寒假英语文章
ArnoldBeichman,1913-201*
Anoralhistoryandremembranceofagreatadventurerandfriend.
IDON"TKNOWHOWIFIRSTMETArnoldBeichman,butIdoknowI"llneverforgethim.Thenewsofhisdeathcameasashock,eventhoughhewasnotfaroffhis97thbirthday.Athispeakhewasabustlingtornadoofenergyandenthusiasm.AsCommentary"sJohnPodhoretzputit,ifwecouldbottleandtakewhateverhehad,"wewouldimmediatelyleadlivesofenergyandpurpose,highgoodhumorandgreatgoodfeeling,andasensethat,thoughtherewereverydarkforcesatworkintheworld,theworlditselfwasawonderfulplace."
WhenIlastsawArnold,attheHooverInstitutionpartyinWashington,hewas95andinawheelchairbutstillbrimmingoverwithlife.Ilastheardfromhimafewmonthsago.Ihade-mailedhimaboutMaxAscoli,aNewYorkeditorwhopublishedtheReporterinthe1950s.Arnoldrepliedandconcluded,"Anymorequestions?Askaway."Now,asIwritethis,IhaveadozenmorequestionsbutIguessthey"llhavetowait.
Theobitssaidhewasa"legendaryanti-Communist."Hewasthatbutitmakeshimseemfarlessinterestingthanhereallywas.IfyouaskedhimaboutCommunistsheknewinNewYorkinthe1930sand1940s,hecouldbespellbinding-itwashisinstantrecall,wealthofdetail,andtheunexpectedsidealleysofhismemorythatwouldholdyou-buthehadsomuchmoretooffer.
Heneverwroteanautobiography.Iaskedhimmorethanonceifheplannedtoandhealwayssaidno.Actually,threevolumeswouldhavebarelyscratchedthesurface.Hehaddecadesofdetailinhisheadandhelikedtoshareitwithyou,butheknewthatorganizinghisadventuresandputtingthemdownonpaperwouldbeaboreandanevengreaterchore.
AtonepointIembarkedonmyownoralhistoryandhedidsitdownforaseriesoftapedinterviews.Thatwasin1991.Hismemorywasalmostphotographic.Hewouldsurprisehimselfbyhisabilitytorecallnamesanddetails60yearsaftertheeventwithhardlyaseniormoment.Butifhewasn"tgoingtowritehismemoirs,Iknewitwouldbeabsurdformetotry.
Sometimeshegavetheimpressionthathewasn"tmuchinterestedinthebooksthathehadwritten.Hisbest(maybe)wasNineLiesaboutAmerica,withanintroductionbyTomWolfe.ArnoldhadalsobeenalifelongfriendofthenovelistHermanWoukandhewroteashortbookabouthim,too.HenevermentioneditinmyhoursofinterviewingandIonlyfoundoutaboutittheotherday.Ihaveneverseenacopy.IwaswithhimattheHooverInstitutionwhenhisbookonSoviettreatydiplomacycameout(1990).Hehadacopyinhisofficebutheseemednotmuchinterested.Hethrewitacrossthedeskinmydirection."Here,youwannit?"
Hewrotethousandsofnewspaperarticles,orcolumns,butattimestheyfeltperfunctory,too.Hewasanearlyadopterofthenewcomputertechnologyandhewrotewhateverhewroteasquicklyaspossible,using"macros"andhigh-techshortcutsthathisastronomersonCharles(aprofessoratCaItech)hadtaughthim.Agonizingoverablankpagewasnothisstyle.
HEgrewUPonNewYork"sLowerEastSide.HisfatherarrivedinNewYorkin1906andthefamily-Arnold,theoldest,hadtwosisters-livedonEldridgeStreet.Itwasafourth-floorwalk-upwithnobathroom.HisparentswereorthodoxJewsandtheirworldhadaradiusofalittlemorethan100yards.Yiddishwasspokenathome.
TheylivedinNewYorkCityjustastheylivedinKoIk.inaprovinceofUkraine.InNewYork,thehousewashere.Ablockawaywasthestore,ablockawaywasthesynagogue,ablockawaythekosherbutcher.Sowhydoyouhavetolearnallthesesillylanguages,likeEnglish?AlthoughmyfatherdidpickupItalian.
ArnoldlearnedtheTorah"forwardandbackwards,"andtheProphets.HewasgratefulforhiseducationintheBible.Thenhestartedto"playgames"withhisfather,forexampleaskinghim,"CanGodcommitsuicide?"SidneyHooktoldArnoldthatheusedtotryoutthesametrickswithhisfather.
EventuallyArnoldrebelled,refusingtowearaphylacteryandviolatingtheSabbath."IlostinterestinbeinganobservantJew."Nogreatguiltfeelings.SolomonBeichmanwasunhappy,becausehewantedArnoldtobearabbi.ButeventuallyheacceptedthatArnoldwas"livinginanothercountry."
Buthewasamajorinfluenceonhisson.In1933,ArnoldsuggestedthathisfathermightwanttosupportNormanThomasformayorofNewYork.ButSolomonwiselywonderedwhatwouldbecomeofhiscottongoodsstore.If
ArnoldBeichmanPage1ofsocialistscouldawaytakeyourpropertyintheUkraine,whynotheretoo?
Arnoldwasshortofstature-everyoneinhisclasswastaller.Napoleonovercamethat,buthowwouldBeichman"conquertheworld"?Hewenttoworkfortheschoolnewspaperandfoundthatreporterswerethecenterofattention.Especiallysportsreporters.Andthegirlstookasuddeninterest.Sothatwouldbehiscareer.HesethissightsonColumbiaUniversity,whichhadajournalismschool.(Nowit"sagraduateschool,butthenitwasforundergraduates.)IwantedtobreakoutoftheEastSidemold.Ididn"twanttobecomeadoctor.Iwantedtobeanewspaperman.IgotintoalongcorrespondencewithH.L.Mencken,whoselettersIhavesomewhere.I"dwritehimforadvice.IwrotetoHeywoodBroun,acolumnistontheNewYorkWorld.IneverthoughtI"dgetintoColumbiabecausetheyhadanumerusclausus,aquota.It"saphrasefrommedievaltimes.SomanyJewscouldlivehere.AtColumbiaitwas10percent.
Intenselycompetitive,Arnoldwasadmitted(in1930)mainlyonthebasisofoneinterview.Hewasreadingthenewspaperscovertocoverandwasreadyforallthequestions.Heknewdetailsofthe1922WashingtonDisarmamentConferenceandwhochairedtheSenateForeignRelationsCommittee
HebecametheeditoroftheColumbiaSpectatorandcameawaywithafewlifelonglessons,evenifhestillhadn"tgraduated(becausehehadn"treallystudied).HereturnedtoColumbiain1963andnotonlygraduatedbutstayedonandendedupwithaPhDattheageof60.
OnelessonfromColumbia:Don"tsuppressthetruthforsomehighercause.WhenfraternityboysthrewswastikasdownfromabalconyontoaJewishdancein1933,rabbistoldhim:don"tprintit."Itwastheoldbusinessofkeepitquiet."Later,whenhewasworkingforaNewYorknewspaper,PM,IrishCatholicsphysicallyattackedJewsinDorchester,inBoston.Publicitywouldonlyleadtopogroms,Arnoldwastold,butheignoredtheadviceanditbecameanationalstory."ButnotalinecameoutaboutitinanyBostonpaper,becauseCardinalO"Connellwasthepower."WiththeriseofHitlerandStalin,"politicsbecameaduty."AndherecameArnold"sfirstrun-inwiththeCommunists.TheCommunistsatColumbiawentbythenameoftheSocialProblemsClub.In1933theNaziambassador,HansLuther,wasslatedtospeak.Theyaskedmetowriteaneditorialopposingthat.ButIsupportedhisappearanceonthegroundsofacademicfreedom.ThenewSovietambassador,Litvinov,hadbeengivenaplatform.Theysaid,well,Lutherrepresentsagangstergovernment.SoIsaid,"Well,whomdoesLitvinovrepresent,ifnotagangstergovernment?"Theywerehorrified.HowcouldIsuggestthattheSovietUnionwasagangstergovernment?
ThenextdayhiseditorialattackedtheSocialProblemsClubandadvocatedequaltreatmentfortheambassadors.(Arnoldadded,inoneofhisinstantasides,thatwhenFDRestablisheddiplomaticrelationswiththeSovietUnion,theU.S.ChamberofCommercethrewabigcelebratorypartyattheWaldorfAstoria.)
ThatwasthefirstofmanyskirmisheswiththeCommunists.WhatArnoldsoonlearnedwasthatifyousharedpowerwiththeminanyenterpriseorforum,theywouldinevitablytakeoverthewholeshow.Ratherthanpartner,youwouldbecometheirfundraiser.
Howcome?Howtoaccountfortheirpassionateintensityandabilitytodominate?"Organization,"hetoldme,butitwasoneoftheraretimeswhenhisanswerdisappointed.WhittakerChambersaddressestheissueofCommunistzealinWitness.(ChamberswenttoColumbia,earlier,butheandArnoldnevermet.)
