INTO 1935

 

Here we are with some great stories—but without one which we can honestly call a "thought-variant." There are more coming—plenty more—but we couldn't pass by this list. They're all good. At least I think so.

And now in the new year, if we keep driving through, interest­ing new readers, our aim is to go twice-a-month.

Step-by-step—always step-by-step—building solidly, looking ahead, driving. We've awakened the whole field of science-fiction from the coma in which it rested in 1932 and early 1933. It has been a happy awakening with new interest, new writers here and there and a scintillating galaxy of great stories to remember in 1934.

1935 stretches ahead full of promise for greater things. We have been building carefully and well. All of us, thinking back, realize that. Star Ship Invincible would not likely have grown on the barren soil of 1933.

Slowly our old friends have been returning to their old loyal­ties. One by one we have heard from a widening circle of corre­spondents.

Some of you have suggested a science club. I don't agree, and here's why. There are many science clubs outside of magazines. Many magazines have clubs of thousands of members devoted chiefly to the sale of the magazine—although of course each member pays his bills for pins and gadgets.

Somehow I feel that our audience is a little more mature than the type of mind whose loyalty is purchased by a gilt badge. I have felt that way for a long time. We seek relaxation from this world by soaring through the distant galaxies. We release our likes and dislikes heartily and freely by writing to Brass Tacks.

What I want to do is to devote our time to getting out a better and ever better magazine. That's what we want, isn't it? Most of us?

If we're going to work with authors for better plots and newer ideas we must keep driving—driving—driving! And it isn't hard when we see the results month after month into our new year—and once again into the new year.

Mistakes? It wouldn't be human not to make some, but I feel that we have made fewer as the months have rolled by—and as the politician remarks as he shouts for his new term in office: "Let's stand on the record!"

—The Editor.

 

 

Dr. Smith Comments

 

Dear Editor:

Although a lifelong and inveterate reader and collector of scientific and fantastic fiction, I usually contribute to discussions only when goaded to battle. The news that you are think­ing seriously of going semi-monthly, however, has aroused me from my customary torpor suf­ficiently to account for this outburst of activity.

I am heartily in favor of a semi-monthly, and will support it with enthusiasm. I am also in favor of and will be a charter subscriber to a quarterly. And, along this same line, I check Mr. Wollheim and Mr. Cahendon to the usual nineteen decimals in urging a sister magazine specializing in wild-and-woolly adventure with a scientific or pseudo-scientific background. I got a terrific kick out of Hawk Carse, and the fact that there is now no place in print for Anthony Gilmore not only makes me sad, but makes me conscious of an aching void. In fact, I am heartily in favor of anything that will add to the supply of high-class fare for us fans; who, as you have already observed, form an associa­tion which, although limited in numbers, is per­haps the most compact, and is certainly the most loyal, most vociferous, and most critical group of readers ever known to the literature of any age. Nor need any one fear a depreciation in quality. You know that Astounding is the leader in its field: we should realize that you would not jeopardize that proud position by publishing additional magazines unless and until you are assured of championship material with which to fill them.

Now as to authors. Of the professionals, I rank Murray Leinster easily and definitely first. I have enjoyed his stuff for years, and want to acclaim him in this, my first letter to Brass Tacks. His short stories have a concentrated punch that makes the reader gasp like a fish; his longer tales are characterized by an origi­nality of idea and a cogency of style that are refreshing indeed after the humdrum rehashes all too often served up by men who make writing their lifework. I realize, as he has said, that writing scientific fiction is really a form of dissipation—but I am very glad that he some­times fails to resist temptation!

Of the younger set, you have (or will have shortly) the two of outstanding brilliance and promise in Campbell and Williamson. No rank­ing is intended—they are both good with a capital "G." Indeed, to paraphrase Kipling (in reverse), everything that has ever been said about those young men is true.

