 It's time for the Laun Jean Chronoscope, a television journal of the important issues of the hour, brought to you every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. A presentation of the Laun Jean Wittner Watch Company, maker of Laun Jean, the world's most honored watch, and Wittner, distinguished companion to the world-honored Laun Jean. Good evening. This is Frank Knight. May I introduce our co-editors for this edition of the Laun Jean Chronoscope? Mr. William Bradford Huey, editor of the American Mercury, and Mr. Henry Haslett, contributing editor of Newsweek Magazine. Our distinguished guest for this evening is Madam Pearl Mester, United States Minister to Luxembourg. The opinions expressed are necessarily those of the speakers. Madam Minister, it's especially pleasant to welcome you as a guest on Chronoscope tonight because, among other things, you are the world's most famous hostess, and one of the things I've been interested in asking you is this. You have quite a reputation for the food you serve, and I've been told that at Luxembourg they have the world's most magnificent food and very inexpensive, about the best in Europe. Is that true? Well, we do have wonderful food, but I'm afraid I can't agree with you that it's inexpensive because Luxembourg is one of the most expensive countries to live in as far as the food is concerned in Western Europe. In the restaurants? In the restaurants and in the groceries. What kind of cooking do they have? Is it French cooking or German cooking or something more of their own brand? I would say it's between the two. They have some French dishes and then they have many German dishes. So I wouldn't call it French cooking. I think the Luxembourg chef is about 50-50, equally French and German. But as a rule, they have wonderful, wonderful food. Mrs. Mester, you, of course, are a distinguished American in your own right and a distinguished political figure. And tonight, I believe someone has said that this year will be the first election in which more American women will vote than men. Now, do you regard this as a hopeful sign that so many women will vote this year? I most certainly do. I think it shows that women are becoming more and more interested. And I think that they definitely are going to get out this year and vote. And of course, we want everyone to vote. We want all the women to vote, regardless of how they vote. Now, out at Chicago, at the Democratic Convention, the Democrats made quite a show of their distinguished women, including yourself. Now, do you regard this as an advantage for the Democratic Party? Well, of course I do. I think that we all know that the Democrats do more, have done more, and have given women more than any other party in the world. You don't think that it was overdone a little bit at Chicago, do you? Do you? Well, Mrs. Muster, I'd like to get back to your immediate job. What kind of a day do you have? What's a typical day like when you serve there as minister? Is it a long day that you put in a very long day there? Well, I've asked that question many, many times. And it's a little difficult to say just what kind of a day I have, because my days vary. But I'm always in my office at 8.30 in the morning. Sometimes I'll have to take notes over to the foreign minister. And many times, and many days, I have guests, tourists. Well, do you see mainly, pardon me, do you see mainly visiting Americans, or do you see mainly the people in Luxembourg and their State Department and so on? Well, I have many Americans that visit me. Is that just what you mean? Yes, yes, the people. Do they take up a lot of your time, the people that pass through? Not too much. No. I always like to have Americans called. One of the problems that you face, and I think every ambassador and minister faces, is the problem of entertaining. You are able to take care of that problem better than most, but I think it's a very serious problem in the State Department for ministers and ambassadors. They usually have to be people of pretty independent means, and most of them come out poorer than they go in, don't they? Well, I thoroughly agree with you on that. I think that our ministers and our career ministers, I don't think there's any doubt that they should have more allowance for their entertainment. Because it's very difficult for them, and I might say that many times that our Fourth of July party will take up all of our expense money that they allow us. So you can see that a career person, it's very hard for them, and I think if we'd pay them more, we would be repaid in the end for it. Mrs. Mester, so many of our viewers, of course, know that you are a distinguished party giver. Now, what sort of parties have you been giving in Luxembourg? Well, of course I entertain the government a great deal. I entertain our diplomats. The diplomats will go through there. But the parties that I give, that I like the best of all, are the parties that I give for the soldiers. And there are soldiers that are all over Western Europe, and all they have to have is a uniform, and they're invited to come in. Those are American soldiers, you mean? All American soldiers in Western Europe. The wives, their dependents, and their children. How often do you give these parties? I have them the first Saturday of every month, and the reason I have them the first Saturday is because they're paid the last Friday, and they have that money to get to Luxembourg on Saturday. How many Americans would you estimate have enjoyed your hospitality since you've