Christmas Story

Sirs:

THE [DEC. 30] ARTICLE ON MARIAN ANDERSON IS UNQUESTIONABLY THE FINEST WRITING EVER PRODUCED IN TIME.

EMILY BRENT RANDOLPH

Cincinnati

Sirs:

. . . You lifted religion so far above the realm of creed and sect one can feel its pull and power. . . .

(REV.) GEORGE W. GOODLEY

Salisbury, Md.

Sirs:

. . . You brought to your portrait of Miss Anderson an understanding and sympathy as rich as her voice.

ALVIN D. STURTS

Ambler, Pa.

Sirs:

. . . Rarely have I been so deeply moved by a magazine article. . . .

J. W. PUGSLEY

Berea, Ohio

Sirs:

. . . This tale will hearten all Americans who love justice. . . .

S. RALPH HARLOW

Northampton, Mass.

Sirs:

. . . A noble tribute to the deep reality of the "spiritual," and to the American Negro.

ROBERT N. STRETCH Chaplain, U.S.N.

Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Sirs:

. . . We read TIME for its objective and comprehensive news coverage, and an occasional bonus of this sort is indeed a pleasure.

Elkhart, Ind. T. H. LONG

Starkenborgh & the Truth

Sirs:

I READ WITH INTEREST ARTICLE IN TIME DEC. 23 ABOUT INDONESIA. WHILE APPRECIATING ELABORATE INFORMATION IT GIVES I FEEL BOUND FOR SAKE OF FAIRNESS . . . TO POINT OUT [A STATEMENT] NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FACTS. YOU STATE THATGOVERNOR GENERAL VAN STARKENBORGH STACHOUWER FLED TO AUSTRALIA WHEREAS UPON HIS PROPOSAL HE AND HIS FAMILY AS WELL AS 15,000 OTHER DUTCH OFFICIALS IN THE FACE OF CERTAIN JAPANESE INVASION REMAINED AT THEIR POSTS, WERE TAKEN PRISONERS BY THE JAPANESE AND SUFFERED ALL CRUELTIES AND INDIGNITIES OF JAPANESE INTERNMENT. GOVERNOR GENERAL STARKENBORGH HIMSELF SHARED CAPTIVITY AND HUMILIATION IN SAME CAMP WITH GENERAL WAINWRIGHT.

A. LOUDON Netherlands Ambassador

Washington, D.C.

Sirs:

. . . Your gossipy footnote on Tjarda [van Starkenborgh] and his driver, on his visit to Queen Wilhelmina, which seemed to substantiate your error and TIME'S implication--that because of Tjarda's "flight" he had incurred the wrath of the Queen--creates a further erroneous impression. Tjarda was rewarded for his war services with one of the most important appointments in The Netherlands Kingdom, the post of Ambassador to France.

ALBERT BALINK

West Englewood, NJ.

P: TIME was wrong--incredibly, inexcusably wrong, since the true facts of Starkenborgh's war record had been reported in a previous issue [Oct. 29, 1945]-TIME'S sincere apologies to gallant Ambassador Tjarda van Starkenborgh Stachouwer.--ED.

Be Ye Therefore Merciful

Sirs:

Once again Japan has felt the terror and death attendant on a great earthquake. In 1923 our country (through the Red Cross) sent Japan an enormous amount of aid, for which those people were profoundly grateful, even though 18 years later they were led into making war on us.

Once again the time has come for us to make the gesture of good will to them . . . for if we, professing to believe in the Golden Rule, do not respond to the situation, we cannot help but lose face in their eyes, in our own eyes, and in the eyes of the rest of the world. It is a gesture which will bring rich rewards--we must live peaceably with them, and with ourselves. . . .

MURRAY JONES

East Lansing, Mich.

Cat Curve

Sirs:

You have reported that Dana Perfumes, Inc. has spent several millions in publicizing their ad of Tabu, the "forbidden" perfume, and the picture of seduction at the piano [TIME, Nov. 25]. But what is going to happen now that Airwick, the total deodorant, is spending thousands too? . . . Will the moral turpitude curve show a downward trend when Airwick kills the high-priced and seductive smells distilled from the scent glands of the musk deer and the civet cat? Think on these things.

J. J. LIPSEY

Colorado Springs, Colo.

The Respect of Fear

Sirs: . . . "Bright and early one day last week a black Packard limousine with a U. S. crest on the door hummed through the maddening boulevard traffic of central Buenos Aires. As it passed, police snapped respectfully to attention" [TIME, Dec. 2]. . . . Now that's something I'd like to witness! I've often watched local policemen salute courteously, politely or sympathetically many cars official and otherwise, but I yet have to see a local cop or for that matter anyone in this country, in Latin American countries or any country in the world, who's had any contact with U.S.A. citizens (officials or not), take a respectful attitude towards the U.S. crest, flag or a representative American citizen.