And last, but far from least, there is C. L. Moore. I read five of her stories without being impelled to rave. Good jobs they all were, and done in workmanlike fashion; but nothing call­ing for repeated reading. Then The Bright Illu­sion! Man, there is a job of work—adult fare, that; no fooling! I have read it three times so far, and haven't got it all yet. Personally, I do not agree with her basic thesis—I believe, as I have had my heroes say, that while a terrestrial might like, respect, or admire a deni­zen of another world, he could never love one of them—but this divergence of opinion in nowise detracts from my enjoyment and appreciation of a truly remarkable and really masterly piece of writing. I have no idea whether Miss (or Mrs.) Moore is a young girl with an unusually power­ful mind and a full store of unsullied idealism, or whether she is a woman whose long and eventful life has shown her that real love is man's supreme dower. But whoever or what­ever she may be, I perceive in her Bright Illu­sion a flame of sublimity brighter, whiter, fiercer, and more intense even than the eternal fire of IL's great temple.—Edward E. Smith, 33 Rippon Avenue, Hillsdale, Michigan.

 

Posies

 

Dear Editor:

Brass Tacks section in Astounding Stories is very interesting. Some of these tacks, a sur­prising lot of them, stand out handsomely gold plated, while quite a few seem solid gold. Until just now no variant thought has suggested that I offer my modest easy-chair brass tack for the collection. The same variant thought suggests, however, that I ought at least to make it pretty with a diamond inset, but it hasn't shown me how I can do that.

Anyhow, congratulations upon producing a magazine in which a fellow with thirty-five years' experience in scientific work can find pleasure and relaxation, and for your "thought-variants," which most certainly can set him to thinking along new lines. The world to-day is full of inventions, discoveries, and knowledge the way to which was blazed by thought-variants of the past. And thought-variants of to-day and in the future are going to lead to many things of which we have as yet no practical conception. Add to a scientific background (I mean a basically sound foundation) imagination and the spirit of adventure, and a young fellow is equipped for a mental journey into the unknown. Give him in further addition the physical sound­ness of an air-transport pilot and his level­headed caution, a not too widely-swerving per­sistency, and a non-skidding fortitude, and his chances of arriving somewhere are doubled.

Far be it from me to offer complaints or criti­cism of the magazine. Personally, I'd buy it quicker if it had a different sort of name, and I'd like it better if what advertisements it contained were of a higher class. But the problems con­nected with the latter matter you know better than I, and a rose, no matter what you call it, smells just about the same. Besides, I couldn't suggest a better name.

I must put in a word for your artists. Scien­tific fiction illustration calls for special qualifi­cations. It takes, besides art ability, an im­agination approximating that of the author il­lustrated, a scientific and mechanical under­standing and appreciation that will prevent the artist's work from being merely silly, and an unnamable quality that helps the reader to lose himself, for the time being, in the story. There has indeed been some of the work not so good as some other work by the same illustrator, but what of that? Nobody, either artist or author, can keep up to the mark invariably in work of this nature. So here is a bunch of pretty posies to distribute among your artists—and I hope you pay them splendidly in good, hard cash. I like plenty of illustrations in the stories I read. In­cidentally I would remark that in science-fiction humor to me is only an irritant.—L. A. Water-smith, Gardiner, Montana.

 

First Letter

 

Dear Editor:

This is my first letter to any magazine, but I hope it will do to throw a few brickbats and also a few bouquets.

Lo! Rotten. I have never read (and I have read a lot) such a waste of good space as that serial (eight-part at that) is. It is concluded now and please do not print any more like it.

The Skylark of Valeron deserves all pats which it can be given. It surpasses all of Dr. Smith's stories. And that's saying a lot.

I like the idea of a semi-monthly magazine. I think that with the material you must have on hand and the material that you are constantly getting that you could get out two mags a month without letting them degenerate a bit.—George Richard. 819 West Gage Avenue, Los Angeles, California.

 

In Defense

 

Dear Editor:

I have just received the November, 1934, issue of Astounding Stories and, in reading the Brass Tacks department, have discovered a letter slam­ming Charles Fort's Lo!—a series of articles which I have enjoyed very much. The writer of the letter, Edward C. Love, classes Lo as be­ing "the worst written and the most utterly senseless" article that he has ever run up against. In fairness to Mr. Fort, deceased, I would like to say that Lo! is the most interest­ing collection of queer and unusual occurrences that I have ever read—and, so help me, that's not a lie. Mr. Fort must have spent a good number of years compiling material for his mag­nificent work. Imagine obtaining all sorts of periodicals, foreign included, in a search for unusual happenings! Imagine weaving these un­usual happenings into an interesting, yet sensible, article! What a task that must have been! I believe that Lo! is the only article of its kind in existence. My hat goes off to Mr. Fort. I simply cannot understand why Mr. Love de­nounces Lo!—T. Lutwiniak, 172 Pavonia Ave­nue, Jersey City, New Jersey.

