Evening star., 1948-03-24

priter, although It Is permtssible for
toritsr knotDn to The Star to xss q
non, de plume. Please be briej.
side the Teutonic world This would seem
all the more Illogical, considering the fact
that the Germans have been responsible for
a destruction Of art far in excess Of that repre-
sented by the elements now on view in wash
tngton.
Through this remarkable exhibition the
people of the United States have an opportu-
nifty to broaden their artistic vision; to supple
ment the already important but still incom-
plete collections owned within this Nation by
works which, in many instances have no
counterpart over here. 1t would seem to be
both unwise, unjust and unjustidable to return
to Berlin. as . very possible present to Moscow,
these particular results Of civilization which
both Germany and Russia have done much to
destroy and the ancient principles and In
SEPARATIONS Of which the Russians now hope to
obliterate forever. It also should not be for
gotten that these important and beautiful
creations represent 4 desirable point Of de-
parture for American thought The return
OF these works Of art to an unsettled region
is plainly wrong. One can only hope that
public opinion will assert itself against this
incomprehensible decision, the reason for
which, 1t would appear, lies solely in Gen.
Clay's desire to see this collection returned
to its former place before his own departure
from Germany. This, under the circumstances,
highly exaggerated conception of protocol car
ries with 1t far greater responsibilities and
implications than would decision to merely
lengthen further . period Of safekeeping
within the United States.
Our country has suffered great loss of life
through participation in the war for the origins
Of which We were not consciously responsible.
Art 10 far more important than human life
for, after transmitted faith, it represents the
only relative immortality attainable by man
here below.
Since we were fated to lose men, let us at
least retain for awhile longer. and As = slight
compensation, these varied illustrations of the
history Of painting these examples Of an art
representing the ultimate aftinement OF which
the vision Of man is capable and which, in its
influences, is more enduring and inspiring than
is life itself. HENRY de COURCY MAY.
Defends Sinking the Pennsylvania
TO the Editor of The Stars
In your letters column Of March H. c. A.
Wood INDUCED in the now popular pastime of
''those great men whose hats are weighted
with gold oak leaves and whose cuffs are deep
in gold braid" In his attack on "our admirals"
(wanton wasters, glib disregarders Of expense,
etc. he did . suspiciously extensive bit OF
dag-waving. So much 30, In fact, that it
appears that the white stars, white stripes,
and blue field in that nag may be merely opt-
cal illusions. This becomes more apparent
WhAn oYanoine s0noe NJ HE efafs and
assumptions, most Of which smell-of vitriol
at least.
Mr. Wood noted that some sO-odd ships
were targets in the Bikini tests and asked
what has become OF them. Many people
would like to know-and fair number of curl
GUS fall somewhat short Of being patriotic
Americans. '.-4
Mr.. Wood then suggested that in year or so
the Pennsylvania no longer would have been
dangerously radioactive. In 1o-minute visit
to his local library, he could have ascertained
that some radioactive substances remain dam
gerously radioactive for several thousands of
years. Does he know whether the Pennsylyania
had any Of these cached away, or, II 1T had,
whether they could have been removed y
Mr.. Wood next stated that already the
people are going back to the once radioactive
Hiroshima without Ill effect" Already? Again,
had he checked his facts. he would have
found that the people have been going back
for over two years-without Ill effect. Pic
lures in q recent issue of Life showed that a
considerable amount of building has ALREADY"
taken place in Hiroshima.
As for the relative intensities of the doses"
of radioactivity at Hiroshima and at Bikini,
the movies and newspapers showed that at
Hiroshima there was tremendous updraft
Of air (to about or 10 miles, due to the
intense heat Of the explosion and subsequent
fire, and that, at Bikini, the target ships
were thoroughly drenched by thousands Of
tons Of descending, radioactively- polluted
water, much Of which couldn't help but seep
into every nook, Granny, crack and crevice on
board. From this it appears that the two
cases are not even in the same league.
Mr.. Wood declared that, in sinking the
Pennsylvania, I'VE have sunk without benefit
approximately 100000 Of scarce metals )"
The word scarce" is true, and fortunately So
Were dangerously radioactive metal very
abundant, life on this earth would be much
more precarious than it is. The words with
out benefit" however, are not in the same
category. The removal of any menace is
beneficial isn't It?
AS for towing the Pennsylvania home to be
scrapped, I wonder If Mr.. Wood knew the
extent Of damage the ship had suffered,
whether it was feasible to patch it up for the
trip, whether any salvage company would have
been willing to tackle the job or whether it
would have been worth it from financial point
Of view? frankly admit that don't I won
der II he made any attempt to gather any
factual data on these points?
G. !. DAVIES.
Stonewall Jackson Quoted
To the Editor Of The Star:
"Stonewalr' Jackson once rebuked an over
wrought staff officer, who had expressed doubts
concerning the future, by saying, sharply: