Letters, Mar. 21, 1932

“Petty Treason”

Sirs:

In my opinion, kidnapping is one of the worst crimes in this nation. I think Col. Lindbergh, with the help of Mrs. Lindbergh missed the opportunity to put a stop to kidnapping. Had they refused to consider the criminals, regardless of the result to their son, it is safe to say the rest of us would have followed their example. Both of them are patriotic and brave and since they yield to the demands of the kidnapper we assume that the rest of us would. Kidnapping is only possible on account of the payment of ransoms, and, since the public will contribute to obtain the release of the victims, such payment of ransoms must be stopped by suitable legislation. I consider kidnapping a national question and that Congress can make laws punishing kidnappers and preventing the payment of ransoms. Such laws can be designated petty treason. The law should require those who know that such a crime was committed to report to the authorities and direct that the proper authority should guard against the payment of ransoms.

I would like to know the reaction of the public on these views. . . .

AUGUST WAGNER

Columbus, Neb.

Who besides Nebraska’s August Wagner considers Col. & Mrs. Lindbergh guilty of “petty treason”?—ED.

48 Beautiful Names Sirs: The words California and Colorado are rich in musical vowel sound. Why abbreviate them? (TIME Feb. 29.) We would not emulate the French in all things, but in this regard a good example should not be scorned. The names of the 48 States are beautiful and simple and should always be used in full. Why the idiotic hurry? Incidentally the popular shortening of the name of my beloved State is especially offensive. It is well that the Father of His Country did not live to hear himself called “Wash.”

CHARLES E. CLAYPOOL

Seattle, Wash.

Space economy dictates the continued use of Calif., Colo., Wash., etc., etc. after town names. But let those readers who appreciate the beautiful & simple pronounce “California,” “Colorado,” “Washington” as their eye falls upon the abbreviations.—ED.

“Tanaka Memorial” Forgery

Sirs: I have been asked to state my views regarding the authenticity of the so-called “Tanaka Memorial.” alleged to have been presented by Premier Tanaka to the Emperor of Japan on July 25, 1927. The document outlines a “positive policy” for the conquest of China, the U. S. and the rest of the world. The point at issue is not whether these aims are or are not harbored by certain members of the Japanese military clique, believers in Japan’s “manifest destiny.” They undoubtedly are, although hardly in the exaggerated form expressed in this alleged memorial. The issue is whether the document is authentic or forged.

At the outset, it should be noted that copies of the memorial, in an alleged English translation, have been spread wholesale through the U. S. free of charge. Two editions are in use. The first is put out by The China Critic, a Chinese magazine published at 50 Peking Road, Shanghai. The second emanates from the so-called “World Peace Movement,” allegedly located at 108 Park Row, New York City. I have been informed that efforts to get in touch with this organization have failed. These facts, ot course, do not necessarily impugn the authenticity of the document; they merely indicate that certain groups are engaged in circulating it as widely as possible.

The most cursory examination of the memorial itself, however, is sufficient to establish it as a forgery. On the first page, the area of Manchuria and Inner and Outer Mongolia is given as 74,000 sq. mi. In point of fact, the area of Manchuria alone is 383,000 sq. mi. On the second page, the total investment of Japan in its “railway, shipping, mining, forestry, steel manufacture, agriculture, and cattle raising” enterprises in Manchuria is placed at 440 million yen. This figure, however, represents only the capitalization of the South Manchuria Railway Company; Japan’s total investment in Manchuria, including the additional enterprises specified in the sentence quoted, amounts to nearly two billion yen. On the third page, Prince Yamagata is stated to have participated in a conference called by Emperor Taisho after the signing of the Nine-Power Treaty a,t the Washington Conference. The Nine-Power Treaty was signed Feb. 6, 1922. Prince Yamagata, however, had been seriously ill since the preceding October and had died on Feb. i, 1922. Moreover, at this period Emperor Taisho had been an invalid for some years and had delegated his authority to the Crown Prince as Regent in November, 1921. Following this conference, Baron Tanaka, (the author of the alleged memorial) is declared to have been sent to Europe and America “to ascertain secretly the attitude of important statesmen” toward the Nine-Power Treaty. The last visit of Baron Tanaka to Europe and America occurred in 1913-1914. It is unnecessary to belabor this analysis, have taken only the first three pages, but it is possible to continue for page after page, pointing out contradictions and inaccuracies. That an official document, presented to the Emperor, should have been guilty of such factual misstatements is inconceivable. T. A. BISSON

Member of Research Staff Covering the Far East Foreign Policy Association New York City

Indiscriminate Marble

Sirs: None but a pious and Puritanical skeptic will doubt that sainted effigies, and other fortuitous delineations are to be found in the sanctuary marble of St. Bartholomew’s (TIME, March 7). Less pious observers of marble-vein patterns— particularly observers who may now & then indulge a mild impudicity—are doubtless familiar with the unholy and sometimes pagan vignettes which Nature has worked into pristine marble. Indeed, marble has been largely abandoned for certain partitions in public buildings, so prevalent was the urge to trace out in pencil the infinite variety of morphological patterns! And yet, one might vouchsafe some credibility to Dr. Norwood’s theory of thought transference in the configurations of the marble veins at St. Bartholomew’s. The fact that marble veins are indiscriminate in their choice of subject, spiritual and carnal, is no disproof. Nature being impartial to saint & sinner alike, may it not be that some phenomenal retrogression of mental telepathy has propelled the visions of saints and the pruriencies of sinners back to the Ordovician period and writ their mental reverberations into the cooling layers of crystalline limestone?

