Campaign Time

Sir:

Despite General Eisenhower's opinion of Mr. Kennedy, the image of the President is still first class in the staunchest of America's Western allies. His domestic legislative program evoked much approval in this country despite the opposition of Congress. Medicare may have died, but its idea still lives on. His profile as a courageous politician is all too obvious. Here is an American leader who can pursue the course which he considers best in Cuba despite popular opinion.

ANTHONY KERIGAN

Loughton, England

Sir:

J.F.K. could have brought Jackie, Caroline, Macaroni and Bobby with him into Michigan, thrown in the Hollywood "rat pack" as an added bonus, and still not have succeeded in swinging any significant number of Democratic, let alone Republican, votes back to Governor Swainson.

Just because we still like Jack doesn't mean we're idiotic enough to vote for any old Democratic nincompoop that comes along, be he backed by a Geraldini or a Fitzgerald.

ISABELLE MAHAN PEREGRIN

Detroit

Sir:

A J.F.K. news conference:

Three hundred fifty words, no less,

Comprise for Jack a simple "Yes."

Three hundred fifty words, or so,

Make up for him a simple "No."

Deep in his slough of words, we find,

He cannot quite make up his mind.

When, as, and if he does, we'll guess

At whether he means "No" or "Yes."

FRANK A. KAPP

Bradford Woods, Pa.

Sir:

To suggest, as you do, that the distribution of political power in Pennsylvania [Oct. 19] is responsible for its economic condition is absurd. To attribute the decline in steel production since 1956 to the Pennsylvania Democrats is transparently partisan.

Have you considered the fact that there was simultaneously a Republican (from Pennsylvania) in the White House with far greater control over the national economy than a Pennsylvania Governor?

JOSEPH E. ILLICK

Easton, Pa.

Sir:

If Pennsylvania Democrat Dilworth feels that the capable, competent Republican Scranton is seeking on-the-job training, pray tell what are his feelings about Democratic Johnny-come-lately Teddy Kennedy?

J. K. SEIBEL

Brookline, Mass.

Some Like It Cold

Sir:

I was amazed to find that feeding cold milk to babies was considered something new [Oct. 12]. As a mother of nine healthy children, I have been doing just that on my doctor's orders since the first one was born over 21 years ago.

Not only have I used it ice-cold or room temperature, much to the enjoyment of the babies, but all the mothers who were patients of the same doctor did it, also. He had many patients whom he had delivered from their mothers years earlier, whose mothers used the same prescribed cold formula for them, so there were two generations of babies who had thrived on it. He frequently said that he had never had a baby who couldn't drink it, and he even prescribed it for sickly babies.

(MRS.) MIRIAM WILSON DARLINGTON

Ada, Ohio

Sir:

How would those doctors like a beautiful meal of roast beef and gravy, asparagus, baked potato and coffee, all served ice-cold?

(MRS.) DIANA SWEET

Berkeley, Mich.

Sir:

If this cold bottle method takes over, in a matter of years we'll be deafened by the noisy burps from millions of refrigerated stomachs.

(MRS.) ROSE D. ROWAN

Bellingham, Mass.

Sir:

Great! Now conduct a study to see if it's really necessary to heat my husband's coffee.

(MRS.) ELAINE R. HAKALA

Bellevue, Wash.

Harper's Millions

Sir:

A footnote in the Oct. 19 issue of TIME states that " 'Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute' was voiced in 1798 by Robert Goodloe Harper."

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations states that it was said by Charles Cotesworth Pinckney when Minister to the French Republic in 1797. A footnote says, "Inscribed on the cenotaph in his memory in St. Michael's Church, Charleston, S.C. What Pinckney really said was more forcible, 'not a damned penny for tribute.' "

Which "source" is correct?

(MRS.) ELLA D. ARMES

Owensboro, Ky.

>Bartlett is wrong. In 1797 a secret agent from Talleyrand told Pinckney that the American Commissioners sent to Paris to protest French attacks on U.S. shipping would be received only if they paid a -L-50,000 bribe and made a large loan to the French government. Pinckney's words at this point, according to his own story, were, "Not a sixpence, sir."

On June 18, 1708, at a Philadelphia banquet for John Marshall, one of the three Commissioners in what became known as the XYZ affair, Harper proposed the 13th toast of the evening: "Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute." The remark was later credited to Pinckney and although he never denied it publicly, he did so privately several times.--ED.

La Ronde

Sir:

The American taxpayer buys U.N. bonds while the bankrupt U.N. underwrites the failing currency of West New Guinea (West Irian), which is failing because the Dutch pulled out at the urging of the U.S. Government, which is supported by the American taxpayer.

W. C. HELLER

Frankfurt, Germany

A "C" for Fort Worth

Sir:

As the winner of the Van Cliburn International Competition, Ralph Votapek [Oct. 19] gave new cultural luster to Milwaukee.

