BURLINGTON, Iowa—The meeting at Columbus, Ohio, where I went to speak at one of the observances for United Nations Week, drew over 3,000 people, with the auditorium almost completely filled.

Before the meeting I held a press conference which lasted nearly an hour, and then I dined with some 70 members of the committee. Governor Lausche was out of town, but Mrs. Lausche met me at the plane and attended every meeting, as did the Mayor. I did three recorded interviews at the press conference, so I think our news media had every opportunity to cover most of the subjects they were interested in, which ranged from the United Nations and its work in the world to whether I ever did any ironing. Everywhere I go, too, I am asked who is my candidate for the Democratic nomination in 1956. I think by now they must be weary of having the same answer in each place, but they go right on asking as though news never spread beyond the one locality.

Miss Baillargeon and I left Columbus bright and early the next morning, leaving the hotel at 6:40 a.m., and we had our breakfast on the plane soon after the take-off, somewhere around eight o'clock. We flew rather low and were able to see the wonderful Ohio farming country. How wise they have been everywhere to keep their wood lots on every farm—and along the rivers and along the roads, too, there seemed to be rows of trees everywhere. It is flat land and from the air it looks like good land.

We landed at the Chicago airport at 9:30 a.m. and, thanks to the trains running on Standard Time, we were able to drive into the city and catch a 9:30 a.m. Standard Time train for Burlington, Iowa. A young newspaper woman with a photographer got on the train at Galesburg. I hesitated about giving her a special interview because I knew there was to be a press conference in the afternoon. She told me, however, that she represented the only paper in Burlington and had a deadline which would be long past when I met the press, which was scheduled for 5:30 p.m. I found the young lady not very familiar with the United Nations, but I hope I explained to her the reason for the United Nations Week's celebration which culminates in United Nations Day on October 24.

Our hostess, Mrs. James Schramm, met us at the train and brought us to her house, where we spent the night. She and her husband have cooperated in working for the United Nations in this state. On the front of the program for the evening meeting they had printed the very fine statement by the late Senator Arthur Vandenberg. I think it is one the whole country should remember, and I quote it here:

"The United Nations is our only chance to keep faith with those who have borne the heat of battle. You cannot plant an acorn and expect an oak unless you plant the acorn. In the charter, we undertake to plant the roots of peace. No one can say with finality how they will flower, but I know without roots there will be no flowers. I prefer the chance rather than no chance at all."