Hyde Park, Thursday—I had a very interesting talk yesterday afternoon with a young Spanish lady, Senora Eloina Malasetechevarrai, who has come over here to try to interest the women of America in the condition of the children in Spain. Some French philanthropist has given a group of Spanish women an enormous estate near Carcassasonne, where they hope to be able to house as many as four or five thousand children, but they will need money for their daily support.

I imagine that her idea is to try to revive the type of adoption committees which were prevalent during the World War. Many of us corresponded with children in France to whom money was sent regularly every month for food, clothing and education, until they were able to look after themselves. Whether that can be done again in a country which is not actually at war, I don't know.

When children suffer in any nation, however, it does seem to me that there should be a willing answer to any appeal for help. We must have reached the stage in civilization where those of us who are not actually participating in a war can give something toward the help of needy children.

Of course, all I've heard for the last few days is "the fight." So, though I was working on a manuscript last night, when ten o'clock came I turned on the radio. Lo and behold, much noise and excitement and then, puff, and it was all over in two minutes.

Much money came into New York and it was probably good for business in general—people travelled from many parts of the country, restaurants, hotels, taxicabs—oh, the ramifications of the way money is spent when an event of this kind occurs are infinite. So it is helpful, but I think a good many people must have felt their entertainment was rather short.

Joe Louis is a great fighter; there seems to be no one left for him to fight. We congratulate him and hope that he has some wise member of his family who takes his money and puts it away, so that when he no longer has any opponents, he will be able to do something else to make life interesting and pleasant.

I'm always sorry for the man who is beaten or the team which loses. Much effort has gone into training and preparation and it must be such a terrible let-down. I've never seen a fight and probably never shall, but every time I see a crew race or a football game, I grieve over the boys who are beaten and slump in their boat, or the team that has to go off the field cheering the victors when you know their hearts are filled with despair.