 

"Macro-marvels"

 

Dear Editor:

About Lo! which is now completed. Those last several instalments about a star-shell not too very far away, and a stationary earth—that has sure got me. Everybody thought the earth was flat, and it was round. Maybe everybody thinks the earth moves, and it doesn't move. I don't know about that. But when Fort called to attention that a comet is said to be gas, space is said to be ultra depth-degrees in temperature —that's a poser! It would look to me that either comets aren't gas, or space is lukewarm in comparison to what has been the usual con­sideration of it, or am I wrong, or what, and why didn't somebody notice such an apparent paradox before, or have they, and if so what's been done about it ? From the publishing day of Lo! forward, I don't see how comets can be considered gas or gaseous, space to retain its quality of cold incomprehensible; or vice versa.

And next issue I understand the law of con­servation of energy is tossed off so nicely that neither the author, the editors, nor several university professors can find a flaw in it! And you call these things only super-science? Why, super-science is only stupor-science to thought-variant ideas like the macro-marvels with which you fill your miraculous pages!—Forrest J. Ackerman, 530 Staples Avenue, San Francisco, California.

 

List

 

Dear Editor:

Complying with your request that the readers limit the words per letter, I will make this one short. I think this is a good idea, as it will give room for more letters per issue.

Best complete stories in order mentioned: The Mole Pirate, Twilight, The Great Thirst, Outcasts, The Machine from Ganymede, Lost Planet, The Hormone.

Best serial: The Skylark of Valeron.

The announcement of a sequel to Colossus is as big an announcement (to me at least) as the coming of the Veteran story.—A. F. Wiggins, 2418 Stout Street, Denver Colorado.

 

"I Back You Up"

 

Dear Editor:

November issue : Skylark, A plus ; Twilight, A; The Great Thirst, A minus ; Outcasts, B plus ; The Mole Pirate, B ; Lost Planet, B minus ; The Machine from Ganymede, C ; The Hormone, C ; it's impossible to classify Lo! I can't make up my mind. Anyway, it shouldn't be classified with the stories.

Re Donald A. Wollheim's contribution to Brass Tacks, I am all for his idea with regard to a magazine featuring a complete novel each month along interplanetary lines, and a name such as The Planeteer couldn't be beat, unless you called it Hawk Carse! Anthony Gilmore, who wrote the series of four Hawk Carse stories was an author that appealed greatly to all the old Astounding readers. In fact, of all the novels and shorts that were printed in the old Astounding, Hawk Carse stories show a tendency to stand above all of them, according to the repeated calls that have come for him. You are seriously suggesting the idea of a semi-monthly Astounding, and I seriously back you up with the promise to buy it regularly if such a step is taken. Science-fiction has reached the point of popularity where It is not too reck­less to have two issues of a magazine featuring it a month.—Paul Cahendon.

 

"By All Means—"

 

Dear Editor:

Twilight, that swell story by Don Stuart, takes the cake for the November issue. And it's only a short story, too. It has a delicate beauty that is seldom found in science-fiction. The Skylark is also getting better and better. At first I didn't think so much of it but appar­ently he (Dr. Smith) is going to clear up that mystery about the chlorine planet. I'll have to wait till it is finished before I can tell what I really think of it, though, as parts of it aren't so hot.

I think that it's a very good idea to have an interplanetary number in addition to Astound­ing. However, I think it would be better to have two adventurers instead of one. Say a couple of pals or possibly brothers and have an adventure of one one month and an adventure of the other the next month. And then have an adventure of both combined once in a while. The reason I'm asking for this is that although I like Doc Savage, I haven't got to the place where I can always figure out in advance the identity of the master crooks.

