Truman v. MacArthur

SIR:

IF MACARTHUR WAS INSUBORDINATE IT WAS BECAUSE, LIKE MANY MILLIONS OF FELLOW AMERICANS, HE IS CONVINCED THAT THE UNREALISTIC AND BASIC ACHESON POLICIES CONTINUOUSLY SERVE SOVIET AIMS AT THE RISK OF ULTIMATE LOSS OF AMERICAN FREEDOM. THE

PRESIDENT FIRED THE WRONG MAN. HE HAS STRUCK HIS COUNTRY A MORTAL BLOW.

J. GROVER SIMS LOS ANGELES

Sir:

. . . The second most stupid blunder since the appointment of Dean Acheson . . .

PETER Yu Ithaca, N.Y.

Sir:

. . . General MacArthur, for his repeated acts of insubordination and usurpation, will never live down the stigma of such disservice at the most critical time in the Western world's struggle for democratic survival . . . A most deplorable and embarrassing situation to the U.S. and the U.N-.! A most welcome one for Kremlin, Inc.!

J. BALFOUR MILLER

Natchez, Miss.

Sir:

. . . How come General MacArthur was not replaced by General Vaughan? . . .

MADGE MCMICHAEL Orlando, Fla.

Sir:

Let me commend your magazine for trying to focus our attention on Asia. Truman has relieved MacArthur of all his posts. The general purposely sacrificed himself, to focus attention on the desperate need out there. I hope many millions more will join me in a fervent prayer that at the next election, the commander in chief be relieved of all his duties. Two years more may be too late, however.

TIBBS MAXEY

Louisville

Sir:

... It seems that the sword of righteousness so handily wielded by Mr. Truman at the outset of the Korean conflict has become an umbrella.

RUTH E. HANKINSON Basking Ridge, N.J.

Sir:

. . . The only thing that I see wrong . . . is that President Truman tolerated MacArthur's insubordination as long as he did . . .

EDITH SMITH Muskegon, Mich.

Sir:

It is high time that Congress does something to curb the Mad Man from Missouri--the petty politician who puts politics before honor--before he makes a complete shambles of everything . . .

FRANCIS R. SOIKE Fond du Lac, Wis.

Sir:

One of the most statesmanlike acts of recent years . . . Mr. Truman has once again demonstrated his willingness to place the public good above obvious political advantage to himself.

ERNEST LEFEVER New Haven, Conn.

Sir:

... A wise decision . . .

BENJAMIN POPE JR. Indianapolis

Sir:

In Texas I have often heard the expression, "Turn him out to graze," after an old horse had outlived his usefulness. In my opinion, this applies perfectly to Truman. Firing Mac-Arthur was the last straw! . .

B. P. MARTIN Dallas

P: Letters received, as TIME went to press, were 8 to 1 in favor of General MacArthur.--ED.

Mules for Missouri

Sir:

The rumors that President Truman may run again (and possibly be reelected) gain in strength.

There are, no doubt, thousands who would contribute substantial amounts to prevent such a catastrophe. I propose a simpler solution. Let the millions who have an ounce of intelligence contribute just $1 each to a fund to buy a haberdashery store for Mr. Truman, to induce him to retire from politics. I enclose my check for $1 as the first contribution to such a fund . . .

Yours for returning the mules to "Missouri.

ROBERT F. LOVE San Mateo, Calif.

Royal Argument (Cont'd)

Sir:

. . . Mr. David Maclellan has the gall to suggest that the U.S. revert back to the dark ages and install a king as our ruler [TIME Letters, April 9].

No doubt we have a small minority in this country who subscribe to that kind of drivel, the kind who rush over to Merry England and bow and grovel at the feet of these titled parasites . . . Any time the U.S. takes on a king as a ruler, I'll take out my first papers as a Chinaman.

WALTER B. ALFOED Darby, Pa.

Sir:

. . . Surely Mr. Maclellan knows something of our history and what we think of kings . . .

W. T. ARMSTRONG Garland, Texas

Sir:

Reader Maclellan's letter was a great tonic. It has given us "poor" English a damned good laugh. You are to be congratulated on publishing it. We are now sitting back ready to chortle over the replies from the Middle West!

