Un-Hollywood
Sirs:
Your excellent Gary Cooper story in the March 3 issue seems marred by one statement, slightly inconsistent with the unaffected picture otherwise created, that he lives in "an elaborate white Georgian mansion." This statement . . .is exactly 75% wrong. The house is white.
Mr. Cooper's requirements when he first came to me were that the house be unpretentious, Bermudian and un-Hollywood. Lest liberal-minded fans be alienated by visions of Blenheim or Buckingham Palace, I enclose a photograph [see cut].
HARVEY STEVENSON
Architect New York City
>TIME bows to Architect Stevenson, who designed Gary Cooper's house.--ED.
The Thin Man
Sirs:
You undoubtedly receive altogether too many letters and descriptions of episodes in England to reprint in TIME, but I doubt if you have received one that can match the enclosed, which is a true description of business under difficulties, as written to me by my good friend, Philip Buck, of Woldingham, Surrey, England.
ERNEST DUDLEY CHASE
Boston, Mass.
He is a pale, thin man who calls regularly each week to pick up small printing orders. He had a small plant in a basement in the City, where he had three letterpress machines for printing headings and circulars. . . . When war broke out he joined the Fire Service as a volunteer for service after business hours, for which of course he receives no remuneration. Business became very bad, and the worry of trying to make ends meet plus all-night work fighting fires made him thinner and paler than before. He managed to pick up a few jobs which enabled him to keep the plant going although he told me that his average earnings for many weeks amounted to three shillings (60-c-). One morning he called to tell us that he had arrived at his plant to find two feet of water there, a building near by having been set ablaze during the night. . . . For a week he cleaned up the place, salvaged what stock he could and cleaned the rust off his machines; then he was back looking for business. We were glad to be able to give him some small jobs, and off he went quite happy, although the profit from our orders would not keep his family for one week. Two weeks later, in the great City fire raid, his building disappeared and with it his machines, stock and records--and our jobs as well.
He is back again looking for business; he has borrowed some money and has started up again in another basement. Round the streets he walks all day picking up what scraps of work he can. He cheerfully says, "I am now in a position to give you excellent service"--a true optimist meeting business under difficulties.
"History of 1775"
Sirs:
. . . Seriously, when are otherwise sane Americans going to graduate from fifth-grade history of 1775, into a realistic world of today where the bulwark of everything priceless in mankind's struggle upward to attainment of sacred privileges rests precariously on "a tight little island's" defiance of the most obscene attack on them ever witnessed? . . .
EDGAR J. TYLER
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Sirs:
. . . England declared war on Germany, now they are asking the U. S. for help, any nation which declares war on any other Country does not deserve help England would never have declared war on germany if they had not expected France to do the dirty fighting for theme now let England finish it.
FRANK SALVERA
Santa Rosa, Calif.
Sirs:
There seems to be a tendency still to quote Washington in behalf of isolation. How about the remark of reputedly sager and more worldly-wise of the founding fathers:
"We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."
European small countries apparently needed a Benjamin Franklin. . . .
L. ROBERT OAKS
Alma, Mich.
Sirs:
TIME has again proved its leadership--this time in the reckless promotion of our entry into the European war. Your lying assumption that only a few traitors, etc. oppose the present war hysteria hits a new low in misrepresentation. . . .
H. R. SPIESS City Superintendent Grass Valley School Department Grass Valley, Calif.
Candid
Sirs:
For heaven's sake quit talking about the man of the year for you know nothing about him. His name is now and has been for a number of years "Adolph Hitler" a German he man and the greatest warrior that this world ever produced since history was first written and to be candid I believe he is a holy man. . . .
PATRICK WRIGHT
Custer, S. Dak.
The Calm and the Storm
Sirs:
Many thanks for reminding me of Whitman's Passage to India [TIME, March 3].
It is the insight this kind of reference shows that gives TIME its distinction and power. Time, after all, is not only present, it is far more future and past.
The accent that our American press and radio put now on the only ephemeral element in time--the present--exposes us dangerously to hysteria, to flotsam-and-jetsam thinking, judging and acting. Even more than a person, a people that would govern itself needs to be daily reminded that before this day time was, and after it time will be. Without this there can be no steady plowing through the calm and the storm, there can be only a tossing about on the wave. . . .
CLARENCE STREIT*
New York City
Cute
Sirs:
When an article in your magazine is good, it's the best there is for color, freshness, and punch. But when one stinks, there are no words to describe the odor. I refer to "Company D and The Old Man" in your Feb. 24 issue.
It's so cute that the Ladies' Home Journal would probably be ashamed of it.
CHLOE LE MAY Columbia, S. C.
Sirs:
"The Old Man liked the tanks!"
Liked 'em, indeed! And me hospitalized with what the medicos allow ain't nothing whatsoever, lessen it's maybe plain jitters.
'Tain't for me to tell off the likes of you, TIME. But you best retire that guy. Award him tops for dramatic writing, for creating literary perfection out of the hideous anomaly that is mechanized warfare; give him double pay for the rest of his days. And no more word pictures from his nimble pen, hear!
Else what, huh? Well, the old 12-gauge pump still shoots pretty good, and you ain't so far from here if one sets forth with dire purpose.
FAYETTE SOULE
Lillian, Ala.
Resplendent Island
Sirs:
I trust that TIME [March 3] does not intend to infer that the more than 24,000 Chamorros of Guam are not capable of intelligent and sustained labor.
The writer served as Head of the Department of Industries of the Naval Government of Guam for two years (1937-1939) I believe I know every square yard of this fabulously productive island, resplendent in a diversity of scenic beauty, natural oddities and prehistoric monuments.
