Letters, Oct. 7, 1946

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    In my 50 years of living I have learned to draw a sharp distinction between words and action. I do not often speak of my religion, but my associates know that I subscribe to the precepts enunciated by Jesus Christ, especially in His Sermon on the Mount. In my opinion, however, it is not sufficient for an individual to profess a faith; actions alone mark the believer. During my last trip with the Chinese Communists I carried a copy of the New Testament and read the Gospels daily, with a view to comparing the precepts of Jesus with the pattern of life I observed around me. My conclusion at the end of the trip was that the Chinese Communists were practising, Christians, though they did not profess that faith.

    I choose now to work for peace. . . . I accepted co-chairmanship of the National Committee to Win the Peace, with Paul Robeson, because the objective of the group is to provide a national forum for the discussion of issues affecting peace. . . . Membership is representative of all strata of American life: religious, educational, labor, management, veteran. . . .

    In 1927, when Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang were anathema to most "foreigners," I supported them, for I felt the facts indicated they were improving the people's welfare. It was not until my last trip to China, in 1940-41, that I became convinced that the Kuomintang would never bring democracy and its benefits to the Chinese people. On the other hand, I was convinced as early as 1938 that the people in the Communist-controlled areas were benefiting by the social-economic-political pattern that was being developed there. . . .

    One final point I must clear up is the statement that I resigned from the Marine Corps in 1939 to push my crusade. It is well known that I resigned to be free to tell the American people the facts about the rising Japanese threat and to urge them to demand an embargo on the shipment of war materials by many businessmen of this country to Japan.

    EVANS F. CARLSON

    Brigadier General, U.S.M.C.R., Retired

    Escondido, Calif.

    TIME did not say that distinguished Marine Carlson was a member of the Communist Party, did make the indisputable point that his political views often take him into Communist-front organizations, e.g., the National Committee to Win the Peace.—ED.

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