Tall-Gate Artist
Sirs: I do not know whether the omission was intentional or accidental, but I do know that the no doubt world-renowned tailgate artist (trombone player to you), George Brunies, was not mentioned or pictured in your article about the Brass Rail Boys (TIME, July 21).
I can assure you that George is very much a part of the ensemble. . . . George does not play "Chicago Style"--or anything like it! He plays one of the roughest, guttiest, wide-open-est sliphorns to which it has been my pleasure to listen, and his style is distinctly New Orleans, if we must stylize music. . . . It is probably apocryphal, but I have heard that George can lie flat on his back on the floor, permit a man to stand on his stomach, and then will play Tiger Rag on his trombone with his feet!
My only purpose in writing this is to give Brunies the recognition he so rightly deserves, as this musician is held in high esteem by critics, musicians and hot jazz collectors the world over. . . .
ROBERT B. SALES Louisville, Ky.
--> TIME intended no slight to famed Tail-Gate Artist Brunies, herewith gladly prints his likeness.--ED.
Lax Participle
Sirs: LIKE YOUR FRIEND BILLY ROSE I TAKE EXCEPTION TO AN ADJECTIVE --"BALDING"--APPLIED TO ME BY YOU. NOT HOWEVER ON PERSONAL BUT PURELY STYLISTIC GROUNDS.
BALD I ACCEPT AND WOULD NOT BOGGLE SERIOUSLY AT BALDISH BUT BALDING CALLS FOR REBUKE. I KNOW THAT TIME IS PROUD--PERHAPS RIGHTLY--OF ITS OWN VOCABULARY BUT MY LATE AND DEAR FRIEND WILLIAM BOLITHO WHOSE MASTERY OF STYLE NOT EVEN TIME CAN QUESTION ALWAYS WARNED ME AGAINST PRESENT PARTICIPLES SAVE WHERE NECESSARY BECAUSE THEY WERE HE SAID EVIDENCE OF LAX OR LAZY PROSE.
NEVERTHELESS I THANK YOU FOR THE LITTLE PIECE ABOUT HENRY MENCKEN AND MYSELF. AS I TOLD YOU BY TELEPHONE THE WHOLE THING SEEMED MORE OF A JOKE THAN A SERIOUS PLAN BUT I HAVE ALWAYS REVERED THE GREAT MENCKEN AS A MASTER-TEACHER AND WOULD NATURALLY FOLLOW HIS ORDERS SHOULD IT AMUSE HIM THUS TO MAKE AMUSEMENT FOR OTHERS.
WALTER DURANTY
New York City
Green Light
Sirs:
Senator Burton K. Wheeler, whom I helped to elect, makes myself and a hell of a lot of other Mountain citizens sick with his anti-Roosevelt policies. I think that he should receive the same punishment that I would have received had I divulged vital military secrets to the entire world. I would also like to state that most of us Mountain boys are not afraid of Herr Hitler or anything he represents, and just as soon as President Roosevelt gives us the green light, we will go get him. . . .
WOODROW J. PHILLIPS Ronan, Mont.
Sirs: TIME (July 21) asserts that Senator Wheeler has said: "There will be revolution in this this country if damnable the war. . . ." Administration gets us into To which TIME'S curt, pert editor adds: "Not in Atlanta, Ga., where Senator Wheeler was refused the use of the city auditorium." Let TIME think again. This is revolution. Whatever one thinks of Burt Wheeler's views, it is Nazi revolution when our Constitution is ignored and a U.S. Senator--or any other American, for that matter--is denied his right to express his opinion on public policy in a public auditorium.
This attack on the principle of public discussion is Georgia's equivalent of Reichs tag Fire....
BRUCE LANNES SMITH Instructor in Economics New York University New York City Sirs:
In view of recent statements by Generals Wavell and Auchinleck, speaking for Churchill & Roosevelt, Inc., I suggest the British slogan be brought up to date by simply changing one letter: "Give us the fools and we'll finish the job." STEPHEN S. MAXSON Washington, D.C.
Sirs: Mr. Verne Marshall made the front pages when he joined the other isolationists who, for the last 20 years, have been playing havoc with our foreign policy. The result of these efforts has been the loss of our security, and will be the loss of untold billions of dollars and no telling how many lives. One of Mr. Marshall's friends, Mr. Nolan, disliked the article about him [Marshall] in TIME, so he proceeded to write a letter [TIME, July 21], which did as much good for the isolationists as the protest of a drunken man that he is not drunk....
