Lesser People Sirs:

Your attitude towards Indian affairs . . . smacks of the sickly sentimental ism noticeable amongst those who view the travail of a lesser people from afar. . . .

Having served for a number of years with an Indian cavalry regiment, and having had the privilege of forming truer friendships with Indian gentlemen than perhaps with any ''civilized" individuals, I am in a position to state that the native definitely despises any white man who presumes to judge his people without at least a period of 15 years' residence in India to his credit.

You are unaware, I presume, that the aims and aspirations of the Ghandi party are. comparatively speaking, as representative of Indian feeling as Communism is of American ideals.

Because, I believe, you typify a distinct branch of American society, the bourgeoisie shall we say, I feel that you should make allowances if my attitude exemplifies a greater interest in the progressive Indian than in the canaille. . . .

It is to the credit of [India's] princes that the sluggish millions have been forced to bestir themselves and bring to light the fabulous natural resources for which the land has ever been famed.

It is to the discredit of England that her benevolent despotism (with emphasis on the word benevolent) has, except for occasional righteous outbursts, permitted her to fall for the "sales talk" of a few impractical dreamers, and gradually switch the governing of the country from the hands of those who know the futility of altruism to a class whose ideals are motivated by a desire to be rid of an oppressively progressive people. . . .

Sympathize with Saint Ghandi if it so pleases you, and, by all the Gods, even the most uncompromising Englishman respects his piety and idealism, but do not deceive yourself that complex India would ever beatify a Hindu philosopher as California has her Krishnamurti.

JAMES C. CRITCHELL-BULLOCK

The Explorers Club New York City

Wakatsuki's Fours

Sirs: Don't you think you stretched your imagination a little too far when you said, "Down on all fours in London last week went Japan's chief delegate to Naval Conference--" writing his report to the Emperor. Or is it your Hearst-like attempt to make it newsworthy? No Japanese goes down on fours when he is writing letters or reports, not only because it is a poor manner but mainly because it is too awkward position to write small letters. I feel sure, writing his report to his superior, Mr. Wakatsuki takes much more dignified attitude than your description. If he did wrote his report to his Emperor in such position as you say, he certainly must be so helplessly paralyzed at that particular moment. The accompanying picture shows him writing a Kakemono, meaning hanging-word-picture, painting a word "self" in a large letter on likely a sheet of silk. (Probably next word was "ashamed.") This is to be made up in frame and hang on a wall in a certain corner of a supposed-to-be most sacred room in a house. And in this Kakemono painting only a few words suffices to express one's feelings, thus in such a large letter, and sometime in "all fours" to make his one arm movement as free as possible. Because I go down on "all fours" to find collar button on a floor, please do not imagine I am writing this letter in "all fours'" too. GEORGE TOKIE OTAXI

North Branch, N. J.

North Carolina's Simmons Sirs:

The following subscribers would thank you to publish the record of Senator F. M. Simmons:

J. W. ODEN A. B. HUDNELL JAMES ELLISON-- W. C. SPENCER J. S. JENKINS Washington, N. C.

Sirs:

Senator F. M. Simmons of North Carolina, comes up for re-election real soon. We the undersigned registered voters request TIME to publish the record and achievements of Mr. Simmons in public life.

W. G. Cox

L. D. MEADOW

JOSEPH ERWIN GANT

EARL B. HORNER

ZEBULUN VANCE HOWELL

Burlington, N. C.

PLEASE GIVE YOUR NORTH CAROLINA READERS A PEN PICTURE AND ESTIMATE OF SENATOR F M SIMMONS AND HIS RECORD AS A DEMOCRAT AND LEGISLATOR FOR GODS SAKE "DO" HIM IN AN EARLY ISSUE.

JOHN DORSETT

RALEIGH, N. C.

The record of Senator Furnifold ("Furnie") McLendel Simmons of North Carolina is as follows:

Born: on a Jones County, N. C. plantation, Jan. 20, 1854. Start-in-life: a country lawyer. Career: Son of a well-to-do planter, he attended Wake Forest College, was graduated (1873) from Trinity College (now Duke University), commenced the practice of law at New Bern at 21. The same year he married Eliza Humphrey of Goldsboro. Aged 32, he was elected to the House of Representatives, soth Congress, for one unimportant term (1887--89). In 1892 when Populism threatened, he was made head of the Democratic State Executive Committee, held the Weaver vote down to 44,000. His reward came when President Cleveland named him Collector of Internal Revenue for North Carolina's Eastern district (1893--97). It was as the undisputed boss Democrat of the State, a rank he held till 1928, that he was elected to the Senate in 1900 where he has served continuously since 1901. In Congress: He is No. i Senator in seniority of service, in actual age (76). He is one of the four most influential Democrats in the Senate (Arkansas' Robinson, Montana's Walsh, Virginia's Glass are the other three). He was chairman of the Senate Finance Committee (1913-19) which wrote the Underwood-Simmons Bern. Local bank failures last year caused him serious financial loss. In 1928 his Dry Protestant efforts turned North Carolina against Wet Catholic Alfred Emanuel Smith. A bitter hater, he still flaunts his opposition to the Tammany wing of his party, balks at reconciliation. This year he is a candidate for reelection to the Senate. Against him in the June primary are younger men and forces who would punish him for his bolt. At stake is his State leadership. Impartial Senate observers rate him thus: though age has blunted his legislative effectiveness, he remains a potent Democratic force in the Senate. He commands Republican respect and attention, if not votes. His mind is clear and active. Unlike his politics at home, his Senate votes are regularly Democratic, though at heart he is no Liberal. His industry has not diminished.. Long parliamentary experience has taught him how to get things done on the Senate floor where he continues a preeminent public figure.--ED.

Acey-Deucy

Sirs: Your report on "Backgammon," p. 63, issue of May 5, was of particular interest to me. Truly "TIME brings all things." I was an enlisted man in the Navy 1911--14 and remember that backgammon or as we gobs called it "Acey-Deucy" (ace-deuce being the highest throw on the dice) was a favorite game. It was played on deck, below decks, in the engine room, the dynamo room and in the turrets and handling rooms. A peculiar thing about backgammon as played in the Navy, was that it was one game we didn't gamble on. We shot plenty of craps, played poker and around pay day plenty of money exchanged hands, but never at backgammon. Before dispatching this letter I'll try to dig up an old snapshot showing two of my former mates playing gammon. In all the time I played backgammon in the Navy, I never saw a gob and a "leatherneck'' (Marine) playing "acey-deucy." The marines were not barred from poker or craps but didn't seem to mix when it came to backgammon. Also in 21 months service in the Army both at home and in France, I never saw the game played nor did I ever hear any of the old time soldiers mention it. So I gather backgammon or "acey-deucy" was distinctly a Navy game. Louis J. GLASER

Rochester, N. Y.

Patrolman Werrenrath

Sirs:

There is a Manhattan policeman anyway who would pass the taste test suggested by your Subscriber Richards (TIME, April 21). At the patrol officers' dinner given recently at the Hotel Astor one of the guests at Grover Whalen's table was Reinald Werrenrath, the famous baritone. He was disguised, let Subscriber Richards note, in a patrolman's uniform and when he sang it was as Patrolman Werrenrath of Traffic A. Yet when he had finished one of the cops exclaimed, "Why that guy's wasting his time on the force. He would get $100 a week singing professionally. . . ."

FRED OSBORNE

New York City

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