been in Luxembourg? Well, that's hard to tell, but I know the second year that I was there, there was 8,000 passed through Luxembourg. And how many soldiers do you suppose have visited you? Very difficult to tell because I have 1,000 a month besides they'll drop in during the week, sometimes 5, 6, 10 during the week. This problem of this business of being a woman again, have you found being a woman a handicap in performing your ministerial duties? To a certain extent it's a handicap because we have to prove ourselves, and we have to prove that we can do a job. I think maybe we have to work just a little bit harder than the men do to let the world know that we're really interested, and that we really can do a job when we make up our mind to do the job. Well, I'd like to get back to some of the more serious aspects of your job. Now, Luxembourg is a very small country, but it's an important steel producer, isn't it? It most certainly is. It's the 7th largest steel producing country in the world. And they have recently entered the Schumann Plan, haven't they? Yes, and the Schumann Plan has met there just a few days ago, and I believe I understand that we're getting it there permanently. Our viewers, Mrs. Mester, quite often are told by some Americans as well as foreign people that we Americans have relatively few friends in the world. And since we are trying to do a great deal for the rest of the world, I'm sure that many of our viewers are disillusioned at times and somewhat distressed over the fact that we seem to have so many enemies. Now, what's been your experience in Europe? Can you reassure our viewers any on that point? Well, first I'd like to tell you of the country I'm accredited to. I'm quite sure that Luxembourg has every inhabitant there, absolutely has the greatest respect in the world for the Americans, and they love the Americans. Now, that's Luxembourg. I travel over Europe. I speak in Germany. I speak in Belgium. I speak in France. And I find that we really have true friends every place. Now, some people go over there and they find that we are criticized. But there's always criticism every place. I believe we have some of that in America, don't we? You think the critics are a minority in Europe? The critics of America? I do. I certainly do. I think that you hear always. You hear criticism more. They're more vocal and they're louder, and you hear more of the people, the criticize. And the real true friends are quiet people. But please don't be disillusioned. We have many, many friends in Europe. Well, I'm sure that's very heartening. Now, do you find in Europe a great deal of cynicism and defeatism, the best acceptance of war is inevitable? Not today. I found it three years ago. When I went over three years ago, they were very disheartened. And I feel quite sure that if they'd had an invasion or had trouble of any kind, I really believe and I can truthfully say that they wouldn't lift a gun or pull a trigger. But today, they're very heartened and they feel very much encouraged. Well, I think it's the, of course, the defense program. I think that's got everything to do with it. Well, is there any feeling in Europe that they can afford to let down because perhaps Uncle Sam will take up the defense program for them? Not at all. Not at all. I feel that they'll go right ahead and they'll do their part in every way. Mrs. Mester, of course, you've missed three very exciting years in Washington. Do you have some regret about that? Not in the least. I miss my friends very much. But I do not miss Washington, especially in the summer when it's so hot. To come back as a final question, to come back to our own armies, our viewers, of course, have many sons and relatives in Europe. And I wonder if our army over there is behaving. Is our army making friends? You know, it's very difficult for an invading army to make friends. Would you say that ours are making any friends over there? Well, I'm delighted you've asked me that question because I think I have as much to do with the army as any woman over there. I have these thousands and thousands that come every month, sometimes more than a thousand. I have yet to see one that will misbehave. If they come into the party and they've had a good time before, all I do is to speak to them or call them over and they immediately respond to kindness. Well, I'm sure that our audience very much appreciates these views that you've expressed tonight and thank you so much for being with us. The editorial board for this edition of the Lone Gene Chronoscope was Mr. William Bradford Huey and Mr. Henry Haslett. Our distinguished guest for this evening was Madam Pearl Mester, United States Minister to Luxembourg. It's well said that success comes to those who concentrate on doing one thing and then doing it well. And that explains why Lone Gene is truly the world's most honored watch. 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We invite you to join us every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening at this same time for the Lone Gene Chronoscope, a television journal of the important issues of the hour, broadcast on behalf of Lone Gene, the world's most honored watch, and Wittner, distinguished companion to the world honored Lone Gene. This is Frank Knight reminding you that Lone Gene and Wittner watches are sold and serviced from coast to coast by more than 4,000 leading jewelers who proudly display this emblem, agency for Lone Gene Wittner watches. Don't miss crime syndicated on the CBS television network.