L. LEE LAYTON JR.
Dover, Del.
Wodehouse in the Groove Sirs: In the July 14 issue we read (under Radio) more about P.G. Wodehouse and his broad casts from Germany. I am prompted to say that on the evening of July 1, while "fishing around" in the short-wave band, I picked up "Berlin calling--" and it was announced that Mr. Wodehouse was about to broadcast.
Upon listening to the broadcast as it progressed, my wife, two guests and I were startled to hear the speaker repeat himself, not once, but twice, three, four, five times--"and let us have--" "and let us have--" "and let us have--" "and let us have--." In a moment there was a telling "click" as the disse tation continued. According to the announcer, the speaker was Wodehouse in person. Was his face red when, in order to get Wodehouse "out of the groove," he had to move the needle along the recording? I doubt it.
Perhaps his hosts do not yet consider Mr. Wodehouse sufficiently trustworthy to broadcast in person, for fear of being duped by some twist of phrase or inflection....
PARKER F. SOULE JR.
Hanover, N.H.
Humorists or Hypocrites Sirs: After reading the July 14 issue of TIME I have decided that its editors either have a superb sense of humor or are the greatest hypocrites in journalism. I was amazed to see a statement by the editor that "TIME does set as its goal to be fair in reporting and never to take sides in partisan affairs." Surely this must have been a misprint. Even the most naive reader could see that TIME has never given a fair presentation of labor's views in any controversy. It has never presented the arguments for Harry Bridges, of which there are many, but has presented one sided articles....
TERRY L. BAUM Beverly Hills, Calif.
Expression of Feelings
Sirs: I am just one of Uncle's selectees. I have very recently read of proposals by high Government officials to retain selectees and National Guardsmen longer than their one year.
Supposedly we have no feelings in the matter and probably will not be given a chance to express our feelings . . . unless through some such letter as this being published in TIME.
One of the reasons given for retaining selectees was that there would be serious transportation difficulties getting selectees to and from outlying bases. If our Army is in such a ridiculously poor condition that it cannot cope with the apparently insoluble problem involved in transporting a relatively few selectees to and from some of its own outlying bases, the High Command is certainly in need of drastic overhauling. . . .
Although the selectees do not like the Army (and they do not, almost to a man, and regardless of what the magazine writers say), they are willing to serve their year according to the original understanding, but are vigorously opposed to serving longer, unless, of course, war has been declared in the meantime. . . .
--*Fort Bliss, Tex.
Sirs: Probably the most discussed subject of the day at Army camps is: "Will the National Guard be kept in service longer than a year?" Newspapers and magazines all over the country quote guardsmen as saying that they will gladly stay on. Where this statement comes from I cannot imagine unless it was from "Fireplace Soldiers" sitting in the comforts of their homes, or officers earning a decent living for the first time in their lives. . . . Believe me, the enlisted men of the National Guard do not want to stay more than a year unless, during that time, it is necessary to defend our shores from invaders. . . .
--*Fort Jackson, S.C.
Sirs: General Marshall (TIME, July 14) is concerned with the possibility of having to rub out what the Army has accomplished in training draftees. . . .
Does TIME, the Army, or any other party have any idea how long it takes to train a man adequately? I believe what the average draftee objects to most about the draft legislation is its ambiguity. In effect, General Marshall advises we be retained for "the duration" and on the other hand we hear of proposed legislation to extend the period by six months or a year. In another half year will this period again be extended? It is similar to taking the subway and not knowing if it's an express or makes the local stop you want.
--*;Fort Sill, Okla.
The Memphis Incident
Sirs: I liked your treatment of the infamous "Yoo-Hoo" affair (TIME, July 21). But let's let the following bit of advice be the final word on the subject: Oh, give a cheer for General Lear, Defender of womankind.
He makes his troops behave like droops, And blesses the pure in mind.
So listen, men, if it happens again That a hidebound old officer's near, Don't whistle and yell when you see something swell --Be content with a general leer! LEWIS F. OWEN Oradell, N.J.
*Signatures of soldiers to these letters deleted by ED. lest they get into trouble for a breach of Army regulations.
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