Before the Polls

Sir:

Nobody expects the President to come up with anything except platitudes. I'm a lifelong Republican, but for the first time in my 53 years I'm voting Democratic. Straight, too. And that's the way it'll be until it's proved to me that there's leadership instead of press-agentmanship in the G.O.P. And Nixonman-ship is not leadership.

JOSEPH MACLURE

Cleveland

Sir:

Vice President Nixon is truly the old hellcat when he says [Oct. 13]: "The only way we could get the crooks out of the Truman Administration was to put them in jail." What are Goldfine and Adams doing running around loose?

JOHN R. EDELMAN

Havertown, Pa.

Sir:

Don't the Democrats ever give up on their anti-Nixon smear campaign? The more I read about Nixon, the more I like him.

E. DAVIS

New York City

Sir:

How nice that Harriman and Rockefeller --these offspring of "robber barons"--are now champions of the little man. We in Michigan are lucky too! Soapy Williams has forsaken a promising square-dancing career to play Governor. I guess our cups runneth all over everywhere.

EDWARD A. MELLMAN

Detroit

Kind Words for the Secretary

Sir:

After reading the press comments on Mr. Dulles and his China policy [JUDGMENTS & PROPHECIES--Oct. 13], I wonder if there are not still some who consider the wisdom and integrity of this man, who find his view logical and who prefer that principle not be diluted with expediency.

BETTY VAN DERCK

Albuquerque

Sir:

I am appalled at the fatuous spinelessness of so large a segment of America's fourth estate. Editors of great newspapers should have a more comprehensive appreciation of the cold, hard facts of history.

J. B. PHILLIPS

Loveland, Colo.

Sir:

The adults who plead "Let's not get into a war" are unwittingly saying "war in their time."

F. YOUNGMAN

New York City

Black & Grey

Sir:

One of my cartoons [Oct. 20] topped your list of illustrations implying that syndicated cartoonists spend all of their time straddling issue fences to please all of their clients all of the time. True, my cartoons are syndicated; however, before they are sent out they are used first in my home paper (the St. Louis Globe Democrat). So my cartoons are not made solely for syndication purposes. Issues today are often too subtle to be called black or white; and I, for one, am not going to imagine they are black or white just for the sake of creating a clever cartoon, right or wrong.

I am enclosing several efforts of mine (and these were syndicated) just to prove I am not saddle sore from being astride the fence.

DON HESSE

St. Louis

Angel on Broadway

Sir:

Re your story in SHOW BUSINESS about Roger Stevens [Oct. 20]: Broadway's actors, playwrights, designers and directors consider this man one of the most vital and progressive forces in the present-day American theater. He will be sorely missed if he ever departs our scene.

ALFRED LUNT

LYNN FONTANNE

New York City

Man of the Year

Sir:

I'll start the ball rolling by nominating General Charles de Gaulle.

G. LYNCH-STAUNTON

Ottawa

Sir:

Fearless, Fabulous Faubus.

FREDERICK SIMPSON

Los Angeles

Sir:

I nominated Khrushchev in your Nov. 25, 1957 Letters column, and he was your Man of the Year for 1958. This year I nominate John Foster Dulles. His "brinkmanship" appears to have paid off.

CYRIL GARDINER

Colombo, Ceylon

The Oldsters

Sir:

You have the old men in TIME, Oct. 20. Now let us have some old women. Begin with me. My mother was 94 when she died. My grandfather was 94. His name was Cassius Marcellus Clay* and was Minister to Russia under Abraham Lincoln. I am 87 and have just published a book called From My Journal.

ELISE BENNETT GAGLIARDINI

New York City

go West, Mr. Bing

Sir:

Commenting on Santa Fe's Opera company, the Met's Rudolf Bing says: "Where is Santa Fe [Oct. 13]?" Suggest this Gotham hick find out. He may want to hire opera talent there some day. For most good things, including baseball, are headed west.

JOE RAY

Oneida Castle, NY.

Sir:

Mr. Bing is just a plain snob.

MARVIN MORRISON

Los Angeles

Sir:

Who's Bing? The only one I know is the one who has talent of his own. However, Mr. Bing's dyspeptic remarks might indicate that the time has come for him to take a trip. If he wants to find out about Santa Fe, we'll roll out the red carpet for him any time.

LEO T. MURPHY

Mayor

Santa Fe, N. Mex.

P: The Santa Fe Opera has already rolled out the red carpet; Met Manager Bing has accepted an invitation to join its advisory committee.--ED.

The Blasted Americans

Sir:

Concerning your Oct. 13 story on Franco's anniversary: We are one of the "poorest" countries in Europe because we are still recovering from the money we gave Christopher Columbus to discover you blasted Americans. Keep your money and your awful manners. You are still Indians.

PRESENTACION MARTINEZ

Madrid

Sir:

Whatever else can be said for or against Franco, he remains unique. He resisted the Red Bear with strength and brought the monster to its knees.

MICHAEL COSTIGAN

Rome

Sir:

Just how clean were the bombs which that "Christian gentleman," the Caudillo, dropped on helpless Guernica after the city had surrendered ?

MARGARET LEE SOUTHARD

Hingham, Mass.

Sir:

Due to the American reviews of a book of mine [Tomorrow Is Manana--Aug. 11,] my husband, my children and myself were suddenly given 72 hours to get out of Spain forever. We had to leave paintings, books, poor old Lobo (our dog) and much else behind.

SHIRLEY DEANE

Andorra

The Pope's Death

Sir:

Pius had many divisions. We of the Free World will sorely miss the comfort and real power of his moral force. (I am a Lutheran.)

WILLIAM C. REDEEN

Captain, U.S.A.F.

Bitburg, West Germany

Martha & Bob

Sir:

Your Oct. 13 story of the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Taft was most inspiring. Being a Democrat, I never especially cared for Mr. Taft's political ideas; nevertheless, I admired him for his forthright and honest stand. Perhaps the key to his greatness is found in the marriage TIME'S story portrayed.

GARVIN W. HALE

San Jose, Calif.

Sir:

In a society so filled with nondevotion and selfishness, here was something truly genuine.

RALPH W. MILLER JR.

Boston

Sir:

Thank you, you lovely, talented bastards for your moving, wallop-packing story on Martha and Bob.

ROBERT M. SEBASTIAN

Rio de Janeiro

nice, iguess

Sir:

after reading "the latest from e. e. cummings [Oct. 13]":

nice, iguess, toknow (who knew)

our poet? is writing

again, or yet

why? or even a (maybe)

"smooth round" zero,

of Nothing

e.e. is (was) will

be

for the "crazy

jay blue," (maybe)

even for the birds.

RALPH L. PLACE

Lexington, Ky.

* Distant kin of General (ret.) Lucius D. Clay.

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