Letters: Enthusiasm

Sirs:

. . . We have been exceptionally pleased with your paper in school work and intend to use at least 150 copies next year. The children are always eager to get the paper and study it through from cover to cover with far more enthusiasm than they ever did some of the older current event papers.

LUTHER VAN HORN

Norwalk Public Schools, Norwalk, Ohio

Big “D”

Sirs:

An English journalist who counts himself among your well-wishers ventures to hope that the column in TIME, May 2 about the MacDonalds is not a fair specimen of your standard of accuracy.

You ought surely to have noticed that Mac spells his name with the capital D. Ishbel is not 24, but 22. She did not read greetings from her father. She made her own speech at the great Century Theatre meeting of the Jewish Daily Forward, without a scrap paper, expressing in one sentence her father’s regrets for his absence.

Yours for the cause!

S. K. RATCLIFFE New York, N. Y.

The British Who’s Who 1927 and Europe 1927 (standard international year book) both spell “James Ramsay Macdonald” with a small “d.” But, from so close a friend of Mr. MacDonald as Journalist-Lecturer Samuel Kerkham Ratcliffe, TIME welcomes the information that onetime Premier MacDonald now defies the authorities and spells his name with a big “D.” His former habit of signing with a small “d” is attested by British passports signed by him during his Premiership, and recently examined by TIME to verify the spelling and capitalization “James Ramsay Macdonald.” Since no one but Miss Ishbel MacDonald should receive credence in the matter of her age, TIME requested and received the following telegram: “BORN MARCH TWO 1903 (Signed) Ishbel MacDonald.”—ED.

Fastest Growing?

Sirs:

This letter is to compliment you upon a very good subscription letter that came to my desk recently.

Notwithstanding that this letter is both impressive and compelling, there is one little error that I am sure you would desire to have called to your attention. That is the line “TIME is the fastest-growing non-fiction magazine in the U. S.”

You will be interested to know, I am sure, that one of our publications, Better Homes and Gardens, started a little more than five years ago and today has a circulation of practically 900,000. We have just announced an increase in advertising rates effective in January, 1928, with a guarantee of 1,000,000 circulation. There has never been, in the history of magazine publishing, a non-fiction magazine whose circulation has grown so rapidly. In fact, to the best of our knowledge, there has never been a home publication whose circulation has ever exceeded a half-million without fiction and fashions. Better Homes and Gardens has neither.

Because TIME and Better Homes and Gardens are the most discussed publications in the field today, each serving its field in a new and distinct way, we feel that you ought to know more about Better Homes and Gardens, and we would be glad to send you, with our compliments, each issue for the next several months.

FRED O. BOHEN

Meredith Publishing Co., Des Moines, Iowa

Better Homes and Gardens increased from 700,000 in 1926 to 900,000 in 1927 and guarantees 1,000,000 in 1928. These are increases of 29% and 11% for these two years. TIME increased from 100,000 (January 1926) to 138,000 (January 1927) and guarantees 175,000 for 1928 — increases of 38% and 26%. TIME, then, well merits the title of “fastest-growing.” Despite this fact, TIME does not wish to have its advertising claims questioned and shall change the line to read “fastest-growing non-fiction weekly in the U. S.” and leave the title of “fastest-growing non-fiction monthly” to fast-growing Better Homes and Gardens. — ED.

“Swen Olsen”

Sirs: An interesting tale came to me the other day and, though it came from a credible source, I am passing it on to you for verification — with the thought in mind that, if true, it might be equally interesting to you. The story goes around through our northern Scandinavian country that the real name of our great bandmaster, John Philip Sousa, is Swen Olsen. It was his custom, in traveling about the world, to mark his luggage with his initials, S. O. followed on the same line with U. S. A., for United States of America. From this evolved his name Sousa, which no doubt to his mind was a grander name for a world famed bandmaster. K. S. ROSAAEN

St. Louis, Mo.

