Americana

P:The American Library Association announced the subject in which the U.S. book reader took the most interest in 1947 --himself and his personal problems. Books on psychology were most in demand, books on housing ran second, books on business third. The average American betrayed no interest at all in World War II, atomic energy, or international affairs.

P:To commemorate the birthdays of Presidents William McKinley (Jan. 29, 1843) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (Jan. 30,1882), the Democratic congressional committee handed out free carnations last week to all Congressmen -- red for Republican McKinley, white for Democrat Roosevelt.

P:When a rival butcher in St. Helens, Ore., started giving every customer a pound of hamburger, Butcher Jack Sappington paid all comers a dime apiece to take home three free slices of ham.

P:The word "billion" should be stricken from the English language, Illinois Representative Robert J. Twyman told the House last week. It is confusing, and flung around much too carelessly these days. Cried Republican Twyman: "A billion dollars is a thousand million dollars.* Why slur over this tremendous amount?"

P:Jack Singletary, a young, white divinity student and his wife requested, and were granted, membership in Macon, Ga.'s Tremont Temple (Negro) Baptist Church.

P:Overflow crowds jammed Detroit's Convention Hall to hear a sensational evangelist, Dr. Hyman Appelman, who calls himself "the little Jew with a big Jesus." Appelman, a Baptist convert, reminded many a listener of Billy Sunday. "I don't want the biggest bill you think you can afford," he bellowed, as the collection plate was passed, "I want the biggest bill you've got in your pocket." His clinching argument: "This is not Hyman Appelman preaching to you -- this is the spirit of the Holy Ghost!"

P:Honolulu Sports Fisherman Freeman Lang headed his motor sampan toward the liner Matsonia off Diamond Head, by blinking his lights forced the big ship off her course -- and kept her from running down a drifting Japanese mine.

# In Britain and much of Europe, a billion is a million millions.

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