Pampered Patriots

Sirs:

You state that many returned fighting men wonder why good news is all the news given out to American people (TIME, March 1). So do we! It is true that the American people are acting like a bunch of spoiled kids, but that is the way we are being treated. We are pampered patriots. We are getting a few drops of castor oil in a cup full of political honey.

The American people want the facts. . . . One's imagination is not broad enough to conjure up a true picture of the horrors of war. We must see and read about it first hand. It will take a crack on the chin to make us stand up and fight. Don't let us bask in the sunshine of victory, nibbling on chocolate-covered communiques of military achievement, while our sons and brothers and husbands are wallowing in the mud and blood of war throughout the world. . . .

JESS MASON Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Bloody Umbrella

Sirs:

What the hell goes on in the minds of our State Department? On what basis does Spain get more gasoline than she has automobiles to use same? ... Is Spain sending us mercury? . . . Our attitude on Spain is lousy, stinking appeasement and its results will be written in blood.

IRA J. SONNENBLICK Hartford, Conn.

Sirs:

Ambassador Hayes's revelation that we are provisioning Spain, on top of I'affaire Darlan, prompts me to suggest that we adopt as our emblem the Chamberlain umbrella.

K. WINSTON San Francisco

>In return for oil sold to Spain, the U.S. gets substantial amounts of various strategic materials, including mercury, cork and wolfram (for tungsten). --ED.

Anzac Tide

In your issue (TIME, Nov. 2) you referred to Air Vice Marshal Coningham, R.A.F., as an Australian. The reason his nickname is "Mary" (a corruption of "Maori," the name of the New Zealand native, TIME, Nov. 9) is because he is a New Zealander, born and bred.

. . .We are very touchy about the confusion between Australians and New Zealanders, even though your splendid Marines ask," Where do you go when the tide comes in?"

WILLIAM M. E. TWEED Heretaunga, New Zealand

Compliments

Sirs:

Your selection of Madame Chiang to grace TIME'S front cover is the most compelling influence your millions of readers could have wished.

TIME'S contribution to the elements of Christianity and civilization, in fact to all creeds, races, colors and stations is, and shall remain, a proud tradition to humanity everywhere. Madame Chiang and TIME are synonymous in vision, courage and wisdom.

FRAYSER HINTON Memphis

Non-Controversial

Sirs:

With extreme sadness I note TIME'S apparent change in policy in handling copy on patri otic Americans and their counterparts. Under the title "Sloppy Citizenship," TIME, Nov. 16, referred to Hamilton Fish, C. Wayland Brooks, Clare E. Hoffman and some others as "Fuzzy specimens of Homo politicanus." I loved that phrasing. In a story on Dillard Stokes (Jan. 11), TIME referred to Burton K. Wheeler's attack on this brilliant reporter as a "tribute." Subtly done, I thought.

Remembering the above, I fail to understand why you would run the story "Bluenoses" (Feb. 22), in which you refer to Walter Winchell and Drew Pearson as "obstreperous."

I don't get the point in declaring that Winchell is engaging in "controversial" matters when he submits proof, facts, evidence, that certain men are acting in the interests of the enemy. . . . Espousing the cause of Germany ceased to be a "controversial" matter on the day we declared war. After that it became treason, which according to law is a crime. . . .

REG LAWSON War, W.Va..

They Also Serve

Sirs:

In reference to the article "On the Yangtze" (TiME, Feb. 15). ... It is stated that "only five A.V.G. men stayed on with the China Air Force." ... A total of 34 stayed, and five of those were pilots, the remaining 29 being ground personnel. . . .

We were ground crew members of the A.V.G., and are taking flight training with hopes of going back to work again for the "old man," this time.as pilots. We sincerely hope he gets his badly needed 500 airplanes, so we will have something to work with when we get back there.

LIEUT. WILLIAM A. SYKES,

U.S.A.A.C. LIEUT. DONALD G. RODEWALD,

U.S.A.A.C. Pomona, Calif.

Egyptian Foresight

Sirs:

. . . "The earliest known tattooed human was an Egyptian mummy excavated from a tomb marked 2000 B.C." (TIME, March 1).

Perhaps the Egyptians had some super Nostradamus who saw clearly and perfectly into the future and counted time backwards just to make things easier for the archeologists. J. W. SHEPLER Chicago

Sirs:

. . . My hunch is your Art editor slipped that one in apurpose to catch the pickup.

KENNETH W. DAVIS Manchester, N.H.

>TIME slipped, but not apurpose.--ED.

Hats Off to The Red Cross

Sirs:

. . . Before I came overseas I was under the impression that the Red Cross organization was simply a gathering place where middle-aged society matrons expended their ebullient energies. I just returned to the desert from a five-day leave in Cairo where the Red Cross has taken over the Grand Hotel and converted it into a meeting place for Yanks. Why, one can get real American cooking and real honest-to-goodness "french fries" for an insignificant price. Our hats are off to them. STAFF SERGEANT EDWARD J. GULANICK

"With the U.S.A.A.F. Somewhere in the Middle East"

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