Graded Justice
Sirs:
Now is the time for the American people and the American Congress to take a good look at Army justice.
On one hand, we have Colonel Kilian, commander of the Lichfield Reinforcement Depot, who was convicted ... of permitting brutalities at the camp [TIME, Sept. 9]. His punishment was a $500 fine and a letter of reprimand. . . . Even now he is up for promotion before the U.S. Congress. . . .
On the other hand, we have Sergeant Smith, an ordinary soldier with an eighth-grade education. The Army court-martial found him guilty of giving several unjust punishments which he had been ordered to give and of giving one beating in which he took the initiative. . . . His punishment was three years in prison.
Is there any justice in the Army?
GLEN O. ALLGEYER Rhineland, Mo.
Sirs:
Sing a song of privilege, A pocketful of rank. Kick and beat the G.I.s Make 'em walk the plank.
If you wear an eagle Nothing much to fear, Guys like Captain Carroll Lose the judges' ear.
Hail the conquering hero! What's a little fine? Next year Colonel Kilian Will be wearing stars that shine.
MAURICE W. WELDS San Francisco
Sirs:
Does the U.S. Army actually hope for volunteer recruits when that is the type of graded justice it metes out?
GEORGE J. VANHEE Seattle
Sirs:
Had Goering been tried in Bad Nauheim instead of Nuernberg he probably would have been given an official reprimand, fined 500 marks and given the option of letting Justice Jackson off scot-free or prosecuting him for maliciously instigating his trial.
What is this? The American people are paying this bird Kilian. ... Is our Army, with its absence of moral accountability in the higher echelons, becoming more powerful than our Government?
ROBERT J. DAY State College, Pa
Volunteers
Sirs:
TIME [Sept. 9] states: "Despite posters and propaganda, Army enlistments were not going well." I believe your readers may be interested in these facts:
P: Over 930,000 have joined the Regular Army as volunteers since the campaign began last fall.
P: We expect to sign up the millionth recruit this fall.
P: More than 52% of the volunteers have signed up for three years. . .
P: Recruiting is subject to seasonal fluctuations, and the present decline in intake in no way indicates that the voluntary program is failing. . . .
.... It is true that the job of building and maintaining a peacetime Army is now, and will remain, an enormous one. Even when we level off at 1,070,000 men next July 1, we will still need some 35,000 to 40,000 men a month to keep the Army up to strength. We need all the public support we can get on that job if the U.S. is going to have a volunteer Army.
B. M. FITCH Brigadier General, U.S.A. Adjutant General's Office Washington, D.C.
The Institute
Sirs:
YOUR SPORT EDITOR FUMBLED BALL IN REFERRING TO VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE AS ACADEMY [TIME, SEPT. 9] THUS CONTINUING ERRONEOUS NORTHERN IMPRESSION ALMOST AS PREVALENT AS ONE THAT WASHINGTON THREW DOLLAR ACROSS POTOMAC INSTEAD OF RAPPAHANNOCK. V.M.I., NOW IN THE MIDST OF NATIONAL DRIVE TO RAISE $1,500,000 ENDOWMENT, IS AS PROUD OF ITS DISTINCTIVE NAME AS IT IS OF FACT IT FURNISHED 3,800 ALUMNI TO ARMED FORCES WORLD WAR II INCLUDING 54 GENERALS, ONE OF WHOM WAS GEORGE CATLETT MARSHALL.
CHESTER B. GOOLRICK JR. Lexington, Va.
P: To V.M.I, all good wishes for a successful fund drive. To TIME'S Sport editor a suit of Confederate grey to be worn annually on the anniversary of the death of "Stonewall" Jackson, one-time professor of tactics at the West Point of the South.--ED.
Escapist Deputy
Sirs:
After reading the exhilarating article on "Boom Town Sisters" [TIME, Sept. 9], I showed the copy of your magazine to our deputy sheriff who "handcuffs prisoners and nails the cuffs to a pole outside the Rangely News office." I tried to impress on him the importance of having been mentioned in a world-wide-read magazine, distributed practically in all countries. Our charming deputy sheriff did not seem impressed. On the contrary, he rather sternly asked me: "What is the country where TIME Magazine is not read at all?" When I asked the reason of sheriff's curiosity, he answered: "I want to go there...."
Otherwise your article met with popular approval and we are proud of having boom town sisters among us roughnecks.
GEORGE DE MOHRENSCHILDT Rangely, Colo.
Fighting Brethren
Sirs:
. . . Your report of Brethren relief projects [TIME, Sept. 2] will be read with much interest by our people, but the statement that
"During the war most of the younger Brethren went into public service camps as conscientious objectors" is not true to fact. In March 1945 a survey was made of Brethren churches concerning the type of service chosen by her youth. More than half the churches reported and the totals based upon these figures reveal the following. Of 17,415 in some form of Selective Service, 1,365 were in civilian public service as conscientious objectors; 1,382 were in noncombatant service under the military; 597 women served as nurses, WACs, WAVES, etc.; the rest were in regular military service.
The Church of the Brethren is known as one of the historic peace churches and her official statements for the past 200 years, or from her beginning in 1708, justify this designation. But the Church allows for freedom of choice, with the results indicated above.
MERLIN C. SHULL Elgin, Ill.