On p. 175 of Through the Year With Sousa (published by Crowell) by John Philip Sousa, Mr. Sousa says: “The story of the supposed origin of my name is a rattling good one, and, like all ingenious fables, permits of international variation. The German version is that my name is Sigismund Ochs, a great musician, born on the Rhine, emigrated to America, trunk marked S. 0., U. S. A., therefore the name. The English version is that I am one Sam Ogden, a great musician, Yorkshire man, emigrated to America, luggage marked S. O., U. S. A., hence the cognomen. The domestic brand of the story is that I am a Greek named Philipso, emigrated to America, a great musician; carried my worldly possessions in a box marked S. O., U. S. A., therefore the patronymic.” Mr. Sousa was born in Washington, D. C., 1854. His father was Portuguese, his mother Bavarian. — ED.

An Insult to Congress

Sirs: I am surprised that your usually (and unusually) well-informed editors should say (TIME, April 18) : “Just as the original 13 American United States grew so mutually jealous that in 1790 it was necessary to set aside the District of Columbia.” If you don’t know better the causes of the setting aside of the District of Columbia, let Mr. W. E. Woodward, whom you so much admire (TIME, April 25) tell you: “Eighty soldiers mutinied at Lancaster, Pa., in June, 1783. They marched on Philadelphia and appeared in front of the State House where Congress was in session. Congress called on the Executive Council of Pennsylvania, meeting in the same building, for protection, but the Council was afraid to bring out the militia, as it was thought that the militia might join the mutineers. The soldiers declared that they wanted their pay and intended to take it from the treasury. They pointed their guns at the Congressional windows but did not fire them. Congress sent an urgent message for help to Washington, who was then at West Point, and without waiting to see what the result would be, the members of Congress unheroically slipped through the back door and made their way through a golden June sunset to Princeton in New Jersey, thus abandoning the seat of government to eighty mutineers and a sergeant.”—Washington—Hero or Image. It was to assure to Congress a home of its own where it could protect itself from insults of this character that the District was established. TENCH T. MARYE

Washington, D. C.

In Latvia

Sirs: To a relative of mine who happens be in Riga, Latvia I send frequently your delightful periodical. I herewith quote a criticism on the subject of an article that appeared in an issue several weeks ago [TIME, March 28] to the effect that the German Envoy to Latvia was making himself and his country popular by taking to the local customs and drinking beer with the natives: “TIME seems a little misinformed. Dr. Koester has been here since Latvia was acknowledged as such by the Germans—not three months ago as TIME has it. It is true he is a florid beerbibber and goes in for ‘Beer Abends’ sing-songs —’very-very’ parties lasting well into the day after, but these are entirely international and he has had them all the time, so that is nothing new. He is a cheery bird but as a minister representing a Great Power he lacks in dignity. He fraternizes with all the Revue actresses—German and Lettish, and doesn’t do it discreetly either. I wonder if you spotted in that same issue—Foreign column—another error. There is a long article on Maria Feodorovna—nee of Denmark and it goes on to say ‘whom you see here’ and the accompanying picture is of the murdered Empress Alexandra of Russia.” H. G. ADDISON

Washington, D. C.

To the International Newsreel Corp., a rebuke for supplying TIME with a photograph of the late Empress Alexandra labeled “Maria Feodorovna Russian Czarina B 8146.” To an erring TIME subeditor, a thoroughgoing reprimand for not discovering that Dr. Adolf Koester was appointed German Minister to Latvia on Feb. 6, 1923.—ED.

Again, Altman

Sirs: Thank you very much for publishing my letter of recent date in your “worthy” magazine. I consider it a great compliment, but would appreciate your reply as to your reason for labeling it as “Humbug” and for leaving out passages which I considered essential toward bringing out my point. My opinions are always subject to correction, and if there is any suggestion you have to offer as to why they are faulty, I shall be very grateful to you. Can you furnish any sound reason as to why I should embrace a deity which offers no evidence of existence ? If I should place my faith in this deity, why wouldn’t it be just as logical to place my faith in Santa Claus as well? In fact the latter gentleman ought to command more respect, as he at least shows some signs of life when Christmas gets around. In that respect the children show more signs of intelligence than their elders. They believe in St. Nick and at least have something to show for their beliefs, while what can their elders show for their belief in His Celestial Majesty? Belief in the former has always brought joy and good fellowship, while belief in the latter has brought nothing but strife and bloodshed ever since the race succumbed to its dread influence. Kindly look up the following citations: Gen. 38: Ezek. 16: Gen. 19:30-38; 20:18; 25:24-26; Ezek. 33:23; Lev. 15:16-33: Deut. 23:1; 2:13; 25:11-12; 1 Sam. 25:22; 2 Sam. 11:2-5; 1 Kings 14:10; 16:11; 21:21: Job. 40 :16-17 ; Luke 1:41-44 ; Rom. 1:26-27. Wonderful moral lessons might be learned from these. If you print this letter which you are at liberty to do, you might better exclude these citations as they might open some people’s eyes and thus make infidels of them, thereby jeopardizing their happiness in the world to come.

