Letters, Jan. 5, 1942

Cover Jinx

Sirs:

TIME cover jinx still seems to be working. Latest casualties: Husband Kimmel, Fedor von Bock.

J. F. R.

Washington, D.C.

> TIME’S “cover jinx” has sometimes appeared to work on sports figures but not on others. Franklin Roosevelt, who has appeared on TIME’S cover six times (including this week) since 1923 has, apparently, never felt it. No jinx operated on Admiral Kimmel or General von Bock: the Admiral was placed on the cover after the news of Pearl Harbor arrived; of the General TIME said in its cover story, “when a list is made of the generals who have done most to whittle down Germany’s chances of victory the name of Bock may lead all the rest.” TIME hopes Admiral Yamamoto may rank as a sports figure.—ED.

Propaganda Peril

Sirs:

TIME [Dec. 15] used the words “yellow bastards” and “Hitler’s little yellow friends” in speaking of the Japanese. I suggest that none of us use the word “yellow” in speaking of the Japanese, because our Allies, the Chinese, are yellow.

In this war we must, I think, take care not to divide ourselves into color groups. The tide of feeling about color runs very high over in the Orient. Indians, Chinese, Filipinos, and others are sensitive to the danger point about their relation as colored peoples to white peoples. Many Americans do not realize this, but it is true, and we must recognize it or we may suffer for it severely. The Japanese are using our well-known race prejudice as one of their chief propaganda arguments against us. Everything must be done to educate Americans not to provide further fuel for such Japanese propaganda.

I hope that such an influential magazine as TIME will not again insult the Chinese by using a color term which classes them with the Japanese.

PEARL S. BUCK

Perkasie, Pa.

— TIME emphatically agrees with Novelist Pearl Buck that raising a race issue is as unwise as it is ignoble. However, “yellow bastards” was not TIME’S phrase but the factual report of typical angry U.S. reactions, thoroughly documented by reports from correspondents all over the U.S. It probably came to the tongues of many men in its strongest meaning—one of moral censure rather than race prejudice—for “yellow” has long been the word for cowardice and treachery. As for actual skin-color, U.S. white, pink or pale faces may well be proud to be fighting on the side of Chinese, Filipinos and other yellow or brown faces.—ED.

Navy Defender

Sirs:

. . . You say “the U.S. Navy was caught with its pants down.”

That is unquestionably true, but we also know that in a democracy the policy of the navy is dictated by the government, and that the U.S. Government, by its own outraged declaration, was also caught with its pants down.

. . . The Navy in peace and in war is under constant political pressure. In peace it seldom secures the funds it asks for, and what appropriations it does receive are often spent, in spite of its protests, in ways and places contrary to its best interests. . . .

So in judging the Navy’s humiliation at Pearl Harbor bear in mind that the Government in Washington may be equally to blame.

LOUISE COLE CHAPIN

Berkeley, Calif.

> Reader Chapin has a good point in general. Whether it has a bearing, as it may, on the defeat at Pearl Harbor remains to be seen.—ED.

“I do not doubt . . .”

Sirs:

. . . The talk of the day is this new phase of the war and nearly everyone condemns the treacherous way used by the Japanese to attack America. … I do not doubt that millions of plain South American citizens were as deeply hurt in their feelings as I by the word-breaking of the Japanese warmongers. I do not doubt that our Governments are going to join the All-American Front against foreign aggressors. . . .

May God help us save “The Americas” and all that they stand for in the fight against the foreign forces of evil and destruction.

WALTER Luiz ESTEVAM

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Maniacs Excepted

Sirs:

From your standpoint, and mine, the German-Italy-Japan combination now should be known as the “Maniaxis.”

No combination of leaders, maniacs excepted, would tackle Uncle Sam—particularly now when the desert blisters and the Russian Bear bites.

E. HARVE PARTRIDGE

Spokane, Wash.

Theme

Sirs:

I thought you might be interested in what a Bucknell University English professor wrote on a theme which I had written concerning the new Chicago Sun in which I used TIME as one of my references.

“I cannot approve of your modeling your style after that of TIME. It is cheap, undignified, smart-aleck.”

RAY WILSON, ’45

Lewisburg, Pa.

P.S. I got a grade of “B” for the work.

— To achieve a “B” against such odds, Student Wilson’s theme must have been a dandy.—ED.

More than Charity

Sirs: Enclosed is check for $5 for United China Relief, sent in response to your interesting and touching letter of the 8th inst.

We regret that it cannot be for many times that amount, but a lighthouse keeper’s pay is small and the increasing cost of living, with mounting taxes, national, state and hidden, rather curtails one’s generous impulses. . . .

MR. & MRS. CHARLES N. ELLIOT

U.S. Coast Guard Seattle, Wash.

Sirs:

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute, through TIME, to a cause that has been near to my heart for a good many years. It has seemed to me that China is destined, in the not far distant future, to become the outstanding Christian nation of the world; perhaps a refuge for the crumbling religion of our Western World.

I do frequently contribute, in my small way, to China’s necessities and shall continue to do so. It must be a small way because I am a retired rural teacher, my sole income has been $400 annually and that is not commensurate with my interest in this cause. . . .

VICTORIA McC. MAPP

Shelfar, Va.

Sirs:

In the past I had always felt hesitancy in giving for China Relief. I was of the opinion that what mattered a few million more or less Chinese, that their situation was pretty hopeless anyway. I had contributed to our church (Presbyterian) mission work for schools and medical work, in the belief that education of the natives to work out their own salvation was the solid foundation which merited our support.

But the amazing resistance the people of China have put up in the last four years is beyond words. I can give my contribution as a token of partial realization of their superhuman struggle to survive. More than just that, the continuance of Chinese fighting strength is more apt than not to have a grim significance to us. So from a selfish standpoint too, I feel required to answer your appeal in the affirmative. . . .

It should be plain to all of us that an enslaved China would be as disastrous as a beaten England.

HUBERT J. DUGGAN

Bradford, Pa.

Sirs:

I am very glad that you decided to write to TIME subscribers in behalf of United China Relief. For months I have been intending to contribute, but never seemed to get around to it. Your letter furnished the little push necessary to overcome the inertia. . . .

I served on the U.S.S. Asheville on the China Station from April of 1937 to April of 1940. During my three years in China I saw some of the fighting and much of the suffering and grew to like and admire the Chinese people.

L. R. NEVILLE

Lieutenant, U.S.N.

U.S.S. Arkansas

New York City

> TIME is proud to reprint this small tithe of the more than 28,000 like letters with which TIME readers responded to the appeal of Editor Luce two months ago on behalf of China Relief.

Contributions thus far have totaled $165,000. TIME sincerely thanks its readers for their generosity to their deserving Ally. It was a superb token of the bonds of sympathy and respect which unite the American and Chinese people. — ED.