NEW YORK, Tuesday—Yesterday I went out to spend the day in Llewellyn Park, West Orange, New Jersey, with my cousin, Mrs. Henry Parish. I never enter the park gates without thinking that this was the place where Thomas Alva Edison lived for so many years; and the peace and quiet of this sheltered spot seems well adapted to the creative work which he accomplished.

I think it is important for all of us to realize that in the modern world, where we live so much in crowds, with constant noise and activity around us, all human beings need periods of peace and quiet. It is not only necessary physically, but it is even more necessary mentally and spiritually. No creative work, it seems to me, can be accomplished unless people sometimes have quiet and peace around them. It is hard to find such peace in this war period. In industrial centers all over the country, people have been herded together in such great numbers that privacy and quiet are almost forgotten blessings.

One of the great drawbacks of extreme poverty is the necessity for herding people together in limited space. One of the blessings of life in the rural areas is the fact that any child or adult can escape and be alone with nature at a moment's notice.

I notice that in Chicago, where the Republicans are proceeding about the business of nominating a candidate for the presidency, there seems to be some agitation shown in a plea for unity within the party. That has rarely been necessary in the Republican Party in the past, and yet today it seems to be necessary in both political parties. Does this indicate a greater independence of thought, or a need in both parties to re-define the things for which we stand?

Someone sent me a story the other day about a news letter which Mr. Lee Hill now sends out to thousands of our servicemen all over the world. The samples of this letter are amusing. Primarily it is about sports, but there are always a few additional stories or comments thrown in. Mr. Hill feels, and I think he is probably right, that this letter is a real contribution to the men in the services, and he is willing to send it to any man whose name and address is sent to him.

All one has to do is to send the names and addresses to Roger L. Treat, Sports Editor, Washington Daily News, 1013-13th Street N.W., Washington (5) D.C. He will pass the list on to Mr. Hill. So if your man in the service cares about sports, take advantage of Mr. Hill's generous offer.