Monday, Mar. 26, 1928
Calves' Brains Scrambled Sirs:
Although I am a native of the district Senator Willis used to represent in Congress, I had never heard him speak until last fall when I was taken along-for-the-ride to a rally of Republican women at Columbus; and since that time I've felt like starting out on a crusade--a futile one, probably, for I must admit that the girls seemed to relish such examples of bawling calf oratory as (I quote impressionistically) : "that lovable, that noble, that fooo-oully maligned man, Warren G. Harding"; "the gloooorious wooomanhood of the State of Ahia"; etc., much, too much, etc. If, as Pastor Rudy praises, the Senator showed "unusual intellectual capacity as a mere boy," may I timidly wonder what unfortunate accident transmuted those "remarkable" brains into a mess of something that (if it were lady-like to call names) I should follow the menu cards to describe as Calves Brains, Scrambled?
MARTHA FULLER
Minneapolis, Minn.
Wife's Cousin's Brother-in-law
Sirs:
Please let Heflin alone for a while. Next thing you know he will discover and announce that TIME'S editor's wife's cousin's brother-in-law had a Catholic grandmother. Or is it possible that you get your popishness less indirectly?
Rosco BRONG West Liberty, Ky.
Fact Sirs:
Page 9--ist col. of your issue of Mar. 12--you speak of Ex-Senator Oscar W. Underwood as being a "lame duck."
Fact is that Senator Underwood voluntarily retired from politics after twenty years of wonderful service to his country and honor to his party, and never offered for re-election or desired same!
R. C. GORDON
Savannah, Ga.
To able Oscar W. Underwood, apologies for an unjust appellation.--ED.
Fear
Sirs: TIME'S scintillating, crisp, news style is hav ing a widespread effect on advertising copy, and magazine writing. Here lately I detect it in almost every magazine I pick up. Perhaps buried deep down in some article or some adver tisement, but nevertheless there, with its char acteristic sparkle. . . .
I suppose my extensive reading as House Or gan Editor and advertising man accounts for noticing the influence that TIME'S copy style is beginning to have in magazinedom.
I fear for "TIME'S Typical Style," because it is being copied so much that soon it will be no longer original. There is no way to copy-write it. TIME may be forced to adopt a new style when its present "Typically TIME" style becomes too common practice.
G. BERNARD RIDDLE
Editor Oil-O-Matic News Williams O.I-O-Matic Heating Corp., Bloomington, III.
Let not Subscriber Riddle, acute, observant, fear for "TIME'S Typical Style" because he scents plagiarists, pirates, copycats. TIME has created no set, wooden "style," which could be aped, but instead strives toward that future medium of expression in which words shall be best fitted to deeds. TIME welcomes progress--by whomever made--toward this goal.--ED.
A Wonder
Sirs:
Came, one day, a copy of TIME [March 19]. Reply to one Frank R. Otis on p. 2 noted. Editor certainly dislikes to admit an error. Mention of speed to press for an excuse is weak for a weekly. Editor is funnier than he realizes. Never forgot his crawling reply to a letter sometime ago--"A wet gray rat is black." That was a wonder. Don't cancel my subscription.
S. H. PATTERSON Secretary
Good Bros. Leather Co.,
Newark, N. J.
Sharpshooter Schaaf Sirs:
I have lately been reading your SPORTS column with interest and have especially noticed the paragraphs under the caption "Records." You have no doubt overlooked the accomplishment of Joey Schaaf, a star sharpshooter of the University of Pennsylvania basketball team, who broke the modern league record of 99 points in a recent game and further boosted the total to 122 points in the Yale-Pennsylvania game played at New Haven on March 7.
We Philadelphians are very proud of Schaaf, who also came within five points of the all-time field goal record, and would appreciate TIME'S cognizance of his achievement.
PHILIP HORTON Philadelphia, Pa.
Binders
Sirs:
You will be interested to know that TIME has been so popular among our passengers that the binders you provided some time ago for use on 22 of our passenger steamers are so badly worn that they do not set off your publication to its best advantage. . . .
