Democracy Defined
Sirs:
The writer went overseas three years ago as a soldier, and is now in northern Italy. His opinions have markedly changed in two principal respects: racial and political. For him these two things are, now one. His definition of democracy is: a skillfully adjusted freedom of the individual to the maximum degree in accord with orderliness and minimum poverty.
The writer once believed that the sum total of the individual civic intelligences of any group of normal men & women formed a group intelligence level that made this definition of democracy workable. He still thinks it is the best form of government for America, composed as it is of many races. But he is now convinced that no one breed of man is singly capable of free and unmonitored self-government. . . .
The ultimate cause of the second World War is not found in forms of government, or in bad leadership. The collective level of Europe's civic intelligence has to this day merited nothing better. . . .
There is the situation, as this one man sees it. The obvious steps to better it are: i) education of the world's masses, to lift the level of collective international civic intelligence ; 2) intermingling of the races. ' Excuse me, if I've stepped on anyone's toes. GEORGE SLEICHER Lieutenant, U.S.A. c/o Postmaster New York City
In Defense of Patton
Sirs:
It seems a shame that there aren't more writers to defend General Patton. No one criticized him when he led the Third Army through Germany. Now that he has returned to his homeland, bombarding him with criticism certainly isn't very appreciative.
If he made mistakes in his speeches (and I don't think them mistakes), everyone makes mistakes. Thank God we had a man who didn't make mistakes in his strategy and leadership, and thank God we had a leader like General Eisenhower who knew General Patton's worth when he was being criticized for slapping a soldier. He didn't let public criticism oust a great man. . . .
I doubt if some of the writers sitting comfortably at a desk would have the guts to go through what Patton did, and yet they feel justified in criticizing him. I doubt also that some of the critical preachers would have the guts even to be an Army chaplain. . . .
If Patton makes a mistake, at least he's making an effort to impress in the strongest way upon the public that we must end wars! Goddamit, isn't there any one on your staff who has the courage to defend a great man?
GRACE DUMM Garden Grove, Calif.
P:I Said Able Soldier Oliver Cromwell to his portrait painter: ". . . Paint my picture truly like me; but remark all these roughnesses, pimples, warts, and everything as you see me. . . ."--ED.
Unusual Opportunity
Sirs:
It was with deep satisfaction that I found included in TIME [June 18] the extensive excerpts from Congressman Walter H. Judd's speech on "Our Ally China." I spent four and a half months in China (from mid-November till the last of March) as deputy to Donald M. Nelson and chief adviser to the Chinese War Production Board. This gave me an unusual opportunity to have first-hand knowledge of the situation in China, . . . and to witness the remarkable progress that was made in production of war materials and essential civilian supplies by the Chinese War Production Board under the able guidance of Dr. Wong Wenhao.
Congressman Judd's statement is the clearest and most accurate that has come to my attention. In publishing this statement TIME has rendered a great service not only to China but to the citizens of this country.
HOWARD COONLEY New York City
Fightin' Thirteenth Sirs:
. . . Under the caption "Battle of the Pacific" in TIME [May 14] you printed: "In preparation the Australian First Tactical Air Force had flown the 1,400-mile round trip from Morotai to bomb Tarakan heavily. U.S. bombers of the Thirteenth Air Force added their bit."
It may be of interest to know that the Fightin' Thirteenth has been engaged in the softening-up process of Tarakan and other Borneo targets for months preceding the invasion. The success of our bombing and strafing attacks was indicated by the inability of the barbarous Nips to make a stubborn defense. Their light ack-ack and hasty withdrawal to better prepared defense positions testifies to the accuracy and deadly action the Thirteenth Air Force gave the target.
On Dday, April 30, 1945, the assault waves were composed of Australian infantry. The Thirteenth Air Force mediums, heavies and fighters had been assigned the air combat duty. No other air force--R.A.A.F. or American--was included in the Battle Order of the Day.
The erroneous presentation of such facts certainly does not stimulate the morale of a fighting air force with an enviable record of achievement in the Pacific. . . .
JOSEPH C. STEHLIN Lieutenant Colonel, U.S.A.A.F. Public Relations Officer Headquarters Thirteenth Air Force
P:I All credit to the Fightin' Thirteenth, which has destroyed more than 1,300 Jap planes, sunk 500,000 tons of Jap shipping in its unbroken tour of duty from the New Hebrides, through Guadalcanal and the central Solomons, New Guinea and the Moluccas, to the Philippines and Borneo.--ED.
Who's Hypocritical?
