NEW YORK.—Besides devoting myself to some of the work I neglected during the past few weeks I must do some rapid planning to finish my Christmas shopping which is usually ended long before this, so I am busy as ever.

One event that will be of interest and may furnish a great many of us with ideas for gifts is Children's Book Week, which is being celebrated from November 25 to December 1. This is the 38th year of this event and the slogan for 1956 is: "It's Always Book Time."

There will be book fairs during this week or near these dates in cities from Washington to Honolulu. Newspapers and municipal and state organizations, as well as the Children's Book Council, will see that as many people as possible know about these fairs, some of which are run as traveling exhibits.

The Library Club of America, Inc., which is a nonprofit organization sponsored by the Book Manufacturers Institute, has as its chief aim to encourage young people for their own sake and for the sake of the American community "to discover the great value and enduring pleasures that book reading can bring."

In 1955 this club started a reading-incentive program which has proved to be an excellent means to stimulate children to read more books. The program has been tested and adopted in schools and libraries in different parts of the country. A report, called "Bringing Children and Books Together," published recently in New York by the Library Club of America, will prove helpful to parents and teachers.

I told you yesterday that I thought one of the most important domestic issues facing the nation was the issue of civil rights. One of the most important facets of this question is the removal of discrimination in housing.

In this connection the New York State Commission on Discrimination in Housing can furnish anyone interested with the list of housing developments subject to state anti-discrimination laws where currently apartments are renting or selling in the New York metropolitan area. This commission has jurisdiction to enforce the law, so any case of discrimination should be reported to it at 270 Broadway, New York City.

The address where the lists may be obtained is: New York State Committee on Discrimination in Housing, 35 West 42nd Street, New York City. There are housing developments listed in Westchester, Nassau, Suffolk and Rockland counties, as well as in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens.