For the Defense
Sir:
Congratulations on your timely article "The Defense of Europe" [TIME, April 10].
General Billotte has stated the case so clearly that even the most backward of men (e.g., certain Washington bigwigs) cannot fail to see the danger . . . The facts are startlingly evident, and the methods of meeting them are obvious. Action must be taken soon . . .
CARL C. WALDRON JR. Bristol, Tenn.
Which Paper D'Ya Read?
Sir:
Your accurate appraisal of Boston's newspapers [TIME, April 10] omitted mention of three significant groups of readers:
1) Those (nonChristian Scientists) who buy a Traveler in which to wrap the Monitor.
2) Those (Christian Scientists) who buy a Monitor in which to wrap the Traveler.
3) Those who have read better papers in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Dallas, etc., and who in New England get the news from TIME.
HALLETT THOMPSON LAWRENCE
Sharon, Mass.
A Lifetime of Onions
Sir:
My heart went out in solemn sympathy to Farmer Sam Kennedy [TIME, April 10],whose onion price gamble left him $90,000 short. What a tragedy! And what an example of fortitude not to be crushed by that calamity, but to plant, notwithstanding the loss, a full crop of onions for this year's market!
To a $3,000-a-year schoolteacher, $90,000 represents . . . practically the entire productive segment of his life span . . .
In fairness to Kennedy, however, it is encouraging to note that he at least recognizes an element of injustice in a price-support system borne by multitudes of American families who reluctantly spend up to one-third of their income for food, enabling the Farm Bloc boys to play the market and without batting an eye lose a common man's earnings of a lifetime.
J. W. TOMPKINS Belmont, Mass.
The Systematic Sparrow
Sir:
Your article, "City Bird" [TIME, April 10], interested me very much, but I beg to differ with you in your reason why our English sparrow has decreased so noticeably in number. You're in the right church but the wrong pew.
Your theory about the automobile supplanting horses in our towns and cities, thereby depriving the sparrows of their food ... is correct, in part. But it is not the lack of grain found in horse manure that has done the damage--it has been the gradual disappearance of the sparrow's favorite and essential nest-building material (straw and hay) used in bedding and food for horses . . .
RICHARD T. PENN Danville, Va.
Sir:
... I would like to add, from my observation, another means by which English sparrows have very nicely solved their food problem ... [By] feeding on the insects which are found abundantly in the radiator grills of every auto . . .
The sparrows do their job very systematically . . . working their way along the block, car by car ... By picking their cars right, they can also take their selection of a fresh meal or a cooked one . . .
JULIUS C. DEUBNER
Berkeley, Calif.
Thumper at bat Sir:
Orchids to TIME for your excellent April 10 article on Boston's Ted Williams. It is gratifying to read about baseball's greatest without being subjected to the petty grievances held against Ted by several of the "name" sports writers. For my money, Ted is tops, tie or no tie.
JOHN SEGUIN
Worcester, Mass.
Sir:
. . . There are few professionals who will doubt your statement that Williams wants to be the best batter of his time, and that this is his motivating force as a ball player . . . For this very reason, Williams will never be the greatest all-around player of the generation . . . Because Joe DiMaggio and Stan Musial concentrate on blending their great talents with their eight other diamond mates, they have emerged as superior players to Williams--because baseball is essentially, if not entirely, a team game . . .
JOHN H. SILVERMAN Deal, NJ.
Sir:
Congratulations on chunking "The Thumper" his best press pitch to date . . .
MAC UMSTATTD
Austin, Texas
Sir:
The picture of "Cobb (.367)" was, I believe, one of Eddie Collins at the time he played second base for the Chicago White Sox. The uniform, blue & white, was the traveling uniform of the Sox when Collins played in Chicago. Ty Cobb never used a stance like the one shown in the picture. GEORGE E. LINTON Brooklyn, N.Y.
P:Says Ty Cobb: "That picture is me. You can bank on it. I ought to know." The picture was taken in 1906, when the Detroit Tigers were still using blue uniforms on the road.--ED.
Faint Touches
Sir:
It's a good thing for you that I'm in the state of grace; but with the help of God it won't always be so, then I will be able to tell you what I think of you for your biased treatment of Ireland's problems, as outlined [in] "Fogarty's Dream Boat" [TIME, April 10].
The faint touch of derision that I detect in this opus . . . leads me to believe this article to be the work of one dedicated to ideals of degeneracy.
When I first read the article I made up my mind to cancel my subscription. Upon more deliberation, I decided that even TIME should be entitled to a few errors of judgment . . . But look out.
Gun eirigh an vothar leath--which, freely translated from the Gaelic, means: May the road rise with you.
FRANK SAUNDERS New York City
Sir:
The Compromise of 1950 offers the solution of the Irish problem:
Let those Scotch-Irish who want no Catholic rule move to the U.S., in exchange for a like number of the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick who want to extend Dublin's beneficent domain and presumably would be anxious themselves to enjoy the blessings which they urge upon the reluctant Orangemen. When the exchange is accomplished, the opposition to a united Ireland will end, the U.S. will gain several hundred thousand of the sober and diligent folk who gave us Andrew Jackson, Stonewall Jackson, Cleveland, McKinley and Woodrow Wilson, and Ireland will gain a like number of Hagues, Curleys, O'Dwyers, McCarthys--"The task of filling up the blanks I'd rather leave to you; but it really does not matter whom you put upon the list, for they'd none of 'em be missed--they'd none of 'em be missed." PETER STEIGERWALT New York City
Faithful but Expendable
Sir:
Inasmuch as I never waste my money by purchasing TIME and never read it unless I have time to kill, which is seldom, it has just come to my attention that in the March 20 issue of your magazine I was listed as an "expendable" Senator--one who does not merit reelection. I am well pleased that I merit TIME'S disapproval.
However, I cannot agree with your description of me as a "banjo-twanging playboy." I do play the banjo . . . [but if] you have in mind the commonly accepted definition of one who leads a life of lazy indolence, imbibes freely of strong liquor and chases women, then I must take issue with you. Mrs. Taylor and I lead a very quiet life. We seldom entertain and seldom go out except to official functions. My drinking is limited to an occasional highball. I have been absolutely faithful to my wife for all the 20 years of our happy marriage. I work hard and make every effort to keep myself accurately informed . . .
GLEN H. TAYLOR United States Senator Washington, D.C.
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