Justice

Sirs: I have just read in TIME that an informant got $14,000 for notifying the government that Mrs. Anheuser Busch and her daughters were trying to smuggle jewels into this country (TIME, Nov. 28). Please tell me how such a reward may be earned. I think I know of an other case in which justice could be done.

HERBERT MILLS JR. Cleveland, Ohio Let Newsstand-buyer Mills report by letter to the Treasury Department, Washington, D. C., any information which he thinks may further the ends of justice. -- ED.

Wrong Word

Sirs: TIME, Dec. 5, p. 18, says in col. 2 : "He said, 'I will burn it because I have no reason for satisfying morbid public curiosity.' After this arrogant comment . . ." etc. Of course I am wrong in thinking Sir Basil's comment not arrogant that arrogant implied overbearing assertion of superiority, of others' rights not recognized, that haughty would be better here, that haughty implies only a consciousness of superiority. Wrong words in wrong places keep TIME from the best tables. Haughtily, RODERICK BISSELL JONES Winstead, Conn.

Papal Chamberlain

Sirs: In your issue of Nov. 31, on p. 30, you refer to and quote from an editorial in the Living Church, referring to the operations of a gentleman [Chevalier Giacinto Leccisi] calling himself a papal chamberlain.

I am sending you a copy of a letter sent by the Rev. John J. Burke [General Secretary of the National Catholic Welfare Conference] to the Living Church, and published in the issue of Dec. 3.

PATRICK J. WARD Director Bureau of Publicity & Information N. C. W. C. Washington, D. C. The Rev. John J. Burke's letter to the Living Church: The editorial of your [Living Church] issue for Nov. 5 declares: "We are not among those who delight in finding fault with Roman Catholicism." The editorial itself with belies that statement. . . . . The reason for this editorial is a business card which has come to your attention.* If it is not your delight to find fault with Roman Catholicism, why did you not take pains to find out if there was any such official connection between this man and the Catholic Church, as your editorial so positively states? Any intelligent Catholic reading the card knows at once such procedure is unauthorized. Apropos of that card, may I state categorically: 1) Mr. Leccisi is a private individual. Neither officially nor unofficially does he represent the Vatican. He is "from Rome" only in the sense that he has at one time lived in that city, not that he was sent to the United States by the Vatican. The authorities of the Vatican do not know of his presence here. 2) Mr. Leccisi is merely an honorary Papal Chamberlain. As such he can no more be said to be a representative of the Roman Curia than one who has received a medal from Congress may be said to represent Congress. 3) The organization of a Diocesan Matrimonial Court is outlined, and in detail, by the Canon Law of the Church to such an extent that every official connected with the Court, or any one allowed to appear before it of the must be explicitly sanctioned by the Bishop of the Diocese. Mr. Leccisi, as far as I know, has not been approved by any Diocesan Court in the United States.

4) The use of the word annulment, both on the card and in the editorial, is misleading. It is well known that the Church on sufficient evidence may declare a marriage null and void from the beginning and therefore no marriage at all. Intelligent readers will so understand the card; but it will as surely mislead and deceive the unintelligent. JOHN J. BURKE, C. S. P. The Living Church's rebuttal: . . . We had hoped that such Roman Catholics, particularly of the American press, as were disgusted . . . would be emphatic in their condemnation, especially if the man has no official position in his Church as is now maintained. . . .

Bathroom Germicide

Sirs : TIME for Nov. 14, 1927, p. 29: "Alone, he drank a bathroom germicide and died quickly." To say "a bathroom germicide" is better than to name a specific poison. But for reasons which you no doubt appreciate, the more indefinite such reports, the better. Why not say "he took a poison"? Or, better yet, "he was found dead"? There are some interesting statistics on the relation of suicide incidence to publicity -- sorry I haven't the references. THOMAS C. MCVEAGH, M.D. Honolulu, Hawaii. No circumlocution would change the fact that the crippled boy committed suicide, nor deter a weak-willed person from suicide. Specific mention of "a bathroom germicide" warns housekeepers to keep their household poisons in well-locked cupboards. -- ED.

Oh for Roosevelt

Sirs: More than 50 years ago Charles A. Dana had a writer on the Sun (was his name Cummings?) who was known as the great American condenser. Think TIME has several of them. When Grant was President there was much talk of corruption in Washington. Bclknap and Dent his brother-in-law were the chief ones to blame. The President said "Let no guilty man escape." Wouldn't it be fine if pur President would choose to say as much, instead of entertaining at breakfast such men as --, -- and big --*? Oh, for Roosevelt at such a time! JAMES S. BELL Franklin, Neb.

Woodstock Too

Sirs: We respectfully refer you to p. 40 of the Dec. 5 issue of TIME, an article on Underwood-Elliott-Fisher, in which you say: "There will remain but two United States Companies making typewriters only--L. C. Smith & Corona, Inc., and the Royal Typewriter Co. The Victor Adding Machine Co. also makes the Victor Portable typewriter." We would like you to note that our company is an institution doing business throughout the United States through branches and distributors, and that we manufacture typewriters only. We felt sure you would want this brought to your attention so that a correction could be made. J. M. HACHNE General Sales Manager Woodstock Typewriter Co. Chicago, Ill.

Polish Questions

Sirs:

Generally speaking, I like your magazine. However, your stand on Polish questions, exhibiting either prejudice or ignorance of European affairs, is disgusting. I am therefore obliged to cancel my subscription. C. DZIADULEWICZ Kuryer Publishing Co. Publishers of the Kuryer Polski* Milwaukee, Wis. Let onetime Subscriber C. Dziadulewicz specify in behalf of Kuryer Polski instances of prejudice or ignorance in TIME'S treatment of Polish news. -- ED.