IngreatdetailArnolddescribedmanyofhisencounterswiththeCommunistsinthe1930sand"40s.Hegavemetheimpressionthathewasabletoopposetheirintensitywithacomparablelevelofdriveandenergy.Hegoton"verybadly"withI.F.StoneattheNewYorkPost,andforPMhewitnessedtheexecutionofLouis"Lepke"BuchalteratSingSing("horrifying").
IBECAMEGOODFRIENDSWITHARNOLDin1986,whenwewentonatwo-weektouroftheSovietUnionorganizedbytheRev.SunMyungMoon"sUnificationChurch.AllthehardworkoftravelwasdoneforusbyRev.Moon"sveryhelpfulassistants,andwehadawonderfultime.
Theyorganizedseveralsuchtrips.Theironywasthattheirgoalwastogetjournalists-rightlysuspectedofbeing"softonCommunism"-toseeitfirsthand.Ofcourse,mainstreamjournalistsrefusedallsuchinvitations,sothechurchwasreducedtobringingalongpeoplealreadyanti-Communist,amongthemBeichman,whoknewthestoryofCommunistperfidymaybebetterthananyoneintheUnitedStates.Infact,hisanti-CommunismwassowellknownthattheSovietshadneverallowedhimintothecountry.Itwasagoodopportunitytoobservehimcloseup.
ArnoldBeichmanPage2ofInLeningrad-todayitisonceagainSt.Petersburg-someofusdecidedtogobyMetrotothecenterofthecity."Ijustrealized,"Beichmansaidonthetrain,"allthesepeopleareCommunists."Welookedarounduswithrenewedcuriosity."I"vespentallthistimecriticizingtheSovietUnionandI"mbeginningtoworrythatnothinginiquitousishappening."Thepeoplewerelaw-abiding,nogunstotheirheads,goinghometowivesandchildren,somewithpackagesandbooksintheirlaps.
BeichmansaidthathisreactionwasobviouslysharedbymanytravelerstotheSovietUnion.Seeinglittletofeartheydecidethatanti-Communistsareparanoidandperhapsgoonpeacemarcheswhentheyreturnhome."IthinkGorbachevknewwhathewasdoingwhenheletusin,"Beichmansaid.
OnNevskyProspektayoungmansawthatwewereAmerican,cameup,andwantedtoexchangemoneyatthemarketrate(illegal).HewasopenlyscornfulofCommunismandsaidthatfewofhisfriendsbelievedinit.ButhefearedbeingdraftedtoAfghanistan.
Washeconcernedaboutbeingfollowed?Beichmanasked.No,theauthoritieswouldonlybekeepinganeyeonusifwewereWhiteHousebigshotsor,let"ssay,notoriousanti-Communists.Ididn"thavethehearttotellhimthatBeichmanwasoneofthemostnotoriousintheUnitedStates.Arnoldslippedhimafewdollarsandhewasgoneinasecond.
Afewmonthslater,onanotherMoonietrip,thistimetoKorea,Japan,China,andthePhilippines,Arnoldwaswithusagain.InBeijing,wehadfiercedisputesaboutthefutureofChina."Chinaisabignothing!"Arnoldsaid.HewastheleaderoftheonceLeninist,alwaysLeninistfaction-resolutelyresistinganyoptimismaboutChina"sprospects.WhenAlvinRabushkaoftheHooverInstitutionexpressedacautiousdissent,weheardfromArnoldrightaway."Womensquattingontheirhaunchessellingscrewsandjunk.Junk!Junkofjunk,that"ssubjunk.Shmattas[rags].Theytakebigshmattasandtheymakelittleshmattas.Fromthatyou"regoingtogetaconsumereconomy?C"mon,Alvin!"
"Theydidn"tevensellscrewsandragsfiveyearsago,"Alvinreplied.
"You"redreaming!Leninismisatheoryofpower.Theycannotgiveuppower."Later,asArnoldwasgettingintothebus,hesaid,almosttohimself,"Thetroubleis,noonereadsLenin.Theyjusthearaboutit."
Rabushkaturnedouttobeclosertothetruth,surely.Amazingly,China"srulingclassretainedpowerevenwhileallowingcapitalismtoflourish,afeatcomparabletodrivingthroughheavytrafficandchangingclothesatthesametime.ButArnold"supdatedthoughtsonChinaisonethingIwouldlovetoaskhimaboutnow.