Sirs:
It had been a long conversation between two of us G.I.s and a German woman. It ended like this:
"You speak of freedom. You speak of democracy. We know of your treatment of the American Japanese. We know of your race riots, both north and south, 'the underhanded persecution of the Negro and the Jew. At least we Germans were not hypocritical. We did not hide our acts and persecutions under the cloak of your supposed democracy. Is all this not true? Can you truthfully scream 'propaganda?'"
We could not. We walked quietly back to our billets.
[SERVICEMAN'S NAME WITHHELD] c/o Postmaster New York City
"Tragic Paradox"
Sirs:
When I first read your account [July 9] of Senator Bilbo's filibuster against the FEPC [Fair Employment Practices Commission] I was furious, then sick with disgust to think that after so many fine young men of all faiths and races have died to defeat fascism and preserve individual freedom, a U.S. Senator should openly make such vile statements in the U.S. Senate.
In the Army, "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman," or disgracing one's uniform are court-martial offenses. Apparently the Senate would benefit by a similar regulation.
Few people ever see Congress in action or read the Congressional Record. You are doing us a great service by bringing us the actual words of our Congressmen. This is real news, and, to my knowledge, at least, Bilbo's remarks were not quoted in any of the local papers, though Eastland's tirade was.
(MRS.) MARION REILLY
Arlington, Va.
Sirs:
Commenting on the effort of one of our Senators to kill a bill that neither good taste nor common sense should ever have allowed to come up, there are some matters, halitosis for example, that need not be publicly discussed. But if they must be dragged out, I, for one, am glad that there are men like Senator Bilbo and his junior colleague who have the guts to put the kibosh on them, even if one of them is, as you say, "jug-eared and sawed-off."
R. E. BRENNEMAN Glendale, Calif.
Sirs: Whether by accident or design, your juxtaposition of the three articles concerning the [FEPC] filibusterers, Vicksburg, and the Marshall Islanders was a masterful presentation of the crisis that confronts America in her aspirations towards world leadership.
Throughout the world there are many thou sands who, like the Marshall Islanders, are looking to the U.S. and the magnificent ideals which have become symbolical of American leadership. But will they continue to feel that way when they learn about Senators Bilbo and Eastland? What a tragic paradox it is for this hate-weary planet that one of its mightiest nations, the one presumably destined to lead it into a new era of peaceful cooperation, is unable to heal its own festering wounds of hate and distrust of more than 80 years' duration.
ROBERT E. FULLILOVE JR. New Orleans
Sirs:
What variety of goons elected Theodore Bilbo to the U.S. Senate? This country stinks to high heaven with prejudice and intolerance and loudmouthed Senators.
No Negro, I am nonetheless for them all the way, and it is time we realized that they are no different from any other race in their capabilities and intelligence, if given the opportunity to develop both.
Senator Bilbo sits on a "black cloud" spitting down on Negroes, Jews, Catholics and Communists. What kind of people live in Mississippi, anyway? It is time some Americans opened their small, tight minds. . .
(MRS.) CAROL WHITNEY Westborough, Mass.
Undersigned Airsicker
Sirs:
Re TIME [July 7]: "Says the latest Journal of Aviation Medicine: People who get airsick may be able to avoid it by taking in advance a small dose of the drug hyoscine, also known as scopolamine, the so-called 'truth' drug often used as a sedative. In a Navy test of cadets so dosed, only 1/2 of 1% got sick even in bumpy air (normal: 7 1/2)."
This bit of news is nothing new to confirmed, incurable seasickers and airsickers like the undersigned. Long before the war it was being put up as a proprietary remedy by the German firm of Schering & Glatz under the name of Vasano; and so far as I know is still being manufactured by the Schering Corp. of Bloomfield, N.J. under the same name.
It is the only remedy that I have found to be infallible and I ought to know. I have tried everything else at sea and in the air except suicide.
MARCIA DAVENPORT New York City
P: Right is Airsicker Davenport. Vasano and the Navy's remedy are much of a muchness.--ED.
Jackpot
Sirs:
In TIME [July 2) an article on Monaco states that of all the changes wrought by war at the Casino, Prince Louis was most disturbed by "a U.S. and a French slot machine, both geared to take i-franc coins."
If the good Prince had possessed the keen scent of an avid slot-machine addict he would have been disturbed way back in 1933 -- for I still recall as my most embarrassing moment standing at the cashier's window requesting change of a 10-franc note for my father who, though not the least interested in gambling, had discovered a dusty old slot machine in a forsaken corner of the famous Casino. I changed the lowly 10-franc note and Father broke the slot machine. Really!
MRS. FRED C. BEAL
Anniston, Ala.
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