May I have a reply at your earliest convenience ? STANLEY B. ALTMAN

Albany, N. Y.

Too Abrupt

Sirs:

Kindly discontinue my subscription to TIME. Your magazine is too abrupt and uninteresting.

JACK GLASS

Detroit, Mich.

Carter Praised

Sirs:

The Forum is the last magazine in the world to protest at honest difference with its authors’ opinions, but it really must insist that the facts stated shall have some relation to the facts as they exist.

John Carter [TIME, May 9] is not a reporter, but the assistant editor of the [New York] Sunday Times Book Review. He is a contributor to various magazines as well as to the Forum, and his weekly critical articles in the Times make him at least as well known as any other writer of open letters. He has been in the American Diplomatic Service, he has written a book on international politics, and he specialized in history at Yale, both as an undergraduate and as a graduate student.

These facts have an obvious bearing on your story, but are not mentioned. They are readily ascertainable by all who are familiar with American journalism, among whom, I fear, the writer of TIME’S article is not to be included.

JOHN BAKELESS

Managing Editor The Forum, New York, N. Y.

Mr. Bakeless refers to an item which related how John Carter, newspaperman, had addressed an open letter to President Coolidge. TIME holds that it is inappropriate for newsgatherers, far less assistant literary editors, to address open letters to the President of the U. S. Fully acquainted with Journalist Carter’s record, TIME did not dwell upon those portions of it from which he might be expected to have learned who may appropriately address open letters to the President of the U. S. Would Managing Editor Bakeless, himself the author of two volumes on international politics (Economic Causes of Modern War, The Origin of the Next War), himself a student of history at Williams College and Harvard University, consider himself a proper person to address open letters to the President of the U. S.? — ED.

Victim Helped

Sirs:

I have just read the letter of C. R. Crane, R. F. D. Box 24, Wagoner, Okla. [TIME, May 16]. Will you ask him if he will accept a continuance of TIME from me? I like TIME and believe if I were hit by his apparent misfortune I’d be pleased to have it come to me even then, however hard I was hit.

Let me know.

GEO. E. MORGAN

Cleveland, Ohio

Sirs:

I am enclosing my cheque for $5 for which please send TIME for one year to ex-subscriber Crane, with my compliments.

The attached clipping will explain this action.

ARTHUR M. ROSENBLOOM

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Sirs:

Just renew the subscription of “Victim” C. R. Crane, Wagoner, Okla. Cheque herewith for five dollars.

FRANCIS WRIGHT CLINTON

The Danbury Hat Co., New York, N. Y.

The letter of Subscriber Morgan arrived first.—ED.

Victim Defended

Sirs:

Was an [effort] made to amuse readers of TIME’S issue of May 16, by publishing the misspelt letter of Mr. C. R. Crane of Wagoner, Okla., a farmer and flood victim, same being a cancellation of his subscription to TIME and so irrelevant to readers ?

. . . Your action was mean and lacking in sportsmanship. You owe Mr. Crane an apology.

A. GIBBON

Monroe, La.

TIME prints letters just as they are received, does not “doctor” them (except to omit those portions which are irrelevant, prolix), does not respell them. The sincerity of Farmer Crane’s letter spoke for itself—spoke far more eloquently than could fine phrases, fancy spellings.—ED.

No More Woolf ?

Sirs: . . . May we have more Woolf covers ?

PAUL A. LAY

Dayton, Ohio

Artist Woolf has gone to Paris, Vienna, Brussels. There will be no Woolf covers until the artist re-enters the U. S. But there will be covers.—ED