"It's Better American"

Sirs:

The grinning, cheerful natives of Guam are singing a song that a short while ago would have made them most unpopular with their Japanese oppressors. For over two years they have been living in the "boondocks" or working in the fields for the Nips, in return for which they were given one meal during their twelve-hour day. But these people have never lost faith in their Uncle Sammy and manage to express themselves pretty well in this song:

MY DEAR UNCLE SAM

Early Monday morning,

They all threw their bomb.

Eight of December,

In nineteen forty one. CHORUS

Oh! Uncle Sam, Sam,

My dear Uncle Sam,

I want you please

Come back to Guam.

Eight of December, They all threw their bomb. Thirteen of December, When they surrender Guam.

Plane are in hangar, Pilot were on hand. Ship were on the harbor, To fortify our land.

I didn't like Sake, I like Canadian. I didn't like Nippon, It's better American.

(SGT.) H. C. DANFORTH, U.S.M.C.R. c/o Fleet P.O. San Francisco

Thanks to Americans

Sirs:

Now that, thanks to rapid Allied advances, the liberation of Holland seems near; now that, consequently, I, as a Netherlands seaman, expect to return to my native country, I would like through the intermediary of widely read TIME, to thank the people of the United States--between voyages during four-and-a-half years my "home from home"--for the many kindnesses, courtesies and the hospitality shown to me.

Not once during these years was I made to feel an outsider. Help and cooperation were given me freely by individuals and official bureaus alike, as if I were a U S citizen. For all this I feel very much indebted indeed, and I am afraid I am at a loss to see how I can possibly ever repay.

J. BOLSIUS Berkeley, Calif.

Can This Be True?

Sirs:

An intelligent, well-educated citizen of India who has an intense admiration for American democracy read in TIME [Aug. 7] of the despicable boast made by Governor Olin Johnston of South Carolina of how he had prevented Negroes from voting in his state. The Indian, amazed, asked me if this could be true in a country that offered equality to all men regardless of race, color, or creed.

It was with bitter shame that I explained that even in America intolerance and bigotry are able to spew forth such politicians as Johnston into high places in the nation. The Indian frowned, shook his head in quizzical fashion. . . .

(PFC.) SOL ROSENBERG c/o Postmaster New York City

Heart, Grapes, Valley, Wilson

Sirs:

TIME'S CINEMA EDITOR, HABITUALLY AN AUTHORITATIVE MOVIE CRITIC, HAS LAID AN OSTRICH EGG WHEN HE GOT OUT OF HIS MILIEU AND DELVED INTO THE REALM OF FACTS AND FIGURES (TIME, SEPT. 4). AS OF TODAY THE PURPLE HEART HAS GROSSED $1,513,300 IN AMERICA ALONE. IT HAS ONLY PLAYED 24 WEEKS. IT COST $839,400. WHEN THE RUN IS COMPLETED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD IT WILL HAVE A PROFIT OF ALMOST 150%. . . .

TIME, THE PRODUCER OF THE EXCELLENT MARCH OF TIME, SHOULD BE WELL AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THE THEATERGOERS OF AMERICA WILL EAGERLY ACCEPT ENLIGHTENMENT WITH THEIR ENTERTAINMENT. IN FIVE WEEKS AT THE ROXY THEATER IN NEW YORK CITY WILSON HAS PLAYED TO MORE THAN ONE MILLION PAID ADMISSIONS, SETTING AN ALLTIME HIGH RECORD FOR ANY THEATER ANYWHERE. PREVIOUS TO WILSON AND THE SONG OF BERNADETTE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PICTURE IN THE ANNALS OF THIS COUNTRY WAS HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY, AND PREVIOUS TO THAT THE HIGH MARK WAS HELD BY THE GRAPES OF WRATH.* IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT NONE OF THE ABOVE PICTURES HAVE ANY SO-CALLED STAR NAMES IN THE CAST AND THAT THEY DEAL WITH THEMES NOT USUALLY CONSIDERED BOX OFFICE. HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE PIONEERING OF MARCH OF TIME IN THE COMBINED FIELD OF ENTERTAINMENT AND ENLIGHTENMENT I DOUBT IF I WOULD HAVE EVER ATTEMPTED THE PRODUCTION OF GRAPES, VALLEY OR WILSON.

DARRYL F. ZANUCK Los Angeles

P: TIME, grateful for Producer Zanuck's generous salute to MARCH OF TIME, is glad that Heart has apparently had a heartier reception elsewhere than it did (according to exhibitors there who told TIME it was a flop) in Chicago, Washington, Atlanta, Seattle, San Francisco and 100-odd theaters in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.--ED.

Race

Sirs: For what it is worth, we think you should be apprised of a comment made by a dour old cynic who works for our hospital. Someone said something about the advance in France. "Yes," he said, "it's a race between Patton and the Democrats."

D. W. BOARDMAN, M.D. Poston, Ariz.

Churchill on TNT

Sirs:

"In Rome last week, while newsmen shot questions at him, Prime Minister Winston Churchill sat down on an open barrel of political TNT and calmly lit a cigar" (TIME, Sept. 4).

Unless his cigar was loaded, the analogy would not carry any implication that he was taking any chances. TNT is exploded by detonation, not by ignition.

ROBERT E. SEILER, MAJOR Birmingham

-I Does Major Seiler deny that Winston Churchill is one of the world's prime detonators?--ED.

Veterans at U.S.C.

Sirs:

. . . The article [about veterans at the University of Southern California--TIME, Aug. 28] was most unfortunate. . . . Out of a list of 65 veterans on the campus, only 18 are registered in any form of Physical Education during the present term. The other 47 have been released from the requirement because of disability. Of the 18 men, 15 are registered in the restricted program and are given individual attention by a corrective instructor. They are not permitted to participate in the wartime physical fitness program. The other three were assigned to the unrestricted program by the University Health Office on the basis that it would be for their own best interests mentally. One of them was discharged from the service because of defective hearing. . . . The other two are war neurosis cases.

Everything possible has been done by the University through its Health Service and other agencies to assist the boys in finding the type of activity that would be most helpful to them both mentally and physically, and where activity of any kind seemed inadvisable, they have-been entirely released from the requirement. All of these adjustments have been in close collaboration with the veteran board administrator on the campus.

RUFUS B. VON KLEINSMID President

University of Southern California Los Angeles

* Selznick-International's Gone With the Wind has grossed well over $32 million, at least 15 times as much as either Grapes or Valley. ?ED.

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