Pretty Hard Up
Sirs:
Herewith negative and copy of a photograph of a painting by a Bolivian artist recently on exhibition here in the Municipal Entrance Hall. The title on the framework underneath means "Flag Worship."
The painting speaks for itself and before arriving at the Municipal Hall was, together with others by the same artist, on show in the local German School.
As art, the picture in my opinion is awful, and the figure in front is supposed to represent the "poor" Bolivian Indian.
Fortunately the average Bolivian does not have much time for this sort of thing, but the Germans must be pretty hard up for propaganda when they pick up such, an awful piece of work.
Should you decide to publish this, do not use my name.
______ __________*
La Paz, Bolivia
*Signature is that of a U. S. businessman working in the Bolivian capital.
The Human Mind
Sirs:
The more I read the letters in your correspondence column, the more I marvel at the human mind. First you get called down for being biased and prejudiced. The next writer complains that you are always straddling the fence, afraid to state your own mind on any issue. Then you are a member of the liberal ilk. Fortunately I feel sure the great majority of your readers agree with me that you are doing a wonderful job, giving us a very fair view of both sides of any article you print.
WILLIS C. GOSS
Melrose, Mass.
Prophecy
Sirs:
A journalist of the old school--40 years in the game--I am, I hope, still sufficiently up to date to appreciate the virility of your publication.
Looking through an old volume of TIME, I noticed a letter which you may think it worth-while to recall to your readers. It is from W. E. Hamilton, of Evanston, Ill. . . His words regarding Churchill are certainly prophetic. For he says: ". . . Winston Churchill is a political giant among giants, one of the several world statesmen, upon whose shoulders might fall the task of saving not only their own democracy, but ours too." And the date of the issue is Aug. 28, 1939--the week before the outbreak of war and when Churchill was politically still out in the wilderness!
E. C. WRAY
Odhams Press Ltd.
London
Whispers
Sirs:
Have just read your article of March 10 on "Whispers in the White House."
Congratulations! This ambitious little clique whom you so very nearly called rats are in truth just that, rats I mean. They have pulled and pushed and wheedled for their pet projects and powers until this nation is more like a madhouse than any other I know of. I for one am hoping that we citizens won't let the leaders of business and industry be sidetracked and "kicked upstairs" into the positions of glorified stuffed shirts that you indicate. . . .
F. M. HILBURN
Cotton Valley, La.
Sirs:
The undercover attack on Knudsen and other odorous schemings of Washington's white-haired boys described in "Whispers in the White House," sent me staggering to the rail.
Wonder how many others were there with me, disgorging their belief in democracy's ability to delouse itself in times of stress.
LOUIS MABLEY
Birmingham, Ala.
"Fair if Necessary"
Sirs:
Re: Letters, TIME, March 10.
One, of course, wishes to be fair if necessary. But WHY, for Hitler's sake, publish letters from no one but isolationists? Are they all who write?
JANET LYNCH
Pasadena, Calif.
> Not by any means. TIME has given isolationists a chance to state their views, but has also published many letters from all-aiders and outright interventionists, the latter including Novelist Humphrey Cobb (TIME, Nov. 25).--ED.
"Hammer and Sickle"
Sirs:
ADVISE YOU TAKE OUT INSURANCE ON THE SELF-CONSCIOUS LOW-BROW THAT REVIEWED MY BOOK [TIME, March 10]. WHEN I FIND OUT HIS NAME WILL CHALLENGE HIM TO A DUEL WITH WHAT APPARENTLY ARE HIS FAVORITE WEAPONS, THE HAMMER AND SICKLE. I HAVE MET THIS TYPE BEFORE AND CAN DEAL WITH IT AGAIN.
WILLIAM DAVEY
Carmel, Calif.
> TIME rated Reader Davey's first novel, Dawn Breaks the Heart, a creditable Grade-B performance, had no political angle.--ED.