The Fort Worth Piano Teachers' Forum devoted four years of hard work, and hundreds of Fort Worth citizens spent time and money, to put on this international competition and provide this splendid start for a new concert pianist.

Fort Worth is nationally known for cowboys. Won't you help us add another deserved "C" to the reputation of our city--Culture.

MRS. RICHARD PADGHAM

Fort Worth

A Fine Hand

Sir:

In your cover article on the Vatican Council [Oct. 5], you mentioned a special Latin shorthand devised for the meeting.

Among other subjects, I teach shorthand to high school students. I would be interested in knowing what system or method of shorthand is being used with this group.

(MRS.) MARY FELTENSTEIN

Evanston, Ill.

> The system, created by Aloys Kennerknecht, professor of stenography at the interpreters' school of Mainz University, is a variation of the Pitman method based on sound rather than orthography.--ED.

Plane Facts

Sir:

The usually excellent journalism of TIME went into a tailspin with your comment on Anthony Fokker [Oct. 12]. He "shucked off his allegiance to The Netherlands" only after the military of that country refused to consider his monoplane. I might add that, much to their later embarrassment, the Allies also turned his design down. Fokker built planes for Germany because it was the only country that would buy them.

BRUCE GLASSFORD

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, Mich.

Close Shave

Sir:

The picture of Chekhov in your Oct. 19 issue does not bear even a faint resemblance to traditional images of Anton Chekhov that we students of Russian schools in the 1920s saw while studying Russian literature.

ALEX AZELICKIS

Morton Grove, Ill.

> While Books was preparing the Chekhov review, Art was going to press with its story on 19th Century Painter George Inness [Oct. 12]. In the process a picture of Inness was labeled as Chekhov, but from the faces above you can see what a close shave it was.--ED.

As Advertised

Sir:

One of the aims of this society, which is the voice of national advertisers in India, is to interpret the role of advertising in our expanding economy.

Your magnificent story [Oct. 12] on advertising in the U.S. was not only illuminating but most timely.

POTHEN PHILIP

Executive Secretary

The Indian Society of Advertisers Ltd.

Bombay

Sir:

In line with the statement that advertising has indirectly increased the general level of U.S. taste, it also might be noted that by creating mass markets, advertising allows many industries to produce specialized, money-losing products, for example, scholarly books which Mr. Schlesinger, Ambassador Galbraith or Historian Toynbee could not do without.

Advertising is no more evil in itself than politics, the diplomatic service, or a study of history.

JERRY SIMPSON

Port Townsend, Wash.

Sir:

What a whitewashing TIME has rendered the loathsome advertising industry! Thanks to the advertisers and their companions in crime, the dollar-grabbing magazine and newspaper publishers, America has become a nation of brainwashed, debt-ridden, nicotine-addicted neurotics who have come to embrace the liquor bottle instead of God. And now they are advertising advertising!

(MRS.) HELEN STOLBERG

Wauwatosa, Wis.

Sir:

The assumption that tomorrow's advertising will become more sophisticated and tasteful is correct. It will probably become more intelligent too. At present there is a strong trend toward everyone's being an amateur ad expert. Just watch the way people discuss, analyze and criticize advertisements.

Many a man will buy--and admit it--because of the excellence of the ad and with relative disregard for the product. This factor has a built-in guarantee for better standards. It's the singer, not the song.

JOHN M. MANN

London

Sir:

But for the talents of Madison Avenue, I would never have known what a headache or a sour stomach looks like.

R. F. COOK

Scotts Mills, Ore.

Sir:

About two years ago, I was watching a historical film at the Brooklyn Fox Theater. In one scene the leading character called out, "Ajax!" Thereupon, about half the audience let go with a hearty and melodious "... the foaming cleanser."

AARON SITTNER

Brooklyn

Sir:

One important argument for free enterprise has always been that it produces the goods consumers want, not the goods someone else makes them want or tells them they want.

Advertising is aimed at changing consumers' wants. Sometimes it succeeds; sometimes it does not. Insofar as it leaves our wants unchanged, it is a simple waste of money. Insofar as it changes our wants, it remains a waste, although a complex one. The point is that Professor Galbraith, Mr. Packard, Comrade Khrushchev and Chairman Mao could change our wants more and faster for much less than the $12 billion charged by Madison Avenue.

MARTIN BRONFENBRENNER

Professor of Economics

Carnegie Institute of Technology

Pittsburgh

Sir:

It pays to advertise, but I am wondering if it pays to read about it.

Your excellent cover story this week on advertising started a dinner argument between three of my friends and myself, and now we are not speaking.

What kind of a campaign do you suppose J. Walter Thompson and Associates would suggest for winning back three friends ?

ROBERT L. RONAN

Alhambra, Calif.

Sir:

Thanks from one cat who is now somewhat better prepared to look before he licks.

EUGENE MCFARLAND

San Francisco

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