The Spirit of Croly

To the Editors:

Timothy Garton Ash’s splendid article in your November 22 issue prompts me to voice my gratitude for the New York Review of Books.

I was for many years the Editor of the New Republic, the journal of opinion founded by my parents and edited in its early years by Herbert Croly.

The spirit which Croly created and which Gilbert Harrison maintained in recent years was shattered when the New Republic, under its present owner, endorsed the bombing of Beirut by the Israeli Air Force. The editors refused to publish my letter of protest at the time; they have continued on their way, respecting power rather than principle, and promoting special interests in place of our general interest. Happily, the spirit of Herbert Croly still finds its voice in the New York Review of Books.

Michael Straight

Bethesda, Maryland