LITTLEHASBEENSAIDORWRITTENaboutwhatmaybethemostinterestingperiodofArnold"slife.Fromabout1950to1970hewentoffonwhatcanonlybedescribedasfreelanceadventures."Ifoundawaytohaveallthepleasuresofbeingaforeigncorrespondentwithoutanyonetellingmewhattocover,"hetoldme.Heneverwanted"anexecutivejob,"butwenttoworkfirstfortheMusiciansUnion,thenfortheInternationalConfederationofFreeTradeUnions(ICFTU).Theypaidhisexpensesandastipend.Hewouldwritearticlesand"Communistanalysis"withforeigndatelinesforvariouspublications,especiallytheChristianScienceMonitor.
"IgotveryinterestedininternationaltradeunionismandtheinroadstheCommunistsweremakingintoAfricaandothercountriesastheywereliberatedfromcolonialrule."Arnoldtoldme.Somehow,thatbecamehisentreandpassport.WithGenevaashisstopoverhewouldbeintroducedtopeoplewithconnections.Whocanfollowwhatisreallyinvolvedwith"internationaltradeunionism"?Inevercould.
Hesaid,withoutmyaskinghim:"Ihavenevertaken,thatIcanthinkof,adimefromtheU.S.government."Ibelievethat.ButdoesitnotseempossiblethattheICFTU(foundedin1946)receivesatleastsomegovernmentfunds?GeorgeMeanywasafriendandallyofArnold"s.
BeichmanwasinEastBerlinin1952,Stockholmin1953,Algeriain1957,SouthVietnamin1959,theCongoin1960,andGhanain1971.Healsobecame"theworld"sexpertonArabtradeunions."(Whocandisputethat!)TheChristianScienceMonitorpublishedasapamphlethisseriesofarticlesonunionsinEgypt,Syria,Iraq,andelsewhere.ArnoldwasalsoinYemen(whenIdon"tknow).HeknewTomMboya,assassinated(probably)byalliesofJomoKenyattainNairobiin1969.(PresidentObamahasreferredtoMboyaas"mygodfather.")SirRoyWelenskyofNorthernRhodesiawasanotherofArnold"sallies,andamanafterhisownheart.
"Stalinhadjustdied,"ArnoldsaidofhistriptoStockholm,"andthat"swhereImetBillColby-hewasCIAalthoughI
ArnoldBeichmanPage3ofdidn"tknowit-andIhelpedhimoutofaverybadscrape.It"salongstoryandI"llsaveitforanotheroccasion."Thatoccasionneverarosemyfault,nothisreluctancetotalk.
HewasinTunisiain1957andfromtherewenttoAlgeria,having"arrangedthatinNewYork."TheAlgerianwarwasjustbeginningandArnoldwasitsfirstwarcorrespondent."That"sastoryinitself."Again,Ineverpursuedit.HetookalonganexcellentcameraandhispictureswerepublishedinNewsweek.AtthattimehebecamegoodfriendswithArnauddeBorchgrave.
Vietnam?Whatwashedoingthere?He"becamefriendswithDiemandflewaroundthecountrywithhim"-anotheruntoldstory.
WhattookhimtotheCongo?Hedidtellalongstoryaboutthat."IpredictedthearrestandexecutionofPatriceLumumbatwomonthsbeforeithappened,"Arnoldtoldme.ThenhetoldfriendsattheAmericanembassywhathehadheardandtheysaid,"Gee,wheredidyougetthat?"
"Myboysinthetradeunions,"Arnoldconfidedtome."Atthattimethetradeunionswerethebestinformedpeople,outsidetherealholdersofthesecrets."
InGhana?HewenttheretowritesomethingafterNkrumah"soverthrow,stoppingoffinGenevatohearthetrade-unionangle.ArnoldwasgivenavillainAccravacatedbytheEastGermans.Ghanaatthatstage"mightjustaswellhavebeenaSovietprovince,"hesaid.TheSovietambassadorwasknownasthevicepresident.
"IloathedNkrumah,"Arnoldsaid.ButhethrewhimasidelongglanceofsympathybecauseNkrumahwasnaiveenoughtobelieveallthebattythingsliberalsweresaying."That"sastoryinitself-thegreatdiscoveryofAfricabyAmericanintellectuals."Iwaslookingforwardtohistirade,butthenhedistractedme:"TherearethingsIcannottalkabouttothisday,abouthowNkrumahwasousted.""Howwashe?"
"Can"ttalkaboutit.1amhonorboundnotto.AndIsimplywillnot."Nordidhe.
