NEW YORK—It was with great regret that I saw the death notice the other day of Mrs. Alice Campbell Good. Somehow most of us felt that Mrs. Good was symbolic of Brooklyn and all that was best in Brooklyn, and I did not feel she could be spared. She loved her home there, and had worked in both politics and charitable organizations all her life.

Mrs. Good was one of our National Committeewomen and never ceased to be interested in politics. As one of the early pioneers who really worked with her organization, she gave encouragement to young people to enter their party and work as party members. She belonged, of course, to the era when women considered their party obligations to be largely in the social field. Yet I have known her to do many very practical things that were of help to individuals in their daily lives and which she could not have accomplished without having the influence she had built up through her political work. Those of us who knew her as a friend knew she was always loyal and always gave one a warm reception, so that every meeting was a pleasant memory. She will be much missed by both men and women who have had the honor and privilege of knowing her as a friend and co-worker.

I have been getting some reports of late from friends in Hong Kong about people who have been released from Communist China and come across the border on their way to their homes. By now we know that Communist countries consider all people, even their own, as secondary and only of value as they serve the state. Nevertheless those of us who live in democratic countries are always shocked and angered by the apparent indifference that a Communist regime has for what happens to individuals, whether these be merely citizens of the country or prisoners of the country. The shocking pictures of Dr. and Mrs. Bradshaw, who came out a short time ago, caused much hard feeling in the West. But the brainwashing which was done on many younger people is in many ways even worse than physical neglect, because it will take people longer to recover. One can only hope that Communist people everywhere will someday wake up to the basic failure of their philosophy, which sees the glorification of the state above the well-being of the individual.

I had a notice from CARE telling me that at Christmastime they were able, by the generosity of people, to send out 1,000,000 food crusade packages, which was the goal they had set themselves. Because of the surplus food given by the Department of Agriculture, they now have another million of these 22-pound parcels ready to go to refugees, needy families and institutions in Europe and Asia. CARE is asking for contributions of $1 for each package to cover the cost of packing and delivery in recipient countries. In these parcels there is milk powder, cheese and butter, enough to keep a family of four supplied for a month. The donor's name will be on every package and may result in letters of thanks which can start a friendly correspondence. It seems to me that many people would like to make this dollar contribution.