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Sir: Richard Wright's novel Native Son deals with an attack similar to the Wylie case [Feb. 5]. Fortunately, the outcome of Whitmore's case is extremely different, for the lawyers and jury of Wright's novel convicted the Negro suspect and sent him to his death. The disgust I felt after concluding Wright's novel was joy compared to my reaction to the Whitmore case.
LEWIS DAVIS
Easthampton, Mass.
Sir: I know a retired policeman on the vice squad in New York City. He told me they used to beat up prisoners with rubber hoses, but he insisted that they did it only to prisoners they knew were guilty. I wonder how prevalent in the U.S. today this philosophy is among policemen.
JOSEPH MURPHY JR.
Clinton Corners, N.Y.
Sir: Who wouldn't be "shaking" after 26 hours of grilling? J'accuse!
PATRICK DESBONNET
Roslyn Heights, N.Y.
Forests First
Sir: TIME states that Weyerhaeuser "is converting its forest holdings in five states into summer homes, lakefront recreation centers [Feb. 5]." The fact is that of some 3.6 million acres of forest lands held by the company, only 7,000 acres have been segregated for real estate development in the five states.
BERNARD L. ORELL Vice President
Weyerhaeuser Co. Tacoma, Wash.
TIME should have watched its its.
The Baton Waves
Sir: It's about time that a respected musician had the courage to expose the hoax that conductors have perpetrated on the music-loving public.
As orchestral musicians, my colleagues and I have long suffered under overpaid, mediocre leaders who have charmed the ladies of the symphony associations in the tea-and-crumpet circuit. I can only hope that Piatigorsky's book [Feb. 5] will help awaken the public.
PETER CHRIST
Alhambra, Calif.
Sir: Piatigorsky's suggestion, "Virtually any mediocrity can rise to fame as a maestro," has little truth in fact. The American conductor, in particular, must be a dedicated, articulate and consummate musician if he is to survive the limitations imposed by our culture.
ALFREDO ROGERI
Flushing, N.Y.
Attacking Emphysema
Sir: We heartily commend you for focusing attention on the most rapidly growing health menace in our country, emphysema [Feb. 5]. Your expectation that this disease might be the subject of intensive attack by medical scientists is indeed sound. The U.S. Public Health Service is already engaged in a forceful campaign to spur such an attack.
ALBERT ROBERTS, M.D.
Department of Health, Education & Welfare Washington
Riding Hurd
Sir: I always thought that Hurd's technique of egg tempera [Jan. 29] was on the scrambled side, strictly for soft-boiled quacks. But your article and accompanying full-color reproductions have made me an egg-tempera enthusiast forever—sunny side up!
DAVID HORNBERGER
Kijabe, Kenya
Sir: Re Peter Hurd's postcards: If he lived in the Soviet Union he would no doubt be known as one of the more talented exponents of socialist realism. Perhaps Communism and capitalism have more in common than their diehard adherents think.
RAMON E. DU PRE
Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles