Cause of Uncertainty?
Sirs:
Re: "Repressive Conflict" [TIME, June 11].
This continued discussion on the subject of "is we is, is we ain't" going to fight the Russians is beginning to burn. It can only bring about distrust between ourselves and them and lead eventually to a policy of maintaining a wartime Army and Navy even after Japan is crushed.
We are located just a few miles from the Russians and my own observation concurs with that of your William Walton. They are our friends; we are their comrades. I'm glad Walton took pen in hand and I hope the home folks read his account and digest it well.
Not even TIME seems to dare tell what to me is the most obvious cause of uncertainty. Through direct or indirect methods the Roman Catholic church has instilled in the minds of its members a hatred for the Russians that hasn't been altered even by the huge part the Russians played in winning this war in Europe. It is beyond mere coincidence that when I ask each individual critic of our ally what his religion is the answer is always "Catholic." . . .
While we as a nation don't want to be caught napping again, let's not be looking for yet another war before this one is over.
[ARMY SERGEANT'S NAME WITHHELD]
% Postmaster
New York City
Wanted: Workable Answers
Sirs:
. . . The singers of racial discord might . . . get a better pitch from Hawaii where a gigantic Japanese population of Nisei, Issei, and Kibei have for years lived and worked amicably cheek by jowl with members of many other races. From here the hysterical nonsense of the Pacific Coast seems incredible.
Popular understanding of the Japanese in America will serve us well both nationally and internationally. Not only will it kick the pants of the dangerous all-Japanese-are-no-good societies, but it will help bring about intelligent relations with a postwar Japan.
We are undoubtedly now faced with the most challenging human problem to come out of the war. We shall some day be faced with a hating and beaten Japan. We've got to have plenty of workable answers ready or history will record the 1940s and '50s as an era of political theories where the only reality was death in battle.
PATRICIA SWENSON
Honolulu, T.H.
Wanted: a Simpler Tool
Sirs:
We seem to be trying to forge some sort of international union without that most indispensable of all links--an international language. Maybe the boys at San Francisco think that Morse Code will be sufficient. The spectacle of the heads of great powers having to rely on interpreters for even a simple exchange of salutations looms grotesque and barbaric in a world that has utilized the tool of language since the dawn of its history. . . .
ROY H. WEBSTER
Lieutenant, U.S.A.
% Postmaster
San Francisco
The Other Fellow's Mannerisms
Sirs:
Ronald Matthew's letter [TIME, June 25] on "The Average Tommy" is one of the most encouraging social documents now originating from actual contact between the English and the Americans on war service. . . .
I can assure him that if he will withhold his opinion of other types of Englishmen until he makes first-hand acquaintance with some of them, he will find many "good eggs" among them also. . . .
It will be a fine world when we all allow the other fellow to have his own mannerisms and when we observe his differences from ourselves with interest instead of with resentment. The war has certainly proved beyond question that there are splendid qualities in both English and Americans and that those qualities extend themselves in both countries throughout all types, kinds and classifications of people.
FRANK H. CANADAY
Toledo
Ranking the Presidents
Sirs:
Now that a decent period of mourning is over, it seems not inappropriate to attempt historical appraisal of the great Presidency recently ended. There is no more accurate nor fairer way of doing this than to rank the late President Roosevelt relatively with his illustrious predecessors in office. I therefore submit the following rating of the 31 Presidencies in the hope that it might interest your readers:
There seems little doubt that popular opinion and the weight of historical criticism has singled out two of our Presidents as being in a preeminent class by themselves, both by magnitude of achievement and by virtue of moral stature. These two are Washington and Lincoln.
Nominees for the second rank are blessed with much less unanimity of acclaim. . . . For the second rank among the "immortals," I submit the names of Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, and Wilson. . . .
There have been many historic examples of "thrust-upon" greatness resulting in surprising current adulation and consequent "achievement" (in the sense of quantity, not quality, of action) which later mature evaluation does not substantiate. Three of our Presidents have been illustrious examples of such magnificent opportunism. They are Jefferson, Jackson and Franklin Roosevelt. . . .
Lacking the clear drama of noble opportunities nobly utilized or not, little distinction can validly be made among the remaining creditable Presidencies. Their careers group themselves with the many patriots who have served their country well, but who by no means could be said to have dominated their times. They are John Adams, Madison, Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Van Buren, Harrison, Tyler, Polk, Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan, Johnson, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Harrison, McKinley, Taft, Coolidge, and Hoover.
Concerning the two whose names have not been mentioned [Grant & Harding--ED.], the less said the better.
RICHARD W. BARRINGER
Radnor, Pa.
