Letters, Jun. 3, 1935

Worm-Eaters

Sirs:

In your issue of May 13, p. 30, Professor Thorndike considers the probability of someone’s eating an earthworm in consideration of $100 cash in hand. It might interest him to hear that a man once did eat an earthworm, fresh, fat and raw, for 25¢ cash, then & there paid by his farmer employer. I did not see it, but I knew both parties and my informant was the employer’s son. This throws into my mind some doubt of the value of Professor Thorndike’s statistics.

JOHN H. DENISON

Counselor at Law Denver, Colo.

Sirs:

I do not know why you published the results of Professor Thorndike’s findings regarding the sums of money for which men and women will sell out their scruples. However, I heard some of our boys discussing this article, and it developed that one of them makes a practice of eating the grubs of Japanese beetles. His technique is to nip them to kill them, then swallow them without chewing them, so that he cannot describe their taste. He will eat worms for a larger consideration!

The boy is 15 years of age, he is six feet in height, so that apparently he flourishes on this diet.

Could not these grubs be made fashionable addition to our national menu? This section of the country would be deeply grateful for the resulting diminution of Japanese beetles.

GREVILLE HASLAM

Headmaster

The Episcopal Academy

Overbrook, Pa.

Sirs:

If Columbia’s fat and famed Thorndike asked me my price for spitting on a picture of Washington or for eating an angleworm I wouldn’t give the silly answer the question deserved but would call for a paddy wagon.

It is a case of the interrogator being the “batty” one.

PHILIP W. SEYFARTH

Blue Island, Ill

Sirs:

. . . When the conversational medicine ball had been thrown back and forth enough this Sunday morning, we decided to put the question of the price for eating an earthworm to the test. Upshot: a friend of mine (incidentally a Harvard student—perhaps that explains it) totally consumed a fairly good-sized angleworm for the small fee of 25¢. We concluded that Dr. Thorndike’s price of $100 was a little high. Would he be interested?

JOHN BARNARD JR.

South Hingham, Mass.

Near Brownstown, Ind. last fortnight Harold Jankowitz, 20, CCC worker, chewed the head off a blacksnake for $1. Said he: “I didn’t really bite its head off. I mostly pulled it off. The snake was too tough.” Worker Jankowitz added the $1 to a fund with which he hopes to pay for an eye operation so he may take a West Point entrance examination.—ED.

Last Supper

Sirs:

As you did not reproduce the two end panels of Lord Hastings’ picture on the history of bootlegging (on one side a rum runner unloading, on the other a liquor truck lumbering away) so you omitted details of its christening and the name by which it is best known [TIME, May 13].

At the unveiling Baron Gabor de Bessenyey, scholar, raconteur, friend of the artist, orated, comico-seriously: “This is the 20th-century Last Supper. As in another picture of the same subject a banquet scene of the cinquecento was portrayed, here we have a typical genre picture of the 20th Century. In the original it was the last supper for One Man: in this, alas, it is often the last supper of many.”. . .

R. H. M. PLEASANT

Los Angeles, Calif.

“Old Chestnut Game”

Sirs:

Under the “Unholy Holy Land” caption, TIME, May 13, reports an article written by Dr. Charles Clayton Morrison, editor of The Christian Century. At first blush it is mildly surprising to find a cultured churchman indulging in the old chestnut game of dragging supposed Catholic inconsistencies from the fires of bigotry. In his article, he claims that Greek and Roman priests exercised more despicable charlatanry than the Palestinian dragomen, that a Franciscan monk pointed out in “Mary’s house” the actual pillar at which the Virgin stood on the day of the Annunciation.

However, the shock came to me when I discovered that I had participated in the same cruise, that I had associated with the same Dr. Morrison on several occasions in our travel expeditions and that I was with him in Nazareth, possibly on the same day; and the Franciscan guide who acted as our cicerone was extremely scientific, insisting that these places were only traditional sites, with no great certitude connected with any given spot. Certainly, he mentioned nothing about the actual pillars and definite places. It is unfortunate that Dr. Morrison met up with an exception. It is doubly unfortunate that his philosophical acumen had not dictated caution in deducting general conclusions from particular premises.

