Man of the Year
Sirs:
For Man of the Year, Cordell Hull, America's World Statesman.
HARRIS WILLINGHAM
Kansas City, Mo.
Sirs:
. . . Mme. Chiang of China. She is a better orator than Churchill, a better statesman than Eden, a better politician than Roosevelt, a better globe-girdler than Willkie, and more loyal to her own people than Stalin. . . .
R. E. LAGERSTROM
Chicago
Sirs:
I nominate a man who gets a minimum of publicity, yet plays a tremendous role in the carrying on of this global war, Lieut. General Thomas Holcomb, U.S.M.C.
(Sgt.) ALLON WOLSEY, U.S.A.
Fort Story, Va.
Sirs:
I nominate Joe Stalin--the powerful balance wheel of the United Nations, who steadfastly has kept his eye on the ball, namely--the utter defeat of Fascism.
FREDERICK VOSSLER
Toledo
Sirs:
. . . Stalin. . . .
JOSEPH HOLLISTER
Pittsfield, Mass.
Sirs:
. . . Stalin, because he won over:
1) Czarism
2) Capitalism
3) Communism
4) Isolationism
5) Naziism. . . .
GENE M. SCHRAMM
New York City
Sirs:
For Man of the Year--Thomas E. Dewey, who has not let Presidential possibilities interfere with or influence an outstanding administration of New York affairs.
RALPH B. UMSTED
Attorney General
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pa.
Sirs:
General Eisenhower. . .
J. GOLDFARB
New Bedford, Mass.
Sirs:
I nominate Eleanor Roosevelt.
(Pvt.) C. L. BENTLEY
San Francisco
Sirs:
My nomination goes to Professor Alexander Fleming, discoverer of penicillin. . . .
LLOYD R. MICHELS
Pullman, Wash.
St. Louis to Pretoria
Sirs:
On South Africa's first meatless Wednesday this week came the news that the Union Government had decided to go into the manufacture of the new yeast-food (TIME, Aug. 9) in a big way. The Natal sugar industry, which annually dumps 130,000 tons of unwanted molasses into the Indian Ocean, will use this by-product for the production of Torula utilis. A fortnight ago a special plane from London flew the British yeast-food culture to Capetown where a pilot-plant is now operating experimentally. Before big-scale production begins, the South African Government intends consulting the St. Louis geneticist, Dr. Carl Lindegren, on the subject of flavours.
Government dietitians, all of whom have been officially given copies of TIME'S story to study, foresee plenty of use for all the food-yeast the nation is able to produce.
JOHN BARKHAM
Pretoria, South Africa
Paper Doll
Sirs:
. . . The rightful and legal heir of Johnny S. Black [composer of the song hit Paper Doll, TIME, Nov. 8] . . . is his wife, Mrs. Sally Bayard Black . . . Dayton, Ohio.
I was Johnny's collaborator in writing Dardanella.
For two years I searched for Mrs. Black to help place the renewal rights to the copyright of Dardanella safely in her hands, and after most diligent searching through and with the help of Ohio newspapers, I located her working in a department store in Dayton. . . . I have already notified Mrs. Black that she should act at once to protect her interest. . . .
FELIX BERNARD
Beverly Hills, Calif.
> Mrs. Black (see cut) has filed a claim to the composer's royalties from 28-year-old Paper Doll, now topping $20,000.--ED.
The MacCool
Sirs:
Finn MacCool (TIME, Nov. 1) was an acquaintance of my ancestors in the very dim and distant past. Finn, if baseball had been played in his day, would have made an outstanding pitcher. The only known record of his prowess in this field is in evidence: a stone weighing several tons, standing on a hill beyond Rostrevor, County Down, Ireland.
Local authorities say that he threw this stone from a mountain in County Louth 6 TIME, NOVEMBER 29, 1943 across Carlingford Lough, a distance of several miles. It has not been moved since he threw it. As collateral evidence, the hill covered with verdure on which it stands has no outcroppings or signs of stone, but on the County Louth side of the Lough, from which Finn threw it, there are innumerable stones of all shapes and sizes.
E. F. GALLAGHER
Toronto, Ont
"The Zero Hour Is Good"
Sirs:
. . . I would like to register a feeble protest against the type and manner of presentation of radio entertainment directed to the armed forces of the U.S. in the South Pacific Area.