Twice Honored
Sirs:
In TIME [June 4], re Lieut. Commander John McCloy, you state: "one of the eight men in U.S. history to be twice awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor." I claim that there are nine twice-awards. . . .
P. S. GAGE JR.
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S.A.
Washington
P: Reader Gage is wrong; so was TIME. Twelve servicemen (six Navy, four Army, two Marine) have won the Medal of Honor twice. Five additional marines were awarded two Congressional Medals apiece (one by the Army, one by the Navy) for a single action on the Western Front in World War I.--ED.
Unpractical Instrument?
Sirs:
As members of the armed forces we believe that our opinions on the subject of peacetime conscription are worthy of consideration: 1) such legislation would be unpractical as an instrument of defense because those trained would be past the age of military usefulness when required; 2) it would serve notice to the world of our lack of faith in the peace plans proposed, cause our present allies to arm and cause fear among smaller countries; 3) it would disrupt education, which is one of America's primary resources for national security, and have a poor effect upon the youths involved; 4) it would be an economic burden and a compromise of freedom justifiable only by a threat to our security.
The threat of our involvement in future wars can best be met by maintaining: 1) our technological advantage through research and education; and 2) our freedom of speech, press and other means of communication whereby people can be kept aware of changing conditions and support appropriate policies to meet them. We definitely feel that consideration of such legislation must wait until the veterans can speak freely and be heard by the public.
[NAVY OFFICERS' NAMES WITHHELD]
% Fleet Post Office
San Francisco
London v. Seattle
Sirs:
Your London correspondent should come to the West Coast to be really amazed by "skyhigh prices" for women's clothing ["Buying Binge," TIME, June 11].
On June 17 the Seattle Post-Intelligencer offered these articles at these special prices: cotton chambray dress, $49.95; black leather purse, $47. These are not exclusive articles.
Recently, in a local general store, I was offered a small hat made entirely of cellophane and priced at $22.50. The clerk said scornfully: "This is the cheapest hat in the house." I am sure it was.
The crowning insult to milady's wardrobe TIME, JULY 23, 1945 was the purse I saw last Saturday in a local store. Unlined and made of a prewar 5-c- cotton string dishcloth and a flimsy 10-c- plastic closure, the thing was priced at $2.98. London ladies are indeed to be envied.
MRS. ROBERT B. CHAMBERLIN
Tacoma, Wash.
49ers
Sirs:
As I read the piece entitled "Numbers Game" in the June 4 Pony Edition, I at first nodded in reminiscent recognition as I read the familiar rhymes, "Home alive by '45," through "Golden Gate by '48."
Then I read the last lines of the piece and catapulted out of my comfortable sack to pen this indignant note. Your "researcher" must have confined his investigation to the bar of some officers' club. Everybody who now lives west of Diamond Head knows that the '49ers do not keep it very quietly to themselves, so all together fellers--"On the breadline in '49."
(SK 3/c) R. H. MARKOE
% Fleet Post Office
San Francisco
Like a Long-Lost Brother
Sirs:
I have read about the letters of thanks you have received from different parts of the world, and I feel it is time you should receive one from Finland. . . .
When the first numbers of TIME arrived in Helsinki, a friend of mine immediately sent me a copy. Having read that first number, I walked directly to a bookshop and ordered TIME for a year. Since then the bookshops have started selling single copies of the magazine, and I am told that TIME is very popular.
After all these years of being almost entirely shut off from anything on that side of the Atlantic, and even now when one has waited in vain for letters from friends and relatives over there, you may understand that TIME is certainly welcome. It is, as a former American-Finn expressed it, like a long-lost brother come back. . . .
ANNELIE AHONEN
Jyvaskyla, Finland
Kansas Methodists, Too
Sirs:
I have been very much interested in the comments in TIME [June 4, June 25] re the matter of a Missouri Baptist drinking hard liquor, bourbon, etc. I grew up among Missouri Baptists. Even our favorite Missouri Baptist pastor drank hard liquor.
There used to be a weed which was a pest and which would overrun lawns and pastures, etc. It was called "dogfennel." The favorite joke was that the way to get rid of dogfennel was to pour whiskey on it and the Baptists would eat it up.
But why worry about Missouri Baptists who drink bourbon? I've known some Kansas Methodists who drank bourbon also.
L. M. BIRKHEAD
New York City
Since January 1, 1943, TIME, LIFE, FORTUNE and THE ARCHITECTURAL FORUM have been cooperating with the War Production Board on conservation of paper. During the year 1945, these four publications of the TIME group are budgeted to use 73,000,000 Ib. (1,450 freight carloads) less paper than in 1942. In view of resulting shortages of copies, please share your copy of TIME with your friends.
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