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I'd like to know more about this "ordinary diplomatic procedure" which enables any foreign power to study our supposedly secret M-Day plan, as explained in your reply to Mr. Wayne, TIME, July 1, p. 8, Letters column.
... I know that diplomatic procedure is completely ununderstandable to the normal logical mind, but I can see no advantage in showing any secret plan to any foreign power at any time whatsoever. It appears to be the height of stupidity. . . .
The more I think about this the madder I get. Has the M-Day plan been changed since 1934? And if not, why not?
LOUISE Z. ROGERS
New York City
>Nowadays it is harder to borrow the Government's M-Day plans. But it is salutary to recall Nazi study of them in 1934 as a good instance of how easygoing democracies get licked by the dictators.—ED.
Beef for Bombers
Sirs:
The greatest mistake the U. S. can make at this time is to send food or any other materials which can relieve Hitler of the necessity of supplying like relief to the peoples of the countries he has occupied.
According to a recent issue of your magazine [TIME, June 17], the whole of Europe is imminently threatened with famine. If this is so, and Great Britain can hold out for a few months, it is quite possible that Hitler's whole conquest would collapse due to starvation and its attendant disorders. . . .
F. H. APPLETON
Los Angeles, Calif.
Sirs:
. . . Europe has an abundance of only one thing—armaments—and since Hitler himself has set the example of barter, I suggest that we trade with him on his own terms—that we barter bushels for battleships, beef for bombers, grain for guns.
R. E. WATTERS
Madison, Wis.
>If such a fanciful swap could be made—fine! But let no such idea serve Reader Watters as unwittingly callous alibi for not giving to the Red Cross. Twice $20,000,000 would be little enough for relief in Nazi-conquered territory—not only for desperately needed food but for life-&-death hospital supplies. No International Red Cross relief goes to Germany—at the Nazis' own request. Nor should anyone naively imagine that Red Cross relief will break the blockade against Hitler.—ED.
Untapped Resources
Sirs:
The weakest link in our national defense today is the helpless feeling that saps the morale of our people. They want to "do something" to help. . . .
Give the people a chance to "do something" to take part in national defense. At least 50% of this fifth-column hysteria is a sublimation of that frustrated desire "to do something to help." That should give you some hint of the untapped spiritual resources of our people.
C. J. DEEGAN
Ponca City, Okla.
>For an example of how one U. S. citizen did something about it, see TIME, July 8.—ED.
Agfa Ansco
Sirs:
In your issue of June 3, on p. 72, you stated that Agfa Ansco is controlled by I. G. Farbenindustrie of Germany.