Names-in-a-million

Sirs:

Since Mr. Planalp (TIME, Aug. 16) has started a roster of "Names-in-a-million," I beg to submit my own surname, formerly of no little distinction in the New York publishing circles (New York Staats- Zeitung). For purity of origin and significance of meaning, I think it is a name that will favorably compare with any you may find, for your roster of reversible names.

HAROLD P. STAATS

Geo. Staats & Co.

Brass Founders and Finishers

Brooklyn, N. Y.

Sirs:

To help back Manager Planalp off the stage with his boast of a name-in-a-million (TIME, Aug. 16) I am bringing up the name of a cousin in Mississippi with surname and given name reversible: MARY BYRAM.

MRS. W. J. POTTER

Bowling Green, Ky.

Sirs:

TIME'S many items of challenging interest must be making the urge to burst into print infectious. It would seem few of your readers escape. As a constant reader and original subscriber to your admirable magazine, I just read your article in the MISCELLANY column of TIME, Aug. 16, captioned, "Name-in-a-Million." It leads me to submit the following:

In Mayville, N. D., a small town of about a thousand inhabitants (formerly my home), there lives a man by the name of Otto Egge. Both names are reversible. That ought to be a "name-in-a-good-many- million!" . . . By the way, as one who each week reads your magazine from cover to cover, let me also add my hymn of praise to the swelling chorus.

JACOB A. EVANSON

New York. N. Y.

Sirs:

Mr. Planalp (TIME, Aug. 16) isn't the only one. There used to be a piano dealer in Springfield, Mass., named Otto Baab, whose mail came to him often simply addressed as follows:

"Spell it either way, Springfield, Mass."

I think Mr. Baab, as is Mr. Planalp, is a Swiss.

And let me take this occasion to tell you what a good magazine TIME is.

Miss M. D. CONNOR

Brookland, D. C.

Though the evidence is not yet complete, it seems safe to conclude that Mr. Planalp exaggerated; that in each of the 110 millions of people in the U. S., there is more than one person whose surname is a perfect, proper palindrome.--ED.

Spawn

Sirs: Horrible, nauseating, regrettable--your story in TIME, Aug. 16, of that Russian scientist's experiment on an ape. . . . One of the most primitive laws of Nature --that kind keep with kind--has been absolutely adhered to by all animal life; one specie of beast or bird or fowl does not mate with another ; it is only man who would tamper not only with Nature, but with that vaster, more mysterious force which superstition, tradition or conscience terms the Deity--at least according to the reasoning--and faith--of the majority of people this is true--those who believe that Man sprung from a nobler source than the jungle [sic]. It was Marie Corelli, was it not, or was it Mrs. Eddy, or another watchful observer of the times, who first suspected that man was weary of walking upright and looking at the stars ; and judging from the doings of experimenting scientists, this weariness is leading man into strange and shadowy paths--the blending of the ape and man-monkey spawn and angel spawn. Queer things are coming from Russia! ELMER MILLS

Litchfield, Conn.

Lob

Sirs:

I am sending you herewith check in the amount of $1.65. Please send me a copy of Vol. VII.

It is beyond me to make any criticism of TIME, either in the nature of contents or format. . . . and it seems each issue has at least one sentence that remains in my mind incessantly until supplanted in TIME'S next issue.

Could anything be more tersely told than: "Senorita Alvarez would rather lose with a gesture than win with a lob." This sentence was used by your reporter covering the Wimbledon tourney.

Please continue your footnotes, they are most enlightening. Were I to write in incredible prolixity, a resume or abridgment would be complete with: "DON'T LET YOUR CRITICS CHANGE TIME."

W. E. GROSE

Charleston, W. Va.

Lies

Sirs:

You say, in an advertisement (TIME, Aug. 23): "G. Washington said: 'I cannot tell a lie!' Neither can TIME."

Permit me to correct you. The very issue in which that advertisement appeared bulged with lies !

Examples: P. 28, col. 2: "Fords [are] often jocosely called 'road bugs.' " I have never heard a Ford automobile called a 'road bug' !

P. 17, col. 1: "Helsingfors, cleanly capital of Finland." I have been told that all the Finnish cities smell strongly of the fish they can there, and no town that smells is 'cleanly' !

P. 12, col. 2: "A slim bronze dolphin coursed the Baltic Sea. ..." Now what was that "dolphin" ? You yourselves, Mister Editors, say it was a German torpedo a few lines down the page!

That is an absolutely red-handed lie! I am surprised that you are so stupid. ALFRED COTTLE

New York, N. Y.

Return Voyage

Sirs:

Will you kindly send in addition to 'the enclosed order all August numbers of TIME (excepting Aug. 2) to my address so that I may have them to read on my return voyage ?

FRANK T. FULTON

London, England

Sports Editor

Sirs, I am for TIME -- all of the time. My time is always well-spent in reading TIME. The proof of my devotion is that I am paid up for two years in advance. In your religious notes, in TIME, Aug. 16, are some interesting comments on the approaching visit fo the Biship of London to the U.S. Your description of his vestments is most interesting-- "Dalmatic and Tunicle"-- "Surprise." Ye Gods, this is funny ! Also you say that the Anglican Church has appropriated the Mitre from the Roman Catholic Church. Are you quite sure? No, I am not going to set you straight. Look it up for yourselves. I am not even peeved. Like so many other publications you evidently have your "Sports" editor write your religious notes. I have had a lot of fun. Will save this issue to show the good Bishop when he arrives. Even though he is English, he has a keen sense of humor and will enjoy the article. Am not canceling my subscription, get too much information and misinformation, and fun, to do that. R. J. CAMPBELL Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Mrs. Thumb's Veil

Sirs:

Have just read with great interest your article in TIME, Aug. 16, entitled Thumb's House. We have just been entertaining here at our home the gentleman who has put the house up for sale. Also we have just returned from the wedding of our daughter at Exeter when she wore the same wedding veil of real Brussels lace that was worn by Lavinia Warren when she married the General Tom Thumb 60 years ago. Lavinia was first cousin to the present bride's grandmother.

Rosalie Summerfield married Herbert Day Lamson at Exeter Aug. 13 and set out immediately for Shanghai, China, where he will become member of the faculty of Shanghai Baptist College.

MRS. ADELA G. SUMMERFIELD

Philadelphia, Pa.

Timely Help

Sirs: Here is 15-c- to pay for the Marcus Garvey number of TIME, June 11, 1923, you so kindly sent me. Thank you. It served the good purpose of truth telling to an intelligent but ignorant colored cook, valuable servant to me. Educating Negroes is difficult --all praise to TIME for timely help. Honor and glory to TIME ! Keep on with footnotes. . . . JEAN M. C. PATTEN Washington, D.C.