Well, I'll sign off. Here is a little toast to the magazine: "Long may it live."—Earl Rogers, 409—16th St., Galveston, Tex.
Two, Better Than One?
Dear Editor:
The two outstanding stories in the May issue of A. S. were "The Death Cloud," by Nat Schachner and Arthur L. Zagat, and "Dark Moon," by Charles W. Diffin. Common reasoning tells me that the heads of two Science Fiction writers can formulate a story better than one. I couldn't help admire Mr. Schachner and Mr. Zagat when I read their story because of the cleverness shown in it.
Please give us a story by them every month.—Ray Y. Tilford, Rockport, Ky.
"And Here I Am"
Dear Editor:
It's about time for me to concede that your or "our" magazine is the best I have read. Ten issues have come into my hands and I am perfectly well satisfied with the line of fiction that you publish. I have read about fifty different magazines on the market, and I am sure that Astounding Stories is the best of them all. I have followed the magazine for seven months and that is the best amount of reading any magazine can boast for me. In your case, if the magazine lasts seventy years, you can be sure that I will read it for that period of time (provided I live that long).
I notice that several brickbats have come into your hands and that you have printed them. Well, that shows sportsmanship on your part. I would suggest to those who are not satisfied with Astounding Stories to duck their head in a pail of water and pull it out after a period of ten minutes. Those who criticize the stories because of the lack of science have no idea what it takes to write a story. Please be willing to concede the Author the right of way. He is giving his theories and not yours. However, in some cases where the truth is an established fact, I can see where the Readers may present a justified argument. But they should remember that we are not all perfect and that mistakes are made by all. It is not fair to criticize an Author by denouncing him.
I don't favor reprints at all, but I can stay with the majority if they do. It is a foregone conclusion that you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all the time. In this case substitute the word "please" in the saying for "fool."