Session: 1234567891011121314151617         Page 138139140141142143144145146147148149150151152153154155156157158159160161162163164165166167168169170171172173174175176177178179180181182183184185186187188189190191192193194195196197198199200201202 of 824

Yes. Originally, to have him make a speech was just agony--I mean, to listen to him.

How did he loose his stutter?

Unfortunately, I'm not sure in retrospect whether I preferred him when he stuttered and couldn't speak or when he spoke and couldn't stutter. [laughter]

Okay. We're going to go much more into Luce, but again--back to details about LIFE. In 1949, as you remember, there was the changeover from Thorndike to Thompson. And in August of 1949, Luce had proposed the formation of an Editors-in-chief Committee for the constant evaluation of LIFE, the editorial product. And I guess Thorndike quit saying--this is according to the Elson [Bob] book--saying, you know, you need one person with authority. Was that a way of pushing Thorndike out? Did Luce have confidence in Thorndike? He was only the managing editor for three years. Do you remember?

No, I don't think he really did. I'm not sure any of us did. Thorndike was a strangely remote person. He never wanted to wrestle, if you know what I mean by wrestle. Wrestle with ideas, and so on--

Struggle with--