Letters: Jan. 11, 1926

Herewith are excerpts from letters come to the desks of the editors during the past week. They are selected primarily for the information they contain either supplementary to or corrective of news previously published in TIME.

“Utterly Disgusted”

Sirs:

I wonder if you realise that your readers are utterly disgusted with “flaying” and “flayers”? I wish heartily that in the future you return such epistles to their respective writers with a brief note advising them to take a cold bath, which will either cool down their ardor for writing altogether or induce them to rewrite their “stuff” in a gentlemanly manner.

The three flayers who fell upon Karl Busch in your issue of Dec. 28 surely went the limit. Especially reprehensible was the one who inquired for Mr. Busch’s address so as to be able to set the American Legion on him! As if the American Legion consisted of a mob of rowdies ready and waiting for a “lynching.

SAMUEL RABINOWITZ

Brooklyn, N. Y.

Let Rabbi Rabinowitz look on p. 27.—ED.

Foster Assailed

Sirs:

It is a matter of regret that space should be given in your splendid magazine to advertise a book by R. F. Foster, The Coming Faith (TIME, Dec. 28). It goes without saying that a man who has written 78 books on “bridge and other games” could not be a trained scholar. One statement is evidently true: “R. F. Foster is not a theologian.” The study of bis face indicates what Plato would call a “keen and narrow intelligence,” which was also true of Mephistopheles. While the crass and unbaked author may not have the “slightest desire to goto heaven” nor fear of hell, there is no danger of his going to either place, but one thing is as certain as the law of gravitation, and that is, that he will “reap what he has sown” in an effort to poison the minds of untrained thinkers—especially the young. Again the publishers’ “ad” is unethical in that it says, “Send no money in advance,” but when the postman comes $2.60 must be dug up in a hurry. This word is written in a kindly spirit. . . .

P. B. SAPP

Cumberland, Md.

Let Subscriber Sapp look on p. 26.—ED.

“Whole Cloth”

Sirs: On my regular cover to cover trip through TIME, I find the article (Dec. 28, p. 9) concerning the demotion of a War Department employe because of the misspelling of my name.

The reporter of the lone Washington paper* which carried this story made it up out of whole cloth. My adjusted service certificate was correctly made out and acknowledged from Iowa a year ago. There was no misspelling. No complaint was made to the Adjutant General. No employe of the Department was demoted as a result of any such error.

The unknown author of the original newspaper article was evidently staging an entirely imaginative expose of the “bureaucratic conduct of affairs in the War Department.” He should know that combat infantry organizations, in which the Secretary of War and his immediate subordinates served, are not the best breeding places for bureaucratic methods of any kind.

HANFORD MACNIDER

The Assistant Secretary of War Washington, D. C.

Praise

Sirs:

… I do not wish to become a bore, but I cannot forego the satisfaction of congratulating you on the exceptional article in last week’s edition on Senator Wadsworth. That article gave me a mental picture of the Senator from New York that I could not have secured without reading at least half a dozen books, and it was done so pleasantly and so briefly. It certainly was as fine a piece of writing as I have read in a long time.

HOMER GUCK

Detroit, Mich.

Blame

Sirs: Having received a great many appeals from the circulation department of TIME, urging me to subscribe on the ground that it gives a sophisticated” “more picture of keenly events etched, than a more daily paper, it occurs to me that it may interest you to know why I decline to be moved.

What I am interested in knowing is what is happening and what responsible people are saying. That I get from the daily papers and that I do not get in TIME any better nor in fact as well. What makes TIME attractive to its readers is the gently “snappy” way in which its items are written and its pose of sophistication, knowingness and slight derisiveness which is now the fashion. To me, whose business it is to know what is taking place in the world, TIME has nothing what ever to offer, except the comments of its staff and they have not the faintest interest. I have seen the magazine now and then and have frequently found it inaccurate and occasionally badly biased, besides being silly in hopes of achieving the light touch.

Doubtless there are people lazy in mind who find TIME useful, but nobody who thinks for himself ought to waste his time on it when there is a good paper to read. This for your information.

THEODORE CLARKE SMITH

Williamstown, Mass.

Praise

Sirs:

One day in the summer of ’23 I approached the news counter at the Mother Chautauqua on Lake Chautauqua. “What are you wishing this morning?” said the courteous clerk. “I am wishing for what you cannot supply. I am wishing for a current News Sheet which will give me the news, briefly, concisely and tersely, without confusing comments. But, speaking in the language of the man who stood looking at a giraffe: ‘Thur ain’t no sich animal.’ ” “Pardon me,” said the efficient young clerk, “but there is—here it is,” and he handed me TIME. I returned to the cottage veranda and although Bishop Brent was valiantly extolling the League of Na-tions in the nearby Amphitheatre, I read that copy of TIME from the upper left hand corner to the lower right hand one (there were no advertisements then**). After which, I “took my pen in hand” and sent in my subscription. Since then, I have brought it to the attention of my club women and other friends, many of whom are now subscribers. Your newsmagazine satisfies a long-felt want. You have the ability to inject a human interest into the dry current event-items. You present the characters who are in the limelight as real sentient, breathing entities instead of sort of automatons. You have us acquainted, we know them, and are personally interested in them. TIME has many virtues but I wish to speak particularly of your piquant, picturesque, poetical handling of our somewhat prosaic mother tongue. I think your ability in this line reached its climax in your issue of Nov. 16, p. 20, col. 3, when you say, “The thunder that darkly strode from the organ pipes . …” Ah! that I might have been there to see! Weird, mystic shapes, tremulous, vibrant, sonorous, which “strode” with intangible form down the dim cathedral aisles. Why, friends, I am 77 years old and I haven’t had such a thrill (literary thrill) since, at the age of ten, I read about “an arm clothed in samite—mystic, wonderful!” Joking aside, please do not let carping critics persuade you to change or abandon your charming diction. Why not clothe commonplace details with beautiful language? Keep up the good work, and if there are any more organ tones which darkly stride, strode, stridden or have strode down cathedral aisles, be sure and tell us about it.

