Democracy Defined
Sirs:
The writer went overseas three years ago as a soldier, and is now in northern Italy. His opinions have markedly changed in two principal respects: racial and political. For him these two things are, now one. His definition of democracy is: a skillfully adjusted freedom of the individual to the maximum degree in accord with orderliness and minimum poverty.
The writer once believed that the sum total of the individual civic intelligences of any group of normal men & women formed a group intelligence level that made this definition of democracy workable. He still thinks it is the best form of government for America, composed as it is of many races. But he is now convinced that no one breed of man is singly capable of free and unmonitored self-government. . . .
The ultimate cause of the second World War is not found in forms of government, or in bad leadership. The collective level of Europe's civic intelligence has to this day merited nothing better. . . .
There is the situation, as this one man sees it. The obvious steps to better it are: i) education of the world's masses, to lift the level of collective international civic intelligence ; 2) intermingling of the races. ' Excuse me, if I've stepped on anyone's toes. GEORGE SLEICHER Lieutenant, U.S.A. c/o Postmaster New York City
In Defense of Patton
Sirs:
It seems a shame that there aren't more writers to defend General Patton. No one criticized him when he led the Third Army through Germany. Now that he has returned to his homeland, bombarding him with criticism certainly isn't very appreciative.
If he made mistakes in his speeches (and I don't think them mistakes), everyone makes mistakes. Thank God we had a man who didn't make mistakes in his strategy and leadership, and thank God we had a leader like General Eisenhower who knew General Patton's worth when he was being criticized for slapping a soldier. He didn't let public criticism oust a great man. . . .
I doubt if some of the writers sitting comfortably at a desk would have the guts to go through what Patton did, and yet they feel justified in criticizing him. I doubt also that some of the critical preachers would have the guts even to be an Army chaplain. . . .
If Patton makes a mistake, at least he's making an effort to impress in the strongest way upon the public that we must end wars! Goddamit, isn't there any one on your staff who has the courage to defend a great man?
GRACE DUMM Garden Grove, Calif.
¶I Said Able Soldier Oliver Cromwell to his portrait painter: ". . . Paint my picture truly like me; but remark all these roughnesses, pimples, warts, and everything as you see me. . . ."—ED.
Unusual Opportunity
Sirs: