Letters, Jun. 25, 1945

“We Now Know”

Sirs:

Because I think that it holds human interest, I am enclosing a copy of a letter from my son, now 20, and 18 when drafted, who is with the Ninth Army in Germany:

“… I have returned to Maastricht (Holland) to find the town totally changed. It seemed to me as though life itself had suddenly emerged from the darkness of cellars to the sunshine-basked surface.

“To have known the dreariness and weariness of this town in wartime is to appreciate the laughter, the smiles, the gay colors that fill every broad street and crooked winding alley now. . . . To see the lights burn unshaded, to see a half-dead village suddenly become wonderfully alive, to see Dutch boys once more united with their families, is almost compensation enough for the inconvenience that I have had to face here. They are not things to write about. They are feelings which have to be felt, and often the whole story is conveyed in a look, a smile, a handshake. . . .

“Gone is the blackout. Gone are the curfews. Gone are the sleepless nights spent in cellars. The air is free. The sun is warm and bright. The people of the land are free people.

“If we ever doubted what we have fought for, we now know. . . .”

MRS. CHARLES FROST

New York City

Get Rid of the Lumpen

Sirs:

This evening I called the people of this little town together to elect a new mayor. . . . Since I speak German fluently, I opened the meeting, and . . . Herr , owner of the local inn, took over and read a previously made-up list of names for the posts of mayor, assistant mayor, town clerk, treasurer, and town crier. He asked anybody who had any objections to raise his hand.

For about two seconds no hand showed, nobody spoke. Then a man in the rear of the room spoke up. He said: “No, no, we have had enough of the Nazis. And all the stories you tell now of having been forced into the party are so much bunk. I never belonged to it. Many others did not. Take Herr Hanzel-gruber, for example. He never joined and he would not make a bad mayor. As long as I have anything to do with this village, no Nazi will ever belong to the administration if I can help it.” There were quiet “Bravos” and an intense, quiet whispering.

Then another old man spoke up: “Let , get rid of these Lumpen [scoundrels] once and for all. They have had us under the yoke long

enough. Take , who presides. He has been playing along with them all the time. Now he is trying to ram his pals down our throats.” . . . People were speaking from all sides of the great room. I rose and said: “Let me suggest to you that you hold a hand vote on Hanzelgruber whose name was suggested.” They did, and a vast majority wanted him. Hanzelgruber was the new mayor. . . .

Then they elected the other members of the town council, again tossing out this one because he had not been quite reliable in the Third Reich, that one for his failure to be openly against the Nazis. Not one man elected had ever belonged to the party. It was easy to see that many present did not dare speak their minds—it had been too long since they last could. Others were unable to grasp this new thing, free speech. But it was as fine a start and as encouraging a seed of a decent new Reich as I could have wished for.

H. PETER RAND Captain, U.S.A. % Postmaster New York City

The Average Tommy

Sirs:

. . . When we first came out here [CBI Theater], some of us had a vague feeling of hostility for things British. Now we are unanimous on the following points: the Tommy gets very low pay compared to the G.I.; he receives nothing to compare with the Yanks in the matter of food, amenities, and recreational facilities; he does very little complaining ; he is a splendid patient; he is very friendly toward us. …

One example: a few days ago a Tommy (in the Tank Corps) was brought in by one of us. Both his arms were thoroughly smashed, his right leg was broken and badly gashed, hip gashed, and he had bad body wounds. Not a word of self-pity! He thanked us for treating him well, smiled and said he wouldn’t have our job for anything (sic)—too hazardous! Next day he died.

The average Tommy is a good egg, and it’s people like him who make up most of England, not the so-called typical Englishman who says “rawther,” etc.

RONALD MATTHEW

Volunteer

American Field Service % Postmaster New York City

Not Very Amusing Sirs: Nothing has given me greater satisfaction than to read your report on the Chicago pub lic school system [TIME, May 28]. . . . Not until I escaped [from it ] did I realize just what I had not received.

When the time approached for our family to think about college, we found that all accredited Easter 4 schools demanded entrance examinations of any candidate who matriculated at a Chicago public high school. . . .

Midwestern colleges, well acquainted with Superintendent Johnson’s child protege’s, like wise required similar exams.

We Chicagoans did not find it very amusing when we ground through freshman English courses which our friends found proverbial “snaps.” Many of us lacked the language, science, math, and English requirements, having to take special courses to make up for our deficient training.

SHIRLEY BANKERS BEAUMONT Northfield, Minn. Carleton College, 1945

Weasels

Sirs:

RE TIME [JUNE 4]: “WHILE RAIN TURNED THE GROUND INTO WATERY, REDDISH MUD, AND STALLED VIRTUALLY ALL TRANSPORTATION BUT WEASELS (TRACKED JEEPS), u.s. TROOPS. . . .”

THE WEASEL IS NO MORE A “TRACKED JEEP” THAN THE, JEEP IS A “WHEELED WEASEL.”

THE WEASEL IS BUILT AROUND A HULL. . . . IT TRAVELS THROUGH DEEP MUD, SNOW, SAND, … UP & DOWN STEEP RIVER BANKS AND THROUGH DEEP WATER. LET’S GIVE THE JEEP THE CREDIT IT WELL DESERVES BUT THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO BUILD THE WEASEL ARE JUSTIFIABLY JEALOUS OF THE SINGULAR ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THEIR OWN BABY.

GASTON E. MARQUE

STUDEBAKER CORPORATION SOUTH BEND

TIME’S thanks to Studebaker’s Marque for his powerful Weasel words. Front-line correspondents sometimes call the land Weasel (M-29) a “tracked jeep.” Herewith a picture of its amphibious younger sister, the water Weasel (M29c).—ED.

Frankly Worried

Sirs:

In TIME [May 7] you stated that it was quite possible for a man to become sterile if exposed to high temperatures for long periods of time. As you know, many of the boys have been in higher temperatures than cited in your article for longer periods of time. . . . Some of us are now starting our third summer in just such temperatures.

Are we correct in assuming that there is a definite possibility of a very high percentage of us becoming or already being sterile? We do not cherish the thoughts of living a childless life. . . .

(T/ScT.) AARNE J. MACKEY & FRIENDS % Postmaster New York City

Sirs:

We . . . like Dr. Pincher, added two & two together and frankly, we’re worried. (T/5) FABIAN J. ALEXANDER (Prc.) Louis A. BERMUDEZ (Ppc.) CHARLES J. VE’LEHRADSKY

% Postmaster

San Francisco

-J Says England’s Dr. H. Chapman Pincher: “The reduction of male fertility caused by the exposure of the human testes to higher-than-body temperature is purely temporary. … Pacific-stationed soldiers may rest assured that after a short stay in the homeland their fertility will be completely restored — that is, if they do not continue taking hot baths.” — ED.

Next-Door Neighbors

Sirs:

. . . Being an officer in the Administration of the Northern Territory of Australia has been fortunate for me, as I have been able to secure copies of your publication TIME. I must truthfully say it has been the means of my knowing the people of the Americas and understanding them better. TIME has given me an insight into the politics of your country, made your leaders known to me and created a spirit of friendship I had never known before.

A few years ago you people in America seemed to be in another world, but today you seem more like next-door neighbors. . . .

PETER DAWSON Alice Springs Australia

Baptists & Bourbon

Sirs:

Your correspondent who inquires [TIME, June 4]: “Since when do ‘devout’ Baptists from Missouri drink bourbon?” seems lamentably ignorant of the declaration made many years ago by Governor Folk of that great state: “I am a Baptist and a Democrat and I take my whiskey straight.”

Our President apparently qualifies in the same class.

WALTER BATES FARR Boston

The U-505

Sirs:

The boys in my Task Group would like to know what the hell you have to do to bust into TIME?

Last June 4 [1944] we boarded and captured the Nazi submarine U-505 off French West Africa and towed her 2,500 miles to Bermuda. This was the first time the U.S. Navy has boarded and captured a foreign enemy man-of-war on the high-seas since 1815. It is the only German U-boat ever boarded and captured in either World War (the Graph [U-570] surrendered).

The Navy released this story on May 16 but the current issue of TIME [May 28] ignores it. Haven’t you heard about it yet —or wasn’t the story newsworthy?

D. V. GALLERY

Captain, U.S. Navy Washington

If TIME undertook to print all the true tales of U.S. heroism now being released for the first time, it could not do justice to the weekly news. All honor to the men of the Escort Carrier Guadalcanal, the Destroyer Escorts Chatelain, Pope, Pillsbury, Flaherty and Jenks, and to Composite Squadron 8, for their unique achievement. — ED.