Chord
Sirs:
I imagine you have struck a responsive chord in the presentation of "Princess Lilybet" as the frontispiece of TIME, April 29. Even a 100% American like myself can find a tender spot in my heart for such a winsome British baby - May happy days follow her footsteps.
(Subscriber) WM. L. SEXTON New York City Gnomes, Gargoyles, Apes
Sirs:
The contrast between the features of "Princess Lilybet" which adorns this week's issue of TIME and the usual selection for the outside page is hopefully encouraging. I had about concluded that your art editor was a hopeless, bilious pessimist, for however passable the originals of his selections may have looked in the flesh, when the lineaments were transferred to the cover they generally resembled a gnome, gargoyle or anthropoid ape.
I have been reading TIME faithfully for three years and this is the only criticism I can make. I just lap it up with complete satisfaction.
HENRY W. RING New Haven, Conn.
Let Reader Ring specify what TIME covers he has considered gnomelike, gargoylelike, apelike. Some recent TIME covers included Savana Einstein, Prince Olav & Princess Martha (photographs) ; Senator Smoot, Financier Taylor, Educator Little (drawings); Actor Hampden, Racehorse Barton (in colors). -ED. Merkle Incident
Sirs:
Your historical ads make as good reading as your indispensable magazine. Recently I enjoyed the one entitled "The Merkle Incident." It was astonishingly complete and very well written, but surely it was mistaken in one important particular. You say, " 'Iron Man' McGinnity, coming on the run, seized the ball and hurled it into the stands. Tinker pinned his arms and the ball lobbed into the crowd already surging on the field."
Now I saw this particular game and I remember distinctly that McGinnity struggled with John Evers, not with Joe Tinker. Hugh Fullerton, the celebrated baseball expert, bears me out in his article "The Game that Stirred the Nation," in Liberty, July 14, 1928. He writes: "Joe Mc-Ginnity, the 'Iron Man' pitcher of the Giants, who had been coaching at first base, had seen Merkle's fatal blunder. He ran into the field and rushed at Evers. The ball was tossed to Evers just as McGinnity tackled him. McGinnity tore the ball from his hands, and while they fought, threw it into the crowd sweeping into the diamond."
Come across now TIME, and admit that for once you are wrong.
OLE SWENSON St. Louis, Mo.
Before "The Merkle Incident" was written, TIME wrote John Evers, now Coach for the Boston Braves, for the true version of the play. Evers says McGinnity struggled with Tinker, not with him, as Fan Swenson declares. The Evers letter:
Sirs:
Your request for an accurate description of the Merkle play just received upon my return from Boston, and I hesitate to write or even refer to this play, as every time it is brought forward it hurts a real fellow and a smart one, Fred Merkle.-- However, there have been so many different accounts of this play maybe the public is entitled to some truth in the matter, for after all they pay the freight.
Now when this inning started, the 9th, the first two men at bat were retired. Then McCormick singled, Merkle also singled, sent McCormick to third and, with Pfister pitching left hand and Bridwell hitting left handed, it didn't look very bad for the Cubs, the score at this point being a tie, 2 and 2. However, Bridwell singled cleanly over second base to centre and Hofman, playing centre, returned the ball to the infield. In the meantime the crowd was swarming on the field and Merkle had cut about 30 ft. from second and run towards the Club, which at that time was in right centre. McGinnity, who was coaching on first base, came running towards second base and Tinker was trying to turn Bob Emslie around to see the play, but he didn't turn, and the ball went over my head and hit Tinker in the back, and McGinnity picked the ball up. Tinker then turned around and pinned McGinnity's arms to his sides and in this position he threw the ball towards the crowd which had reached about at short stop with the players from our bench. A fan picked it up and Floyd Kroh, a pitcher with the Cubs, knowing we wanted that ball, asked him for it. The fan refused. He then struck the fan and also broke his derby, and he gave Floyd the ball, who then, coming towards me, handed it to me and I went to second base and stood there. Hank O'Day came out from behind the home plate and asked me if I was on the base and I said "yes" and he said "all right." The crowd was about 20 deep in a circle around me at second and I was alone and my shins and body were pretty well beaten up when I finally reached the club house, but I had the ball and still have it, although all kinds of offers have been made for it. . . .
