A Letter From The Publisher, Aug. 4, 1947

TIME, whose four international editions are now available almost anywhere in the world (except Soviet Russia, her satellites, and some other inaccessible places) on or before issue date, is, as you know, a journal of U.S. and world affairs written from the American viewpoint. Recently, Hans Bronkhorst, a Dutch journalist, set down his view of TIME for readers of The Netherlands weekly, De Linie. The following excerpts from it may interest you:

“Besides plastic combs and nylon stockings America also sends us many thick, colorful weeklies. The one . . . best known here is the magazine TIME. Since the Dutch press is still fighting the paper shortage and therefore cannot keep us well enough informed, many look for additional news in the columns of this attractive magazine. . . .

“TIME is a ‘weekly newsmagazine.’ In this word ‘news’ the word ‘current’ is included. The edition which we get to read here is the Paris-printed Atlantic Overseas Edition, identical in editorial content to the original American edition and usually obtainable here exactly on the Monday that the issue is dated . . . The only other periodical that reaches us in a similar way is the daily New York Herald Tribune’s European edition, not identical in content to the original edition. . . .

“The factual trustworthiness of TIME’s content is rather great, even though here, in spite of all kinds of precautions, mistakes are still made. . . . Taken on the whole, however, the documentation, the correctness of the reported facts, are one of this magazine’s strongest points. In fact, it overwhelms us with facts in a manner more congenial to the American than to the Dutchman. . . .

“Out of the magazine speaks, generally, the optimistic philosophy of life characteristic of so many Americans; the more intense tempo of living, the spirit of adventure, and the energy of the average American. ‘America is a democratic country; it is governed by the people, by ordinary people like you and me,’ it seems to say on every page . . . But this democracy can only stand fast by the grace of freedom, the safeguard for world peace. Therefore, TIME continually illuminates (as does the majority of the outstanding American press) the inroads being made by Communism on this human right. TIME’s tone toward Soviet Russia and her sphere of influence is now ironic, now reserved, now protesting, but not well wishing. Just as critical a stand is taken against the remaining utterances of fascism in Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Germany and America (the Ku Klux Klan, etc.). TIME stands for religious freedom. . . .

“It also complements the news, whereby it is taken for granted that one keeps up somewhat with the daily papers (here, American readers have an advantage). In addition, it gives later published facts about subjects that are in the center of the news, thus being able to bring off a good, all-round article about an event which has not yet been cleared up in the daily papers (e.g., the Pearl Harbor scandal).

“Then, above all, in TIME, we find newsworthy articles about the people who are making the news. In addition to those we learn about in our own weeklies, we also find some who are not yet known here. . . . TIME’s critical departments, too, are good. Here, they do not go along with the taste of the masses, repeatedly panning ‘successful’ works. In particular, the literary standards applied to the book reviews make this department very worth reading. If Steinbeck, for instance, writes a mediocre work, he is put in his place, just as an unknown author who creates something special is praised. . . .

“With its easy, current, and relatively trustworthy reportage, TIME is definitely important to us. It lets us live weekly with the events of the great times in which we live—news reports which can help determine the stand we take toward world events. TIME also gives us the viewpoint toward events of the people who may well have in their hands the future of Europe and the world.”

Cordially,