By all means have Astounding a semi-monthly. —Lionel Dilbeck, 1834 Gold Street, Wichita, Kansas.

 

Mr. Daniel Defends Himself

 

Dear Editor:

Mr. Stuart crashes the headlines with his mag­nificent Twilight. I almost felt like crying dur­ing the sad tale, and could almost hear the for­getful humans singing their song. How about a sequel? I want to know if the "curious ma­chine" was invented!

Once again the question of absolute freedom of thought is brought up by its worthy exponent. I feel I am called upon to further defend my point, but I wish to do so in as courteous a manner as possible. The first point I wish to bring up is about a letter by a well-known author in a previous issue. He stated the old policy formerly used by Astounding Stories of long ago, bringing up its many bad points. We all agree with him. Next, I wish to drag the editor into our little tete-a-tete, although it must necessarily be open, and again array my side with official aid. The present policy, as I vaguely comprehend it, is very easy on all authors, new and old alike, allowing great vari­ation of thought. Only thus could Astounding Stories have risen to its present magnificent peak. Note carefully then, that the old As­tounding cruelly held new authors in check, al­lowing only well-established writers to contribute to its pages, and then only under horrible re­strictions. The present change has so opened the way, that we might say it is absolute freedom of thought. Then our point of controversy appears inconsequential.

But the modern Astounding Stories does have a trim policy, if I may be so bold, which will naturally put a ban on such stories as are called fantasy. Now! By my definition of fantasy I mean stories based on such superstitions as tales of living-dead, cemetery horrors, three-beaded snakes, horses with human heads, and such trash. I have no normal liking for that type of wild imaginings. (I'll bet I catch it now!) I was referring to the entrance of that kind of fantasy when defining your absolute freedom of thought to myself. Have I made myself clear, or does your own definition include that fan­tasy?—T. R. Daniel, 232 Olive Street, Clare­mont, California.

 

"Extra Good This Time"

 

Dear Editor:

Well, I was wrong. The Skylark will not take first place in every issue. Believe it or not, but I gave it fourth place in the November issue. That is due partly to the fact that the complete stories were extra good this time and the fact that the fourth part of Skylark did not come up to the others. Heavy water made a good theme for a science-fiction story. Murray Leinster is an excellent story teller. The Mole Pirate was very interesting. Twilight is one of the best shorts you have published; an unforgettable story. The rest of the shorts were fine reading.

I would not like to see a science-fiction maga­zine modeled after Doc Savage and The Shadow come out. Once you've read one, you've read them all. One author cannot write a book-length novel month after month without getting stale.

The total number of science-fiction magazines has not yet reached the figure of 1851. Mr. Hasse must be including magazines that con­tained occasional science-fiction stories—Jack Darrow, 4224 North Sawyer Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.

 

Ouch!

 

Dear Editor:

Of all the lousy, sloppy, putrid things a maga­zine ever published Lo! by Charles Fort, beats them all. It smells to heaven.

An editor who can get as good stories as the magazine has and then flops with this rubbish deserves a brickbat. Fort must be laughing up his sleeve at what jackasses some editors can be. No doubt he's preparing another pail of tripe right now, after seeing how you gulped down Lo!—I. B. Madd, Rochester, New York.

 

Request

 

Dear Editor:

I have been reading Astounding Stories for several years now, and I firmly believe you will make a better job of publishing it than the former owners.

I would like to get in touch with an American boy (an Astounding Stories reader) about four­teen or fifteen years of age, or if any reader knows one, would be please put him into com­munication with myself ?

I would also like to trade magazines with any lad in the States.—Hugh Carswell, 6 Selina Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

 

We Hope So

 

Dear Editor:

Congratulations are in order for the Novem­ber issue. The Mole Pirate and The Great Thirst were very good, but personally I am un­able to wax enthusiastic about The Skylark of Valeron. It's just another story to me.

At first I couldn't find much sense in Lo! but with the last few instalments I began to get the drift, as it were. I found Lo! very interesting, but it seems to me that the evidence is mainly negative in character and has little tendency to prove anything at all. Such articles as this, however, enhance the value and interest of the magazine and I hope that such articles will con­tinue to be published.

I now have a request to make, and please consider it seriously. Surely you have enough material submitted to make possible the publish­ing of Astounding semi-monthly, without debas­ing its present standard of excellence. I always finish reading Astounding within twenty-four hours of the time of purchasing and the four other magazines I read regularly are woefully inadequate to the task of filling out the rest of the month, so twice-a-month, please.—R. IL Sheldon, 903 Emery Street, Fulton, New York.

 

Supersalesmanship

 

Dear Editor:

I, too, have been adding my humble bit in the great and praiseworthy work of introducing more people to Astounding Stories. I exercised my supersalesmanship on five chaps just this afternoon. But, as is not my wont, I claim not one iota of the honor. The November issue did the trick. Nice work, editor, keep those good stories coming in our direction and here's one reader who'll never complain.

Just one question of you and I shall crawl back into my hole only to come forth to get my copy of "our" magazine each third Wednes­day. The question is in regard to Charles Fort's, Lo!

Why?—Donald H. Ward, 315 Florence Street, Houghton, Michigan.

 

We Shall

 

Dear Editor:

I have just completed reading the November issue of the Only Magazine and I want to con­gratulate you on that issue, as I think it's colos­sal.

In reading Mr. Donald A. Wollheim's letter I find that he has put into words one of my ideas namely, that of publishing a magazine using the interplanetary fields as the stamping grounds for adventure and romance. What have our other readers to say about this?

The Mole Pirate, by Murray Leinster, was superb—it was entirely different from anything I have read in a great while.

I have complied with your request. I have cornered two new readers. Astounding Stories is the best. Let's keep it better than the rest. —Paul Dean, 225 Roxbury Street, Clifton Forge, Virginia.

 

Tackling Fort

 

Dear Editor:

Well, Lo! is having its undesirable effect, as I long suspected it would. You cannot knock the scientific profession right and left whether in seriousness or joking without having several foolish followers.

Just to prove how easy it is to break down Fort's arguments, I'll tackle the one where he attempts to disprove the idea that the earth does revolve. In his characteristic manner, he calls upon deception to prove his point. He states that at great heights it is conceded that whatever air there is does not take part in the earth's motion. Then he goes on to prove that because clouds at such heights do not prove this motion, the earth does not revolve. Any region in the atmosphere high enough to support clouds certainly revolves right along with the earth and we, therefore, concede nothing to Mr. Fort or anybody else who uses newspapers for scien­tific proof. What really makes Mr. Fort look silly is that it can be proved that the earth does rotate by dropping a weight down a deep mine (it has been done, too). The weight always falls a little to the east and always strikes the east side of the mine, if it is deep enough, due to the velocity of a body being greater further away from the center of a rotating body. Enough said?

If any of the readers think that Fort has put forth some good arguments, mention it in your letters and I'll wager that some of our readers will take care of them rather handily.—Edward F. Gervais, 512 South Pennsylvania Avenue, Lansing, Michigan.

 

Please!

 

Dear Editor:

As I understand it, you are trying to gauge your readers' reactions to a twice-monthly As­tounding Stories. May I earnestly urge you to take this step? It would be a worthwhile impetus to science-fiction, and I believe such a two-a-­month magazine would be successful. Science-fic­tion fans are different than any others. While other reader groups would not particularly mind missing issues, a missing issue would be a major calamity to a science-fiction fan. He would buy every issue to come out on the two-a-month schedule, not merely one every month or so. That is why Astounding Stories fortnightly would be as big a success as the monthly. So trot out that two-a-monther!—S. L. Adessa, 18710 Wyoming Avenue, Hollis, Long Island, New York.

 

Praising Fort

 

Dear Editor,

After having read Astounding Stories inter­mittently since its beginning, I am at it again after a lapse of quite some time.

