Anti-Grab
Sirs:
In TIME, Aug. 11, Mr. Palmieri expressed the attitude of this veteran of the recent World War who is also opposed to the selfish, money-grab- bing attempts of present veterans organizations in behalf of those of us who were not disabled.
H. H. HlGGINS
Oxford, Ohio
"Boxholder"
Sirs: Reference to your issue of July 28, under the heading, "Cabinet--2 1/2-c- stamps." It is surprising to learn that "Postmaster General . . . turned down a proposition from direct mail advertisers who wanted to handle their circulars without putting them to the expense of addressing. . . . Each letter carrier would have been given a bundle with orders to leave one circular at each stop on his route, because that is exactly the way we have been receiving circulars, etc. here in Northern Jersey for at least a year-- all kinds of local advertising and political circulars and I recall one from a well known firm as far away as Ohio--all with no more definite address than "Boxholder" and the name of the town.
Within less than a week I have received a circular from such a well known firm as McKesson & Robbins addressed simply "Boxholder, R. F. D. #1, Westwood, N. J."
It used to be that one might be unfortunate enough to get on a ''sucker list" but now we are subject to a deluge of mail without even getting on a list. It's time the postoffice department not only turned down such a practice, but actually put a stop to it.
H. STUART GOLDSMITH Vestwood, N. J.
Longan on Snakes*
Sirs: The rule regarding snakes has not been rescinded, as the mats went directly to the electrotyper. The editorial department did not see the "Bungle" page until the color section was printed. While my antipathy to the species is tremendous, it does not extend to the point of the confiscation of entire press runs. The "Toonerville Trolley" cartoon of last Saturday was omitted by the eagle-eyed feature editor because of its snake contents, and the foreman of the electrotype department has assured me no more snakes will get past him.
The origin of the anti-snake rule came ten years ago when I was assistant managing editor; before that time beginning in 1900 thirty years ago I had in the capacity of telegraph editor, city editor, news editor and acting managing editor, done my bit to keeping down the free publicity for snakes, but not always with complete success. Until the Bungle comic page of two weeks ago the record over the last ten years had been perfect. I have always disliked snakes and I have seldom met others, especially women, who did not share to some extent this feeling. I have always believed that it was good business principle not to carry into a home as part of your product that which caused a feeling of revulsion among a large percentage of readers. I can conceive of a news story that might require the breaking of the anti-snake rule in the Star but I have not yet seen it.
GEORGE B. LONGAN President and General Manager Kansas City Star Kansas City, Mo.
"Farther than Real Life"
Sirs: From a recent issue of your paper there is being quoted, and used as editorial material by a few editors, a letter from "An American Citizen in Singapore" criticizing American motion pictures (TIME, June 30). In fact, this "American Citizen" seems to see nothing good in any of them. It is possible he doesn't see them but is taking the word of others who don't see them either. The 115,000,000 other American citizens who attend motion pictures weekly in this country must enjoy them or they would not patronize picture shows.
There is an erroneous idea among people un-informed--it may be in the mind of your correspondent--that "producers send abroad pictures that cannot be shown in the United States." No producer could succeed if he failed to please audiences in this country.
Every picture sent abroad must also be measurably successful in the U. S. It would be a waste of time, effort, money and equipment to attempt to circulate a picture among the 185 motion picture theatres in China, for instance, that didn't please the 115,000,000 people who attend pictures weekly in our 20,000 motion picture theatres in the U. S. . .
The producer of a motion picture cannot hope to please everybody any more than a newspaper publisher but he tries just as hard to do so and is as deeply concerned over any just complaint against his product as is the newspaper publisher even though his patrons are world-wide and more difficult to please.
The motion picture is primarily interested in entertaining. Its field is the drama of life. It is a mirror held up to nature. It presents the evil with the good, but goes farther than real life by showing the triumph of right over wrong. The motion picture as a medium of entertainment and in presenting the drama of life does not knowingly misrepresent American life, as your correspondent charges, any more than the newspapers in printing the news of everyday life. . . .
The complaint is often made that American motion pictures are hindering the spread of the Gospel. Contrast that statement with the fact that Ben Hitr, The King of Kings and The Ten Commandments were barred in China on the grounds that they taught Christianity. . . .
Oland D. Russell in the American Mercury for July says: "Missionaries and movies are two (Continued on p. 8} of the most considerable American exports to Japan but curiously enough it is the Hollywood commodity that has had more to do with the decline of harakiri there than our transplanted moral experts. . . ."
There are eight national groups previewing and recommending pictures at Hollywood. They saw 664 pictures in the four months of January, February, March and April of 1930. Of this number only 59 failed to secure endorsement by one or more of these groups, 298 were endorsed as suitable entertainment for adults, and 307 as suitable for the entire family including children. . . .
The American motion picture business has won world-wide popularity by furnishing motion pictures in such a variety that will please all kinds of tastes.
