Letters: Jun. 23, 1930

“Shade of Marshall”

Sirs:

Reading your Judiciary in TIME, Feb. 24, about appointment of and opposition to Mr. Hughes for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, reminded me that I have in my library Cosmopolitan magazine of 20 years ago, copy for November 1910, with an article “Will Hughes Make Good,” by Alfred Henry Lewis. Looks like Mr. Lewis was amusing himself, writing ten pages of philippics specially for Mr. Hughes. Started from cradle, when “Baby Hughes” was born in Glens Falls in the State of New York and the parents took baby Hughes to church, where he was baptized “Charles Evans” for, so far as I learn, reasons wholly of euphony. At some other place in his article calls Mr. Hughes “shade of Marshall.”

About Mr. Hughes’ whiskers he says: “Of hair and beard he has enough to make nests for twenty orioles.”

On p. 727 of this article, under a good photograph of Mr. Hughes, there is the following remark in fat print: “HUGHES AND SUPREME JUDGESHIP” Mr. Taft ought never to have named him. The senate ought never to have confirmed him. He was no more meant for the position than was Boss Murphy for the rectorship of Trinity Church.”

Ho Ho! Ha Ha Ha! Mr. Hughes will have a good laugh on this now and Mr. Lewis will get a fine kick out of it, as inspired prophet of coming events. About Mr. Hughes’ literary tastes he says: “For the past twenty-four years Mr. Hughes has cultivated Dumas, and knows more about Athos, Porthos, D’Artagnan and Aramis than did the mothers who bore them. . . .”

JOHN H. KRENZELLOCK

United Verde Copper Co. Clarkdale, Ariz.

Antiair Gunnery

Sirs:

In your issue of June 2, p. 13, under Army & Navy, “Smart & Efficient,” “The Attack,” I note your statement that “… one fighting plane after another shot screaming down in power dives of attack, at speeds (250 m. p. h. and more) impossible to meet with defensive gunfire.”

I, being a Coast Artilleryman of the Regular Army, much interested in and having served with the Antiaircraft Artillery, rise to ask two questions, to wit:

What is a power dive of attack? I have never heard the expression before.

Why are these power dives of attack impossible to meet with defensive gunfire?

In the interest of maintaining the habitual accuracy of statement employed by TIME, I would suggest that your reporters be instructed to inform themselves regarding the accomplishments of the Antiaircraft Artillery before they make further statements concerning the possibilities of defensive gunfire. . . .

H. C. BARNES

Colonel.

Coast Artillery Corps., U. S. A. Chicago, Ill.

To antiaircraft artillerymen all credit for their accomplishments. But the fact remains that, pending the perfection and installation of multi-barreled machine guns, sound-detection and other defensive devices, the U. S. Navy’s opinion is that defense for battleships against attack from the sky, must be in the sky, i. e. by airplanes launched from cruisers, battleships, carriers.—ED.

Louisianimals Sirs: TIME has an unpleasant, if careless, insistence on giving the impression that the people of Louisiana are Louisianimals. What scarce news TIME gives of this state tends more toward creating a picture of an indolent people ruled by a crazy governor and the dictates of a dying Democracy of the “Bible-Belt” South than a rather up-to-date state, very low in lynching scores, solidly for the repeal of Prohibition, and the matrix of much valuable thought.

I have called to your attention before that there are such things as bishops of the Protestant Episcopal church in Louisiana. My letter mentioning the death of beloved Bishop Sessums was published, but you seem to think that ended the matter, that perhaps Louisiana would be bishopless thereafter.

May I point out that the Right Reverend James Craik Morris, native of Louisville, Ky., graduate of Sewanee (University of the South) and the University of Louisville, a pleasant memory at churches in Madison, Wis., Dallas, Tex., and Louisville and at present missionary bishop at Ancon, Panama Canal Zone, has recently been elected Episcopal bishop of Louisiana, and has accepted.

Certainly a line or two in “Milestones” could chronicle this fact along with the announcement of elections of other bishops. Isn’t a bishop more important than the death of a bull or a camel (TIME, June 2)? I have a hunch that this is a good steer. . . .

WILLIAM A. BELL JR.

New Orleans, La.

Ingagi Sirs:

In vain have I waited for TIME’S admirable “Cinema” Editor to report and expose Ingagi, Sir Hubert Winstead’s African picture with supplied sound effects, which has startled staid Denver by its sensational and supposedly “scientific” shots.

Sir Hubert claims to be a scientist yet we all know that no one has found or can find “half breed children” of apes, that native women associate on friendly terms with giant anthropoids.

I feel that the public and especially TIME readers should be warned by “Cinema” against “scientific” pictures which deceive the hoi polloi by sensuous and sexy “faked shots.” .

JOSEPH HARRINGTON

Denver, Colo.

The cinema Ingagi was not reviewed by TIME because, when the film was rejected by Motion Pictures and Distributors of America, Inc., TIME supposed that would be the last of Ingagi, but “Congo Pictures Ltd.,” the producers, are reported doing a thriving business with independent distributors. National Better Business Bureau, Inc. has exposed, and the American Society of Mammalogists has condemned, the picture on many counts, including the following:

1) The “unholy alliance” of ingagi and human females is scientifically absurd.

