Letters, Jun. 19, 1944

  • The General and the Eggs

    Sirs:

    TIME (May i): "Promptly at 8:15, having breakfasted on Lend-Lease powdered eggs, he [General Bradley] stepped out of the officers' mess into a waiting Cadillac. . . ." If General Bradley eats powdered eggs for breakfast, I'll eat your next month's edition of TIME.

    (Pfc.) AL GRIFFITHS c/o Postmaster Seattle

    Soft-hearted TIME suggests that Reader Griffiths try the Pony Edition —and look out for staples. General Bradley got so tired of powdered eggs that he had Mrs. Bradley ship him some oval eggs not long ago.—ED.

    Why This Popularity?

    Sirs:

    TIME (May 29): "The huge New York Daily News last week asked itself why it was so popular. . . . According to Publisher Joseph Medill Patterson's editorial . . . people approve of its 'America First' line." He "drew the same conclusion about" the other two papers, Chicago Tribune and Washington Times-Herald. " 'The answer to these papers' circulation . . . must be that a lot of people like these papers' editorial policies. . . .' "

    Another and different reason might be offered Mr. Patterson. Every successful purveyor of quack nostrums and fake patent medicines appeals to ignorance and the lowest human traits. There is gold in them thar hills. L. LEE LAYTON JR. Dover, Del.

    Sirs:

    If Mr. Patterson really wants to prove his point, let his paper announce prominently that, owing to the paper shortage, the comic strips will appear only three days a week, and let him watch his circulation on the other days. . . .

    HELEN BUGBEE Chicago

    Sirs: ... I expect Terry Lee, Burma, Dick Tracy, Flattop and the rest would be pretty Top: Terry Lee and Flip Corkin; bottom: Flattop and Dick Tracy. well miffed not to be getting some of the credit for their efforts. ... I console myself in knowing that a very tiny part of this great newspaper's customers believe the drivel that goes in the editorial column. . . . I'll stick to the sports, the columns, Terry and the Pirates, which are well worth the 2¢, and get my news & views elsewhere. JOHN THOMSON Lieutenant, U.S.A.A.F. Greenville, S.C.

    G.I. Joe Look

    Sirs:

    I am enclosing a copy of a letter from my son, Lieut. Lester N. Fitzhugh. At the time this letter was written he had been in the line 30 days without rest (or a bath, change of clothes and haircut). . . .

    ". . . In World Battlefronts [TIME, March 27], there is one of the most remarkable war pictures that I've seen. The thing which really struck me a blow was to see the caption under it and the interpretation put on it by the editors.

    "It's a picture of a bearded German soldier standing in a burning street (presumably in Russia). . . . The striking thing about the picture is the look in his face. In it, his eyes and his mouth are written the complete story of all that he had been through: eternal fatigue, loss of sleep, probably bad food, recent defeat, seeing his comrades dying countless messy deaths. There is no light left in his eyes, and probably no hope left in his heart. In short, he has what I've called the 'G.I. Joe' look, and right there is where TIME missed the boat this time.

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