The 22 ships on which they are used are: New York Division: New Orleans Division:
Ulua Cartago
Toloa Parismina
Calamares Turrialha
Pastores Atenas
Santa Marta Abangarez
Zacapa Heredia
Tivives Coppename
Sixaola Suriname
Metapan Saramacca
Carrillo Tela
Castilla Iriona . . .
W. B. WHEELER
Passenger Traffic Manager United Fruit Co., New York, N. Y.
Flag Flying
Sirs:
Since TIME knows all things, I would like to ask one question which I have been unable to solve. Why does the American flag fly after sundown on the Congressional Library in Washington? Several of my friends as well as myself have noticed the flag and cannot understand the reason for it remaining there after sundown.
MRS. C. H. NEUSWANGER
Waterbury, Conn.
Subscriber Neuswanger has reason for being perplexed. For, indeed, "it is the practice in the Army, each day in the year, to hoist the flag briskly at sunrise, irrespective of the condition of the weather, and to lower it slowly and ceremoniously at sunset, indicating the commencement and cessation of the activities of the day." But at the Library of Congress in Washington, D. C., where work continues each day until 10 p. m., the flag flies with special lights turned on it until the "activities of the day" are actually finished. Then it is lowered slowly and ceremoniously.--ED.
No Command
Sirs:
I care a lot more than you know for the fragrance of friendship all thru your reference to me and my book Feb. 27, 1928. Just try commanding me. I'll obey. Thank you.
CHASE S. OSBORN
Satilt De Sainte Marie, Mich.
TIME has no command at this moment for Chase Salmon Osborn, but will not forget him or his.--ED.
Sozzles
Sirs:
TIME is great. I sozzle in it weekly. Wouldn't miss it, but do miss something in it. Namely, Architecture as a major heading. Architecture, broadly considered, embraces all the Fine and most of the Technical Arts. It has made our cities, towns and villages and has beautified and inspired life.
TIME can render even a greater public service by putting and keeping Architecture before the public succinctly, sincerely and constructively. WALLACE E. DIBBLE
Springfield, Mass.
TIME will continue to report news of architecture chiefly under ART. As it pervades all civilization, so also it will be mentioned in other TIME departments. (See MEDICINE.)--ED.
"Louisville Lou"
Sirs:
Although the letter of Mr. L. H. Thomas of Van Camp's, Louisville, Ky., is too ridiculous to require comment, perhaps it would be charitable to inform him that "those funny pictures" of gentlemen of "similar appearance" to a "hound," on the covers of recent issues of TIME, have included, among other men of esteem, prestige and accomplishment, portraits of President Coolidge, General Pershing, Ambassador Herrick and Colonel Lindbergh. . . .
Again I cannot refrain from enlightening Louisville Lou that, aside from the eminence of the owners of the "funny pictures" which it had been his "thought to discontinue looking at," they are faces generally acknowledged to be extremely strong and handsome.
E. A. MULLEN Saint George, N. Y.
Christian Science Flayed
Sirs: "In 1906 the Church of Christ, Scientist, had 635 churches and 85,717 members. Last week the results of a new census were published; they showed that the Church of Christ, Scientist, during what has been a period of decline or passivity for many other Christian denominations, has the now number increased of its its churches membership to to 1,912." -- 202,098 TIME, and March 12, p. 31.
There is as much truth in these figures as there is in Mary Baker Patterson Eddy's statement in the year 1883 that "A million people acknowledge and attest the blessings of this mental system of treating diseases." According to the census of 1910 there were 85,717 Christian Scientists in the United States, but, as half of the members of the Boston (Mother) Church were counted also as members of their local churches the actual total was not more than 65,000. Likewise, the present alleged total should be revised down to about 140,000.
That is to say, in a population of some 120 millions there is a little group of 140,000 who adhere to a brand of delusion known as Christian Science; and, in view of the fact that it is a delusion that fosters the withholding of toxin antitoxin from children choking with diphtheria, it is to say that even so few as 140,000 is too
many.
C. L. DEAN Burlington, Iowa