Sordid, Sad

Sirs:

. . . But you did put my hair on end with your article about the young Prince of Wales frequenting a night club managed by a Negress and her Negro husband [TIME, June 20]. Have we sunk quite so low or was that a slumming expedition ? Ah, TIME, how sordid, how dreadfully sad! In this day of fine endeavor how can such flagrantly stupid and evil things be doing ? What a device of the devil is the night club! What sheer waste of human energy, moral and spiritual power and squandering of money enough to build and maintain a model city. I am sorry you printed that article. Only the lovely face, careworn but spiritually free, of dear Mrs. Pankhurst, on the opposite page helped me over the nausea of the other. I say, TIME, I am sorry you had to print that. . . .

(Miss) ELIZABETH FISHER

Cincinnati, Ohio

Two Royal Dukes

Sirs: My praise goes out to you for printing recently stories so complimentary and so fair to two of the loveliest women of my race in Paris, Miss Florence Jones (TlME, June 20), and Miss Josephine Baker (TIME, July 4). But--Ah!--why have you not mentioned the third? Just now all British society is admiring her portrait by A. Stuart Hill, which hangs in the recently opened Young Artists Exhibition, at the Suffolk Galleries. I visited the exhibition before leaving England, some ten days ago, and I noticed two Royal Dukes standing in admiration before this picture of--of course you know whom I mean--Miss Florence Mills. I have written a poem* about her which I enclose. JUSTINE AGNES CLEMENTINE LA VIE

New York, N. Y.

In Vogue

Sirs:

I have been a double subscriber to TIME for the past eight months, but I must now ask you to terminate that subscription which reaches my home, and apply its unexpired portion to extend the subscription reaching my office.

I do not deem it fit or proper that my wife or daughters should read such articles as that eulogy of the Negress dancer Josephine Baker of Paris which appeared in TIME, July 4. I do not believe you can point out to me any other magazine read by white women which would have dared to publish such an item.

I shall continue to peruse your magazine, which I find in many ways indispensable, and when you cease to print such matter as that to which I have alluded you may expect me to renew my home subscription.

GEORGE R. CARROLL

Atlanta, Ga. If Mrs. Carroll subscribes to the fashion magazine Vogue, let her turn to p. 51 of Vogue's June 1 issue. There she will see a quarter-page sketch of a Negress black-bottoming, and will read beneath: "Josephine Baker is the 'Lulu Belle' of Paris. . . . Her graceful body is 'light sealskin-brown'. . . . This woman is like a living drawing by Aubrey Beardsley. . . . One is struck by her great seductive allure. . . ." Let her look, also, at the letter of Miss Justine Agnes Clementine La Vie printed elsewhere on this page.--ED. Talk Afterwards

Sirs:

Bert Thompson in TIME, July 11, writes: "We Americans do first and talk afterwards, that is why we were so successful in the World War." "Talk afterwards"? Sure. Haven't you noticed it? CHRISTOPHER WARD

Wilmington, Del.

In 77th Year

Sirs: In 77th year (no "shut-in" however)--husband and sons far away--and missing their masculine viewpoint (expressed in past at tabletalk or fireside), the half playful, half serious chat of TIME upon the mundane sphere is entertaining and informing. (MRS.) L. A. REDPATH

P. S. Those touchy, holier-than-thou critics are funny enough. Boston, Mass.

North v. South

Sirs: Some time ago I wrote to Representative Miller of Illinois concerning an article that appeared [in TIME, June 13], linking President Jefferson Davis of the South and Benedict Arnold. After reading such a statement in your paper I told Mr. Miller that in spite of such things you Northern people want continually to accuse us of not knowing that the war is over. In the face of such statements is it any wonder that the breaches that were made back there have never healed ? And they never will until the North is willing to learn that the South was as loyal to the Constitution and more so than the North--and that it was simply politics on the part of certain leaders and radicals at the North that caused the whole affair. Jefferson Davis did more to prevent the war than Abraham Lincoln did to bring it on and that was enough. I will not stop your paper, for I want to see what you fellows up North are saying when you talk about us Southerners, for you certainly spill a bunch of ignorance every time you open your mouths. M. D. BOLAND Tacoma, Wash. No "northern" magazine, TIME is written for East, South, West, North, without fear or favor.--ED. Baxter's Methods

Sirs:

Let me be one of the first (surely there will be many) who will readily defray the cost of the several copies of TIME which O. D. Baxter tells you to try and collect.

It so happens that the news item under section headed "Negroes" relating some of the immortal Darrow's speech (TIME, May 30, 1927), while causing so much annoyance to O. D. Baxter, affords me great satisfaction.

My offer, if regarded in the light of affairs of an important and busy organization such as TIME, Inc., may seem trifling; but let me assure you that it is most sincere. The unique service you render to readers desiring facts, even though they be hard to swallow at times, certainly does not merit the treatment proffered by O. D. B. He, it appears, allows you to supply TIME for some weeks, in good faith I suppose, and then rewards you with a neat demonstration of his business methods!

JOHN D. EARLE

P. S. Send the bill to me and you'll be surprised to find how easy it will be to collect. Brooklyn, N. Y. Subscriber Earle is the only subscriber who offered to pay for Mr. Baxter's copies. TIME is grateful to Subscriber Earle, but has not yet ceased billing Mr. Baxter.-- ED. Interferes, Distracts

Sirs:

TIME seriously interferes with my duties and distracts my attention for a longer period than I can allow.

