of war, we can stop to think about a composer who has given us pleasure and to celebrate the writing of an old song such as "Darling Nelly Gray."

This year is the 21st anniversary of the founding of the National Society for Crippled Children. They are, as usual, conducting their Easter Seal sale between March 10th and April 5th. This sale finances them during the year, and it is important for them to keep on with the good work they have been doing. It is so easy to forget our usual concerns in the midst of new demands, that I feel we should all mark civic and charitable community obligations down in our memory books where they cannot be forgotten.

I am sorry that I did not get in yesterday to see the preview of the International Flower Show in New York City, but I hope to see it when I return this week. Mr. John E. Lager is exhibiting a new orchid which has been named after little Diana Hopkins. It is called "Diana Victory" and was presented to her at school last Saturday. The orchid will be entered in competition for the gold medal award at the Flower Show.

Mr. Lager will also show rare orchids from all the lands which are at present being ravaged by war—Java, Burma, Malaya, India and the Philippines. I had not realized orchids grew in all these countries, for I thought of them as coming to us primarily from Latin-America. Since we grow them here now in our greenhouses, I imagine that with the fortunes of war, we may someday send them back to start again in the countries where they originated.