NEW YORK—I have an appealing plea for an orphanage called Madonnina del Grappa, which is located near Florence in the Department of Tuscany, Italy. I am told by a priest, who is at present in this country, that Monsignor Facibeni at the orphanage needs help very badly.

Father Don Alfredo Ciapetti, with whom I talked and who was born here and has returned from Italy to visit his family, said that he hoped to make some contacts here in order to help these orphans.

There are more than 1,000 orphan boys living in 16 houses at the orphanage, and at times, I gather, it is hard to know where to get food and clothing for them. The orphanage is taking care of little ones and older ones and trying to educate them to bring them up so they will be good citizens of Italy. But Italy's difficulties are many at present. She is not able alone to meet all the pleas that come to help children and the disabled and the ill.

So Father Ciapetti asks if there are people in this country who would be interested. Urgently he asks whether anyone will help the orphans in the Madonnina del Grappa. While visiting in this country his address is 28 Codman Hill Avenue, Dorchester, Massachusetts, and I hope everyone who is interested will contact him for further information.

Children everywhere in the world must make an appeal for help because they cannot look after themselves and their future does depend on what our civilization can provide for them.

Now, let me turn to something in this country which I think may interest many people. The World Brotherhood Organization is sponsoring an exhibit of paintings and drawings by American teenagers on the theme, "What Brotherhood Means In Our Community."

This exhibit opened Wednesday, May 4, at the Illustrators Club, 128 East 63rd Street, New York City. Public and private schools from all over the country are taking part in the contest and the exhibit, naturally, represents what has been considered best.

Seven judges will select a number of these paintings and drawings for entry in an international exhibition to be held in July in Brussels, Belgium. These young people have tried to express in the international language of art what America's goal is in the broad picture of the brotherhood of man.

It is hoped that the exhibition will have a wide attendance during its few days in New York, for so much is said these days about juvenile delinquency that we should be attracted to an effort on the part of young people that has a high purpose and gives an outlet for creative work.

(Distributed by United Feature Syndicate, Inc.)