Mr. Hearst

Sirs:

While I was reading the latest edition of TIME the following question occurred to me as I glanced at the page or two which you devoted to W. R. Hearst [TIME, Aug. 15].

Has Mr. Hearst added TIME to his list of periodicals ?

S. M. LOGOOS. Boston, Mass.

Mr. Hearst is not a subscriber. --ED.

Fashion

Sirs:

TIME is very interesting, it is so concise and up to the minute, but it seems to me someone on your "staff" is entirely lacking in foresight when they omit a section on Fashion.

Don't you think a section devoted to that all-important subject would endear your magazine to many more readers of the fair sex and give them a service they should like to have from your magazine ?

NANCY SMOLLING. Philadelphia, Pa.

If 100 subscribers write to TIME requesting a section on FASHION, they shall have it.--ED.

Shrewd Husband

Sirs: My husband subscribed to TIME because he considered me uninformed. Although it is less expensive, he did not think me in need of Elbert Hubbard's Scrapbook. I could discuss Nietzsche and Freud as superficially as the rest of our friends. But when the conversation turned to political and international affairs, I looked bored and blank. He implored me to read the newspapers. I did; I grinned at the comic strips, literally "glanced over the headlines," and imbibed the weather and theatrical reports. In despair, he gave me a subscription to TIME, which I read weekly with conscientious, but sincere, interest. Now at the dinner table I am voluble with the latest gossip-- of the Prince of Wales, Henry Ford and Lena Stillman, and I look bored, but not blank, when the McNary-Haugen bill is mentioned. Last week I had just finished reading TIME from red cover to red cover, felt buoyantly well-informed. The doorbell rang, and there was the mailman with another edition of TIME. Oh dear! Yours, till my subscription runs out.

LOUISE (MRS. JAMES) EPPENSTEIN Elgin, Ill.

Part-of-His-Life

Sirs:

I have never read nor subscribed for any periodical that became so much a part of my life as TIME has become. When TIME comes into my home it demands reading throughout. This is due, I think, to the complete and concise treatment of world-wide news and to the distinguished style and diction. I have much to praise, little to criticize in TIME.

In the July 18 issue on p. 5 I first found something that grated against my sense of propriety. I have noticed it several times since. I refer to your use of the sign "&" in lieu of the word "and." This would be all right if you were referring to the Baltimore & Ohio R. R., but when you speak of "President & Mrs. Coolidge" or "Senator & Mrs. Norbeck," it reminds me of Ring Lardner's pseudo-ignorant style which seems entirely out of place in TIME.

PAUL S. FISHER. Dodge City, Kan.

TIME uses "&" to conserve space.--ED.

For Custis Knapp

If the eye of Custis Knapp (retired) strikes this page, let him read below. TIME is unable to locate Mr. Knapp who, on July 30, addressed a letter to TIME on letterhead of the Drake Hotel, Chicago. Mr. Knapp (newsstand buyer) has never registered at the Drake; is unknown to Mr. Drake and to Drake employes and to frequenters of the Drake lobby. His letter (mailed in New York) prompted H. C. Wood of Germantown, Pa., last week to write:

Mr. Custis Knapp (retired)

Care of TIME, 25 W. 45 St., N. Y. (Please forward)

Dear Sir:

Seeing your letter in TIME, replying to (not answering) that of Kingsley Leeds, about the Boy Scouts, I cannot refrain from saying that if you should happen to meet "little Leeds" as you call him, you would do well to speak to him respectfully. I happen to know "little Leeds" who is quite a youthful Hercules though good tempered. He might spank you and send you home. Truly yours,

H. C. WOOD Germantown, Philadelphia, Pa.

Leeds Thanks Knapp

Sirs:

Please be kind enough to print this letter in TIME or to forward it to Custis Knapp of New York.

I would like to thank Custis Knapp for agreeing in his letter to TIME (Aug. 8) that an article about Boy Scouts should not be put under your ARMY & NAVY heading.

I am sorry that the Scout way of learning to be helpful to others by doing a "good turn" every day does not meet with the approval of Custis Knapp. Surely the Boy Scout organization would be willing to receive constructive suggestions on how to better its teaching of helpfulness.

I have been brought up in the doctrine that a Christian cannot fight, because he cannot hurt those whom he loves. Jesus, in his Sermon on the Mount, said, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you" (MATT. 5:44).

Surely Jesus did not mean, "Be too proud to fight," but rather, "Be too loving to fight."

Nevertheless I respect any man who sincerely believes in militarism, but I do not agree with him!

KINGSLEY B. LEEDS. Germantown, Philadelphia, Pa.

Knapp Rebuked

Sirs:

When some of these narrow-minded, biased men, who claim that the army is "for men only," even he does not deserve to belong to the army. I am a Boy Scout and I object to Reader C. Knapp's letter [TiME, Aug. 8] on three points.