LOUISE L. PHILLIPS

North East, Pa.

Blame

Sirs: Have been reading TIME for the period of three months, and have always recommended it as educational, clean, non-political and unprejudiced.

Your item entitled “At Rome,” Dec. 28 issue, p. 18, causes me to take back the credit I gave TIME and list it as an uncalled for agitation of literature or as the saying goes, good for one—bad for another.

Your press representative on this article is either unsound or miserably incompetent at his occupation, and if neither of these, I must say that he carries a certain amount of prejudice which is plainly observed in this article.

And for TIME, hereafter I don’t think I’ll find time to waste on it. Your representative I suggest should be given a position out in Hollywood writing scenarios or comedies for Charlie Chaplin.

I am a Catholic with malice toward none and a good word for all; was not born of hatred and can never be induced to possess it.

JOSEPH C. BENGEL

Jeannette, Pa.

The editors have reread the item entitled “At Rome.” They can find in it nothing that they consider unfair. No affront was intended.—ED.

Blease Praised

Sirs:

… A prohibition talk by Mr. Coleman L. Blease, which appeared in the Dec. 28 issue, p. 9, col. 2, filled my heart with Joy to read such splendid talk on the prohibition law. Mr. Blease stated that he intends to see the Government enforce prohibition on all persons in the country, whether they are foreigners or not. Then he stated that if we can get along without liquor, so can the envoys.

I must agree with Mr. Blease in this statement, and I am sure that every true-dry American will agree, because it’s too much of throwing a brick and hiding hands throughout this country in the prohibition law (especially in the South).

Since liquor has been voted out of this country, times have been better and the death rates lower, and I am sure it has helped our country in every way. So I am not a drinker and never have been, and I can clearly say that I am proud of the dry law and hope it will remain thus forever, especially until flowers are planted on my grave.

I hope the editors will find space to print these few lines.

ISAAC JONES-STORY-WRITER

Lake Providence, La.

Wants More Science

Sirs:

I am generally pleased with the new paper and think I am making a good exchange for the Digest, which is more biased as well as bulky. I particularly like your serene reaction to criticism, and must register approval of the fault found with your stress on pugilism among sports. What I miss is anything in the shape of a science column. Why not make the merest mention and untechnically of such pregnant improvements as the Spanish wingless airplane now under British tests ? The Farnsborough authorities think it the longest step in aviation since the Wrights and it seems fairly revolutionary in its promise. Or such items as Science Service of this city (conducted by that scientific and literary master, E. E. Slosson, formerly of the Independent) is made up of? Steps in medicinal and sanitary research tending to prolong the span of life, etc.?

Have you noticed the Britten bill for metric measures? What can have more general interest than this, both as a commercial and an international peace instrument ?

S. J. MACFARREN

Washington, D. C.

The wingless airplane and the Britten bill are excellent subjects, well meriting exposition—which they will get in an early issue.— ED. “Well Gleaned Science”

Sirs:

I am always greatly interested in your column under heading of “Science.” It seems to me to be very complete and well gleaned. From what sources do you obtain your paragraphs under this head and what publication on science and invention would you recommend tv the general reader?

LAURENCE R. GUTHRIE

Mercersburg, Pa.

TIME’S Science Editor gleans items from the lay and technical press of the world and from original sources. In TIME’s opinion the best publication on science and invention is Science Service (mentioned in the letter directly preceding Subscriber Guthrie’s). Dr. Slosson’s office is at No. 2101 B St., N. W., Washington, D. C. —ED.

Few Longhorns

Sirs: Aren’t you ashamed to speak of Texas’ pride in longhorns! Is it possible that you believe that there are longhorns in this state? I doubt seriously if you could find a dozen within our borders. San Angelo is in the heart of the cattle country and I haven’t seen any in more than ten years—probably twenty.

ROBT. T. NEILL

San Angelo, Tex.

Subscriber Neill is undoubtedly right. The longhorns were descend-ants of cattle brought in by the Spaniards. They were not of much use except for their hides, but they prevailed until the ranges began to be fenced along in the ’80s and ’90s. Then the white-faced Here fords came in. You see them in western movies now even when the period calls for longhorns.—ED.

Motor Ships

Sirs:

I have read with interest your issue for Dec. 14, particularly the article regarding the arrival in New York of the Motor Ship Gripaholm, p. 18, SCIENCE.

May I correct your statement that the Gripsholm is the first motor ship to cross the Atlantic. The first large direct oil-burning, motor-driven passenger liner to cross the Atlantic was the R. M. M. S. Aorangi belonging to the Union Steam Ship Co. of New Zealand, Ltd. This vessel was built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding Yards at Glasgow, Scotland, and sailed from Southampton Jan. 2, 1925, on her “maiden” voyage to Vancouver, B. C., calling at Kingston (Jamaica), Colon, Balboa, San Pedro and San Francisco.

M. H. GREEN

San Francisco, Calif.

*A misstatement; TIME has always carried advertisements. —ED.

**The Washington Post, whose editors (according to Secretary MacNider) “refuse to publish or answer letters of con-tradiction or correction.”—ED.