Letters, Apr. 24, 1933

Earthquake Collision

Sirs:

In your issue of April 3, under the heading Catastrophe you say “Motorists whose cars had been mutilated by falling wreckage find to their sorrow that earthquake hazard is not covered by standard automobile insurance.”

This statement is correct as to legal interpretation, but in fact both the Board [of fire underwriters] companies and the major mutual companies adopted the policy of paying all claims for such damage on the theory that it was a loss due to collision, so the unfortunate automobile owners are being reimbursed, if insurance was carried against collision.

HORACE G. MILLER Los Angeles, Calif.

Fine Old Beer Song

Sirs:

WISH TO ENTER PROTEST AGAINST,. STATEMENT THAT OLD SONG SOLOMON LEVI ORIGINATED IN CAMBRIDGE STOP THERE ARE SOME TIMEWORTHY THINGS NOT TO BE CREDITED TO HARVARD YALE OR PRINCETON STOP SOLOMON LEVI COMPOSED AT HOBART COLLEGE IN GENEVA STOP YOUR OUTLINE OF COLLEGE BEER MADE ME HOMESICK

CLEVELAND B. COE Johnson City, Tenn.

Sirs:

Having just read TIME of April 10 “A fine old beer-song like ‘Solomon Levi’ originated in Cambridge,” and knowing your penchant for accuracy, you might be interested in the history of ”Solomon Levi.”

My older brother, Edwin K. Buttolph wrote the song when he was an undergraduate at Hobart College, Geneva. N. Y., in the early ’20’s. The music was by a college mate and was first published in the Hobart College Song Book.

The name was made up from my father’s first name, Levi, and the first name of his partner Solomon. Neither of them was of Jewish extraction, and at that time they owned and conducted the leading private girls’ school in Cleveland, Ohio, which had the old-fashioned name of The Cleveland Female Seminary.

“Number 149” that is mentioned in the song was the address of our old home.

My father was greatly incensed and nearly disinherited his oldest son for writing such a travesty on the two good biblical names.

The song, besides being very popular, has traveled far. I was astounded a year ago to hear the Episcopal Bishop of Honolulu, who has lived many years as a missionary in China, sing the song in Chinese.

GUY HAMILTON BUTTOLPH Melville, Mont.

South Carolina Experiment

Sirs:

South Carolinians, perhaps unsurpassed in the U. S. for their keen interest in politics, are accustomed this year to listening to their General Assembly by radio.

By a resolution passed in both houses wis was granted the privilege of broadcasting the proceedings by a Legislature now sitting for the third month.

As in Chile’s experiment (TIME, April 3) many a State legislator is accused of addressing his constituents. Unlike Chile’s experiment, few actually do. Broadcasts have included an hour’s discussion on labeling eggs, a speech to abolish schools for a few years because “If my children ain’t inherited enough intelligence from me and my wife they ain’t deservin’ no schoolin’,” occasional outbursts of profanity (promptly excluded by alert control operators), learned and informative debate and a Senate committee hearing on a 3.2 % beer bill.

Unknown to the legislators, many are the reports reaching wis regarding these broadcasts. Interesting, amusing, asinine, informative, outrageous, are some of the comments received on the proceedings, an analysis of which is a clear indictment of time-wasting, petty legislation and those relatively few ignorant, garrulous legislators, wis. impartial, expects the effects of the broadcasts to be felt at the polls, is satisfied a worthy service is being rendered.

G. RICHARD SHAFT General Manager South Carolina Broadcasting Co. Columbia, S. C.

Reorganized Pierre

Sirs:

Referring to your issue of April 3, p. 18, in your article regarding the visit of Japan’s Mr. Yosuke Matsuoka, you described him as being “whisked from the waterfront to the echoing calm of Fifth Avenue’s swank (but bankrupt) Hotel Pierre.”

On behalf of our client, the Hotel Pierre, I wish to say that they are no longer bankrupt, but were reorganized and reincorporated as of Feb. 1, 1933. Mr. Charles Pierre, as President of the new corporation, is still actively in charge of the management of the hotel. Your phrase “echoing calm” also seems untoward, as the hotel is 60% occupied.

JORDAN L. MOTT Account Mgr. Frank Presbrey Co. New York Citv

Memnon’s “Mmmm”

Sirs:

Exception is hereby taken to the statement made in your Letters column (April 10) by Dean Harrel, Business Manager. U. S. C. Wampus.

Here is the true story of the origin of the expression “Mmmm” as told to me by Enoch Bradley, a scholar of the old schoolhouse.

When the Greeks, during their African campaign discovered the two gigantic statues erected on the left bank of the Nile at Thebes, and dedicated to Amenophis III. they named the one further to the East Memnon after a hero of Greek mythology by the same name.

One peculiarity of this statue was, that at dawning, while still covered with the tears of [his mother] Eos, it was his custom to emit a curious sound of metallic quality, much to the amazement of the temple dancing girls assembled on the sands of the desert to do him honor.

After looking over the array of pulchritude, … he would distinctly say—”M-m-mm.”

DAVIS JOHNSON

Rector Christ Church Towanda, Pa.

TIME in the Foreign Legion

Sirs:

Knowing that you are interested to hear about the wanderings of TIME to strange places, I am quoting the following paragraph from a letter I received recently from a friend of mine who has joined the French Foreign Legion and to whom I have sent TIME.