No doubt Dr. Morrison’s Nordic sensibilities revolted from the exaggeration of Oriental life. But he could have found a dignified, unmercenary spirit pervading those shrines conducted solely by the Roman Catholic, such as Gethsemane and the Church of the Dormition. The Roman Catholic Church cannot be responsible for the extravagances of Greek, Coptic and Armenian rites which lor the most part are not united with Rome.

I noticed no particular financial emphasis in the strictly Roman Catholic shrines. The ordinary acceptance of free-will offerings cannot be construed as an “organized exploitation” of sacred things and places. I am sure that the Doctor’s own church would not feel itself guilty of abominable charlatanry when banking its Sunday collection receipts on Monday morning.

REV. E. V. DAILEY

Assistant Rector Holy Name Cathedral

Chicago, Ill.

Neighbor Gerry

Sirs:

In the May 13 issue of TIME on pp. 14 and 15 in an article headed “Robbers’ Den about the arrest of Carl Rettich for a Post Office robbery in Fall River, you make the following statement, “Senator Gerry and club members often graced Neighbor Rettich’s lawn parties with their presence.”

Senator Gerry has never at any time been present at the Rettich residence as a guest or otherwise.

As Senator Gerry’s counsel, I request that you correct this false statement in your publication.

HARVEY A. BAKER

Providence, R. I.

To Senator Gerry sincere apologies. If he attended parties’ at the Warwick Neck estate, it was while the late Col. Felix Wendelschaefer used it as a summer home, before the property passed into the hands of Suspect Rettich.—ED.

Sleazy Symbol

Sirs:

Here’s for superhuman power to the lungs and diaphragm of Roberta Keene Tubman next time she is forced by her loyal Americanism to pit ‘”The Star-Spangled Banner” against the mongrel “Internationale” [TIME, May 13]

TIME no doubt, reported correctly when it said that Mrs. Tubman sang the national anthem “while . . . the crowd of 1,000 looked on, munching their lunches.”

The picture of a nation’s citizens disrespectfully munching sandwiches and looking on, cow-like while that nation’s own anthem is being sung is symbolic of the sleazy state to which American patriotism has sunk.

NICHOLAS CHAMBLIN

2nd Lieutenant, O. R. C.

Waupun, Wis.

Imposter

We have received several renewal blanks for our copies of FORTUNE, and wonder if there is something amiss.

On December 17th, we gave to Mr. Frank Fracassi, of Niagara Falls, our renewal subscriptions. We have received the cancelled check from the bank, so know it was cashed, but have been unable to ascertain whether or not the money was turned over to you.

Would you kindly let us know at your earliest convenience, so that we may take steps to trace it?

ELMER A. D. CLARKE. M. D.

Buffalo, N. Y.

Sirs:

You have sent us several notices that our TIME subscription has expired—and we have not received the magazine for the past two weeks.

Now—about a month ago a young man [Frank J. Fracassi] called at my husband’s law offices, stating that he was a TIME representative, sent especially to renew our subscription. My husband gave him a check for $5.00 payable to TIME. So we are now wondering just where we stand . . .

Anyway, our check was made out to TIME itself. What became of it? And where is our magazine?

ROBERTA E. WRIGHT

Niagara Falls, N. Y.

Sirs:

Replying to your letter of May 16th, would say that Frank J. Fracassi was convicted in the City Court of Buffalo on May 10th of petit larceny, was placed on probation for one year and ordered to make restitution, by Judge Joseph J. Kelly.

WALTER C. NEWCOMB

District Attorney

Erie County

Buffalo, N. Y.

TIME Subscriber Wright should stop payment on his check, mail a new one directly to TIME Inc.; FORTUNE Subscriber Clarke and other citizens of Buffalo should report their complaints at once to District Attorney Newcomb or Judge Kelly.

Fracassi is not an authorized representative of TIME Inc. nor did TIME Inc. receive from him the subscriptions in question which would have been accepted only if accompanied by the full retail subscription price. Reason: TIME’s only means of protecting subscribers from unauthorized solicitors is to refuse them any profit on the sale of its publications.

