to greater heights.

As for Mr. C. E. Bush: I am also amazed by some of the
letters in "The Readers' Corner," but not from those who
take their literature too seriously. Rather, from those who
write letters such as his. If he doesn't care whether a
story is scientifically possible or not, why, then, doesn't
he read Anderson's Fairy Tales or some of the Oz books?--Jim
H. Nicolson, 40 Lunado Way, San Francisco, Calif.

"_Shrewd," Yet Somehow Obtuse!_

Dear Editor:

I like your magazine. By this, I do not mean that it is the
best Science Fiction periodical, for it assuredly is not;
but it is the most reliable. I am sure when I pick up your
magazine that I shall find therein consistently interesting
stories. I have yet to find a story that failed to hold my
attention; on the other hand, I have yet to find a
masterpiece. Of all the Editors, you have shown yourself the
shrewdest judge of public taste, but also the least
interested in the advancement of Science Fiction.

Your authors are among the leading lights in Science
Fiction; yet, strangely, the days when they submit their
offerings to Astounding Stories seem to be "off days." Not
one of them has given us a story to equal his best for the
other magazines. For instance, Ray Cummings has yet to write
a story for you as entertaining as "The Girl in the Golden
Atom" or his others. Speaking of Cummings, I wish he would
take a course in grammar. His grammatical atrocities--such
as sentences without predicates--are eye-wracking.

The main purpose of this letter, however, is to offer a
fervent plea for reprints. I am unalterably opposed to your
short-sighted policy in regard to the reprinting of old
Science Fiction tales long out of print. You made an utterly
asinine statement when you declared that 99 per cent of your
readers have already read these classics. [We did not say
that. We said: "Would it be fair to 99 per cent of our
Readers to force on them reprint novels they have already
read, or had a chance to read?"--Ed.] I am willing to wager
that the percentage is nearer 10 per cent. For instance, can
a baby read magazines? You seem to grant them this strange
ability.

Most of the stories that should be reprinted were published
from eight to fifteen years ago, in o