2) The ingagi (gorillas) shown are orangutans, a Hollywood chimpanzee, a masquerading man.

3) The “pygmies” are ordinary Negro children.

4) The “Sir Hubert Winstead, F. A. S. (also F. R. G. S.)” and the “Captain Swayne, young American big-game hunter,” supposed explorer-authors of the picture, are utterly unknown if not fictitious persons.

5) Gross fakery is apparent from the inclusion as “African” properties, of an armadillo (found only in the Americas), California pepper trees, a turtle with shells and wings glued on.—ED.

St. John’s Bread Sirs: In the article on “EGYPT, Locusts,” in TIME, for May 26, the author displays a better knowledge of scripture than of natural history, when he quotes St. Matthew on John the Baptist to prove that “locusts are good to eat.”

The locusts which St. John ate with wild honey are the dried pods of the carob tree (Ceratonia Siliqua), a member of the bean family. These pods are sold in the Italian quarter of this city under the name of “St. John’s Bread,” which is corroborative evidence of the foregoing statement.

THOMAS BESSELL KIDNER

New York City

Wrong Giant

Sirs:

Not that it is of material significance, but in the interest of exactitude even in connection with our folklore, you err, do you not, in reference to Jack-the-Giant-Killer in the introduction to the article on Prohibition in your current issue. It was not the beanstalk giant— who was slain by cutting down the beanstalk with a hatchet . . . but the crafty two-headed Welsh monster.

It happened that I had just read the story of Jack-the-Giant-Killer to my little daughter. . . . W. RUSSELL TYLOR

Urbana, Ill.

Starrett & Eken’s Manhattan Sirs:

We note in your issue of June 9, p. 46, that you credit the Thompson-Starrett Co. as being the builders of the Bank of Manhattan Company Building in this city. The Bank of Manhattan Company Building is owned by the Starrett Corp. and was built by their wholly owned subsidiary, Starrett Brothers and Eken, Inc., who are also the builders for the new Empire State Building … to be the world’s highest . . .

We have no doubt that the mistake came through similarity of names and that you will be glad to correct this when called to your attention. It is of great importance to this company that it be corrected as early as possible and we would appreciate your action in the matter.

ANDREW J. EKEN Vice President

Starrett Brothers and Eken

New York City

To Starrett Brothers and Eken, apologies and due credit.—ED.

Boiled & Roasted

Sirs:

Notice that in last Sunday’s syndicate Will Rogers pulled many blurbs to the fact that you are a neat mag. Will also endorses Beechnut gum. Is this the beginning of a great advertising war to secure the talents of a cowboy comic? Avoid that future ennui, reach for TIME instead of a Beechnut. It’s Boiled and Roasted.

GORDON KENNON Daytona Beach, Fla.

Enema of Salubrious Condiments

Sirs:

Thanks to TIME (June 2) and authors for the adventitious pleasure afforded by the reading of the letter of Oxford’s Messrs. Magee III, Hamilton, Merrill and especially, the letter of Cambridge’s Mr. Moran.

Privilege, indeed, is it to read unaffected, detached, effulgent criticism. Rare privilege, truly, when its preciosities are oiled with mellifluous King’s English, even though by spurious engineers. The enema of such salubrious condiments will doubtlessly and perceptibly improve “the melting pot” from which brew the above gentlemen extracted themselves.

Though gratifying to note that underclassmen Moran and confreres acquired the King’s English tantivy, it is regrettable that the realm’s manners apparently come tardigrade.

I assume that the peregrine students are underclassmen. If they have been longer under the nurturing, exigent shadows of Oxford and Cambridge, these venerable institutions, of course, owe the world an apology.

VlC ROTERUS

Chicago, Ill.

Germany & Nitrates

Sirs:

Reference TIME of May 26, Business & Finance, under heading “Nitrates” you state: “Now Germany imports no nitrate from Chile.”

Because of your well known penchant for accuracy you will doubtless be glad to learn that the importation of Chilean Nitrate into Germany not only has increased, but has multiplied. For your convenience we quote from Southern letter #53 of October 1929 circulated by the Chilean Nitrate of Soda Educational Bureau with headquarters at New York.

“Although marked increases in the demand for Chilean Nitrate were reported last year throughout Europe and Egypt, the gain in consumption was probably more striking in Germany than in any other country. The total German consumption was 99,083 tons, as compared with 48,360 in 1927—28 and 16,400 in 1926—27. The consumption last year represents an increase of 105 percent over the previous year and 504 percent over two years ago.”

F. W. BEYER

Nitrate Agencies Co. New Orleans, La.

TIME’S too arbitrary statement was based upon one equally arbitrary by Dr. Julius Klein, Assistant Secretary of Commerce, in Frontiers of Trade (1929). Latest figures available at the time of the book’s publication showed the value of Germany’s imports of Chilean nitrates to be about $2,500,000, as against a pre-War average of about $41,000,000. In 1928—29, this figure was increased to about $5,000,000.The significance of the comparison made by Dr. Klein and by TIME, however, is not affected by this more recent data, as Germany’s exports of synthetic nitrogen have also risen, totaling $70,000,000 in 1929.—ED.