Letters, Dec. 8, 1952

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The Tariff Curtain

Sir:

In your Nov. 17 Letters column, Robert Varty's advice to reduce American protective tariffs reveals . . . that critical thinking . . . is taking place. Adding weight to that sound suggestion is an article in the same issue on Detroit's Board of Commerce [who propose that all U.S. tariffs be abolished, that there should be free trade everywhere].

Perhaps ... an outside comment may be in order . . . To us the salient point to grasp seems to be that no country, like the U.S., is entitled to expect others to provide a market for American exports unless equal, competitive entry of foreign processed goods is permitted. Your ultra-high tariff has, up to now, blocked this mutual equation . . . Up to the beginning of World War II, this gap was plugged principally by the shipments of gold to Fort Knox, in place of goods. Since the end of the war, the dollar shortage abroad was offset by temporary devices, such as Marshall aid, at the expense of the much overburdened American taxpayer, to whom much credit is due. Absurdity can go no further, because incoming goods into the U.S. could have, and should have, met the difference.

W. H. HARRISON

Toronto, Canada

Sir:

Congratulations to the Detroit Board of Commerce for their recommendation ... It is truly an expression of faith in America's future . . I believe that it is also an expression of true Christianity: the Christianity that willingly passes up the opportunity of greater immediate gain by "protected" groups for the ultimate enrichment of the whole family of nations . . .

HENRY Bouw Nyack, N.Y.

SIR: DETROIT'S CHAMBER or COMMERCE MUST GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS THE FIRST INSTRUMENT PRODUCED IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND TO REALISTICALLY SOLVE WORLD PROBLEMS AMONG NATIONS. COMPETITION IS THE LIFE OF TRADE ; MADE FREE BY TODAY'S WORLD LEADERS, IT WILL MAKE THE U.S. GREATER AND PROVIDE ALL OTHER FREE NATIONS HOPE THAT THEY TOO MAY BECOME GREAT BY THEIR OWN ENTERPRISE OWING CHARITY TO NONE . . .

GILBERT J. HUBER RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

The Commandant's Private Eagle

Sir:

Your Nov. 24 cover story on Commandant Shepherd and the United States Marine Corps has captured for the reader an accurate and timely picture of one of the world's few remaining elite, professional military organizations . . .

JOHN A. BUCK Captain, U.S.M.C. Washington, D.C.

Sir:

TIME'S research staff should be brought before the Old Man for Office Hours. Any recruit will have learned the hard way, long before he is given his first liberty in "greens," not to let himself be seen with his collar ornaments "dragging anchor." TIME avoided this common boot mistake, but committed one almost as grave by showing General Shepherd, on the cover, with his eagle looking aft.

I am not going to ask that usual, redundant question of how many letters TIME has received from indignant Marines pointing out this mistake, but I'll bet a three-day pass to an ice-cream cone that the mails from Labrador, Tripoli, Munson, Harlan County, Ky. and other far corners of the globe are just a little heavier this week.

G. G. LANCASTER Dallas

Sir: