BURLINGTON, Iowa—The floods in our Northeastern area are finally receding and gradually there is assessing of all the damage done.

It seems a crime that the poor people of Connecticut who suffered so badly before and had just begun to recover will now have to start that recovery all over again. But there really seems to be nothing that can be done when nature goes on a rampage.

It does seem as though our climate is changing somewhat. For several years in succession now we have had these late summer and fall storms which used to come very rarely and at long intervals. All of us can do something to help the areas that have been hardest hit, and I hope that every community will try to organize some relief for our own people who have suffered more than we have.

The American Association for the United Nations officially opened the United Nations Week with a dinner given on the Starlight Roof of the Waldorf-Astoria in New York in honor of Danny Kaye on Monday.

It seems that no reception given for Danny Kaye could remain a formal party, and this was not meant to be a formal party. It was a warm recognition of the work which this man has done for the Children's Emergency Fund of the U.N.

Many people have already seen the movie that was made from the photographs taken on the Asian trip in which Danny Kaye visited projects undertaken by the Children's Fund. These are circulated commercially by Paramount. But when the circulation of the commercial films is ended, I understand they will be made available to schools and colleges and club groups in 16-mm. size.

The film is called, "Assignment: Children," it takes 19 minutes to show, and I think would be of interest to any organization. So, if members of your group do not already know about what UNICEF really does with the money acquired from governments, organizations and private individuals, the showing of these films would be an excellent way to show them.

Danny Kaye has just departed on another trip with Mr. Pate, who is the head of UNICEF, to show this film in European countries. To hear Danny recite the number of places he visited and the time he spent in each takes one's breath away, but it was a great service he has performed and though he might not realize it, it is a service to the U.S. as well.

The concept abroad of a Hollywood actor and of Hollywood films is usually something very different from this present film. It will be a help for Europeans to realize that a very successful Hollywood actor cares enough about the children of the world to give so much of his time and of his money to help a U.N. organization.

I hope I may call both Mr. and Mrs. Danny Kaye my friends, as I have a very warm feeling for both of them. It was a joy to give Danny Kaye this well-earned award on Monday night and to whisper in Mrs. Danny Kaye's ear that I hoped she would see to it that a song is written about this latest trip.