HYDE PARK—The last few days in New York were cool and pleasant and I was particularly glad because I had my two 10-year-old girl guests taking so many sightseeing trips that I think, had the weather been very hot, they would have been exhausted. As it was, they seemed to enjoy themselves; I enjoyed them at breakfast and luncheon, and everyone who took them on the various expeditions had a good time.

I went to Washington early Wednesday morning to spend a couple of hours at the State Department and was delighted to see some of my old friends. But I was back in New York by 4 o'clock and on my way to Hyde Park.

The Summer Institute for Social Progress is meeting at Bard College and at 6 o'clock those attending came down here for their annual picnic. I joined them as soon as I arrived from New York.

We had a very pleasant hour and a half together, but the one who enjoys these picnics most of all is my little black Scottie, Duffy. He goes about with longing eyes, not barking, but just looking, and no one can resist him. The result is that whatever is a good tidbit for a dog he gets.

I don't think the two bigger dogs have worked out anywhere near as good a technique, for I see Duffy growing fatter after every picnic and the other two dogs stay about the same size!

I have been much surprised that no one has commented on Vice President Richard M. Nixon's speech in Pakistan. It seemed to me strange to practically address his speech to the Prime Minister of India and give it in a country with which India is not on particularly amicable terms at the moment.

Good public relations, I would think, would require such expressions of U.S. feelings or policy not in a speech but communicated to the individual privately, in his own country or at some other meeting place. This is true, of course, if the speaker intended to bring about friendly feeling and good results.

If one intended to be insulting, which I cannot imagine that such a kindly and intelligent person as Vice President Nixon meant to be, then he would pursue the exact methods that he pursued.

At the present time it does not seem possible that we really want to stir up bad feeling with the most important Asiatic country whose Prime Minister is looked to for advice by almost every other country in that area.

I was very sorry when the President, because of his health, found it impossible to carry through his meeting with the Prime Minister of India, and it seemed to me unfortunate that whoever attends to public relations in the President's office should have coupled his inability to meet the Prime Minister with his intention of going to a meeting in Panama two weeks later.

It would have been better not to mention this trip until the President actually was on his way, for being announced as it was, it looked as if the Panama meeting was considered of greater importance.

At the present time no area in the world can be of as great importance as the Far East and Africa, because they have much to do with the settlement of questions in the Near East, and that, for the moment, is one of the sensitive spots.