Evening star., 1946-12-20

III - wv
Raleigh coupons, or soap wrappers.
Although I have no desire to in
fluence the United Nations or to
take any advantage Of my liberality,
II do hope that the committee IN
charge of the committee which will
be in charge Of the committee ap-
pointed to supervise the construction
| Of the United Nations building Will
allow me to work out my two cents
worth as architect in charge.
Points to Experience.
Long before I acquired fame and
debts as a journalist, architecture
was my field. At the tender age OF
| 10, when most boys were studying
| the piano. I had designed and built
a house out of two old upright
piano boxes in which my friends and
i could smoke without being de-
tected by our parents. 1t was
absolutely rabbit tobacco, corn silk
and bulb proof. Boys could smoke
in there with complete peace OF
mind without having to worry about
their pops bursting in, armed with
switches and lectures on the stunt
ing of growth.
At II, when other boys were
looking angelic in choirs, I had
perfected a birdhouse with swing
ing doors, and at IL I drew the
plans for a house to be built IN
an oak tree that made Tarzan's
bungalow appear downright shabby.
It was such a lovely thing that the
local doctors used to stand beneath
|it in misunderstanding for some
Iyounester to come tumbhng down
and break a leg, ankle, arm, or
collar bone.
80, you see. I am pretty well
qualified to take charge OF the
u. N. building.
Right OF, let me say that 1t must
not look American. It is all right
for Americans to give the land and
the money for the building but we
| in this country must realize that
the other countries don't like us too
well. They like our money. our
food, our help, our friendship-wen
everything but us. Insofar as the
rest Of the world is concerned, were
like q rich but unattractive neigh
bor. The world likes the way our
lawn is kept, the way our garbage Is
always tidy, the way it can borrow
needed cup Of sugar or lawn
mower. but as for asking us in for
dinner-well. Wen skip that.
For Little People.
The U. NJ building must have
minarets to satisfy the Turks and
people like them. 1t must not De
too warm lest the British start lik-
ing warmth and become unable TO
say with sincerity that to be un-
comfortably chilly is the only way
to be. 60 It must not be lavish
because that would affront the
Russians, who are still selling
their people the idea that man can
not have dignity without hardship.
In short, It must be building de-
signed for little people still living In
q uLLlc way dllu AooNAAAe
beady eyes at a nation which started
on its way long after their nations
did. but which managed to outstrip
them all in providing the men and
women who belong to it with hap
piness in the business of making
a living.
AS I have said before, I own no
high hat, no striped trousers, no
cutaway coat. Moreover, have no
great mind-just sort OF average
working American mind. But DC
wish that those Americans who do
have the fancy clothes and the
great minds would once-just once
explain to the rest Of us Ameri,
cans why we always have to sell
this country short. 1t seems to me
it Is a country to be proud OF, 70
veil about. Let us ask the world to
| lift itself UP to our standards. why
should we be asked to come down
to it's standards?
distributed by McNaught Syndicate, Inc. }