Hitler's Mug

Sirs:

Admitted that Adolf Hitler is a figure of some news value in this period . . . must we have his photograph always before us? You have given us, at short intervals, Hitler gazing dreamily into the future, Hitler heiling with the hand, Hitler beaming costively at his vice-hitlers, Hitler staring severely at the camera, Hitler looking like Bismarck, Hitler looking like Chaplin, Hitler looking like Hitler (my least favorite impersonation, but how well he does it!). . . .

Now, I fear that I shall never forget that face, but I don't see why you should cater to the engaging muripictor's* histrionic bent. I like TIME, but I don't care for that paranoiac pan which mops and mows at me from your weekly pages. . . .

HANSON J. STEELE

Providence, R.I.

P:Another TIME reader, who found Hitler's mug on the cover, used it for a dart target.--ED.

The Governor's Ribs

Sirs:

In TIME, Jan. 12, I notice your comments on Georgia's Governor Talmadge, in which you say he "threw himself into a conga on a slick dance floor, broke two ribs, returned to duty taped stiff as a mummy."

I resent this article greatly, and I frankly think that I am not the only one in the State of Georgia who does so-for, after all, it is worth while bearing in mind that Eugene Talmadge was elected Governor of the State of Georgia by the people of Georgia. . . . Governor Talmadge had the misfortune to slip and fracture his ribs, and being a man 57 years of age it naturally affected him more than it would a younger person. . . .

R. E. BLUMENFELD

Lieut. Colonel, Aide-de-Camp,

Governor's Staff

Savannah, Ga.

P:Aide-de-Camp Blumenfeld was the only resentful Georgian who wrote complaining about TIME'S account of his Governor's accident.--ED.

"Blaze of Glory"

Sirs:

You've disappointed me for the first time since my roommate and I started reading you, at Indiana University in 1937.

We became quite attached to you, and the last I heard from my roommate, he was still reading your pages whenever he wasn't flying at Nichols Field, Manila, P.I.

First Lieut. Russel M. Church Jr. was his name, and he happened to be the first American pilot buried with military honors by the Japs. But more than that: he deliberately dove his flaming plane over a half-mile string of grounded Jap planes, and rather than jump, machine-gunned and bombed the entire line before crashing.

For my money Russ deserves as much credit as Colin Kelly or Buzz Wagner. "Going out in a blaze of glory" has a new meaning for me, now.

ROBERT DELIGTER

New Rochelle, N.Y.

P:To the memory of Hero Reader Church, TIME'S apologies. In admiration for him the Japanese set up the wing of his broken airplane as a marker for his grave.--ED.

Frequency & Language

Sirs:

... In TIME for Jan. 19 you wrote concerning the trip of the Pacific Clipper from New Zealand, "Captain Ford, not knowing the radio frequency for sending, could not break into this interesting conversation" (between Dutch fighter plane and ground station).

... Being able, as your story indicates, to hear both sides of the two-way conversation, he would know both frequencies used, merely by consulting the calibrated dial of his receiver.

W. G. CUMBER

New York City

P:TIME followed Pan American's own version of the episode, which was twisted. The conversation took place as recorded and Captain Ford overheard it, but it now appears that he did not understand it, because the conversation was in Dutch. Not knowing that they were discussing shooting him down he did not try to interrupt the conversation.--ED .

Men Wanted

Sirs:

TIME can do the U.S. Navy a great service if it will publish the following in its Letters column:

"The Navy needs urgently civilians with aviation experience to act as instructors in its Aviation Mechanics' and Metalworkers' schools. These positions pay from $1,620 and $3,800 a year. Applications may be obtained from any Civil Service representative and should be sent to the Navy Teacher-Training Center, 87th St. at Anthony Ave., Chicago, Ill." . . .

J. H. TOWERS

Rear Admiral, U.S.N.

Navy Department

Bureau of Aeronautics

Washington, B.C.

Senior Controller

Sirs:

In TIME, Dec.1, you stated that Basil Edward Nicolls, Senior Controller of Programs of the British Broadcasting Corp., was fired because a speaker over BBC wished the King of Italy a happy birthday by radio. Mr. Nicolls was not responsible for this broadcast, and was not fired.

WALTER GRAEBNER

London

-- TIME, relying on an incorrect press dispatch, erred, extends all apologies to Mr. Nicolls.--ED.

Travel Priorities

Sirs:

Your story in the Feb. 2 issue of TIME, in which you refer to Government priorities of airplane seats, leaves an unfair impression. You state that a private citizen who wants an air-travel ticket "must stand in line" behind Government officials, etc.

The impression is abroad that there is a great deal of red tape and difficulty involved in getting an airline ticket. That is not true. All the Government priority has done is to formalize an arrangement between the airlines and the Government which has been in effect for 15 months. . . .

As a matter of fact, the formal Government priority ruling has improved the situation, from the standpoint of the ordinary passenger. For the priority passenger, formal credentials and certification are now required which eliminates "bluff" and false claims concerning the importance of an official's travel. . . . The effect ... is strictly to regulate the priority passengers and thereby protect the ordinary citizen.

EDGAR S. GORRELL

President

Air Transport Association of America

Washington, D.C.

Sirs:

REFERRING TO STORY IN TIME, FEB. 2, UNDER TRANSPORT NOT IN YEARS HAVE ANY PULLMAN SLEEPING CARS BEEN CONVERTED INTO COACHES. A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF RETIRED PARLOR CARS HAVE BEEN SOLD BY PULLMAN TO RAILROADS FOR CONVERSION INTO COACHES AND SUCH CONVERTED CARS HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO RAILROADS IN TAKING CARE OF TROOP MOVEMENTS. . . . BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO LACK OF PULLMAN SLEEPING CARS TO TAKE CARE OF CIVILIAN TRAVEL. . . . TRUE, EVERY FELLOW MAY NOT ALWAYS SECURE THE PARTICULAR TYPE OF ACCOMMODATION HE WANTS BUT ALMOST INVARIABLY SOME OTHER TYPE OF ACCOMMODATION IS AVAILABLE.

G. A. KELLY

Vice President

The Pullman Co.

Chicago, Ill.

P:TIME regrets any implication that airplane and Pullman accommodations are unobtainable. Although travelers may meet occasional inconvenience-no greater than many another inconvenience that occurs in wartime-there is little reason for any ordinary passenger to be discouraged about receiving accommodations.--Ed.

*Pseudo-Latin for "wall painter."

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