Letters, Oct. 3, 1955

The Tension of Change

Sir:

TIME'S Man of the Year: Thurgood Marshall [Sept. 19], for sparking the successful "effort to remove from U.S. life a paralyzing sting in its conscience and the ugliest blot upon its good name in the world." (THE REV.) PHILIP KIRRANE, S.S.J. Baltimore

Sir:

South Carolina is proud to find you have assigned it a grade of "F" on desegregation. North Carolina! How she must be humiliated at receiving only "C minus!"

We hope you'll find it in your heart to give us the same or a better grade, maybe "Z" ten years from now. We can assure you we will do our best against the destroyers of the Constitution and States Rights.

You might tell Marshall he can expect a "Thoroughgood" time in our State.

C. F. BAARCKE Union, S.C.

Sir:

The "Negro problem" of the United States is really a white problem, and the sooner it is recognized by all as such, the sooner it will disappear. It is the problem of how are we to convince the "white supremacy" racists that the conclusions of common sense, the principles of Judean-Christian ethic, and the consensus of the vast majority of mankind all point to the fact that there is no superior race and that all men are essentially the same.

JULIUS GASSNER Lafayette, La.

Sir: What section does not make distinction between the whites and the Negroes? . . .

Northern people don't want the Negroes for neighbors! This thing called racial tolerance is supported in large degree vocally—but the practice of such tolerance is generally left to somebody else.

HERBERT U. FEIBELMAN

Miami, Fla.

Sir:

Muted huzzahs for the distinguished James Chapin cover portrait of Thurgood Marshall.

E. BROCKMAN BRACE Toronto

¶ Reader Brace has plenty of company. Wrote Howard University's late Philosopher Alain Locke: "James Chapin has pioneered significantly in exploring the deeper traits and personalities of Negro subjects." His better-known subjects: Negro Boxer, Negro Girl, Blues Concert (of Actress Ethel Waters), and Ruby Green Singing (TIME, Sept. 28, 1953). Thurgood Marshall is Chapin's first TIME cover.—ED.

Above flie Knees

Sir:

Bravo to my fellow clergy in shorts! [Sept. 12] ... May I add an economic note? Since clergy salaries are traditionally mediocre, it may be that the Bermudas are made from an older pair of trousers, thus getting another summer's wear out of them. Being Episcopal priests, it is to be hoped that the knees would wear out of our pants long before the seat. (THE REV.) HERBERT BARSALE St. James Episcopal Chapel Berkley, Mich.

Space Man

Sir:

As I read your Sept. 12 success story of the skinny kid from Bahia, one of the most vibrant that TIME has ever published ... it suddenly dawned on me that Lieut. Colonel

John Paul Stapp is the son of my colleague, Missionary Charles F. Stapp. Knowing something of the joyous humor and the tenacious spirit of his good father, the character of his saintly mother, I could better understand the practical philosopher, the generous-hearted doctor and the scientist, who does not count his life dear unto himself, if only he can live up to his self-chosen ideals.