Monday, Aug. 10, 1925
Herewith are excerpts from letters come to the desks of the editors during the past week. They are selected primarily for the information they contain either supplementary to, or corrective of, news previously published in TIME.
Shameen Shooting
TIME Oconto, Wis.
New York, N.Y. July 27, 1925
Sirs:
The first copy of TIME that I received, on arrival at Seattle, contained the statement (July 6, Page 11, col. 1) that the shooting at Shameen, Canton, had been done by "angry students and workmen." As I had left Canton the Saturday before the shooting, and was in Hongkong at the time, I am in a position to know that your statement was (unintentionally) misleading. I have talked with an eye-witness from the Shameen side and have heard fully the Chinese point of view from colleagues of mine who were at Canton Christian College the afternoon of the shooting; I have, also, a copy of the British Consul-General's affidavit giving the facts as he witnessed them. There were four or five thousand armed, uniformed soldiers at the tail-end of a monster parade of students, teachers and laborers. These soldiers were principally "Whampoa cadets," graduates of the Military Academy. The Chinese call them "student soldiers," but they are finished and experienced fighters. Most of the casualties among the Chinese were from this number, though most unfortunately some peaceful and unarmed students were hit. I am told that many students have freely criticized their Government for allowing any soldiers to take part in the parade. Just why these troops opened fire is a complicated question which I won't go into here; it is clear, however, that the situation at Shameen was very different from the "angry mobs" at Shanghai and Hankow.
I am one of your early subscribers, and an enthusiastic "Timer." It was a great hardship to me to miss all the issues during the month it took me to come from Canton.
ALFRED H. HOLT
Noisome
TIME Scarsdale, N.Y.
New York, N.Y. July 30, 1925
Sirs:
Issue of July 27, Page 15, 2d col.: "Noisome applause."
Do you mean (cf. Julius Caesar, Act I, Sc. II) that "the rabblement hooted and clapped their chapped hands and threw up their sweaty nightcaps, and uttered such a deal of stinking breath" that it had almost choked the speaker?
HORTON H. HEATH
No. The subscriber exaggerates. -- ED.
Two Criticisms
TIME Big Indian, N.Y.
New York, N.Y. July 30, 1925
Sirs:
A comparatively new subscriber, I wish to state that while your publication fills "a long felt want" for one who has for years sought to find some condensation of the news and freedom from the slavery of the daily newspaper, I yet have two criticisms to make:
1) The absence of dates; 2) the effort to change the name of New York to Manhattan.
Both of these annoy me considerably. Especially should the "Milestones" column bear dates, and "New York" is as much a common word throughout this country and Europe as "America" is.
WILLIAM B. ROCHESTER
Dates are omitted because a multiplicity of dates is confusing, slows up the narrative. Unless otherwise specified, all actions reported in TIME took place during the past week.
No effort is being made "to change the name of New York to Manhattan." Manhattan is a borough; New York is a city composed of five boroughs ; TIME endeavors to be specific wherever practical. -- ED.
Skuh-zg-een-ski
TIME New York, N.Y.
New York, N. Y. July 29, 1925
Sirs:
Your attempt at phonetics with regard to the pronunciation of Count Skrzynski's name in the July 27 issue of your magazine, Pages 1, 9, 14, perfectly rotten.
Believe me it is not Sh-trin-ski, but Shuh-zg (French j) een-ski.
F.F. LISIECKI JR.
The pronuniciation Sh-trin-ski, as given by TIME, is identical to the sound emitted over the telephone by the Polish Vice Consul in New York, Mr. Stalinski. -- ED.
Chilton Scored
TIME New York, N.Y.
New York, N.Y. Aug. 1, 1925
Sirs:
In your August 3 issue, Page 30, I have read and reread several times a letter signed "Arthur B. Chilton," and I have tried each time to find some justification for your thanking same "for his patience, his courtesy." It looks very much as though TIME were being dictated to and I think Candidate Subscriber Chilton should have been rebuffed. Only last week I read a letter from a Negro who said his race was finding great pleasure in your paper. For the sake of your colored readers, I think Mr. Chilton's objection to the word "Mister" should have been resented. As for his objection in reference to the "Vicar of Christ"--that is obvious. TIME'S broadmindedness has brought her many followers. Were she to heed the Mr. Chiltons of the world, her subscribers no doubt would be limited to those who come from below the M. & D. line.
L. O. BERGH
Exploded
TIME Brunswick, Me.
New York, N.Y. July 31, 1925
Sirs:
To the many additions and corrections that will be made to your article (July 20, Page 16, on "The Age of College Presidents"), allow me to add the experience of Bowdoin College.
William De Witt Hyde was elected President before he had reached his 27th birthday, and is consequently to be regarded as a younger college president than any given in the list of the Detroit News. The present head of the College, Dr. Kenneth C. M. Sills, was elected at the age of 38. Bowdoin College since its foundation in 1794 has had but eight presidents. The average age at the time of election was just 39. If we still think that a college president ought to have the flowing patriarchal beard, it is interesting to recall that Dr. Jesse Appleton was elected president of Bowdoin in 1807 at the age of 35; Dr. William Allen, his successor, was elected in 1819 at the age of 36; and Dr. Leonard Woods, who succeeded Dr. Allen, was elected in 1839 at the age of 32. Thus another popular fallacy is exploded.
CLARA D. HAYES
Secretary of the College.