First, does Reader Knapp realize that when he makes light of the Boy Scout movement, that there are close to one million Boy Scouts doing a Good Turn da'ly? Does he realize that these boys will be the men of the future generation and that because of their training there will not be any such catastrophe as the World War, in which millions of men were killed? If Reader Knapp can recall 365 good deeds, in any year during his boyhood, he surely would be more broad-minded than he is today.

Second, Reader Knapp makes fun of the Christian doctrine 'Too proud to fight.' I do not believe this is a Christian doctrine. If Christ said: "Peace on earth and good will towards men," then surely He would not advocate such clamor and strife as war. He would fight for the right, but if war is right, if killing the pick of our men is right, certainly Christ would not have said: "Peace on earth."

Third, Reader Knapp probably does not realize that the men of tomorrow are the boys of today; and the Boy Scout movement is their training, which will make them better fitted for their life as men. And as a result of their training, neither for nor against the war, they will use their judgment, 'which their Boy Scout training has made better, and I am sure the result would be "Peace on Earth and good among men." DAVID F. SELVIN

P. S. If the army is "for men only," the army of the next generation will be 100% Boy Scout. (Once a scout, always a scout.)

Tooele, Utah.

"If Kingsley Bleeds"

Sirs:

Kingsley B. Leeds [TIME, Aug. 1] believes you owe the Boy Scouts an apology for connecting them with organizations which have ever been our first line of national defense, with organizations which have ever been devoted to public service since our country came into being, with organizations which made our country possible and which have preserved it and increased its greatness!

May I suggest that you send the young man the enclosed pamphlet entitled "Other Things the Army Does Besides Fight," an address delivered by Mr. Weeks when he was Secretary of War? He will probably refuse to read it, or, if he does read it, he will do so as superficially as he read that part of the Scout Manual quoted by you in answer to his letter. . . . I feel certain that if ever Kingsley Bleeds, it will NOT be from wounds received in defense of the innumerable benefits he enjoys as a member of this nation--benefits won and preserved by patriots--not by pacifists.

JOHN W. ERLANGER Washington, D. C.

Leeds Praised

Sirs:

Custis Knapp (retired) [TiME, Aug. 8] seems to have a mind incapable of understanding any brand of manliness and courage excepting that of the spectacular variety which, accompanied by flag-waving and the blare of trumpets, goes out to destroy and kill.

Kingsley B. Leeds [TiME, Aug. 1] has discovered a higher type of manliness and deserves respect for his stand against the barbarism of war. . . .

I hope there are many among the Boy Scouts who share Kingsley Leeds' sort of manliness.

CAROLINE PEDDLE BALL. Harwinton, Conn.

Defends Scouting

Sirs:

I wonder what manner of gentleman Mr. Custis Knapp, U. S. A. retired, considers himself? Who is he to criticize Scout Leeds for correcting TIME in placing the Army and the Boy Scouts under the same head ?

It is up to Scout Leeds to settle with Mr. Knapp for the personal insult in Mr. Knapp's letter of Aug. 8, if he considers such a letter worthy of his notice, but as a scoutmaster I am taking it upon myself to defend the good name of Scouting. A boy is priggish, is he, because he endeavors to "Do a good turn daily?" I would hata to have a hand in educating boys to be the kind of man Mr. Knapp appears to be. The Boy Scouts of America is not a partisan organization. There are troops of Boy scouts of every religion and creed that meet the world over. There are nearly three quarters of a million men and boys, all scouts, dedicated to the two mottoes: "Be prepared" and "Do a good turn daily." The finest men in this and nearly every other country are behind the movement because they believe it to be the finest boys' organization in existence. The twelve Scout ideals are: Trustworthiness, Loyalty, Helpfulness, Friendliness, Courtesy, Kindness, Obedience, Cheerfulness, Thrift, Bravery, Cleanliness and Reverence, and the oath by which every Scout is sworn is "On my Honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country, and obey the Scout Law: to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight." Which makes us priggish whippersnappers, does it ?

We respect the Army and from the vast majority of it we command respect. As for Mr. Knapp the Army must be happy in his retirement and I can only suggest that he investigate a few of the troops in his locality. He will find, and if he tells the truth he will have to admit, that through worldwide Scouting, many men are made where none were before.

J. W. MASON A. S. M. Troop 2, Mount Vernon, Bronx Valley Council, N. Y. Mount Vernon, N. Y.

"Clear the Atmosphere"

Sirs:

In recent numbers of TIME [Aug. 1, 8,] I have observed communications bearing upon the relationship of the Boy Scout Movement to militarism. These communications arose, I think, because there appeared in one issue an item in reference to general Boy Scout activities under the heading ARMY & NAVY. May I ask of you the courtesy of printing this letter to clear the atmosphere ?