“Yesterday the mail runner came up with a copy of TIME for me among other things. It came to Bel-Abbes, then to Fez and on to Ourd Zem (south of Casablanca) by train. From there to Beni Mallah by truck. A native escort brought it over the first of the hills on mules to district base. There a rider of the ‘pony express’ carried it to battalion base. A company convoy of mules and outriders carried it to company headquarters and it was forwarded here by the above mentioned manner. The poor thing must be quite shaken up, but is a godsend keeping me up on what goes on in the mother-land.”

L. R. W. Dedham, Mass.

Such An Applesauce

Sirs:

I really do not understand how a magazine which claims to be always right and correct could have published such an applesauce about Germany as you did in your issue of March 13. I never could understand how a nation as level-headed as I consider the American nation is, could have believed all the lies this nation really has believed about us during the War. After reading your article “National Revolution.” I changed my opinion. … I am not a Nazi but I bet if ever you Americans will have a revolution, more blood will be shed and more wrong will be done as has been at this last German one.

MAX ULLRICH Miinchen, Germany

Into Braille

Sirs:

I am asking your permission to transcribe into Braille all or part of the article in the March 13 issue of TIME, telling of President Roosevelt’s inauguration. I feel that this article is not only particularly of interest at the present time, but will be so for years to come.

I have been a subscriber to TIME for many years and am a cover-to-cover reader. If I might, at different times, put some of the choice articles into Braille, so that those unfortunates who have lost their sight may also enjoy them, I shall be doubly happy.

JULIA L. DARLINGTON Indianapolis, Ind.

Subscriber Darlington is welcome to transcribe into Braille any TIME story she chooses.—ED.

Speed Demon Curry

Sirs:

It occurred to me that TIME might be interested in knowing that Artist John Steuart Curry (TIME, April 10) achieved considerable recognition as an athlete while in [Geneva] college (Beaver Falls, Pa.). On the cinder path his 220 low hurdle and 220 dash are among the most vivid memories of action which the writer can recall. He could always be counted on for first place in these events. His speed was utilized on the eleven as third man on the triple pass, then comparatively new. Invariably he would pass the line of scrimmage ahead of the first man receiving the pass. What a joy to run interference for this speed demon!

The writer had lost contact with Artist Curry since college days and it requires no stretch of the imagination to understand why he likes best the “Codonas’ famed Passing Leap.”

WALTER LANDIS SMITH Cleveland, Ohio

In Zinzinnati

Sirs:

Civic pride in Cincinnati has been outraged by your failure in comment on “The Beerage” (TiME, April 3) to include this ancient, honorable, and prolific centre of good beer production and consumption.

Let it be broadcast to the world that Cincinnati and its environs yield nothing to St. Louis. Milwaukee, New York, or any other city. It, too, has dynasties of famous brewmasters whose product was unexcelled.

In the days before Prohibition laid its blight upon the land, 19 great breweries were domiciled here and thousands of barrels of Cincinnati brew were shipped to connoisseurs of good beer in all parts of the country. The soul-satisfying output of Lackman, Hauck, Moerlein, Windisch-Muhlhauser. Wiedemann was known and praised and gurgled by discriminating throats everywhere. And now that blight has been lifted. They too are staging a mighty comeback. . . .

What other American city has inspired a composer of opera to sing of conviviality and to create a footlight hero in the image of a jolly brewer? From Cincinnati came The Prince of Pilsen.

“Yas you effer in Zinzinnati?” JOHN G. GORDON Cinncinnati, Ohio

Impossible!

Sirs:

The Akron goes down Tuesday morning, the 4th. TIME writes a detailed account of the tragedy, goes to press, gets mailed, and is in our postbox in Los Angeles Friday afternoon, the 7th.

“Impossible!” said my wife.

“Yes—but here it is,” said I.

RAY D. ULREY Los Angeles, Calif.

Nepal Mongols

Sirs:

I was amused to read on p. 28 of your April 10 issue about the airplane flight over Mt. Everest. You published the picture of the Maharaja of Nepal and mention how this “wily Mongol above whose small craggy kingdom the flight took place, did not want Britishers taking too many pictures over his head.” This is a picture of the Maharaja Sir Chandra Shem Shur Jang Bahada Rana who died some five years ago. It is hard to understand how your reporter got into communication with him since his ashes have long been scattered on the water of the Holy River Bagmota at the famous Pashphati Shrine.

Sir Chandra was succeeded by his brother General Bhim Shem Shur. This Maharaja has since died and was succeeded by his brother General Joodha Shem Shur who is the present Maharaja. . . .

It happens that the writer is the only American who was ever invited to come to Katmandu and it was His Highness Sir Chandra Shem Shur who called him there.

I am confident these very fine people would resent the statements which you have made.

C. E. BLANCHARD Editor

Bulletin of Ambulant Proctology Youngstown, Ohio

All thanks to Editor Blanchard for straightening out the Brothers Shem Shur for TIME. Last week genial Brother Joodha had a plowed field at Darbhanga smoothed and 30,000 Darbhangans stood around to watch the Houston-Mt. Everest Expedition drop in from Purnea by plane for a ceremonial visit with H. R. H. After a sumptuous banquet and many speeches of congratulation, he next day paraded the mountain flyers to the field with a 37-elephant procession, silver and gold carriages, a monster drum and native band.—ED.