As reported by District Attorney Newcomb, Fracassi was arrested in Buffalo, convicted, and forced to make restitution to complainants. Citizens of Niagara Falls, entitled to the same protection, should report their grievances to District Attorney Raymond Knowles of Niagara County.

Under no circumstances can TIME Inc. assume responsibility for payments made to Frank J. Fracassi (TIME, May 27, p. 72).—ED.

House of Eden

Sirs:

It is engrossing reading these days about Captain Anthony Eden, Lord Privy Seal of Great Britain. May I recall to you that his brother Timothy Eden wrote a book about their father—The Tribulations of a Baronet—which was published in England in the fall of 1933.

Sir William Eden was a Conservative member of Parliament and a master of foxhounds, an artist, an art critic and a famous connoisseur of beauty in all its forms.

Do you remember that Whistler painted a portrait of Lady Eden and the episode of which Whistler wrote the essay called The Baronet and the Butterfly was over this portrait. . . .

Lady Eden lives at Windlestone Hall, seat of the Edens at Ferry Hill, County Durham. Late in 1933 I went to tea there with friends. One can never forget the graciousness of this lovely lady. There is no glory of the past about Windlestone Hall now, but Sargent’s drawing of Lady Eden was hanging in her sitting room and recalled the distinction of a great Victorian beauty.

FLORENCE BURGESS

Littleton, Colo.

Cutting’s Memory

Sirs:

Your article under ‘Requiescat” describing the passing of the late Senator Cutting is without parallel [TIME, May 20]. Your description of his passing and other events of his life will make him live in your readers’ memories. . . .

VICTOR C. FRENDBERG

Clearfield, Pa.

Sirs:

Your brief, moving account of the inspiring career and tragic death of Senator Cutting is a fine piece of reporting. It is fashionable these days to sneer at the democratic process; but when it gives us, now and then, a gallant gentleman like Bronson Cutting, you can forgive it for spewing such unlovely specimens as Long and Talmadge.

EDWARD W. BENES

Mount Vernon, N. Y.

President’s Game

Sirs:

PLEASE ENLIGHTEN LAW-ABIDING SPORTSMEN OF COUNTRY RELATIVE TO LEGAL STATUS OF VENISON AND PHEASANT MENTIONED IN PARAGRAPH 1 P. 13 OF MAY 20 ISSUE.

R. M. HILLMAN

Chicago, Ill.

The venison and pheasant eaten out-of-season by President Roosevelt & friends at the Woodmont Rod & Gun Club (Md.) were perfectly legal. Reason: the club preserve is surrounded by a 7-ft. fence, hence the game thereon is considered captive.—ED.

Chain Kickers

Sirs:

A chain to end the chain letters seems to have started here. The following was received this morning. I have toned it down a bit.

KICK IN THE SITTER CHAIN This chain was started to punish those who started the damned chain-letter nuisance. Find five of these pests and give each of them a couple of swift kicks in the seat of the pants.

Next—make 50 copies of this letter and have them passed out to friends who you know would like a little punting practice. If this chain is not broken, there will be about 17,011,044 sore sitters in the next few days.

PRACTICE PERFECT PUNTING

HAL P. SMITH

Indianapolis, Ind.

Sorriest Sirs:

. . . With your write-up of Dave Sholtz in TIME, May 20, I am forced to take all articles in your magazine with a pinch of salt. You may think he is a wonderful man but the people of Florida wish he had remained in Brooklyn and we were free of him. We have had some sorry Governors but Dave is the worst.

R. A. MORRISON

Miami, Fla.

Fortnight ago 7,000 irate Miamians assembled in a mass meeting to protest Governor Sholtz’s ousting of State’s Attorney N. Vernon Hawthorne, wired President Roosevelt that Sholtz was an “unworthy official, having lost the respect of the people.” To Governor Sholtz was sent a stinging, 300-word rebuke: “The highest office . . . was not handed you to use for . . . vindictive purposes or to carry out secret . . . programs.” Speakers—mostly clubwomen and attorneys—loudly whanged their Governor. When ousted Attorney Hawthorne was introduced as “the next Governor of Florida,” the crowd yelled lustily.—ED.