Wood, Too

Sirs:

Leffingwell Roberts seems to take it very hard that President Wilson jumped his personal physician over other Navy doctors into the rank of Medical Director with rank of Rear Admiral. He did not mention who should have had the job.

President Wilson had a precedent, and anyhow, being the personal doctor to the President is always apt to bring into being a Right Hon. Sir John Porter.

In 1898, President McKinley jumped Leonard Wood over the entire line and field commissioned personnel of the U. S. Army to rank of Brigadier General, from his then rank of Captain in the Hospital Corps, and Colonel of Volunteers during '98. There was a big howl over this from everyone who dared to peep among the Army ranks, although General Wood did turn out to have commanding ability.

General Wood at time of the outbreak of the Spanish War was personal doctor to President McKinley, and before that to President Cleveland, but was no more of a soldier of the line that Admiral Grayson was in the Navy.

The difference in the two cases is, that Doctor Wood was jumped to General of the Army in command of troops while Doctor Grayson was jumped to Medical Director of the Navy with only rank of Admiral, and only in command of medical men.

It was largely a difference in politics which brought praise to one and abuse to the other.

AUSTIN C. ROWELL Pittsburgh, Pa.

Greatest Shepherd

Sirs:

In the footnote to your designation of Senator Warren of Wyoming as the "greatest shepherd since Abraham," you say this title was conferred because as Chairman of the Appropriation Committee he "guides whole flocks of bills." As a matter of fact, the title was conferred upon Senator Warren by the late Champ Clark of Missouri because of the Senator's vast sheep interests in Wyoming.

W. M. LEDBETTER St. Louis, Mo.

Jacksonville, Too

Sirs:

In your issue of Nov. 28 you list a score or more cities which engage in community advertising throughout the U. S.

Jacksonville spends more money for advertising than anyone of these cities listed, with two exceptions, and while we may survive the omission on your part, we pray for your recognition.

In other words, we do not want these other cities to beat our "Time!" AL HARRIS "Believers in Jacksonville" Jacksonville, Fla.

Let not the "Believers in Jacksonville" (association of Jacksonville businessmen incorporated to advertise the community) feel obfuscated for their omission from TIME'S short catalog of advertising cities. And let believers in St. Petersburg, Fla., and in many another progressive U. S. community, perchance likewise omitted, feel no remorse. TIME made no pretensions to be all-inclusive.-- ED.

False Vote?

Sirs:

A word relative to the much heralded results of the United States Chamber of Commerce poll on the Federal Tax Reduction bill. Particularly the statement of Banker Pierson: "The constituency of the Chamber is a cross section of the country." [TIME, Dec. 12] This statement is true but unfortunately the results of any Chamber of Commerce poll are not indicative of the opinions held by its members individually, for this reason: The local Chamber of Commerce has a membership of over thirteen hundred. Without first obtaining an expression from the individual members, six ballots were cast on the question. The reported result was five to one in favor of the $400,000,000.00 reduction. Was this the opinion of the group or merely the opinion of six men who might have been prejudiced on the question? Assuming that all other Chambers of Commerce throughout the country cast their ballot in the same way, is the stand of the United States Chamber of Commerce the opinion from a "cross section of the country," or merely the opinion of a numerically insignificant few. Is not their claim misleading ? WALTER C. BAKER Member of C. of C. Niagara Falls, N. Y. For an account of how another U. S. Chamber poll was held, see p. 6. col. 1. -- ED.

Anti-Cruel

Sirs:

May I correct an error in an article appearing in your Dec. 5 issue on Sport, entitled "Chicago Horse Show"? In it, you state that the S. P. C. A. accepts a decree that tail-sets are agreeable to horses. Neither the Anti-Cruelty Society nor the Illinois Humane Society accepted any such viewpoint. (The S. P. C. A. was not drawn into it, to my knowledge). Mr. Otto Lehman proclaimed in the papers that the battle was over. "The wish was father to the thought": he had such difficulty in getting the horse show togther that he struggled against any interference.

Dr. McKillip stated that operating on the tail of a horse and the immediate application of the tail-set was extremely painful for at least 36 hours. This, in itself, ought to be enough to spell its doom. He said that horses became accustomed to the constant wearing of the tail-set afterward, but as a "Defender of Animals" wrote me today: "I presume it is on the same theory that, if one hangs long enough, one must necessarily become used to it"

You might be interested in an article which I have just written for the papers in response to Mr. Otto Lehman's statement.

Far from abandoning the stand we have taken against these unnecessary hardships endured by show horses, we, of the Anti-Cruelty Society, feel we have only just begun, and although it may be a long crusade, it will certainly not be a fainthearted one.

IRENE CASTLE MCLAUGHLIN (MRS. FREDERIC MCLAUGHLIN) Chicago, Ill. In her able response to Otto Lehman's statement, Mrs. McLaughlin points: to the professionalization of modern hose-shows; to methods of making a horse's tail assume an unnatural position by tail-setting, "gingering" or, in one despicable case, Spanish Fly Ointment; to the punishment which will overtake insensitive persons according to the theory of the transmigration of souls; to a continuance of "a long uphill climb. . . ." -- ED.

* The card: CHEV. GIACINTO LECCISI Papal Chamberlain Attorney and Counselor at Canon Law From ROME has opened an office at the above address for the purpose of dealing with the annulment of marriages in the Roman Church, and all matters pertaining to canon law. * Names omitted, in all courtesy.--ED. * Self-styled "oldest, largest, most popular Polish daily and Sunday in America."--ED.