I did like the October and November issues, really. I liked all the tales, almost equally well. But, I must indeed compliment you on your good taste—perhaps I might well say bravery—in printing Mr. Fort's Lo! I wish to compliment the author! Evidently it didn't take so well with some readers—I notice it is gen­erally ignored in favor of the other stories—some mention it only to condemn. But, surely, it should cause one to think! Surely we should always be open-minded! I never have been prone to accept without question the pronounce­ments of our worthy astronomers and other scientists. Is anything ever conclusively proved? Have not a myriad "proven facts" in the past been later disproved? How about Einstein and his shattering theories? Can we smugly ignore them ?—D. V. Simpson, 137 South State Street, Marion, Ohio.

 

Oops!

 

Dear Editor:

Smith, Leinster, and Schachner! What a trio! What an issue! What a magazine! What a—oops! Pardon this sudden outburst, Mr. Editor, but if you knew how full my cup of joy is, I'm sure you would permit my rejoicing. This issue, the November one, is absolutely the best that ever was put between the covers graced by the fair name of Astounding, and them thar's big words, pardner.

I need not comment upon the stories, they speak for themselves. All you lack is a bi­monthly and a quarterly.—Irving Kosow, 3415 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, New York.

 

"A Niche Long Vacant"

 

Dear Editor:

Although I have read science-fiction steadily for the past three years, this is my first letter of comment to any science-fiction magazine. I wish to repeat first of all what you have heard from countless other readers—that your maga­zine is the best on the market.

The thought-variants have ably filled a niche long vacant on the shelf of science-fiction. I believe that they represent science-fiction in its broadest interpretation; they are subsequently true indices of the trends of modern science-fiction. This is exemplified by Inflexure in the October issue, which represents the best treat­ment of the true concept of a fourth dimension that I have encountered to date. The only glar­ing fault I can find in Astounding Stories is the steady recurrence of Lo!

I would like to suggest that you publish vot­ing blanks on which readers can express their opinions on the leading changes proposed by so many others.—Edward Hart, 140 Vermilyea Avenue, New York, N. Y.

 

Fightin' Mad

 

Dear Editor:

Hello, all you cranks and crabs who write in to Brass Tacks. You like plain talk? Well, here's a nice bunch of brickbats for you.

Point One. Those "rough edges, cut 'em straight" individuals, get this. Shakespeare would be Shakespeare even if it were printed on dirty shirt-tails! Harpers, Scribners, Atlantic Monthly, and Golden Book use the same type of paper and edges, so what?

Point Two. For the "when do we get a quar­terly" kickers, get this. One issue of Astound­ing Stories has one novel, two novelettes, and four shorts, and in addition one GOOD serial and Lo! (whatever that is). Show me any quarterly science-fiction magazine with that much reading, and I'll eat the damned thing, wire staples and all.

Point Three. "Wire staples" kickers, get the following. Wire staples are cheap and effective. If you add an extra-long operation like stitching to a magazine, it would cost the publishers more to produce. If you want your copies printed on linen and stitched, you can buy 'em from "S. & S." but not for twenty cents. Less ex­pense means a larger profit, a larger profit means more expensive stories.

Point Four. "The size of type" kickers. If you need glasses, for Pete's sake buy 'em. The type used by Astounding Stories now is stand­ard magazine type. If you can find a telephone number without effort, your eyesight is excellent.

Point Five. "I don't like your cover" kickers. Boo! Mr. Brown is a good artist, careful with his color, lights, and shadows. His covers are quiet, attractive, and in good taste. Compare them with Paul's this month, or Morey's on the rival magazine's covers. Paul has a nice scarlet sky, green and yellow monsters, and a yellow ground. Morey has a green, purple, and yellow dinosaurus, with a liberal sprinkling of orange-purple mountains, red and yellow sky, and nice amateurish black outlines. Swell for circus posters! Ugh!

There is your plain talk. Now you bunch of armchair Einsteins and sofa-cushion Millikans, listen. Brass Tacks is a criticism department where editors look for intelligent criticism and suggestions. Not a place for a bunch of chroni­cally dissatisfied old women to gossip behind their hands and air their theory of the universe and magazines in particular.

Mr. Jack Darrow's nice little kick on the num­ber of words per page is significant. I wonder if it is the same Jack Darrow of the executive board of a society sponsored by one of Astound­ing's rivals. I notice that that particular maga­zine managed to state this month that it has more words per page than any other of its rivals. It has only four complete short stories and two serials this month. The remaining rival has two serials and only three shorts, compared to Astounding's one novel, two novel­ettes, four short stories, and one serial.