You must know perfectly well that there is absolutely nothing in the U.S.A. to inspire respect. Some people and some poorer countries may envy the mighty U.S.A. dollar and the American standard of living. Others may admire the manufacturing capacity and all the wonderful technical, scientific, industrial, etc. discoveries and advances which have come from your country . . . . But no one in the world respects anything of your country, in the full and real sense of the word like one does an Einstein, British Justice, Sweden, Toscanini, Switzerland, the dignity and patriotism of the Germans hung in Nuoernberg in a disgraceful parody of justice, a Nobel prize winner, etc., etc. The only respect a citizen of the U.S.A. may claim from the world would be the respect of fear, because of his country's might. . . .

C. LLAMBI-CAMPBELL

Galvez, Argentina

The Price of Oil

Sirs:

In re joint U.S. -British objectives in the Middle East [TIME, Dec. 16]: "One angry Briton said: I [Truman] has sold your oil for a mess of New York votes."

One saddened Jew replies: the British have bought their oil with several million Jewish lives, and are for once keeping up their payments.

EDWIN SILVER

Los Angeles

Less Fun, More Bulldozers

Sirs:

Jo Ann Moore hit the nail on the head [TIME, Dec. 16]. There is too much ridicule of the U.N. and our good friend Russia . . . The U.N. was to be a world governing body, but now it seems to be the butt of many jokes and much fun. We students in the high schools and colleges of the U.S. can begin . . by educating our parents and friends in the hopes and aspirations of U.N. The more we learn, the less we will want to joke. . . .

LELAND MYERS

Springfield, Ill.

Sirs:

. . . Can it be that some of the fun-poking comes from a realization that the U.N. organization is not adequate for the problems which it has to handle?

The straightest faces in all the world would not assure respect for a hose and bucket solemnly set up as a protection against forest fires, even though these do constitute "a step in the right direction."

It is time to get out the bulldozers and dig down for a system of real firebreaks. Nothing short of a federal world government will do the trick.

LLOYD A. HALL

Stanford University, Calif.

Fifth Avenue Bussing

Sirs:

Fie on TIME's crusty, embittered obituary on Fifth Avenue's open buses [TIME, Dec. 30]. Thousands of New Yorkers, as well as visitors, will find their eyes glistening with nostalgia as these wonderful old carriers trundle off to the Old Bus Cemetery. Where else could you have so many

breath-taking sights of New York unroll before your eyes . . . ? Oh TIME in thy flight, you don't know the score, or else your Fifth Avenue Bus editor never took a gal for a bus ride on a hot summer's night. . .

MELVYN S. PENSON

New York City

A Declaration for Germany

Sirs:

. . . We would naturally be very grateful if you would publish this statement by former members of the German Reichstag. . . .

"Considering the impending negotiations on a peace treaty with Germany, the undersigned former members of the German Reichstag who have found refuge in this free country hereby declare:

"Even a conquered nation has the undeniable right to be represented at the peace table. The opportunity should be given to the German people without delay to establish a central body which shall be entitled to negotiate in the name of the German people. This body should also be entitled to negotiate with the governments of the neighboring countries on all matters commonly concerning these nations and Germany. . . .

"The problems of Europe cannot be solved by shifting frontiers hither and thither as has been done for many centuries, always resulting in new wars. The tendency to create closed national states by wholesale expulsions of entire populations surrounded by insurmountable walls, will inevitably lead to general impoverishment and disturbances of international relations. On the other hand, if the peace is to be a lasting one, frontiers must cease to be impediments to the free flow of men, merchandise, ideas and news.

"In order to rebuild the destroyed areas and to restore European as well as world economy, the German people must have the freedom to dispose of the treasures of their soil, and to manufacture goods for peaceful use to the full extent of their capabilities. Only thus can Germany be economically reorganized and be enabled to contribute effectively to the reconstruction of the countries damaged by Nazi aggression. Dismantling of industries and disastrous export of vital raw materials should be stopped; the replacement of destroyed or confiscated machinery needed for peacetime production should be permitted.

"In order to restore the rights of all men, all prisoners of war should be released immediately, and slave labor of any kind must be abolished.

"No matter at what time the state of war will be formally ended, a real peace will not begin until the last soldier of every victorious nation has left the soil of his former enemy. "Irrespective of the question to what extent Germany has been responsible for the Nazi tyranny with its devastating consequences for mankind, the German people have been punished already to a degree unparalleled in modern history. Now the time has come to give the democratic forces of the German people . . . a chance. The time has come to abandon vengeance and to turn to understanding and reconciliation, the only way to a durable peace."

S. AUFHAUSER DR. F. BAADE GUSTAV FERL HUGO HEIMANN MARIE JUCHACZ EMIL KIRSCHMANN GERHART H. SEGER WILLIAM F. SOLLMANN FRIEDRICH STAMPFER DR. H. STAUDINGER

New York City

P: Do TIME'S readers agree?--ED.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.