My conscience will not permit me to subscribe for another year.

F. M. B. COLEMAN American Minister Riga, Latvia

No Felony

Sirs:

I'll certainly have to "hand it to you" now. I used to think your style was too good, too far over the heads of the multitude to make any lasting impression. But evidently you have even arrested the attention of the editors of our dreadful Chicago Tribune. Look at this two-page ad. out of today's (Sunday) paper. It copies the TIME style exactly. Look at the words under the picture:

I. K. STOVER ". . . more Frigidaires were sold . . ."

A dead steal is the sincerest form of flattery!

NORMAN T. KIMBARK

Chicago, Ill.

Many a newspaper has adopted similar style. Style is every man's property. To imitate it is no felony. And Newsstand Buyer Kimbark doubtless errs in ascribing authorship of Chicago Tribune advertisements to Chicago Tribune editors. The copy in question was doubtless prepared by agency specialists.--ED.

Butler Would Laugh

Sirs:

In your article on China where you have referred to Smedley Darlington Butler as "Old Gimlet Eye" and "Fighting Hell-Devil Marine," "premier 'Fighting Devil' among 'Devil Dogs,' " etc., don't you think all these nicknames are absurd? I do not believe General Butler is such a terrible man.

If "Gimlet Eye" Butler is the "Hell Devil" you claim him to be, he might have made all the Huns in front of Verdun evacuate by simply snarling at them. No disrespect to Gen. Smedley, who is no doubt a very clever man, but I am sure he would laugh if he read your article on China (June 20).

ELMER CANDLER

Edson, Alta. Canada

"SmallTown Gossip"

Sirs:

I have been trying ever since I received the first number of your magazine to decide just what your standards are. In articles in which you have condemned pornographic magazines you have yet managed to give in your own columns a sniff of their odor. You occasionally lug into your news items terms not usually found outside of medical journals. You have an irritating habit of dubbing people with names according to their calling or accomplishments, a style of writing that gives an impression of veiled sarcasm from which no one is immune. Your latest accomplishment has been to find (issue for July 4) a little mud to throw at Col. Charles Lindbergh in your discussion of his "signed" story, classing him with Peaches Browning and Ruth Snyder. If your attitude toward him hadn't been clear before, it is now. Your petty article reminds one of the small-town gossip whose chief joy lies in muddying some clean name in the neighborhood. I have concluded that "readableness, interest," to quote one of your own apologies, is your chief standard.

To cancel a paid subscription appeals to me as a weak, silly gesture but a high-school teacher dealing with current events has considerable opportunity to make friends or enemies for magazines. I can assure you that your circulation will not increase through any influence of mine unless I can be convinced that your standards are higher than the issues of your magazine I have had up to date have led me to believe.

BESSIE M. HOLLIS

Sandy Creek, N. Y.

Able Waddy Sirs:

I think that it would interest your readers of scientific bent to know that Professor Clark of M. I. T., whose work with X-rays you noted in your SCIENCE section of TIME, June 27, has written a most interesting book on that subject.

It is entitled Applied X-Rays, published by the McGraw-Hill Book Co. of New York City. . . .

And may I add a word of deep appreciation for the highly intelligent letter of Mr. Frank Vincent Waddy, on the subject of our vituperate critic, Cyril D. H. G. Dillington-Dowse. Mr. D. D. seems to have brought the skies crashing down upon his head.

After a contribution from a man of Mr. Waddy's evident character, no one, truly modest though he may be, should for that reason refrain from addressing an open letter to TIME. If you wish, you may print this one, of course.

L. P. BlRK

Forest Hills,

Long Island, N. Y.

Not Hysterical

Sirs:

You have been justly criticized [TIME June 27] by many of your subscribers for not honoring Col. Charles A. Lindbergh, our courageous young air hero, by placing his pleasing countenance on the cover of your weekly newsmagazine, TIME (the best magazine of its kind published). Who has been more in the public mind of late years, or what picture on your cover could meet with more popular approval, not for what he has accomplished, so much, as for what he is, and for what he stands ? Your articles about him have been excellent, not hysterical, and it is a treat to read such interpretations of a character, so fine and noble, as this young American, who has forever endeared himself to the youth of our land, and to the mothers, who hail him as a perfect symbol of all that is wholesome and true. Square yourselves with the countless readers of TIME, and give us a picture of this world famous youth.

(MRS.) RUTH BROWN

San Diego, Calif.

Disillusioned

Sirs:

From the time TIME first made its bow to the public I have been an ardent booster, supporter and reader of its every issue; however, I am indeed very much surprised, chagrined and disillusioned in the attitude that TIME has taken in not putting on the front page cover the picture of the man I believe will rank with Columbus, none other than Lindbergh. There is no use of my stating what I think of him here, however. He typifies all that good American manhood and boyhood stands for today. And I submit that your Mr. Know-it-all, who comments on John Muller's letter [TIME, June 20] should be ashamed of himself, having placed on the cover page of TIME pictures of several foreign and other uninteresting persona rather than our own Colonel Lindbergh. I think that you owe to yourselves and to the public of the world a most humble apology for your lack of judgment. . . . J. MONTROSE EDREHI Pensacola, Fla.

*Too long to print.--ED.