Frightened Face

Sir:

The story of Robert Vogeler in TIME [Feb. 27] kept me from sleeping . . . Along with others I can only ask, earnestly, what can be done . . . ?

As one who has looked into the eyes of a drug-filled cancer victim, the "frightened face" of which TIME speaks is all too graphically remembered. There are no words for it all, but there MUST be deeds . .

CHESTER S. DAWSON Chicago, Ill.

Is War Inevitable?

Sir:

In discussing James Burnham's new book, The Coming Defeat of Communism, TIME [Feb. 20] says: "Burnham is convinced that full-scale war with Russia can be avoided if the U.S. is firm enough."

History records that war has never been avoided by firmness when the leaders of nations think they can win. Burnham and many others think that Russia can be scared into permanently keeping the peace if we are sufficiently well armed and sufficiently firm in opposing her aggressive policies . . . Let us stop deluding ourselves . . . War with Russia is inevitable . . .

OWEN S. PAYNE Lima, Peru

Sir:

. . . Our world is in sad need of a true leader to deliver us from our own complacency and make us realize that Communism can and will continue to thrive on our indifferent and contradictory policies. Maybe, as Plato said, we need more philosopher-statesmen to direct the ship of state.

STUART OSBER

Hartford, Conn.

Sir:

"Activist" James Burnham for Secretary of State.

JIM FARRELL

Gardena, Calif.

Retirement Plan

Sir:

Your Feb. 20 housing article, "$4,999 Answer" (two-bedroom houses, outside Seattle), reminds us that to a good many people in the U.S., housing is still a major problem.

But, along with some 100,000 other retired couples who live in trailer coaches ... we have taken care of that matter in a highly satisfactory manner . . . We park our mobile homes at Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Adirondacks or some other cool retreat in summer, and go to Florida, Palm Springs or the Rio Grande valley in the winter.

If more of the nation's retired folk would do likewise, two fine things might be accomplished: they would be happier and possibly enjoy their retirement for a longer time, and at the same time they would release thousands of homes that are so badly needed in critical housing areas . . .

HOWARD AND EVELYN FINDLEY

Fort Myers, Fla.

Union Now?

Sir:

Assistant Secretary of State Hickerson asks: "Just how far are we willing to go in compromising our way of life and our institutions?" [ TIME, Feb. 27]. The answer, it seems to me, is: to get a federal union of nations, we will go just as far as the founders of this nation went to get the United States of America . . .

Is the U.S. willing to agree to common citizenship, common currency and taxes, a common standard of living within a federation? Isn't it precisely this common citizenship, common currency and taxes, and common standard of living which have made this American federation of 48 states the greatest place to live on the face of the globe? . . .

WILLIAM A. KIRSTEIN Tampa, Fla.

Sir:

. . . While Congress is supporting a toothless, flouted U.N., and Mr. Hickerson's outfit is fumbling around waiting for something to turn up, the Russians are licking the pants off of us with their method of uniting countries--as TIME has repeatedly pointed out.

HAROLD PEACOCK

Washington, D.C.

Minority Reports

Sir:

Re your portrait of Arthur Godfrey [TiME, Feb. 27]: for once I am at odds with Fred Allen. Godfrey is not mediocre, in my opinion, any more than this is "an age of mediocrity." It is a vital and disturbing world; tense and watchful, it finds strength in homespun humor and casual friendliness . . .

STANLEY R. SINCLAIR Oakland, Calif.

Sir:

Just as long as Arthur Godfrey is able to fool the public and such magazines as TIME, he is entitled to every dollar he can get his hands on and all the glory and praise his misguided listeners can bestow upon him . . . But I will have to join Fred Allen in his sour minority report . . .

R. L. GARRISON Miami, Fla.

Sir:

In the Godfrey cover story you refer to me as "raffish." I got a momentary glow, believing the word meant something like "debonair." Then I looked it up and found it means "disreputable, low, worthless, common, mean and contemptible." Why, you stinking, slobbering, lowlife scum, I'll have you know I'm a cultured gentleman.

H. ALLEN SMITH Mount Kisco, N.Y.

P:TIME'S raffish Radio & TV editor regrets making Humorist H. Allen (Low Man on a Totem Pole] Smith feel any lower.--ED.

Levi Cut

Sir:

In your article on Levi Strauss & Co. [TIME, Feb. 27], you missed one of the best things about the pants they make. Aside from the rivets, which other companies have copied anyway, the cut is most important. The legs are tapered so they don't flap about and get caught in equipment and machinery. They stay down when you're in the saddle. And they just naturally look better . . .

ANN RUSH Winston-Salem, N.C.

The Price of Health (Cont'd)

Sir:

TIME has done its readers a real service by discussing all sides of "The Price of Health" in the Feb. 20 issue. TIME faces squarely the fact that most Americans cannot now afford adequate medical care. Your article is equally forthright in attempting to present the pros and cons as to proposed methods of meeting this problem.

Those of us who believe wholeheartedly that national health insurance is the answer welcome every effort to cut through the smokescreens of needless confusion . . . Though I would differ with you at certain points ... I want to pay my respects to a good reporting job. You have made an impartial approach to a problem which demands the most thoughtful and objective consideration all of us can give it.

OSCAR R. EWING Federal Security Administrator Washington, D.C.

Self-Righteous Blindness

Sir:

A significant and unfortunate tendency in Western thinking is shown in ... the Fuchs case [TIME, Feb. 13 et seq.].

We of the democracies do not squarely face the fact of the existence and development in our midst of Communist sympathizers. Their number . . . includes men who were previously held in high repute--college professors, writers, humanitarians and scientists . . .

Our readiness to ignore awkward facts equips us poorly to comprehend and to apprehend Communist elements in our society. Thus the duplicity of Dr. Fuchs takes us by surprise--the blindness we have cultivated has enabled him to betray us for years . . .

We cannot see in these [men] the pattern of the idealists' search for a society better than ours because we will not admit the serious shortcomings of our democratic and economic traditions which provoke their search. Appreciation of our shortcomings is prevented by our self-righteous attitude . . .

LLYN SEYMOUR

Kingston, Ont.

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