Writing was perhaps Max Gass’s favorite occupation, and as he did with his inventions, he sought actively to get his ideas out into the public forum. Max sent letters and poems to magazines and newspapers, manuscripts of plays and novels to publishers. After numerous attempts to find a commercial publisher for his play, Bacchus is Risen, he self- published it with Bruce Humphries, Inc. a Boston publisher, and the book was assigned a copyright by the Library of Congress in June 1941. A second play, Gateway to Valhalla was published in 1945 under the pseudonym Ben Emmet, also by Bruce Humphries, Inc. Following its publication Max sought for years to get the play produced, sending copies to numerous radio and movie studios, as well as theater production companies and workshops.

Max had his play Bacchus is Risen professionally critiqued, a service for which he liked played a fee. The analysis of his writing provides insight into Max’s lack of success in finding a publisher for any of his writings.

Max Gass’s correspondence reflects much of the inner workings of his wind and his values. In a letter to the Gillette Company, Max attempted to turn his flare for words into a job:

July 26, 1967

Gentlemen:

Allow me to introduce myself to you in a short summary. The following is confiden­tial. I have charge of inventory control at Hardware Agency Co.—20 Simmons St, Boston, Mass. Prior to that, I was a partner in the Liberty Wool Stock Co., Chel­sea, Mass., for eight years. I am 58 and a graduate of Boston University with degrees of L.L.I???, LLM and B.S.

I have busied myself writing in my spare time and have found a strength and knack for sayings of my own concoction. My writing to you is due to the thought that these ideas suitably imprinted on plaques might be appealing as a sales promotional idea in your Papermate line as well as some suggestions in some of your other products competing for the consumer’s dollar.

The need and demand for fresh and novel approaches may come in handy for manufacturers of the fine writing instruments and perhaps allow me to make my contribution to the growing field of knowledge. I feel that I can be of value to your organization and would like to meet you.

Sincerely yours,

Max Gass

Max wrote Gillette again three years later:

A letter to the Internal Revenue Service dated September 7, 1971, was written during a period when Max’s income was low but he and Adele continued to make generous contributions to charity.

Max must have written an extraordinary letter to General Dwight D. Eisenhower because he received the following reply.

Perhaps Eisenhower was responding to this treatise on brotherhood that Max wrote under the pseudonym Ben Emmet.

Brotherhood

His persuasive charms however did resonate with Drew Pearson. Drew Pearson (1897-1969) was a syndicated columnist and a strong supporter of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was renown for exposing corrupt politicians and was vocal about his views on foreign policy. During World War II he became a radio commentator and in the early 1950s he was one of the journalists courageous enough to take a stand against Joseph McCarthy.

It was not beyond Max to give unsolicited advice to corporations. This letter was sent to the F.C. Company in Green Bay, Wisconsin:

Gentlemen:

Having enjoyed several of your “Coated Banana Ice Cream,” it occurred to me that your product deserved a better name with which to parade its merits to the public, for whose favor there are many bids when it comes to delicacies.

I have a name for your product. It will retain interest and once seen, would not be forgotten. Would you be interested?

Sincerely yours,

Max Gass

This letter was addressed to Richard Birnbaum, the vice-president of AC&R Advertising, Inc.

November 30, 1976

Dear Sir:

In reply to your letter of Nov. 24, concerning advertising of TAP, The Airline of Portugal, of which you are the advertising agency.

I have seen the advertisements, some in the N.Y. Times and one in the Boston Sunday Globe. They are very decorative but my approach is that despite the beautiful trips offered to Portugal and other points, more attention should be paid to the enormous travel value offered during this inflationary period when inflation has diminished the monies in the individual travel budgets that would otherwise be available for travel, particularly to Portugal, which is not so far away.

The way it could be done without diminishing what you have to offer for a Portugal trip is to start off the advertisement with the following lead line in large letters:

                        YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE FRUGAL

                        TO FLY TO PORTUGAL

Reading the lines, Portugal has to be pronounced Port-toog-el to rhyme with frugal in order that people should remember it and look at it again. Your message should be more effective with this bit of verbal legerdemain.

Wishing TAP and yourselves every success,

Sincerely,

Max Gass
 

In this letter to H.P. Hood, a leading dairy in the Boston area, Max was promoting buttermilk.

     
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