Causes & Fleas
Sirs:
The founding of the ICCASP [TIME, Sept. 9] was prompted by a most commendable spirit of citizenship by a group of sincere social-minded people who feel that liberals should be organized to make their ideals effective.
That some of its members have supported worthy causes in the past need not be belittled by TIME. These causes, as well as those championed by the ICCASP, are vital, real as life, and deserve the attention and support of anyone who claims to be a true believer in democracy and social justice.
MYRNA GALANT DARRIG Philadelphia
Sirs:
. . . YOUR ARTICLE WAS NOT AT ALL FAIR. THERE WAS AN UNJUSTIFIABLE CURRENT OF CONDESCENSION THROUGHOUT, CERTAINLY THE MEMBERS OF ICCASP REPRESENT A CREAM OF U.S. INTELLECTUAL AND ARTISTIC ARISTOCRACY. CAUSES IF THEY ARE NOT EVIL AND UGLY ARE ESSENTIALLY A PART OF THE AMERICAN SPIRIT. . . .
ELENA SCHECTER Los Angeles
Sirs:
Regarding Jo Davidson's and Hannah Dorner's naive belief [TIME, Sept. 9] that Communists have no more to do with ICCASP's course than fleas do with a dog's, let them remember that fleas have a decided influence on a dog's destiny. . . .
THOMAS W. HOLLAND Edmond, Okla.
Sirs:
If Fellow Traveler Jo Davidson's outfit, can, by questionable talent and shallow showmanship, exert its unique leverage on the American electorate, then that electorate must assume full responsibility for the damage inflicted upon the governmental structure by the brand of visionary, leftist young pinks who will enter public office.
What intelligent or legitimate connection can there be between Lena Horne's songs or Gypsy Rose Lee's navel and the election campaigns of responsible officials and progressive legislators? Jo Davidson's and Hannah Dorner's substitution of theatrical ballyhoo for concrete, vital political issues is a stupid and sordid insult to the voters of this nation. The work of other such ICCASPeople as Daily Worker Writer Howard Fast readily attests to Communist Front activity and possible Moscow affiliations. . . .
WALTER C. RAMM Chicago
P.S. Good old Thurber.
Carefully Modulated Voice
Sirs:
RE YOUR PIECE ON HERALD'S CENTURY [TIME, SEPT. 2], IF YOU THINK WE COULD OBTAIN PETRILLO'S UNION PORT OF BOSTON BAND FOR FREE YOU ARE NUTS. WE DID NOT PAY ANY HALF PRICE FOR FIREWORKS. IF WE ARE BEST OF THE PURELY LOCAL BOSTON SHEETS, WHY DO WE GOVERN OURSELVES EVERY NIGHT BY THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES? WE HAVE FOUGHT CURLEYISM FOR 15 YEARS AND ON JAN. 23 RAN A TWO-COLUMN LEAD EDITORIAL CALLING ON HIM TO RESIGN-- AND NOT IN ANY CAREFULLY MODULATED VOICE EITHER. BUT THANKS JUST THE SAME.
ROBERT CHOATE Publisher Boston Herald Boston
Sucker, Nut or Hero?
Sirs:
I wish to express my emphatic support of William W. Paul's opinion on the G.I. terminal leave pay [TIME, Sept. 9].
Like-him, I am entitled to a substantial amount of leave pay under this act, but I strongly feel that my country and my daughter should not be burdened with this unnecessary expense.
... I would definitely be willing to forego my share of the leave pay to lower the national debt if enough straight-thinking veterans would do the same and effectively express themselves on this important subject to cause the passing of common-sense economy measures by the Congress.
L. A. FALCONER Brainerd, Minn.
Sirs:
A Distinguished Service Medal to Reader William W. Paul for his proposal. . . .
Before dodging all of the bricks coming his way, he will wish for a foxhole a mile deep, and will have earned more than one Purple Heart. I know from experience, as I passed up my discharge bonus and endeavored at that time to organize a vet movement against further Treasury raids.
Mr. Paul will be labeled a "Sucker" and a "Nut," but you may assure him there are at least a few of us around to whom the ownership of a motheaten and well-worn uniform means more than a passkey to baby's food locker.
W T TUCKER Owosso, Mich.
Sirs:
Since there's going to be something of a national debt anyway, may I submit these counter proposals:
1) That the $75 or $100 I figure I have coming be applied instead to the purchase of the bathroom and household hardware holding up the completion of a new G.I. apartment dwelling I hope some day to move into.
2) Or that some provision be made to use the terminal leave pay as some sort of credit which may be used to pay National Life Insurance premiums.
3) Or, similarly, create a credit which could be used to pay income taxes. In any case, the money would go back into the national coffers.
LESLIE BIEBL Plainfield, N.J.
Sirs:
I offer this counter proposal:
Can the former officers return the pay they received for terminal leave not taken? . . .
ROBERT T. LODGE JR. Metuchen, N.J.
Carl Won't Be There
Sirs:
PLEASE SAY IN YOUR WIDELY READ RAG THAT I AM NOT SHATTERING PRECEDENTS BY ATTENDANCE DEDICATION MY BIRTHPLACE GALESBURG ILLINOIS OCT. 7 [TIME, SEPT. 9]. IF PRESENT THEN, MY REMARKS WOULD CONSIST CHIEFLY OF THE ANCIENT PROVERB
"PRAISE NO MAN TILL HE is DEAD."
CARL SANDBURG
Chicago
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