Think over what I have said so far. I stand ready to make a public apology to any one or anything I have falsely or viciously criticized.

I have no connections with Astounding Sto­ries, and I don't care a hoot whether they pub­lish this letter or not, but right is right. Some people can kick more over twenty cents than Henry Ford can kick over two million. If you don't like the magazine, don't buy it.

I just love nasty letters, so don't hesitate, boys! I wish the editor would turn over all the nasty letters to me, I'd answer each one in dis­gusting detail, and thrive on it. So beware, you scallywags, the minute I see an unfair let­ter in Brass Tacks, I'll write to the donor, even if he is in Africa.

Both last month's and this month's issues were up to their usual standard. However, I hope you don't suffer too much from Lo!—Hubert Allcock, 301 Willow Avenue, Lyndhurst, New Jersey.

 

A Campaign Suggestion

 

Dear Editor:

Now that Astounding Stories is universally recognized as the greatest science-fiction maga­zine ever published, how about a campaign for science-fiction movies?

Five months ago I couldn't see bow your magazine could be improved. I still can't, but I know it will. One of Winchell's orchids to you, editor.—H. A. Egbert, 1827 East Albert Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

 

Rubber Staples And Doughnuts

 

Dear Editor:

Well, editor old kid, you won't reign long now. The good old SPWSSTFM is going so strong that I have been forced to hire six extra secre­taries to handle the inflow of mail. It was (is) surprising to see how many people actually want the wire staples pulled out of Astounding!

Two officers have been elected in the SPWSSTFM so far. The first is Virginia M. Parker, of Merigold, Mississippi. She has the title of "Grand Gadzook." She also suggested substi­tuting rubber staples, and she donated three cups of coffee and a doughnut to the cause, which makes her a "second-degree Grand Gad­zook." The other officer is Leroy C. Bashore, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania. He joined early, and contributed a check for five thousand dollars and seven cents to be used for the cause. I haven't figured out what to do with the seven cents yet, but this generous contribution earns him the title of "Honorary Igwagig."

Right here the Society wants to go on record as being in favor of two other things. The first is twice-monthly publication of Astounding, and the other is a suggestion made by another fan. A small dime magazine, featuring The Planeteer or some such character. Now we have sense enough to see that we can't get such blessings by asking the editor. It's up to you, readers. The more you (and we) boost and help As­tounding, the sooner we are going to see one or both of the above-mentioned blessings. The Society and myself are going to boost the maga­zine to the limit, so let's see some of you other mugs doing the same ! Correspondents please notice new address.—Bob (Dictator) Tucker, 210 Grove Street, East, Bloomington, Illinois.

 

The Enterprising Greek

 

Dear Editor:

I agree with the minority of Astounding Stories readers in that I do not like Lo! Be­fore I finished the story, I expected him to assert that the sun 'as a candle in the chariot of a Greek who was driving around the shell which is supposed, by Mr. Fort, to encircle the earth. I am glad that story is finished.

I am not in favor of Donald Wollheim's sug­gestion: That a dime magazine dealing with space travel be published by Street & Smith. It looks as if Astounding Stories will become bi­monthly. This, in my opinion, is better than another magazine.—Ralph R. Schroeder, 1022 Eighth Avenue, S. E., Rochester, Minnesota.

 

Maybe Soon

 

Dear Editor:

I have been a reader of your magazine since way back when, but this is my first letter. I don't care whether or not you print this in Brass Tacks, as long as you heed my plea. When, oh when, are you going to give us a quarterly? Surely, by this time, you must know that the Astounding Stories fans are just pining for one. And couldn't you possibly make the magazine a semi-monthly? Please comply with at least one of these requests, I beg of you.

How about some of youse guys and gals writing to a feller once in a while, eh?—George Meyers, 6218 Peterson Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.