Ends
Sirs:
Daily doses of My Day may have built up tolerance for twaddle about commonplace happenings in First Family circles, but hardly a desire by TIME readers for information of proposed boiling of diapers in the White House (TIME, March 10). . . .
The ends of the President's policies are, of course, TIMEworthy; those of his infantile descendants are not.
CHARLES N. MORGAN
St. Petersburg, Fla.
> Not infant anatomy or behavior, but the President's ignorance of modern diaper service, was the crux of the story.--ED.
"We Are Men"
Sirs:
Since there seems to be a little difference of opinion between the young ladies Findley and Harkavy (TIME, Feb. 10 and March 10) as to whether or not "Little Willie" is properly taken care of in the U. S. Army, may I (a Selective Service trainee) take an oar. . . .
We have no mud, despite the fact that the snow and rainfall have been unusually heavy. Our barracks are wooden buildings heated by individual gas heating units, thermostatically controlled.
Our hospitals are full--not with sick men, but with men being examined and X-rayed before being sworn into the service.
We have mess--but the only thing messy about it is the name. ... As for washing our own mess kits, we are fortunate here in having an automatic dishwasher and do not have to wash our own trays. But if we didn't have this facility, we would still be glad to wash our own. We are men and our mothers are not here to wash them for us.
... If a soldier keeps himself and his bunk neat and clean he has nothing to fear from the inspecting officer. If, as the young lady writes, the men all but become neurotic wrecks as the result of an anticipated inspection, then you can bet your last P. X. coupon that they must have had a hectic "night before." . . .
And finally, as to the indignity of being trained by National Guardsmen, if the trainees knew more than the officers, you can rest assured that they would be doing the teaching and the National Guardsmen taking the lessons. . . .
LAWRENCE M. CLINTON, Private
Reception Center
Fort Leavenworth, Kans.
"Away He Went"
Sirs:
You may be interested in a discrepancy in your story of Gary Cooper's life (TIME, March 3).
You say he took a job in Los Angeles selling electric signs and got fired for not selling any. This is not true. I know because Gary worked for me. He did not get fired. . . . He was selling ads on theatre curtains which simulated electric signs.
The last time I saw Gary was on the old studio steps. It was Saturday afternoon. He wanted to know how he could get $10. I told him to go down to Santa Monica and collect the customary $10 deposit on an ad he had sold to a washing machine company. This $10 was his commission. Away he went. I have never seen him since except on the screen. I don't believe I have ever missed one of his pictures. . . .
JOHN SLATTERY
Los Angeles, Calif.
Shindig Defended
Sirs:
Scallions and resounding boos to TIME'S reporter who covered the Academy Awards Dinner [TIME, March 10]. Perhaps he didn't get enough free drinks. Perhaps he wasn't introduced to Dorothy Lamour. Perhaps he wasn't there.
I attended the dinner. I would like to correct a few of the misstatements on behalf of the motion-picture group which for years has been unjustly maligned, criticized, misunderstood. . . .
1) Cinewigs did not "alcoholically splurge for a couple of hours. . . ." There was far less alcoholic consumption per capita on that occasion than at any other representative American gathering.
2) David Selznick did not "pant." He was sincerely thrilled at his award.
3) Ginger Rogers did not "scream." She was so affected, her voice was scarcely audible.
4) There was no "dog-show din." What TIME'S misguided reporter heard was a genuinely enthusiastic acclaim of the year's best actress.
5) Ginger Rogers did not "gush a tribute to her mother." She gave a heartwarmingly real and simple word of appreciation and homage to her nearest and dearest, which moistened the eyes of the toughest audience in the world. . . .
DOROTHY HOWELL
Beverly Hills, Calif.
> TIME'S reporter was there, he already knew Dorothy Lamour, and he claims he had no drinks. Far from being the "toughest audience" in the world, Hollywood's cinema people are among the tenderest. Living and working in a medium copiously suffused with sentimental hokum, it would be strange if they weren't. -- ED.
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