Letters, Mar. 15, 1948

(3 of 3)

Mr. John Huston says that he "was pretty certain" that I was Traven himself [the author of the novel], which would mean that he had "hired" Traven for $100 (not $150 as he says) a week, that same Traven who a few months earlier had been offered between $750 and $1,000 a week. . .

Mr. John Huston allows your correspondent to write: "Many of Traven's suggestions for the movie treatment were so intelligent and knowledgeable (a terrible word) that Huston was fascinated, and wanted to meet him.". . . How, then, is it that Mr. John Huston can say that he "was pretty certain" that I was Traven, when at one instant he says that Traven's suggestions fascinated him and with the same breath he declares "Groves made no worthwhile suggestions." Who is who now, and what is what. . . ?

That's all folks, thank you.

HAL GROVES Mexico City

¶ Says Producer John Huston: "On my recommendation, an offer was made to Traven some years ago to collaborate with me on the script of Treasure and Traven accepted. [But he insisted] that he would have to come northward to Hollywood in stages, acclimatizing himself latitude by latitude, and that that would take months, so negotiations were abandoned.

"Personally, I would deplore any definite proof that Groves and Traven are one. Traven has worked very hard at being mysterious ... in a world where too much is known about too many."—ED.

Newer Look

Sir:

All of us in the dorm were plenty riled at Christian Dior's droopy New Look last summer. . . . But now, we heartily approve of Mr. Dior's New Short Look [TiME, Feb. 23], which we hope will soon soar up to knee length. Foolish women who have splurged on the New Look can cut the extra yardage off their skirts, use it for sofa covers, or send it to Europe to clothe destitute children. . . .

MAXWELL CLAYTON Dallas, Tex.

¶ Reader Clayton had better not get his hopes up too far: Dior juggled only a few of his hemlines—and made those only an inch shorter.—ED.

Graph v. Graft

Sir:

LET THE ARTICLE "WALT & WELT" [TIME, MARCH I] BE A LESSON TO THE BUILDING INDUSTRY TO CUT THE WORD "GRAPH" FROM THEIR DICTIONARIES. AMAZING HOW SUCH AN INNOCUOUS LITTLE WORD GOING INTO THE EAR OF A TIME CORRESPONDENT CAN COME OUT in THE HORRIBLE FORM OF "GRAFT." JUST FOR THE RECORD, IT IS OUR BUSINESS GRAPH LINE WHICH HAS BEEN RISING NOT OUR GRAFT.

WALTER WURDEMAN WELTON BECKET Los Angeles, Calif.

¶ TIME'S correspondent, who heard it wrong, is sorry to have crossed his Ts when his source didn't.—ED.