Anewdealerinthe1930s,ArnoldwasaKennedyDemocratby1960.AlongwithMeany,ArnoldshowsupwithJFKinBerlin,andisofferedthejobofassistantsecretaryoflabor.Butheturneditdown."Ingovernmentyouhavetokeepyourmouthshutandbowyourhead."DanielP.Moynihanacceptedthejob.
Later,ArnoldbecameanhonorarymemberoftheReactionariesLuncheonClubinLondon,alongwithKingsleyAmis,ColinWelch,AnthonyPowell,RobertConquest,andothers.TheymetweeklyatBertorelli"snearWhitehall.ArnoldwasdoingresearchforhisPhD-somethingtodowithTorypolitics.HelivedinChelsea.Hissurroundingswerealwaysstylish.
Meanwhiletherehadbeena"messy"firstmarriagetoapianist,"troubleinsplitsville,"andamysteriouswalk-onroleforWalterWinchell,theinfluentialgossipcolumnistwhoknewsomethingimportantaboutthedivorcethatArnoldrefusedtodiscuss.
Arnoldregretsmissing"theadventure"ofWorldWarII.HehadlearnedtoflyandhadbecomeagoodfriendofHerbertDargue,thecommanderofMitchelFieldonLongIsland.Arnold,then28,wantedtojointheArmyAirForceandDarguewassmoothingovertheageproblemwhenhewaskilledinaplanecrash.ThenArnoldwasturneddownasaMarinecombatcorrespondent.Onthedayhewasdrafted,anewregulationexemptedmenwithtwochildren,whichbythenhehad.
Laterheco-pilotedaCessna310acrosstheAtlantic,NewYorktoBrussels-a"terrificadventureforhim,"saidCarrollBeichman,hissecondwife.ShewasmarriedtoArnoldforalmost60yearsandtheylivedmostlyinBritishColumbia."Flyingsmallaircraftwasamajorpassionforhimandhediditwheneverhecould,"shesaid.
Arnoldmeantitaboutmissingthe"adventure"ofwar.Whathereallywantedwasanadventurouslifeandhehadone.HewasshotatinYemen,Algeria,andVietnam.Iregrethisunwrittenmemoirs,whichcouldhavebeentoldaspureadventuresratherthanasanti-Communistparryandthrust.Butofcourselivingthemwasenough,andmakingthemasenjoyabletoreadastheyweretolistentowouldhavebeendifficultindeed.TomBethellisasenioreditorofTheAmericanSpectator.CopyrightAmericanSpectatorMay201*
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扩展阅读:寒假英语作文
DearSteve,
I’velearnedaboutyourproblems.Ithinkyoudon’thavetoworrysomuchaboutit.Ihavesomeadvicethatmayhelpyoualittle.
IfIwereyou,IwouldtakeanactivepartingroupworkinclassandexpresshowIfeelandwhatIthink.Iwouldalsotrymybesttotalkwithmyclassmatesasoftenaspossibleafterclass.Itwillletyourclassmateknowyouareeasytogetalongwith.
ThenIthinkyou’dbettersay“hello”toclassmateswheneveryoumeetyourclassmates.Andyoushouldhelpotherswhentheyareintrouble.Ifyoudothat,youclassmatesmaythinkyouarefriendlyandhelpful.
Beside,whydon’tyouenjoytheclassactivitiessuchassportsmeetingorsinging?Itwillmakeyoubemorepopularinschool.Asyouknow,itisveryimportantforyoutobeconfidenttogetonwellwithothers.Ihopeyouwillbebettersoon!
Bestwishes,
Diana
OurSteelRoselostachancetotakepartintheWomen’sWorldCup.Buttheplayersnevergaveup.Theysaidtheywouldtrytheirbesttoimprovethemselves.
Ialwaysmeetsomeproblemsinmystudy.Ithinkthehomeworkistoomuchforme.SoIhavetoolittletimeforrest.Butitdoesn’tmatter.Ialwaysfoundsomethingrelaxingtohelpmerelax.SometimesIfeelundertoomuchpressure,andIreallytiredofstudying.SoIshouldlearntotalkwithothers.It’sagoodwaytoreleasepressure.AndIthinkIhavelostmyself.Thisfeelingmakesmeangryeasily.MyteachertellmeIshouldmakeagoodplanformyselfandfindoutmyownwaytolearn.
Inaword,Iwillnevergiveup.Imustregardtheproblemsaschallenges.Thereisnothingdifficult,ifeveryoneputstheirheartintoit.SoIwilltrymybesttomakemydreamcometrue.
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