Capablanca Explains

After several embarrassing hours explaining the deficiencies in his passport, Jose R. Capablanca came ashore last week from the Leviathan. The hours had been made even more harassing by the persistence of news-writers. Since the Moscow chess tournament TIME, Dec. 7) the market for chess news has developed rapidly. In particular the persistent writers wanted to know "Why?" Why had Capablanca--born with chess strategy "engraved by dry point upon his infant brain"--been defeated by two Russian "unknowns"? He who had declared "Chess--it is too simple" --why had he been driven to a draw by Lasker and two others? Why had he finished third in the tourney ? At first the master made no explanation, but gradually--as the passport became more wearisome-- the persistence of the press took its irritating effect and drew forth remarks. The master reported that at the beginning of the tournament the lighting was bad, the chairs too low, the pieces too big for the squares, the ventilation abominable. The hall of play, onetime restaurant of the Hotel Metropole, could seat 1,000; each day 1,200 or 1,500 pushed in.