Through Faulkner's Eyes

Sir: The cover story on William Faulkner [July 17] is a beautiful job--the clearest, fairest, most concise explanation of Faulkner's philosophy and purpose in life that I have ever read. We were proud here at Random House to be his publisher, and I personally considered his friendship a compliment beyond measure. Incidentally, every one of Faulkner's books is now either back in print--for good--or in the course of production.

BENNETT CERF

President

Random House, Inc. New York City

Sir: How provocative and useful for TIME to investigate today's South by analyzing Faulkner's work and not that of some sociological survey. We are taught that one does understand a time by evaluating its literature, and in this case it's completely true.

JOHN HESS

Executive Editor

Meredith Press

New York City

Sir: Perhaps, in Faulkner's words, and with the assistance of TIME, "man will not merely endure: he will prevail." It is through the perceptive insight of stories like this that William Faulkner's dream will come true.

JAMES C. ISRAELSON

Denver

Sir: Because of my fondness for Faulkner, I especially appreciated your analysis of the caustic situation in the South. It is a good lesson, before we castigate the South, to look at it through the eyes of Faulkner--objectively and critically, yet with understanding and compassion.

KATHRYN M. LAWRENCE

Alexandria, Va.

Sir: May I suggest that Horace Judson relinquish his job with TIME to take a professorship in English, teaching the honors program. His keen insight as a critic of Faulkner resulted in one of the best estimates of that writer I've ever read. It is a masterpiece.

SISTER MARY LAWRENCE, V.H.M.

The Academy of the Visitation

St. Louis

Sir: The immediacy that both Faulkner and the race problem have for Southerners constrains us from reading Faulkner as a polemic for the 1964 "civil rights" bill. Indeed, you have read into Faulkner a conclusion that a thorough study does not warrant. I find in Faulkner a neurotic impasse between the direction of conscience and intellect, versus the guidance of sentiment, tradition, and the uncommon similarity of experience Southerners live with.

WILL WORTHINGTON

Jackson, Miss.

Sir: Admittedly William Faulkner had much to say about the racial issue and did much to clarify the historical and psychological patterns that motivate racist activity in the South. However, it is a gross mistake to leave the impression that his fame rests on this fact. A thousand years from now, when other issues dominate the mass media of the day, William Faulkner will still be recognized (along with Shakespeare, Milton and others) as a giant among literary artists. William Faulkner used the myth of the South to embody universal answers to universal questions--not to explain the racial situation in the South.

LYNN STEWART

Fulton, N.Y.

Sir: William Faulkner is just another of those Southern "gentlemen" and "aristocrats" who have helped to encourage violence against black people by taking that "May my people always be right, but my people right or wrong" attitude. This is exactly what Robert E. Lee and others did at the time of the Civil War. Faulkner's famous quote cannot be beautified by encasing it in psychological jargon. Such men have a definite responsibility for the atrocities that have occurred in the South for the past 350 years.

PETER A. BAILEY

New York City

Sir: As a Mississippian and student of Faulkner's works who was privileged to discuss his literary inventions and creations with him, and as one who learned from him not only a concern for the social-racial problems of our state, but also "a feeling from the heart for man's plight," I am grateful to your writer and editors for their sagacious presentation of Mr. Faulkner's works in a nonpolitical, unbiased context. The article is painfully apropos in its analysis of my state, my people, the South, and mankind. Faulkner pleads for understanding, not for retribution. I plead for a concentrated and dedicated effort to understand, and then to alleviate the problem of conflict between the emotions and the intellect of the people of my state, the South, and the world.

WILLIAM MILES

Collinsville, Miss.

Sir: I would expect to find a work of art such as Robert Vickrey's portrait of William Faulkner in a $25 art book or in a museum. You seem to have all the great artists, but this one tops anything I've seen. Let's have more pen and ink drawings by Robert Vickrey!

HAROLD SNYDER JR.

York, Pa.

The G.O.P. at San Francisco

Sir: I firmly believe that the only man capable of leading this country is Barry Goldwater. This man will bring back something that has been missing for many years: the dignity of the individual.

EUGENE ZENONE

Yeadon, Pa.

Sir: It seems a shame that the only ones who want Senator Goldwater are the people.

MRS. JACKSON TODD

Marion, Ind.

Sir: I am ashamed of Ike, horrified at Dirksen, scornful of Halleck et. al., saddened by my party's platform, disturbed by the coup d' etat of my party by a subtly militant minority, repulsed by its nominee, and reconciled to voting for Lyndon in November.

PATRICIA J. PALMER

Auburndale, Mass.

Sir: Because Goldwater supporters claim that anyone who is not for their man is not a true American--as I have read in your Letters section--after 50 years as a Republican, I will vote for his opponent in November.

W. A. WOLSTENHOLME

Philadelphia

Sir: With bleary eyes and dragging tail, I watched the G.O.P platform floor "fight" from start to embarrassing finish. As a result, I am getting the hell out of the extremist-controlled, hate-catering Republican Party. I renounce any allegiance to a party that blindly follows "Barry the Great" down the steep road to extinction.

