Barriers Down: The Story of the News Agency Epoch
New York: Farrar & Rinehart, Inc., 1942. Very Good. Item #5712
New York: Farrar & Rinehart, Inc., 1942. Inscribed on front free endpaper in blue pencil by the author, former executive director of the Associated Press, to journalist William Safire: "Greetings to Bill Safire - KC alias (?) Kent Cooper."
Octavo; 324 pp.Tan cloth binding with title in orange and brown on cover and spine. No dust jacket. Cover has some rubbing and light smudges, spine toned. Pages clean and unmarked. Binding sound.
Tucked inside this book are two items of correspondence for Leonard Safir, William Safire's brother. Leonard was an an early TV and radio producer. At the time these items were sent, Leonard was working for the program "We, The People" for Young & Rubicam [New York Times, 1992].
1. Western Union Telegram dated Jan. 24, 1950 states: "Leonard Safir / Care Young and Rubican [sic] 285 Madison Ave NYK/ Appearance Captain Smoot Your Program Not In Accordance With Personal Wishes Commander In Chief Atlantic Fleet Who Feels That All Personnel Should Stick To Business Of Getting Ship Refloated STOP Suggest Appearance Suitable Person Be Scheduled After Ship Is Refloated STOP / Comdr John Preston."
2. Typed letter signed from John Preston, Commander, U.S. Navy, to Mr. Leonard Safir at Young and Rubicam. Feb. 15, 1950.
"Dear Mr. Safir: / Now that my major headache, the Mighty Mo, has safely departed for Cuba I thought I'd drop you a line of thanks. / The idea of putting someone involved in the business of getting the ship off on TV was a great one and everyone down here thought you handled it in fine style. Admiral Smith is full of praise for the way you treated him and I, personally, was glad that he preceded the singing mouse! / I am sorry that we couldn't crash through the week previously but maybe it turned out better to go on after we had made good on getting the ship afloat. / If you have anymore pregnant ideas that we can help you with let us know --- between subs, blimps, planes, and the surface Navy we have a lot of potentially good stuff. / Yours Sincerely, John P. Preston."
Price: $150.00