The Still-Troubled Air
Sir:
Re your story of Pilot Goodwin [TIME, April 28]: many Air Force officers retained their reserve commissions in order to defend the U.S. in case of war. They have been in the inactive reserves, have received no monthly paycheck, have received no credit towards a "generous Government retirement" plan, and have been called back into service on an involuntary basis. The Air Force offers no security to these officers except a return to an often difficult readjustment in civilian life with always the shadow of a possible recall . . . hanging over their heads . . .
THOMAS H. KELLEY Captain, U.S.A.F. Reserve Winnetka, Ill.
Sir:
Regarding "Trouble in the Air," there's also plenty of it on the ground. Those of us who signed on as "Christmas help" when Korea broke have got stuck with the package-wrapping detail, and we're pretty darned sore.
Most of us . . . went into reserve units that were to be called in case of total war because we felt some sense of responsibility to the country. The completely irresponsible manner in which we have been gobbled up and dumped at random throughout the Western world has deadened that sense of responsibility to a dull ache . . .
THORNTON J. EARLE Lieutenant Wiesbaden, Germany
Sir:
I wish you would arrange for the Air Force to forward my monthly paycheck to me for the past five years that I have been a member of the Air Force Reserve . . .
L. W. SCHNIEDWIND Captain, U.S.A.F. Reserve Chicago
Sir:
. . . When we signed up for the reserve, we expected to be called in the event of another war, not a presidential-inspired "police action." This, we thought, would be the job of the regulars, and if the job became greater than the regulars could handle and the reserves had to be called, then a state of war should be declared by Congress, and not only the reserves would be called, but the whole country would be mobilized . . .
ROLLAND W. PIKE 1st Lieutenant, A.F.R.C. (inactive) Andover, Mass.
Sir:
Re your statement that "flying has become so commonplace that the call of the wild blue yonder has lost some of its appeal to the nation's youth." The problem is not that flying has become commonplace, but rather that it has been made very unattractive. The Air Force has been stolen from the flyers . . .
Pry loose the thousands of healthy young men who are hidden behind [Air Force] desks and give them their choice of flying or joining the other fighting services . . .
EDWARD M. MILLER Englewood, Colo.
"Little Selzer"
Sir:
I am very surprised that . . . you have not dubbed H.S.T. "Little Seizer" . . .
RALPH S. MULLEN
Winchester, Va
Early Man of the Year
SIR:
MAN OF THE YEAR AND PROBABLY MAN OF THE CENTURY: FEDERAL JUDGE DAVID A. PINE.
DAVID W. DEWEY BALTIMORE
Mr. Coudert to the Mines
Sir:
If economizers like Congressman Frederic R. Coudert Jr. get their way, they'll save the American taxpayer $4.7 billion [TIME, April 21] ... just like the fellow living on the edge of a timber plantation who balanced the family budget one hot dry summer by cutting out fire insurance . . .
HERBERT L. SUSLAK Purley, Surrey, England
Sir: