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Start Over Collection Booth Tarkington Collection

1942 January 19 Booth Tarkington to "Dear Pratt" [Henry Pratt Smith?] concerning the state of the war, tells a humorous story of a local enemy plane spotter from Kennebunkport who saw a black plane overhead and "hurried back to the village and reported the black plane to Mitchell Field - in a letter." He goes on to compare the current time to World War I, 1918, after Ludendorff had thrust through to Amiens, when all the military authorities, diplomats, and newspapers were gloomy. Even after the Germans fell behind the Hindenburg Line, they all predicted a long war ahead. (oversize) Oversize

  1. University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.
  2. Booth Tarkington Collection
  3. Series II: Correspondence
  4. Subseries A: Letters to and from Booth Tarkington

1942 January 24"Pratt" [Henry Pratt Smith?] to Booth Tarkington, thanks him for his letter, appreciates that the coast is well protected and thinks that hunting for subs with depth bombs would be a more interesting and exciting sport than hunting whales; he also gives his assessment of the state of the war, expecting Hitler to revamp and dash off to Africa through Spain and Portugal, and through Turkey to the Dardanelles to grab the Mediterranean; discusses the debate about whether it will be more effective to tackle the Pacific or Europe first; worries if the Axis powers are able to take control of the Philippines, Singapore and the Dutch East Indies, since that could prolong the war by at least five years, concluding: "All that we can do is to hope, keep our chins up and trust that a reorganization of those in charge of our production in Washington will bring about a situation where maximum results may be obtained. I consider it quite an accomplishment for Mr. Big [F.D. Roosevelt?] to do as he should have done a year or a year and a half ago, appoint one competent individual at the head of our defense program, which I think is the most encouraging step that has been taken, but whether or not he will keep hands off is still somewhat problematical, and if we could get Mrs. Big to retire gracefully from her continuous and irritating activities, we would be still better off." Box-folder 1:37

  1. University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.
  2. Booth Tarkington Collection
  3. Series II: Correspondence
  4. Subseries A: Letters to and from Booth Tarkington

1943 March 19[Walter Moses] to Booth Tarkington, Indianapolis, Indiana, with news clipping, Moses, a classmate of Tarkington while at Princeton, in the Class of '95, thanks him for his letter to the City Council of Indianapolis urging the rescue of stray dogs by the establishment of a downtown municipal pet shop where stray dogs will be sold for four dollars. Tarkington's letter first appeared in The Indianapolis Star, March 16, 1943, under the caption "Tribute to Man's Friends." Box-folder 1:38

  1. University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.
  2. Booth Tarkington Collection
  3. Series II: Correspondence
  4. Subseries A: Letters to and from Booth Tarkington

1943 October 14 Booth Tarkington, Kennebunkport, Maine, to Elizabeth Trotter, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, sends news about Kennebunkport, the C.G. dinner and celebration, an explanation about the gift of a pair of amber bottles as tokens of birthday esteem from Booth and his wife, Susanah Keifer Robinson Tarkington, news of Betty, and a story about Miss L. Keifer being threatened by boys throwing rocks at his front terrace and about 75 or 80 gray squirrels "trying nobly to hit her with acorns." Box-folder 1:40

  1. University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.
  2. Booth Tarkington Collection
  3. Series II: Correspondence
  4. Subseries A: Letters to and from Booth Tarkington

1944 December 13 Booth Tarkington, Indianapolis, Indiana, to Elizabeth Trotter, writes about one of the boys from the area, who was just 19, missing in action; the request by the Army and Navy for everyone not to travel on the trains during the holidays to leave space for the servicemen, so Betty just can't get home if she tried; mentions the gale and great tide and its effect upon Kennebunkport where part of the seawall is down and Scott Campbell's lawn and cellar ran deep with salt water. Box-folder 1:41

  1. University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.
  2. Booth Tarkington Collection
  3. Series II: Correspondence
  4. Subseries A: Letters to and from Booth Tarkington

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