PATRICIA MISKELLY

Baltimore

Sir: I wholeheartedly agree with General Eisenhower's statement that extremism at either end of the political spectrum is wrong. But it appears that most key Republican politicians, who are bending over backwards for the Negro vote, can think of denouncing by name only such organizations as the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and the John Birch Society. They seem to forget that CORE and the Black Muslims also stir up much contempt and hatred.

RICHARD DAVIS

Philadelphia

Sir: It took an illustrious member of the G.O.P., namely General Dwight D. Eisenhower, to finally call attention to all the so-called commentators who foist their miserable opinions on the listening public. Their methods of putting words into other people's mouths certainly show up disgracefully on television.

PEARL NEELY

Philadelphia

Sir: You quote Governor Scranton: "If a man [Goldwater] marching in a parade discovers that his cadence is different from every other marcher, who is he to say that the rest are out of step?" [July 10]. It was Thoreau who said, "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." If the Republican Party is to remain a viable part of the American political party system, I suggest it nurture more Goldwaters and fewer Scrantons and Rockefellers.

RODNEY REDDING

Waterville, Me.

Sir: How can some people say that Dirksen is wrong in endorsing Barry Goldwater? His endorsing of Barry shows not only what a great man Dirksen is but also how many good Republicans back Goldwater.

DOUGLAS B. HOEHN

Wyckoff, N.J.

Sir: Governor Scranton, after raising so many hopes by promising a bombshell in the convention, merely showed that no one has explained to him the difference between a bombshell and a bomb.

JOHN L. ANDERSON

Glen Gardner, N.J.

Sir: You can't help admiring a man like Scranton. His campaign never had a chance. Yet bravely and confidently--even desperately--he fought his (or is it America's?) losing battle.

ROSITA LOECHEL

San Leandro, Calif.

Sir: The churlish booing and hissing that greeted Rockefeller's efforts to reconcile the G.O.P. platform with the 20th century is demonstrative of the contempt in which the right-wing extremists and their dupes hold mainstream Republicanism. If the G.O.P. recoups its stature in this generation, it will be because of Rockefeller -and the other gallant warriors who chose not the neutral corner of Dickie and Ike, but who, being somewhat more cognizant of history, fought the good fight to keep Know Nothingism where it belongs--in the junk pile of rejected extremist efforts.

FRANKLIN LAMB

Boston

Sir: I am shocked beyond words that Senator Dominick in his convention speech opposing the anti-Bircher platform amendment failed to point out that he was using phony documentation. Not everyone knows that the New York Times was founded in 1851; therefore his "1765" Times "editorial" denouncing Patrick Henry as an "extremist" was a figment of Dominick's own dubious imagination. Such essentially deceitful tactics smack of McCarthy. What a frightful forecast of Goldwater campaign methods!

PAT Fox

New York City

> Colorado Senator Dominick later admitted that he was only spoofing.--ED.

Sir: Today the Republican Convention; Tomorrow the World!

WILLIAMSON MURRAY

ARTHUR W. GRIFFITH JR.

New York City

Sir: I am a Republican, and I thought that the floor debate on the Republican platform was incredible to behold. The determined vindictiveness and deliberate refusal, evidenced by most of the delegates, to consider rational appeals was a sterling example of the extremism they refused to condemn. Lincoln's body was exhumed, publicly spat upon, and dumped into the icy Bay waters. The destalinization of Russia could not have been more complete than was the de-Lincolnization of this Republican Convention.

MAHLON H. SMITH III

Paramus, N.J.

Sir: It is a shock to realize that the Republican woodwork does not house mousy moderates like myself, but is infested with concealed conservative addicts. Mr. President, could you find room for another volunteer?

MRS. EDWARD W. JESSOP Guilford, Conn.

Sir: Hell, I'd vote for Lunkhead Lyndon before I'd ballot for Barry.

PATRICIA PARRELLA

North Haven, Conn.

Boating Gloater?

Sir: I just saw your picture of L.B.J. boating [July 17], or was it really ex-King Farouk gloating?

(MRS.) CATHERINE S. BARONE

Jamestown, N.Y.

Not a Word

Sir: My memory is not what it used to be, but I am quite certain that I have never in my life written a single word in National Review [July 10], except perhaps a couple of complaining letters like this. I am not now and never have been a conservative.

CLINTON ROSSITER

Ithaca, N.Y.

Welcomed Invaders

Sir: In your July 17th Letters column, J. David Kelley of New Jersey claims that Northerners would "react violently to an equal number of Southern students entering Harlem with a similar purpose" of voter registration. The annual voter registration drive under way in Harlem welcomes any and all assistance offered by any person, Northern or Southern, black or white.

ADAM CLAYTON POWELL III*

New York City

Helpful Wall Street

Sir: In the article about Sperry Rand [July 3], it was stated that I charged that Wall Streeters have been knocking Sperry stock "in hopes of buying it on the cheap." I cannot understand how your writer obtained the impression that I made such a statement. This is contrary to the facts. Wall Street, through the years, has been extremely helpful to our corporation.

H. F. VICKERS President

Sperry Rand Corp. New York City

*Son of New York's Representative Adam Clayton Powell Jr.

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