JOHN EVERS Boston
Putting England Right
Sirs:
During an absence of more than two years in Europe, I spent 14 months in England. The reason why I have no wish to see it again is because of the insane habit the people had of saying "Beg pardon?" to every remark I made. It was not that they did not understand me, for if I refused to repeat my remark they gave me an intelligent answer, thus showing that neither deafness in them nor my American brogue had hindered them from knowing what I said. They were just as senseless when talking to one another. . . . Perhaps my English cousins think their course is polite, but it is certainly not good manners to try to make persons repeat every remark they make. Life is too short for that. When an American child says "What?" to all his parents say, they reprove him until he reforms, but in England the parents were as bad as the children.
DRYDEN WM. PHELPS San Diego, Calif.
Sirs:
TIME has evidently permitted Sitwell R. Packard to remain in complete ignorance of the Balfour Note.* The United States of America, by refusing to adopt the suggestions advanced in this note, lost the opportunity of making the "beau geste" of all time.
To them would have been acceded the gratitude of Europe, in spite of the fact that Great Britain was prepared to cancel debts very much in excess of the amount she owed to the United States.
Mr. Packard writes, "Let them keep quiet and pay what they owe, which is what they always pretend they are doing." Certain State's of the Union are keeping very quiet, but make no pretense of paying what they owe to Great Britain.
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina borrowed, for industrial purposes, from the investors of Great Britain. Both principal and interest, about $75,000,000 to date, have been repudiated by these states!
Mr. Packard refers to the British press as "Government and Peer-subsidized." Will TIME please devote the necessary 1/2 of an inch of space to a list of the U. S. A. newspapers which are not at the heel of one or other of your political parties?
H. W. STUART Hamilton, Ont.
Wanted: Bookplates
Sirs:
As a regular reader may I enjoy the hospitality of your columns in an effort to make Americans and Australians better known to each other?
National opinion is simply the sum of the opinions of individuals--with a fuller under-standing between individuals there will be fewer national differences.
An effort is being made to secure a collection of book plates for presentation to, and preservation at the Capitol at Canberra, and I would be grateful for book plates from authors, artists, readers and writers who would care to associate themselves with this presentation.
Each book plate may have half a dozen lines of descriptive matter so that the official record will show exactly what was intended that the artist should express in the book plate.
Enclosed is my book plate which you will feel free to use as you think wise, and publish if you think it has sufficient news value. It shows the scene that greets my eyes each morning as I come across the Bay from my home at Mosman into the gates of the City, i. c., Circular Quay. This is the first view of Sydney seen by every visiting American. I would be happy to send one of these book plates to every helper who cares to cooperate.
Already I am obligated by able assistance so graciously given by such fine folk as Mencken, Theodore Dreiser, Fannie Hurst, Frank O'Brien -- Editor of New York Sun -Joseph and Elinor Pulitzer. All correspondence will be promptly answered if addressed to George FitzPatrick, Private Box 939 GG., G. P. O., Sydney, Australia.
GEORGE FITZPATRICK Director Sunday Times ''Australia's greatest Newspaper and Magazine" Sydney, Australia
The FitzPatrick bookplate: [Illustration]
Lincoln
Sirs:
Thanks -congratulations to TIME for saying "Now John drives the dark Lincoln limousine." To learn what make of car Mr. Coolidge used while President and to learn that he bought this car from Uncle Sam, is NEWS. Newspapers delete the name of the car because that would be advertising the car. It is good to know that TIME has the guts to print the NEWS, even if it is a blurb for the manufacturer. No thanks, I don't own a Lincoln -but I wish I did. So say we all.
C. L. FORGEY Detroit, Mich.
* Fred Merkle is now a golf professional in Daytona, Fla.
* The Balfour Note was discussed (again) in TIME, April 29.