6 NOVEMBER 1964, Page 21

Missile Commander

I guess to be spending one's time spitting cherry-stones into iced water (counting how many float and how many sink) might not seem a task of much high reward for an ex-Colonel of Infantry on a missile site. No, sir. But do you know what better way there is of keeping a sound fit mind in a guaranteed, processed-steel, crap-proof bunker protected from anything but a direct hit on Texas? I can tell you there's a clear blue eye and a fine stiff upper lip needed for spitting cherry-stones. Yes, sir. Do you know that in twelve days, allowing one spit at dinner one spit at lunch per day, the current score (just for the record) is nearly seven hundred and thirty-three up for one hundred and eight-two down? I guess in Georgia those red bastards are pushing around one sixty five now. According to our checked latest reports they sure are hard on our heels. So if you'll excuse my rudeness I'll just stick with my conviction we can keep our nose ahead of those Russkies only through constant vigilance by our little bowl of white cherry-stones.

GEORGE MaCHETH

t MAX IN Vpasn..Collected and annotated by J. G. Riewald. (Heinemann, 25s.)

MAX BEERBOHM: LETIT.RS TO REGGIE TURNER.

Edited by Rupert Hart-Davis. (Hart-Davis, 42s.)