NEW YORK, Wednesday—When I went to make my broadcast yesterday morning the studios were a madhouse of activity, and I kept wondering how the men ever managed to keep their minds on their jobs.

After the short broadcast was over, I went to the television studio, where Julien Bryan was presiding over the interviews. It was a great pleasure to meet again a war correspondent whom I had last seen on Guadalcanal, and a nurse who had returned home in February after imprisonment for many weary months in San Tomas. How wonderful these young people are! They seem to go through so much and still be able to take it in their stride.

Some of my young cousins lunched with me. One of them has a son whom she last heard from in February in a German prison camp. That camp was freed by the Russians a few days ago. With all my heart I hope she will soon hear that her boy is safe. I think so often of the women all over this country who watch for the liberation of a special prison camp and then wait anxiously to hear whether their particular man is among those freed. If he is not, they hope that he was moved to some other camp, and again they start waiting—that endless waiting which takes a tremendous toll of one's self-control and sets one's whole nervous system on edge.

* * *

During the day I listened to many of the broadcasts, and I am still wondering why the Russians withheld their announcement of the end of the war until 6 in the evening. In any case, now it has been announced by the Big Three and there must be great rejoicing in Russia, which has suffered so much.

I have the greatest admiration for the way the Russian women have helped carry on the war. I am particularly glad that Mrs. Churchill has been able to spend so much time in Russia. She has done valiant work in Great Britain for Russian relief, and deserves the decoration which I see was conferred on her at the Kremlin the other day. She must have witnessed a great deal during this rather long visit, and what she takes back to the British people will be of great interest and value to them.

* * *

It is now more important than ever that the clothing collection which has been going on throughout the nation, under Henry Kaiser's leadership, should bring very high returns. The time limit has been extended and in many cities collection depots are still open. On May 5, incomplete reports from 2,213 of the 6,920 communities organized for the drive showed a collection of 71,675,696 pounds. This sounds like enough to clothe a great many people. But the needs of Europe alone are going to be colossal, and so be sure to turn in anything more that you can give. If you happen to live in a community not yet organized, there is still time to organize now. This is our first gesture since peace in Europe has arrived, and therefore it must come up to expectations.