Dear C.D.: I, too enjoyed greatly our chat the other day.1
It was something of a jolt to me to find, in your letter of the 28th, a suggestion of personal disappointment in the event that I should do any magazine writing for any publication other than LIFE. It had not occurred to me that any such project could really have a personal angle, based upon a friendship that I have long valued.2
Doug Black has, of course, been one of my close friends since 1947, when he undertook the publication of a book I wrote.3 It has been only natural therefore that over the years he has from time to time suggested the interest of Doubleday in any post-governmental writing I might do. He was always quite well aware of the fact that other book publishers occasionally made similar suggestions. However, he never put his own proposals in any urgent tones; rather he put them on the basis of "we are here if you would like to talk to us."
In casual conversations I told him of my boyhood devotion to the SATURDAY EVENING POST. I was a steady reader of it during all my youthful years. Consequently, when there arose in conversation the possibility of my doing anything--outside the book area--it was only natural that I should think and talk a little about that publication.
In 1948 Mr. Black decided the best combination for publishing "Crusade" would be a Doubleday-Herald Tribune Syndicate. This time I think he felt that a combination of book-weekly magazine would be better. Indeed, I informed him that I would not write directly for any newspaper.
Some time back there finally began to be a series of suggestions made to me, but to all I replied that I was not ready to make any specific agreement or sign anything on the dotted line.4 For example, Harry Luce suggested the matter a year or so ago and very recently let me know that his interest in it had not flagged.5 In the meantime, I told Doug Black to explore in preliminary fashion such arrangements as would seem desirable to him. During the course of this time I talked to Mr. Hibbs, and received from a number of publishing concerns expressions of interest, some in general, others in specific terms.6 Being preoccupied with official matters and recoiling from any prospect of involving myself in "looking for the best bargain" and getting somewhat sick of the whole business, I finally told Black I would conform to any informal arrangements that he might deem satisfactory. Naturally I would and have not signed any official document, but am personally committed as indicated.
In putting all these facts before you (at least as I know them), I have two reasons:
(a) to assure you that it never occurred to me that any friend of mine could have such a deep personal interest in any writing I might do that I ran the risk of hurting his feelings because of failure to confer with him;
(b) that just as in 1948, I wanted to avoid any involvement in a commercial competition for any writing I might produce.
As I told you the other day, it is my impression that the Doubleday-Saturday Evening Post combination has reached the point of a clear, even though informal understanding--to exist as along as both sides are completely happy with the venture.7 As ever
P.S. Happy New Year