The Boy Scout Movement is neither military nor antimilitary in its purposes nor in the conduct of its activities. These are cardinal principles of the Movement and have been stated upon many occasions. The Movement seeks to develop in boys character and practical ability to do things through interesting them in the activities of the Boy Scout program.

I quote from Section 3 of Article III of the National Constitution of the Boy Scouts of America:

"In carrying out the purpose of the Boy Scout Movement as stated herein, technical military training and drill shall not be included for the reason that they are not equal in value or as suitable for boys of Scout age in training for good citizenship as the program of Scout activities."

Also: "The Boy Scouts of America has purposely been promoted as an organization which is neither military nor anti-military." --Policies and Regulations of the Boy Scouts of America. . . .

These quotations from standard literature of the Boy Scouts of America represent a policy to which there is strict adherence.

The policy of the Boy Scouts of America in connection with this subject has been endorsed from time to time by the highest Army Officials. As a matter of fact General Pershing in addressing the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America, some years ago, said, "I would not introduce military training into the program of the Boy Scouts of America, if I could". . . .

Sincerely and cordially yours,

JAMES E. WEST

Chief Scout Executive Boy Scouts of America New York, N. Y.

Let Mr. West look on p. 7. Henceforth Boy Scouts will be mentioned in a special section of NATIONAL AFFAIRS called BOY SCOUTS.--ED.

Toothache

Sirs:

How could a man after boarding the 5:08 P. M. train for the seashore relieve himself of an acute toothache which suddenly seized him after train had left station past help of all drugstores, dentists ?

One method would seem to be as follows: 1) Read papers furiously in effort to distract mind. 2) Hold small quantity of whiskey in mouth extracted from pocket flask. 3) Plaster offending molar with chewing gum.

On Aug. 12 the writer had cause to be greatly annoyed after trying the above methods without results. He then opened the current issue of TIME and upon glancing up, much to his surprise found train pulling into his station two hours distant. Toothache had vanished.

VAN CAMPEN HEILNER* Spring Lake Beach, N. J.

"Rowdy Roisterer"

Sirs:

It is an insult to the distinguished memories of two great men to publish the fact that Edward Holton James of Boston is their nephew [TIME, Aug. 22]. Imagine philosophical William James parading the streets to pervert justice for a Bolshevist fishmonger and a Bolshevist ditchdigger, both of them murderers, both of them anarchists ! Imagine gentle Henry James, that master of manners and nicety, bawling out disorderly epithets at policemen, judges and governors! I say it is a sin against a fine tradition for newspapers and for TIME to harp on the fact that this rowdy roisterer, this half-baked "intellectual," this "radical nephew," Edward James, is related to his uncles. To decent Boston he seems more like a descendant of that other villain, Jesse James, the bandit.

RICHARDSON PETTIT Marblehead, Mass.

Muller Rebuked

Sirs:

Your correspondent in Milwaukee, John Muller, who praised you for not printing Lindbergh's picture on the front cover and who prophesied so blithely that one or more Junkers' planes will come gliding into New York with no fuss or fiddling, must now feel like the blatant tactless ass that he gives every appearance of being.

I would feel silly to allow myself to be annoyed by the mutterings of a dolt like this, except for the fact that he reflects an odious and rather ill-deserved light on Germans in general (of whom I am not one). I have lived several years in European countries, including Germany, and I have never noticed that there were more thickheads per capita in Germany than elsewhere, although misguided--/- like this Muller are likely to give this impression.

The mystery to me is how such a--/- ever comes in contact with or interests himself in a moderately intellectual magazine such as TIME.

W. H. PARKINSON Janesville, Wis.

Plow

Sirs:

I first heard about the new electric plow invented by Mr. Roe of Pittsburgh through your magazine [TIME, Aug. 1]. It interested me so much that I was telling a farmer friend about it yesterday. As it happened, my friend had just been to Leroy, N. Y. to learn more about this plow and he told me more than TIME had. For your information there are tivo blades to it. The tractor that drags it is equipped with a generator from which the current passes from share to share under the soil, which must be damp to insure good transmision. The current thus electrocutes all insect life in its path and also it fixes nitrogen from the atmosphere into the soil thus fertilizing the field.

There are to be demonstrations of the electric plow at the Genesee County Fair this month. I intend going to see for myself and will send you photos of the plow idle and in action.

JEROME P. WATTERSON Albany, N. Y.

Let Reader Watterson send photographs not of the plow alone but of Inventor Roe & plow, of Inventor Roe plowing.--ED.

* An error. TIME prints no "gossip." --Ed.

* Famed naturalist, sportsman, associate editor of Field & Stream. Many the good bass yarn (sea bass) has he written.--Ed.

/- Libelous word omitted.--ED.