But alas, the inherent veins in marble are to mortal hands unflexible and immutable. Hence only a worker in stone can appreciate what a stupendous psychodynamic force it would require for Dr. Norwood to shift but a single grain of marble into pictorial composition! To be sure, one hears of the faith that moveth mountains! ERNEST S. LELAND

Presbrey-Leland Studios New York City

Fox’s Injunction

Sirs:

I NOTICE BY TIME MARCH SEVENTH PAGE TWENTY FOUR YOU STATE FONTAINE FOX TRIED TO GET INJUNCTION RESTRAINING USE NAME MICKEY MCGUIRE PERHAPS TIME IS INTERESTED IN THE FULL FACTS WHICH ARE THAT THE INJUNCTION WAS GRANTED FEBRUARY TWENTY NINTH PERPETUALLY RESTRAINING ANY USE THAT NAME IN MOTION PICTURES OR ON STAGE MY LOSANGELES FIRM SECURED THE INJUNCTION

MABEL WALKER WILLEBRANDT

Washington, D. C.

Legion’s War

Sirs:

Realizing that the article on the War Against Depression (TIME, March 7) was written in a desire to be helpful, yet had I been shown any advance proof of the article, I would have suggested many important changes. . . .

Particularly unfortunate in the TIME story was the use of the word “maneuvered” in describing the beginning of the American Legion’s big part in this campaign. This organization had been considering employment plans for some time, had passed a resolution suggesting staggered work at its September convention.

My small part in the early movement after the original lunch with Carl Byoir was a series of meetings and work with four men, in addition to Byoir, namely, Lee Bristol, president of the Association of National Advertisers, Bernard Lichtenberg of the Alexander Hamilton Institute, J. Cheever Cowdin of the Bancamerica-Blair Corp. and Manny Strauss.

Later Chester Wright of the American Federation of Labor joined this group and shortly after, Matthew Woll, vice president of the organization. The facts of the entrance of the Legion into the picture are as follows:

A telegram was sent by the editor of the American Legion Monthly to headquarters in Indianapolis asking that I be allowed to appear before their contemplated meeting in New York to tell of the groups which were then cooperating and organizing for a re-employment drive. I appeared the day of the meeting on Jan. 6, 1932 and also the day after and at both meetings described the work the small committee had been doing, the contacts it had made. Since the Legion was thinking along the same lines, it seemed obvious that a great good could be accomplished if the two movements merged. The Legion furnished the workers out in the field, as did the American Federation of Labor, the other group furnished the advertising and publicity machine, which you describe in your article. There was no maneuvering about it. . . .

ROY DICKINSON

Printers’ Ink New York City

“Here Is the Man!”

Sirs:

I know a banker in Ohio in whom there may be a good story for TIME. I saw him recently on another matter, and incidentally he related how his bank was robbed, how he refused to open the vaults, under threat of death, how he was beaten by the leader, how the robbers got away with $10,000, how he failed to identify any of the men from a large number of photographs of crooks, and how at the end of a few months he positively identified the leader while reading your publication. Then and there, he cried out in the bank: “Here is the man that slugged me!” . . .

R. Y. McCRAY Cleveland, Ohio The banker is Henry B. Peters. His bank: Fairfield National of Lancaster, Ohio. The slugger whom Banker Peters recognized in TIME (April 6, 1931) was tough Fred Burke, now imprisoned for life in Michigan.—ED.

Mr. Schlesinger’s Diamonds

Sirs: We are surprised to note in your issue of Feb. 29, p. 41, article captioned “Diamond Cut Diamond,” which alleges a concession made by the South African Government to a Mr. I. W. Schlesinger to operate the diamond cutting plants in South Africa, and permission “to work diamonds in his extensive holdings in Namaqualand.”

These statements are incorrect and misleading. No agreement has been made by the South African Government that would permit Mr. Schlesinger to operate the cutting plants or has there been any prospecting rights granted Mr. Schlesinger to operate in the Namaqualand fields: all of the mining properties being controlled by the large producers and the South African Government. . . .

JOHN DRAKE

Executive Secretary

National Jewelers Publicity Association Newark, N. J.

TIME correctly stated that Isidore W. Schlesinger will operate diamond cutting plants at Kimberley and assume a contract with the South African Government. TIME was incorrect in stating that Cineman Schlesinger will mine diamonds in Namaqualand. He will get his diamonds from the De Beers syndicate, will engage in no price-cutting.—ED.

Zeller Schwarzer Herrgott Sirs: At the end of your review of Albert Jay Nock’s book, The Theory of Education in the United States, you state: “He has, however, a Ph.D. son, English teacher at the University of Leipzig, who permits himself to be called Dr. Samuel Nock.” That, dear Mr. Editor, is hitting low. Permits, forsooth! If you can tell me of any way in which one who has, for better or for worse, a Ph.D. degree can avoid being called Herr Doktor in Germany, I shall bring you a bottle of Zeller Scfiwarzer Herrgott, 1929, when I return to the U. S. Furthermore, Son Samuel Joes not teach English; his business is most distinctly the teaching of American. This, lest you lead the world astray. Farewell, Mr. Editor, I’m afraid that you aren’t going to get that Zeller Schwarzer Herrgott—1929! SAMUEL ALBERT NOCK

Englisches Seminar der Universitaet Leipzig, Germany