W. JEPHCOTE Watford, Herts, England

While Tallulah Breathes

Sir:

Your April 9 article on Barbara Bel Geddes says: "Cornell, Bankhead, Hayes and Lawrence will not have to give way to Barbara for a while yet." May I voice the modest and well-considered proposition that as long as Tallulah Bankhead breathes, she will have to give up to no one, much less give way.

CALDER B. VAUGHAN LaGrange, Ga.

Deep In the Heart of West Texas

Sir:

In your magazine of April 2 you say: ". . . Out-of-the-way spots like Abilene . . ."

Did you know that Abilene has a population of 50,000? It is on the highway that is called the Broadway of America; it is the very heart of West Texas. Abilene has enough oil interests so that large companies from all parts of the U.S. are opening branch offices in this "out-of-the-way spot."

Abilene has extensive manufacturing business, farm and cattle business. We have one university, Hardin-Simmons; two colleges (denominational) and two business colleges.

DOROTHY FAGAN Abilene, Texas P: Hail, Abilene, all hail!--ED.

Analysis of the French Mind

Sir:

. . . Appreciation and unstinted admiration for your brilliant articles on France in your April 2 issue entitled "France Since the Revolution" and "Brave Old Wheelhorse."

In a condensed form, these articles constitute the very best analysis of the French mind that I have ever read . . .

W. G. GROENINX VAN ZOELEN Mexico City

Fulbright for President?

Sir:

Senator Fulbright has hit at the root of our problems when he said: "Morality has become identical with legality" [TIME, April 9]. This socialistic doctrine is imparted to our children in the schools, with the result that a man who does not believe that that which is lawful is right may be found in about the same proportion as uranium ore to salt.

The American people must awaken to the fact that they have been hoodwinked into believing that the state is outside moral law, and may do things which it is immoral for an individual to do ... It is no more right for the state to play Robin Hood than the individual; neither does the majority have a right to set themselves up as a many-headed Hitler.

If Senator Fulbright believes what he has said ... he is our greatest hofie of survival and the brightest body in the political heavens. Oh for a President with such unorthodox, unpopular and reactionary views and thoughts.

BOWLING M. HITT Seminole, Texas

Sir:

... It looks as if it will take a miracle man to save the Democrats from defeat in the next U.S. election.

If a foreigner may offer advice in such matters, I would suggest that they could find such a man in Senator Fulbright . . .

BRENDAN O'BRIEN Toronto, Canada

Britain in 1951

Sir:

As a Conservative Member of Parliament and one who had the privilege of living for many years in the U.S., I should like to congratulate you on your April 9 article, "Britain in 1951."

A Britisher could not ask for a fairer statement of his country's hopes and fears to be set before his American friends and allies.

RICHARD FORT House of Commons ondon, England

Sir:

... It sums up the position in Britain today with admirable fairness and remarkable insight. Since our return from a 2 1/2 years' tour of duty in your country, my wife and I have been doing our best to sell America to our countrymen and women. We have come to the conclusion that the hostility to which your correspondent refers, and which is, alas, very real, springs from two sources -- ignorance of the U.S., and wounded pride. The former could be remedied by better education, but for the latter there is no remedy but TIME.

B. B. SCHOFIELD Vice Admiral (ret.) ondon, England

Sir:

. . . Your article by Thomas Griffith exactly hits both the facts and the .feeling in England today.

GERALD RUSTON Hampstead, London, England

G.B.S. in Three Dimensions

Sir:

With the simultaneous publication of his last will and testament and the biography by Miss Patch reviewed in TIME [April 9] we can now make a definitive evaluation of George Bernard Shaw in three dimensions:

1) Professional life. Generally conceded that he wrote nothing of merit for the theater after Saint Joan.

2) Politically. He finished up not as a Socialist in the Anglo-American meaning of the term but as a complete supporter of Communist dictatorship principle . . .

3) As a man, he deliberately insulted the Christian religion in his will. He bequeathed the usual minor legacies to his servants like any prosperous tradesman; also an annuity of -L-52 ($145 at present rate of exchange) to an American relative . . . Not a thin dime to any 'form of ... charity in England ... or America . . . Instead, an instruction for publication of his love letters to an actress, and the balance on a scheme for remodeling the English language, the utter futility of which has been repeatedly shown by Gilbert Murray and others.

When Shaw visited Moscow . . . the Manchester Guardian, unimpressed by his caperings, described him as a "vain, rich old man," a description that still stands . . .

CHARLES E. WHITTAKER Beverly Hills, Calif.

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