. . . It must be remembered that our sailors, soldiers and marines are above average intelligence. . . Too often, broadcast programs are evidently based on the I.Q. of the announcer or performer, resulting in something that appeals only to the low-grade moron. . . .
Another suggestion is that Kay Kyser allow his fine band to finish at least one piece during an evening, even though the audience does recognize the name of the tune Some tunes are good even if recognized.
Radio Tokyo's Zero Hour . . . is always good, playing America's best recordings, including some that Fuehrer Petrillo won't let the U.S. play any more. .. . .
In order that our criticism may be constructive, we suggest:
1) Having given up a few things already, we out here would gladly give up, forego and renounce for the duration and forever after, the commentator and the news analyst. We would like to hear an Associated Press or United Press reporter or editor do all the news broadcasting.
2) We would like our jokes and gags served without smother of studio applause. The boys here can be trusted to know when and whether to laugh at them.
3) We would like more good American music. . . . We would like it without interruption.
4) Eliminate the inspirational messages, recruiting programs and tributes to the patriotism of $20 a day "war workers."
(Serviceman's name withheld) c/o Fleet P.O. San Francisco
Great Lady
Sirs:
The story of the U.S.S Helena (TIME, Nov. 1) is one of the most moving articles I have ever read--a gracious tribute to a great lady. My son was senior aviator in the Helena from March 1942, until May 1943. . . . At Kula Gulf he was aboard the flagship but feels he lost his dearest friend when "Helen" went down. . . . I would like to frame [the story] and hang it with my son's diploma from the Naval Academy and his certificate of graduation from the Naval Air Station, Pensacola. . . .
MRS. RUE O'NEILL
Dallas
Shreds & Tatters
Sirs:
The "thorough journalistic hatchet jobs" you speak of having been done on Tom Dewey were certainly more convincing than TIME'S paint job.
Seriously, your buildup (TIME, Nov. 1) of this politician was one of the most discouraging things I have experienced for a long time. It makes me doubt our essential quality as a nation.
". . . Dewey displayed the caution of a man starting a new business with the last cent of his own money . . ." Caution is all right at some moments, but character and conviction are more essential, and as "we are living in a rotten world" (Sumner Welles) I admire the angry face of Wendell Willkie (see p. 15) as I never admired him before. May he reduce the contemptible politicians of the Republican Party to shreds & tatters!
J. J. GEARY
Roanoke, Va.
Sirs:
Here's one independent voter who will vote Republican in 1944 only if Willkie is that party's candidate. If the Republicans are too dumb to know when they have a winner, then I will vote Democratic. . . .
R. MAHONEY
Chicago
O.K.
Sirs:
To explain "O.K." Sir William Craigie has assumed that these letters are an abbreviation of Jackson's unerudite "oil korrect" (TIME, Nov. 8). Has the learned etymologist any reason for dismissing the Chickasaw-Choctaw-Mobile language as a source of the word?
Chickasaw and Choctaw warriors fought with Jackson against both the British and the Creeks. Furthermore, Jackson negotiated certain real-estate deals with these Amerinds after the War of 1812. At this time their language was the trade medium of the lower Mississippi Valley. Byington lists "hoke" as "an affirmative particle" in his Dictionary of the Choctaw Language.
I know little of the principles by which the history of a word is traced, but these facts suggest to the uninitiated that O.K. may be transplanted Choctaw.
PAUL D. HARWOOD
Ashland, Ohio
> They suggested the same thing to Woodrow Wilson; his version was "okeh."--ED.
Not Should But Must
Sirs:
. . . Your troops over here are doing more to promote good feeling between your country and mine than 100 years of ambassadors and visits of this great personage or that. We've got to know your boys, and I think they have an understanding and perhaps a little liking for us British.
Why do you allow five small men, admittedly Senators . . . to undo so much of the good your boys over here have done? . . .
We can all see things in another nation's life we feel we would like to criticize. Our women of 45-50 are now being called up, and we remember that none of your women and girls are conscripted. But that is your business, not ours.
Your nation and ours must get on after this war. Not ought to, but must, if there is to be any hope of peace and security. . . . (MRS.) E. SHELTON
Bristol, England
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