Opinions

. . . On Dec. 3, we are to have an International debate here with the University of Sydney, Australia, on the question: "Resolved, that the Modern Press exercises a harmful influence on the Community." Iowa State will uphold the negative. Since TIME is a weekly newsmagazine* which attempts to assimilate and re-picture news from a wide variety of sources, your staff must be able to present some very definite conclusion about the effects of news, editorials and advertisements of the Press of the country. Would you mind, therefore, telling me briefly what this re-action is, and how the TIME staff is guided in its own editorial policy? We have already had valuable replies from the editorial offices of the New York Times, the New York World, the New York Herald Tribune and several others. Your opinion will also be appreciated. HAROLD F. HARDING

Department of Public Speaking Iowa State College Ames, Iowa

TIME has no set of opinions to offer. Interested, it will report the debate under THE PRESS.--ED. Humor

Sirs:

I have been a regular reader of TIME for several years, and although its abbreviated form of all topics is commendable, and its editorial policy unique to the average man, still there is one feature absent from your pages that the majority of American magazines have. I am referring to humor. Aside from all the serious matter that you print, I am sure that a humorous column would be an added asset to TIME, and I am herewith inclosing a sample copy of JEST AROUND THE CORNER, for consideration. It is submitted at your usual rates.

LEON BLUMENFELD

New York, N. Y.

To the "majority of American magazines" TIME will leave the responsibility of supplying the U. S. with columns of humor. Extracts from "Jest Around the Corner":

"If all the brides put their first biscuits together we sure could build some fine roads." "America's chewing gum bill in the past year amounted to over $9,000,000, exclusive of the cost of gasoline necessary to remove it from trousers." "A Dumb Dora from South Hoboken wants to know if a man who plays the piano by ear is an acrobat."--ED. "No Predicament"

Sirs: TIME, Nov. 8, p. 55:-- "The Stevenson Plan went into effect in Malay States, Straits Settlements and Ceylon on Nov. 1, 1919" This statement is erroneous. The Stevenson Act became effective Nov. 1, 1922. . . . TIME, Nov. 8, p. 36 -"In their predicament U. S. rubber manufacturers have five measures towards gaining some relief, etc." There is no predicament now. The British have relaxed their Restriction measure to such an extent that rubber prices will remain at an equitable average for some time. London stocks, once down to less than 6,000 tons, are over 40,000 tons. More rubber is afloat and in the hands of American manufacturers and brokers than for several years, and the rubber shortage, that a few months ago loomed as inescapable, apparently has been shoved off for several years. Our consumption this year will be lower than had been anticipated, through drastic curtailment in production forced by heavy conservation of tires by motorists (this has meant big increases in tire repair business). The number of tires to be retailed this year will actually be less than the number retailed in all of 1925, in spite of the fact that there are more than 4,000,000 more cars (using close to 20,000,000 tires including dual rear equipment on buses, etc.), than there were last year. RALPH C. BUSBY

Editor, India Rubber & Tire Review Akron, Ohio

As Schoolboys Know

Sirs:

I am inclosing herewith a clipping (saying that John Paul Jones said: "Don't give up the ship!") taken from TIME, Nov. 15. If the mistake is not apparent at once, I will give you the facts which any schoolboy or patriotic person knows without even consulting his memory.

In the War of 1812, the American Frigate Chesapeake met the British Shannon off Boston. In the course of the battle, Captain [James] Lawrence of the American Ship was mortally wounded, but called out to his men, "Don't give up the ship! Keep the guns going! Fight her till she sinks!" The dying command of Lawrence has become an American battlecry which will never be forgotten. . . .

J. G. ATKINS

Office of the Inspector of Machinery U. S. Navy

Quincy, Mass.

Subscriber Atkins is right. And on p. 40 appears another advertisement, with a picture of Capt. James Lawrence.--ED. Vulgarity

Sirs:

I do not know when our subscription to TIME ends but I do not wish another number mailed to me. The utter vulgarity of your article about a trial for murder in New Jersey puts you in the class of periodicals which I do not care to read.

F. S. H. HALL

(Mrs. Keppele Hall) New York, N. Y.

Brevity

Sirs:

As TIME appears to value brevity and conciseness, to esteem and pursue accuracy, please use preventive rather than preventative (TIME, Oct. 25, p. 18, line 5).

GERARD HALLOCK

Hallock School

Great Harrington, Mass.

Attention

Sirs:

I have continually boasted of TIME's fairness on matters touching various races, including Negroes. A number of my friends have subscribed to TIME on that account. In TIME, Nov. 8, p. 13, under NEGROES, do you think it the decent thing to do to refer to "hulking Negresses and little pickaninnies bestirred themselves" and "black paws ripped their clothing, tore at their hair" ?

I am not cancelling my subscription but I am calling your article to the attention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 69 Fifth Avenue, New York City, as well as certain other organizations in order to give publicity to what I consider a most prejudiced news article.

WILSON LOVETT

President, First Standard Bank Louisville, Ky.