CARL E. MILLIKEN Secretary Motion Picture Producers & Distributors of America New York City
Ogopogometry
Sirs:
About five years ago the Co-optimists, a musical review in London, discovered Jessie Matthews, and gave her among others this song to sing:
I'm looking for the Ogopogo The funny little Ogopogo-- His mother was an ear wig His father was a whale-- I want to put a little bit of salt on his tail.
I want him for the Lord Mayor's show-- or words to that effect. On p. 30 of your Aug. 4 number you speak of an ogopogo in British Columbia. Which came first, the Co-optimist's ogopogo or the Indians?
FRANK CAPEL SMITH Port Chester, N. Y. Who knows?--ED.
Runner Newton
Sirs:
Congratulations, because so far as I am aware your magazine (TIME, Aug. 4), is the first in America to give full credit to that wonderful runner, A. F. Newton of South Africa. Better late than never. Newton was born within a mile or two of Bedford, England, famous because it was whilst in jail in that town that John Bunyan wrote his Pilgrim's Progress. New to a left England when a youth of 15 to study and take up farming in Rhodesia, South Africa, and as stated never took up running seriously until near 40 years old, yet at 44 and 45 he had smashed to smithereens all former world's records whether amateur or professional for 50 and 100 miles. And strange to relate, but nevertheless true, Newton may have run on the planet Mars for all that American sports writers knew of his phenomenal performances, which indicated that our sports writers were none too well posted or familiar with what was being done elsewhere in this line of general athletics. Two years ago our papers were full of some "feats" in long distance running performed by some Indian runner at a 50-mi. road race near Kansas City, Mo., also on some 90-mi. run by some Indian in the South- west, and both were paraded as world's records, whereas both fell far short of the record made over similar distances by Newton in South Africa. . . .
In the Literary Digest of some two years ago were several columns of moonshine and nonsense anent how some Indians who lived in a certain altitude near Albuquerque, N. M. had a penchant for long distance running as no other white men had, etc., etc., etc. Yet had the writer been informed he would have found out that these records were away below those of Newton made only a few months and years before this, and none seemed to know that the peerless runner George Littlesond of Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, came to Madison Square, N. Y. and on Dec. 1882 covered 623 mi., 1,230 yd. in six days, the longest distance ever covered by a human being in that period of time, whether he be a Flying Finn or a Red Indian. Thus showing that in endurance the good old Anglo-Celtic stock of the Nordic race is second to none.
JOHN MORGAN Gary, Ind.
Air Putt-Putts
Sirs:
While at an airport the other day I was struck by the fact that so many of the smaller airplanes, when they take off the ground, sound as though they were driven by a motorcycle engine. I wonder if it is not true that a great many people are unconsciously prejudiced against going up in airplanes because when they go to the flying field and hear these tinny sounding motors, they automatically associate the airplane motors with the putt-putt sound of a motorcycle.
Perhaps one of your aviation contributors could explain why it is that these powerful engines sound so weak when the plane takes off the ground.
MYRON WHITE Los Angeles, Calif.
A few light planes are powered no more highly than a motorcycle--but motorcycles go up to four cylinders and 40 h. p. nowadays. Plane motors of 90 or 100 h. p. sound "tinny" when the landing surface is hard enough to act as a sounding board, bringing out each explosion in bold relief. Nearness to a hangar, especially an open, empty, metal one increases this effect. And small planes sound small indeed just after listening to the giant roars of biggest planes.--ED.
Harvester Year
Sirs:
On p. 49 of your July 7, 1930 issue you have a note to the effect that the International Harvester Company is this year celebrating its centenary. You are just a little early. That celebration comes next year--1931, as Cyrus Hall McCormick invented his reaper in 1831.
INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER COMPANY OF AMERICA Chicago, Ill.
Copycat Cunningham
Sirs:
Mr. G. G. Slocum wrote you a very entertaining letter which you published under the title of "Boowoo and Ubum" on p. 4 of your issue of Aug. 4.
The Boston Post, on p. 19 of its issue of Aug. 6, carries an article by Bill Cunningham which copies Mr. Slocum's letter verbatim without credit.
Not very nice of the Post, is it?
F. E. STANTON JR. Paterson, N. J.
Right-handed Wood
Sirs:
I was most interested in your write-up on the tennis match between Wood and Vines--the "eighteen-year-olds" (TIME, Aug.11, p. 22). The photograph of Wood shows him as a "southpaw." I saw that match and I am sure that he was neither left-handed nor ambidex- trous but played entirely with his right. It's unfortunate that photographers so frequently "go into reverse."
W. HARVEY JOHNSON Philadelphia, Pa --TIME queried Publisher Longan about the anti-snake rule on his Kansas City Star and Times, and its fracture last fortnight (TIME, Aug. 18). The communication here printed is his reply, received by TIME too late for incorporation in last week's Star-Times snake story.--ED.
This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.