Since I had the supervision of several hundred laborers on Island Public Works, I am convinced that the Chamorro is a first-class laborer. He is loyal to America. He has considerable European blood in his makeup. It may be true that he does not produce large amounts of food. This is due to one reason only, a lack of a market in which to dispose of his produce at a profit. In Guam the average temperature is about 81DEG F. and the humidity is up in the 80s. This causes rapid decomposition. The natives are extremely poor and can afford only such artificial means for food preservation as may be improvised. . . . Not only nature but numerous insects and animal creatures all combine and strive to destroy all that which is edible.
Under efficient and planned supervision Guam can produce sufficient fresh vegetables for two Army divisions. Other food can also be produced. Potable water in any desired amount can be obtained by utilizing the waters of the Fena District, and without any great engineering problem, or expense, involved. . . .
LLOYD MCKINLEY HARMON Chief Gunner, U. S. Navy
U. S. Naval Air Station San Diego, Calif.
Big Fellows
Sirs :
I can't help feeling a little taken aback after reading your article [TIME, Feb. 10] on Heine-reading, bench-sitting Egon Ludwig Hanfstaengl.
Time was when my tall (6 ft. 2 1/2 in.) frame also supported a burly 225 Ib. I too made application for training with the Army Air Corps. Three times Air Corps medicos refused examination, stating that a maximum weight of 200 Ib. was a prerequisite. Said third A. A. C. recruiter, "The Army Air Corps doesn't have any room for fat men."
Still 6 ft. 2 1/2 in., but now a fragile 198 Ib., I am waiting for my final acceptance into the Navy air service, expect to be accepted as soon as I scale 190 Ib. The Navy, while more stringent, allowed me to take their entire physical examination first, lose weight after I was sure everything else was up to standards.
I've seen so much lettuce and tomato juice in the last few weeks I feel like a rabbit with a hangover. . . .
J. P. KAHN
Stockton, Calif.
> Egon Ludwig Hanfstaengl ("Putzi's" son but a patriotic U. S. citizen) got down to 200 Ib. before he was taken into the Air Corps. He is now a buck private in training at Maxwell Field in Alabama. Weight range for Air Corps recruits: 115 to 200 Ib. Height range: 5 ft. to 6 ft. 4 in. Requirements for pilots are narrower but not rigidly denned--i.e., they must be well-balanced physical specimens.--ED.
Moseley on the Draft
Sirs:
When you turn your attention to the draft, I think you will find it a mess. It is working out unfairly and criticism is being directed against it from the high and the low.
Why should a man 29 years of age be called when his neighbor of the same age and perhaps a competitor in business is not called? Both should have been trained when they were youngsters and called if and when needed with their yearly class. There was ample time to have trained at least one class and that would have given us all the men we needed and more.
General Marshall and I have been devoted friends for years but on the subject of the draft, I believe that he and his advisers are all wet.
GEORGE VAN HORN MOSELEY
Major General U. S. A. (Retired)
Atlanta, Ga.
Snooperman
Sirs:
"Curt, Clear, Complete!" Nuts! Whodunit? A while ago you described an episode of mysterious book turning in the libraries at Harvard, and . . . you've never published the solution of the mystery. The suspense is giving us and TIME-reading friends . . . nightmares. . . . Let "complete" TIME complete this mystery and tell us, whodunit?
MRS. E. V. CORBETT
Sioux City, Iowa
> Harvard students coined a word--"Snooperman"--for the mysterious person who turned books around on their shelves, thus hiding their titles (TIME, Jan. 27), but he was never identified. In February, 10,000 books were turned on the shelves of Boylston Library. After that, perpetration of the prank at Harvard dwindled and stopped, and Harvardmen, with final examinations in the offing, are doing their best to forget. Three weeks ago, however, a Snooperman turned some 24,000 books on the shelves of Seattle College Library in Seattle.--ED.
Kaiser's Dams
Sirs:
I have no intention of detracting in any manner from the fine accomplishments of Mr. Henry Kaiser, as listed in your March 3 issue under Business & Finance, but, as a matter of fact, Shasta Dam in northern California is not being constructed by Mr. Kaiser, or by any of his companies. The general contract for the construction of that dam is held by Pacific Constructors, Inc., president of which is Wm. A. Johnson; secretary, J. C. Maguire; and general superintendent, F. T. Crowe. Mr. Kaiser has no connection with this company. . . .
However, no particular honor is lost by Mr. Kaiser in this regard, inasmuch as he was a principal in the construction of the Boulder Dam (the world's highest) and Grand Coulee Dam (the world's largest in point of volume of concrete). Shasta, when finished, will be second-highest and secondlargest.
ROBERT V. EDWARDS Los Angeles, Calif.
>TIME erred in connecting prodigious Engineer Kaiser with Shasta; Reader Edwards' account is correct.--ED.
Whistling Sailor
Sirs:
Good lord, what a boner for TIME ! In the March 3 issue you say: "Franklin Roosevelt worked last week, like a sailor polishing brass, whistling as he worked." Franklin Roosevelt is a good sailor and no sailor whistles while he works. "Only fools and bos'n's mates whistle in the Navy."
ENSIGN JOHN HITCHCOCK,
U. S. N. R.
ENSIGN NEAL HESTON, U. S. N. R.
Chicago, Ill.
> TIME made Franklin Roosevelt a whistling sailor only as a figure of speech to show his mood as the Lend-Lease Bill neared port, assigned him to no particular rating such as a bos'n's mate.--ED.
* Chairman of Federal Union, Inc. ("for UNION NOW of the U. S. A. and the Six British Democracies as the Nucleus of a World Government ... of, by, and for the people")--TIME, March 17.
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