Deprived

Sirs:

I discover, to my great regret, that a notification of the change in my address has, through unforeseen circumstances, not been forwarded to you. Consequently I have been deprived from the pleasure I had got used to of reading your mighty interesting TIME ever since July 19 of this year. . . .

RAMSES CHAFFEY

Consulat Royal d'Egypte Berlin

Tether

Sirs:

Said Bobby Burns, sapient Scot: "Nae man can tether Time." So TIME, at times, runs wild. Thus, TIME which "discovereth all things," blazoned business item commending Servel President Seaber for expeditious action in approaching production of gas fired refrigerators. Not discovered by TIME is the fact that for over two years the Ice-o-lator, gas fired refrigerator, has been serving hundreds of homes. Its makers, National Refrigerating Co., Winchester Arms sponsored corporation, apparently lack potent publicity promoter. "Improve your TIME and your TIME will improve you." Reader, not yet subscriber, V. MACGRATH

New York, N. Y.

Small Potatoes

Sirs:

... I sent you some verses expressing my approval. You seemed to think I wanted to sell them to you and returned them. It was some slap in the face for one who complimented you.

I decided then not to renew my subscription. At the risk of seeming small potatoes I am going to stick to that determination. Please cease sending TIME when my subscription runs out.

GEORGE E. BAXTER

Sec., Somerville Royal Arch Chapter 1871 Somerville, Mass.

Be Advised ,

Sirs:

TIME, Nov. 8, giving the itinerary of Queen Marie of Rumania, in recounting the story of her trip across America stated: "After leaving Winnipeg, Canada, Her Majesty's train recrossed the border to Minneapolis. . . .

This item having been called to the attention of the United Commercial Travelers of St. Paul in session assembled Nov. 6, a resolution was adopted directing that you be advised that Queen Marie, in recrossing the border, made a direct run of 465 miles to St. Paul. . . .

J. M. DRESSER

Secretary Order of United Commercial Travelers of America St. Paul, Minn.

Scrap-Book

Sirs:

I am writing to express the hope that TIME will continue to use as cover-frontis-pieces those very clever and vigorous portrait sketches by the man whose name I cannot decipher. I have started a scrapbook, containing these drawings and their corresponding articles, and hope to make up a group of such double character-sketches. The latest one, of Dr. Coffin, I think is particularly fine, and it was that one that gave me the idea of making a collection. . . .

MURRAY PEASE

Cambridge, Mass.

The covers admired by Subscriber Pease were drawn by Artist Samuel Johnson Woolf.--ED. Mysterious Uncle

Sirs:

Your periodical is a cosmopolitan cocktail. Subtract one ingredient, and you spoil it. Add one, and it won't taste the same.

I have educated my wife up to appreciating you, and shall shortly commence on my friends--including the young doctor who knows it all and his wife who thinks she does; the assistant organist who dotes on the word "esoteric" and knows how to pronounce it; and the uncle of mine who audits books of one kind so that he may have the price to buy books of another kind. I have been spending too much time Mondays driving all the way down town trying to locate TIME on some stand that isn't "all sold out." Kindly mail the magazine to my home address, as per the inclosed coupon. JOSHUA S. SARASOHN

Sarasohn Stores Co.

Detroit, Mich.

"Pines" Whistled

Sirs:

Continuing the discussion of Respighi's "Pines of Rome" [TIME, Nov. 1], you may be interested in knowing that when this composition was played by the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra under Vladimir Shavitsch, Mrs. Edward O'Hara whistled the nightingale's song in place of a phonograph record. This was done on two occasions.

CARLTON L. HOMMEL

Syracuse, N. Y.

Body & Soul

Sirs: I have been receiving TIME and have noted your attitude toward the great mass of Protestant Americans. Your SLURS and insinuations ... demonstrated to me, that you are Owned and Controlled--body and soul, by that class of people (not citizens) who come to us from South Europe. In some of your issues, it would seem that yours was a Fascisti Journal edited by the Italian dictator himself. I do not know how much longer my subscription extends but I assure you that although, I have at one time had a very high regard for the information in your magazine, your recent articles proves to me that you cannot be fair, because you don't own yourself, and I do not care to contribute to Stuff that emanates from our foreign city element. . . JOSEPH M. HANCOCK, M. D.

Chandler, Okla.

Palindrome

Sirs:

. . . For a good half century I have been foreseeing just such a news organ as you have materialized. Instead of spreading news in the rough, a la the conventional newspaper, you present the day's doings as seen through the spectrum of human sentiment. . . . You give no department to humor as such, nor need any. . . .

The palindromes appearing of late remind me of several. This entire sentence has been, insincerely of course, attributed to Capt. Kydd: "Lewd did I live & evil I did dwel. . . ."

FRED W. PROCTOR

Tacoma, Wash.

*A mistake. TIME coined the word "newsmagazine," and, although the word is now often used to describe any weekly dealing with current events, it is properly applicable only to TIME.--ED.