Lollipop Poll

They finally got around to taking a poll of U.S. children. A representative panel of 10,000 kids, between the ages of 8 and 13, was quizzed for opinions on everything from "Your favorite part of dinner?" to "Should the U.S. go to war?" They answered right up.

Half of them picked dessert, over soup, meat and vegetables. Twenty-eight percent favored going to war immediately with Germany. (In the last Gallup poll, only 24% of grownups favored such action.) Although 71% admitted that they got spanked, 82% deposed that they were afraid of neither father nor mother. Most would rather ride in an airplane than in a car, train or bus. Cartoons, comedies, mystery and adventure placed high in their movie tastes.

Largest single group (20%) of boys want to be air pilots when they grow up. Only 4% want to be President. More girls would rather be a nurse than a movie star. Only 2% chose housewifery, although one declared her ambition was "To Be a Great Housewoman."

Author of the poll: young, blond William T. Reed, Chicago candymaker who, four years after he graduated from Purdue, invented fiber-rope handles for lollipops. (He claims they are safer than the old wooden sticks.) The Reed name for the safety suckers: "Paloops." Mr. Reed, who has a two-year-old son of his own, got lists from summer camps, Sunday schools and Y.M.C.A.s, sent out 10,000 questionnaires. He was so pleased with his poll's results that he planned another one, thought he might keep right on with it.

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