Dead Issue

Sir:

After Mel Pattern's poor showing in the Olympics 100-meter dash, I am quite convinced that having one's picture on the cover of TIME is . . . the kiss of death.

SAMUEL SLATER Ithaca, N.Y.

P: Sprinter Patton looked very much alive in winning the 200.--ED.

Pipeline for Democracy

Sir:

. . . I have to confess that despite all the trouble they caused us, the onetime National Socialists had my sympathy, after the war even more than before; perhaps it was a captured paratrooper's obstinacy. But after returning home from captivity in the fall of 1946 my opinion began to change . . .

During these days & nights of increasing Soviet pressure, when the Communists are trying to suppress every democratic thought and every opinion diverging from theirs, during these days & nights of the unceasing roar of U.S. Skymasters supplying Berlin with food, the very last remainder of sympathy for Fascism has died in me . . .

Many friends have expressed the same thoughts . . . The air bridge may be expensive, but it's the pipeline through which democracy is flowing into Berlin . . .

WOLFGANG HAEUSSLER Berlin

Ridgewood's Remington

Sir:

I remember debating "Recognition of Russia" with red-haired Bill Remington (William W. of the Department of Commerce) 15 years ago at Ridgewood (N.J.) High School. His classmates in their 1934 yearbook predicted that he would be a "Union Square Soap Boxer" . . .

CULVER H. GRIFFIN Norwalk, Conn.

Wart Purrzon

Sir:

. . . You seem surprised that the application of saliva removes warts [TIME, Aug. 2]. I know this to be a fact, as I have removed some from myself, and have been instrumental in removing several from others.

There is one necessary detail which must have been overlooked by Dr. Inman when he treated the eight-year-old boy unsuccessfully: saliva must be applied before brushing the teeth, and before eating anything. As my informant, an ancient German barber, told me: "Schpittle iss purrzon."

LEWIS H. TILGE Philadelphia, Pa.

Lemon for Laymen

Sir:

Re Lady Godiva [TiME, Aug. 9]: hang the Coventry school authorities and all holy Ned-raising historians up with Collier's version--but leave us laymen see Landseer's "lemon"!

ASA S. BUSHNELL III Tucson, Ariz.

P: Herewith, for Art-Lover Bushnell's edification.--ED.

MATS Muddle

Sir:

The July 19 issue of TIME carries a story on the fatal crash in Mexico of an aircraft chartered by the joint U.S.-Mexican commission fighting aftosa (hoof & mouth disease) . . . Certain statements have caused embarrassment to the Military Air Transport Service and, unfortunately, are not substantiated by the facts as we know them:

1) The soldiers of the U.S. party were personnel of the Air Rescue Service, MATS. They entered Mexico with the full sanction of the Mexican Government . . .

2) The Americans carried small or side arms with the express authority of the Mexican Area Commander, for protective use in a wilderness area.

3) The Air Rescue men did not interfere with Mexican news photographers . . . The rescue team did not, in fact, reach the scene of the crash. 4) Mexican newsmen were loaned blankets . . .

We appreciate the sincere and successful efforts of TIME to assure the accuracy of its text week after week and feel certain that the phrasing of the incident in the Mexico story was merely reflection of incomplete information available at the time . . .

JOHN P. WHITNEY Rear Admiral, U.S.N. Washington, D.C.

Too 83000 for Words

Sir:

. . . In TIME, Aug. 2, I read: "democratic, the adjective, 873000" (in Ivan Petelka's code language); I also read "27-873000-27-12300.0-01-02-03" meaning "As simple as counting one, two, three."

In all seriousness, do "democratic" and "simple" have the same connotation? . . . I find in my own thinking that the term should be "difficult" rather than "simple." To be "democratic" in all things is hard. To keep a "democratic" way of life we must work, struggle, and perhaps even die . . .

Does Petelka actually mean "democratic" and "simple" are identical?

GALE F. MILLER Endicott, N.Y.

Sir:

. . . Or is your Education editor unable to 12300?

LEE A. GILMAN Austin, Tex.

P: He can 12300 all right, but his researcher was 96500 at the switch. In later copies, Petelka's number for "simple" was correctly given as 83000.-- ED.

Horsefeathers?

Sir:

Now I went and spent 20-c- for that Wallace article [TiME, Aug. 9] . .

Well, the cover portrait of him is perfect. The Pied Piper motif--oh, drop dead! I'm one of the rats . . .

FELIX SINGER New York City

Sir:

Your article on Henry Wallace reflects the general attitude of the American voter, to wit, that this potential quisling is an amiable crackpot, and for an idealist who has been duped by the Communists.

Horsefeathers ! . . .

There is nothing in Wallace's past record to indicate that he has so low a mentality that he can be duped by . . . the Commies. He is well educated. He has been more than successful in a competitive business world. It is absolutely impossible to dupe such a well-informed and intelligent man on such a broad scale . . .

The press should stop justifying Wallace by presenting the public with his pathological history, which is too obvious to be interesting. It is vital to draw the parallel between this character and those who eventually reaped a murderous harvest for their countries after taking refuge within a liberal constitution . . . You must show him, and prove him, to be what he is--primarily an opportunistic politician who is giving aid and comfort to those who are pledged to destroy our system of government . . .

MARK R. RASCOVICH New York City

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