 

Wait Until You Read Age

 

Dear Editor:

I have been reading your magazine for a long time, simply because I find it diverting. Though I have a Ph.D., I have never been over-critical, but I do want to protest violently against Schachner's story, The Great Thirst. Any story you publish should be plausible and, if based on things known to us, those facts should be straight. For example, the idea of using elec­tron guns on space-fliers is not so bad, but Mr. Schachuer's shooting positrons and electrons through the earth's atmosphere is totally ridicu­lous, as no such stream of particles could pass through an appreciable distance without in­numerable collisions with the molecules of the gases comprising the atmosphere. There are a few other things, but I'll be content to let it go after remarking that research chemists the world over would be somewhat astounded to hear that heavy water is unstable and decomposes in a day or two! I recommend that Mr. Schachner read some of the recent papers on collisions of positrons or deutrons with elements, rather than getting his dope from newspaper accounts.

Having started in this nasty vein, I add that I was about to insult Rexford for his letter, but am too overawed by the colossal impertinence of the man in criticizing the Michelson-Morley experiment without knowing what it was. Holy mackerel! As for Fort, he obviously had a screw loose, but his stuff is interesting, anyway.

Now, to take the edge off this, I must admit that Schachner writes darn good yarns usually. But this one was so bad I have a secret feeling I could do better myself.—Martin Fletcher, New London, Connecticut.

 

The Gunman Gets Us

 

Dear Editor:

Why don't you use that ballot idea suggested in the October issue and which I seconded? I'm sure it would save a lot of space for other things in letters, and also for more letters.

You say you could publish a semi-monthly and not let down on quantity or quality. How about it, then?

Mr. Love seems to have something wrong with his liver and is venting his bad feelings in Brass Tacks. I can't take issue with him on the Skylark of Valeron matter, as I'm wait­ing for all the parts before I read it. By the way, I said I was going to shoot you if you stretched it to more than four parts. Bang! Take that, you villain!—Arthur L. Widner, Jr., 79 Germain Avenue, Quincy, Massachusetts.

 

By Dold!

 

Dear Editor:

Just finished looking over your November issue, and I think it's great. Keep up the good work. The magazine is getting better and better month after month. I have a request I would like to make. I want a story by Elliot Dold. Here's my vote for a semi-monthly, and a quarterly. I have been a science-fiction reader for about six years, and Astounding Stories is the best ever. —Ben Dick, 1130 East 42nd Place, Chicago, Illinois.

 

And Another

 

Dear Editor:

The best thing you could do now is change Astounding Stories into a semi-monthly. At present, there are only three science-fiction magazines being published once a month, and these are hardly enough to satisfy the hunger of thousands of intelligent readers (science-fiction fans, in other words).

It makes me sad to note that Street & Smith, large concern that it is, only puts out one science-fiction publication. The only fic­tion worth while is science-fiction. It stimulates the imagination; it takes a person from ordi­nary, humdrum existence and puts him in other times, in other lands, in other systems; it helps one to understand and appreciate science, and it makes a person stop and marvel at the won­der that is Nature. Yet, in spite of all these benefits Street & Smith only puts out one such magazine and the news stands are filled with such trash as western, detective, gangster, and spicy stories ! How come?—Charles Pizzano, 11 Winthrop Street, East Dedham, Massachu­setts.

 

Fort Again

 

Dear Editor:

To a man of intelligence, Smith is highly en­tertaining, and Campbell promises to be. How­ever, your space could be much more profitably utilized by omitting such pointless wanderings as Lo! Mr. Fort is evidently a poor, deluded soul who thinks himself right and the world wrong.—Robert Moe, 13 State Street, Schenec­tady, New York.

 

"The Best"

 

Dear Editor:

After reading        concluding chapter of Lo! I would say it is the best story ever written in a science-fiction magazine; nay, any magazine. I hope to see some more of Charles Fort's work, if possible.—John Doyle, 1840 Sedgwick Avenue, New York, N. Y.

 

Short-short

 

Dear Editor:

First note, I'll keep it short. Twilight per­fect, sequel? Thought-variants all exceedingly good.

Wants: Clean-cut pages and covers—semi­monthly—Burroughs.

How about answers in Brass Tacks?—A. T. Hardison, care of Akron Rubber Company. 207 Central Avenue, Sarasota, Florida.