CHICAGO—President Eisenhower's special advisory committee on foreign aid has reported that this aid should be continued just about as the program is now conducted. But I think the committee's conclusions are well worth reading carefully by the people of the United States.

The report covers the purposes for which we give foreign aid, and these certainly are not disinterested objectives. We extend foreign assistance because it helps us to do so, and in the world as it is today, we cannot afford to do anything else.

I was interested in the committee's recommendations on the use of agricultural surpluses. I wonder if the committee might not have suggested that the United States work with the United Nations specialized agency on food and agriculture so as to change our surpluses and make them useful to the whole world.

The report covers the point that we must not upset normal markets by dumping surpluses at lower prices than those prevailing in a certain area, but it did not suggest that studies be made to change our surpluses, a move which I think is worth considering.

One paragraph at the end of the report is particularly striking.

It says:

"The United States is engaged in an inescapable struggle for its existence. So long as the Soviet bloc continues to seek the destruction of the free world, we have no choice but to continue to defend ourselves. We must proceed on the distinct possibility that the struggle will continue for a long time to come."

This is something we must remember as we live our comfortable lives. We are in a struggle which we cannot avoid. We cannot run away from it. We must accept it and learn to live with it. This takes fortitude.

Yesterday (March 8) was designated by the United Church Women as World Day of Prayer—a day each year on which it is hoped people all over the world will pray for peace, understanding and goodwill.

This observance was begun in 1887 and every year has grown to be more widely recognized. It is also sponsored by the National Council of the Churches of Christ which urges that offerings be made at the services on this day for use by home and foreign missions.

This year's theme was "Who Shall Separate Us?" with emphasis on the idea that the walls that keep people from each other should be broken down.