HYDE PARK, Wednesday—It seems a pity that in the rather insecure State of Israel there should be any portion of the population at the present time that would not give complete support to the existing Government. For the Irgunists to try to ship in arms in violation of the truce is certainly a menace to the new Government.

I was visited the other morning by someone who is deeply interested in finding other places in the world where Jewish colonists may settle. I think this is a wise move because the sooner they leave Germany and the displaced persons' camps the better it will be. And it is unlikely that they can all settle in Palestine.

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You cannot find much news in the papers these days except that about the Republican Convention, nor can you listen to the radio or turn on the television and get anything but the Convention.

There is one Republican victory that I am really happy about and that is the nomination for the Senate which has been won by Representative Margaret C. Smith, of Maine, who ran against several very fine gentlemen. It is a well-deserved victory. She has done her job as Representative in Congress conscientiously and has shown ability and integrity. Though we are of opposite political parties, I want to speak this word of appreciation and congratulation.

It seems very difficult at the present time to gauge what the temper of the Republican Convention may be. I can well imagine that behind some of the closed doors there are people who think that nomination of Speaker of the House Joseph Martin or even of Senator John W. Bricker would be the most successful move for achieving a United States Government that would entirely satisfy them.

However, the record of the House of Representatives is not one that would make Mr. Martin's nomination a hopeful sign where international affairs are concerned. As far as our politics are watched and understood in other nations, the naming of Mr. Martin would be interpreted to mean that we did not intend to participate in the rehabilitation of the rest of the world.

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A free press is evidently going to be upheld in spite of the Taft-Hartley labor bill, and union newspapers may engage in political activity. This decision by the Supreme Court is of great moment to the people of the country, for to preserve freedom for the labor press in this country is essential in order to preserve a free press everywhere.

Since their own press is sometimes the best educational medium that labor has—and the labor groups of the country must depend very greatly on their own papers to give them a true picture of the record of candidates and of the significance of policies from the point of view of the working people of the country—this decision must bring great satisfaction to leaders of organized labor.