Ideas

Winston Churchill II, almost-five-year-old grandson of the former Prime Minister, had his own idea of the meaning of the British elections. When his nurse asked him if he had heard about them, he replied: "Yes, I have a new grandpapa."

Grace Moore, returning from a U.S.O. tour of Europe (see THEATER), had an idea about faithless G.I. wives. Said the fizzy blond cinemactress and Metropolitan Opera soprano: "They ought to shave the heads of these women. . . ."

Prospects

Henry Ford hailed his 82nd birthday with his customary optimism and plug for unhampered private enterprise. The entire world, said he, is "on the threshold of a prosperity and standard of living that never before was considered possible." He admitted that "there are problems, human, economic, and political, that must be solved."

Admiral William F. Halsey, who had already been promised a saddle for his projected ride on Hirohito's white horse (TIME, July 2), heard that a pair of handmade spurs were in the offing. Vernon L. Fertig, Machinist's Mate 3/C, had been working on the spurs for more than four months, wrote wistfully from the Aleutians: "I'd like to be there to saddle the horse for you."

Ella Logan, ballad swinger on a U.S.O. swing through Europe, broke out (in Darmstadt, Germany) with a blast at fraternization, which looked to her like a Hitler dream-fulfillment. "Having gotten rid of a good part of the German male population, which normally would keep the population down," she reasoned, "I don't see why our boys should step into their shoes in that department."

Decisions

Thomas Mann got a "come home" plea from the Berlin Radio, which recalled his early warnings against Naziism and concluded: "Today a new spirit sweeps through Germany. We need this new spirit. We need Thomas Mann. . . ." In Los Angeles the famed 70-year-old author, a U.S. citizen since 1940, gently turned down the invitation. "My home is here," he said. "After all, I am an old man and my greatest force for good is in my writing."

Elliott Roosevelt, who rose from Captain to Brigadier General as an Army Air Forces reconnaissance specialist serving in Africa, Sicily, Italy, Britain and France--and whose prewar financial affairs are now being investigated at the request of Congress (TIME, June 25)--won his release from active duty effective Aug. 15. The War Department took pains to announce that it had decided to give him the release before it knew about the investigation.

Theodore Dreiser, 73, rose bulkily from Hollywood obscurity and joined the newly-resuscitated Communist Party (see U.S. AT WAR). "More and more it is becoming recognized in our country," he said, "that the Communists are a vital and constructive part of our nation."

Fritz Mandl, ex-Austrian munitions-maker, Argentine industrialist, ex-husband of Hedy Lamarr, bounced back & forth across Argentina's border like a tennis ball in a fast volley. Under unexplained political arrest in Buenos Aires, he won his freedom (as a naturalized Argentine) on condition he get out of the country. When he flew across the river to Uruguay, he was promptly arrested again. He could stay, said Uruguayan authorities, if he had no objections to being investigated as a suspected Nazi-collaborator. Mandl chose to leave, popped back into Argentina and went to his home--with a couple of detectives tailing him.

George Bernard Shaw, taking a firm grip on himself as he entered his 90th year, adopted an un-Shavian silence, refused to let go with a birthday pronouncement. His last message as he plunged into the ordeal: he planned to work as usual, would not be home to callers, hoped no misguided well-wishers would bother him on the telephone.

Troupers

Gertrude Lawrence returned from a 25,000-mile Pacific tour, to find that her newly published autobiography, A Star Danced, rated a Stork Club celebration. (While she enjoyed the fun, somebody snitched $600 from the till.) Everything had been fine in the Pacific, said Comedienne Lawrence, except that "the rain doesn't always come down straight--it has a habit of attacking you sideways."

Kathleen Winsor was leading an eventful life. She was getting her California house ready for the arrival of her husband, Marine Lieut. Robert Herwig, who suffered a leg wound on Okinawa (his third in the Pacific war). And she was all set to make a personal-appearance tour to promote a new perfume dubbed Forever Amber. Makers of the gamey best-seller's namesake described it as "very strong."

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