Wendell Willkie

Sirs:

Thank you for the beautifully written story about Wendell Willkie [TIME, Oct. 16]. I am ashamed now of the silence I affected after his Presidential defeat because I feared the ridicule of those who believed him to be a political clown. At least I had the redeeming grace to read, enjoy and tell others about his One World. When a majority of Americans reach Willkie's patriotic stature, America will finally attain true greatness.

MARGARET MILLIGAN

Cincinnati

Sirs:

. . . This man, who through his own great efforts had kindled the flame of true Democracy in the hearts of millions of our citizens, was discarded by the Old Guard element of his own party even though he was the titular head of the organization. These citizens will not forget this act of betrayal, and the "crocodile tears" shed by Republican bigwigs and their obedient press over his passing will only tend to magnify their shortcomings to followers of Wendell Willkie.

W. A. STROUD

Bethesda, Md.

Sirs:

I should like to propose a memorial to Wendell Willkie which I think he would have approved. I suggest that millions of our citizens contribute one dollar each to a Wendell L. Willkie Memorial Fund. The income therefrom would be used to provide traveling scholarships for American college students to spend their vacations touring various parts of the world, meeting the people Willkie loved and championed. . . . Perhaps half of the income could be used to provide scholarships for foreign students to visit us.

Here's my dollar to start it off.

LAWRENCE H. SINGER

New York City

Sirs:

I have just read ... of Wendell Willkie's death, and I feel a deep sorrow because a great hope has died with him. You have a Roosevelt and a Dewey and will have one of them as your next President. Both are politicians; both are shrewd. But we, the men of all nations, had a Willkie and we have lost him. He was not shrewd, but he was sincere. Perhaps he was a poor politician . . . but he was something very much more than that. He was a man!

Fcc. BRENA ALVIREZ

Tacubaya, Mexico

The Campaign

Sirs:

Critical and even hostile attitudes of thousands of Americans, some Republicans, more Democrats, toward the candidacy of Governor Dewey are difficult, to understand or justify. . . .

An inescapable conclusion from these antipathetic attitudes is that thousands of voters want a spectacular leader, a "Fuehrer," for their candidate. They desire and seek an egocentric, messianic individual, under whose banner they may exultantly follow in search of the more abundant life.

Dewey seems to be no such man. He, therefore, disappoints these hero worshipers. He does, nevertheless, possess obvious qualifications. He is dispassionate and fairminded, a capable and thoroughly honest administrator. He is experienced and fully aware of the problems facing the nation. He has addressed the people with reasonable frankness on the subjects of employment, labor relations, social security and international affairs. He comes before the American electorate with fewer political commitments than any major candidate in recent history, with the exception of Wendell Willkie.

All of these facts may not determine the voters' preference for Dewey. It is opportune, however, for any fairminded voter to give them consideration.

ROBERT V. EDWARDS

Los Angeles

Sirs:

Well, you're at it again. In 1940 you played down Mr. Willkie's campaign, and now, four years later, you are going out of your way a mile to belittle Mr. Dewey and his campaign.

A. M. WIDENER

Cumberland, Md.

Sirs:

Tell Ben Turick, who hails from my home town, that those reasons for Dewey votes (TIME LETTERS, Oct. 9), are absurd enough but no more than the one a great many Roosevelt supporters give, viz.: "I will vote for Roosevelt in 1944 because of what Hoover did or didn't do in 1932." If Hoover's record of twelve years ago has any bearing on what either candidate proposes to do in 1945 I'd like to know what it is.

[U.S. A.A.F. OFFICER'S NAME WITHHELD]

Minneapolis

Marines v. 27th

Sirs: We have just received a copy of TIME [Sept. 18] and after reading your story about our 27th division on Saipan we feel that this article is outrageous and unfair to the men who gave their lives for their country.

Our regiment was committed a total of 23 days on the front lines without one day of relief from the Marines whom we relieved on the morning of June 17. Your article stated that the Marine divisions had to wait for us, which is untrue. They make it a practice to attack during the latter part of the morning, thereby holding up our advance a number of mornings. Aslito airfield, "the primary objective," was taken by our regiment after the Marines had twice tried in vain. Other units of the division had the job of taking Mount Tapotchau while the Marines took both flanks and a great deal of the lower ground that flanked the mountain.

Anyone who could make a statement that we froze in our foxholes is not familiar with the operations on this island. The breakthrough that is mentioned in your article was one of the most heroic. We are proud to work with the unit who met the brunt of the attack. . . .

The boys who gave their lives on Saipan did not give them while sleeping or, as you say, freezing in their foxholes. We know that our division is one of the best fighting units in this area and wish to have it proven otherwise. We feel that someone should set the public right on this slur to our fighting ability. . . .

(T/SGT.) JOHN MAHON

(T/SGT.) PETE PISA

(S/SGT.) HENRY SPELLMEYER

(S/SGT.) FRED PROCTOR

(PFC.) DONALD LAIRD

c/o Postmaster

San Francisco

Sirs:

. . . Your article mentions the fact that a desperate Jap counterattack broke through our greenest regiment. That is true. But the Marine artillery did not stop any Jap counterattack. Our regiment moved up and reestablished a line. While moving up they recaptured two batteries of Marine artillery, lost during the Jap counterattack. . . .

(PFC.) HYMAN BEIZER

c/o Postmaster

San Francisco

Sirs:

Many thanks to you people for printing the truth about the Army shake-up during the battle of Saipan. We have read many explanations of this situation, which is covered completely in TIME, but your story is the first to express the true picture of the circumstance. . . .

(SGT.) CHESTER W. ENGELMAN

(SGT.) JACK G. CHILDS

c/o Fleet P.O.

San Francisco

Sirs:

. . . The time for discrimination between branches of the armed forces is past. We are supposed to be a team united for victory. Sometimes we do a better job of fighting each other than we do fighting the enemy. . . .

(S/SGT.) FRED A. CUMMINGS

c/o Postmaster

San Francisco

P:TIME certainly intended no slur to the 27th Division's brave dead or to its embattled G.I.s. Neither the Army nor the Marine Corps has made an official report on the action. Fact remains that the Army relieved many 27th Division officer during and after the Saipan battle.--ED.

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