CHICAGO—On Monday of this week I attended a PTA meeting in Brewster, New York, where the audience was anxious to know what role the women were playing in the various countries of the world in support of the United Nations and its efforts to bring about a peaceful world.

It seems to me that there is more interest in the U.N. than one used to find, for this meeting was very well attended. The high-school gymnasium had nearly all the seats on the floor filled as well as a goodly number in the gallery.

Perhaps one of the contributing factors to a greater knowledge of the U.N. is the fact that there are more books today which people can buy inexpensively. For instance, Clark Eichelberger, director of the American Association for the United Nations, has written "UN: The First Ten Years." This book reviews the work accomplished by the U.N. in these years, and today on my desk I find a book published by the New American Library, entitled "The United Nations and How It Works" by David Cushman Coyle. This is a clear and exact book to use as a handbook for understanding the structure and functions as well as the problems and achievements of the U.N. and its specialized agencies. It sells for 35 cents and anyone who is familiar with Mr. Coyle's writing will know that it will be interesting as well as informative.

Many of you would also be interested I think in Mr. Coyle's book, "TheUnited States Political System and How It Works," because we certainly should understand our own government as well as the U.N.

I have just been sent from Panama an account of an unveiling of a monument to my husband at which Foreign Minister Octavio Fabrega made a very kind speech. President Ricardo Manuel Arias pulled the cord that unveiled the seated statue which has been erected from proceeds of a fund started a few days after my husband's death.

It is good to read such things coming from our Latin American neighbors.

Friday night last I had the great good fortune to go to a performance of "Finian's Rainbow" at City Center. The cast seemed excellent and it was done with life and vigor, which made the whole performance a great success. I see that it may move to Broadway again and I feel sure many people would enjoy it in these early summer days.

I spent Sunday and Monday at Hyde Park and much to our joy we had a heavy rainstorm on Monday afternoon, which filled our brook to overflowing and left the country washed and beautiful. To my regret, however, the rain took away the last of the spirea flowers and the white blossoms on the dogwood tree by my bedroom window.