Cygnets

Sirs:

Young dogs are "pups," young chickens "chicks," young rabbits "bunnies," can you tell us what the young of swan are called?

TIME is my greatest source of information. I enjoy it thoroughly.

JAMES H. MCGUIRE Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

TIME must decline hereafter to answer questions, such as this, which do not pertain to the news. When swans or cygnets become cygnificant (such as would be the death of the red-billed black swan in the garden of the Pena Palace at Cintra, Portugal) TIME will tell, will answer questions on the subject. -ED.

My Countree

Sirs:

I have gotten my issue of TIME for this week and I say, I don't see anything in there about my countree Greece. What's the matter with your agents? Can't they get any news about Mr. Venizelos? I am a Royalist, and I am proud ot it. I will fight for the Royalist flag any old time so tell me what the news is about my countree. I depend on your magazine for the news and you look like you are scared to tell me the news. I will expect to hear from you.

A. P. MELETAKOS Washington, D. C.

Political developments in Greece are temporarily nil, owing to the dengue fever as reported in TIME, Sept. 17. -ED.

"Poisonal"

Sirs:

On the evening of Governor Smith's acceptance speech the static was bad. I turned off the radio.

But I was not to be spared. Fully three weeks afterward the Movietone presented the scene. I'm prejudiced, I'll admit -but I am only one of a great many who carried away one lasting impression of Governor Smith's speech -an impression that, without really proving anything, seems to epitomize the whole democratic platform, its ticket, its votaries:

"Poisonal, Detoimined"

I verily believe I would not have been surprised if he had continued: "Ain't it de trut' -w'at I'm tellin' youse?"

The giggle that floated about the theatre -up here in this normally Smith section -at the first evidence of this "New Yorkese" was (thought prejudiced I) significant. . . .

L. F. SOUTHWICK New Haven, Conn.

Bigot Flayed

Sirs:

Can it be that Puritan R. J. Wilson is related to Dr. Clarence True Wilson? His denunciation of Raskob; his innate knowledge of the affairs of the pope, faithfully reflects the well established attitude of all intolerant protestant Christians, contributors to Dr. Wilson's cause. . . .

Let the bigot read the Declaration of Independence. Let him review the Harding and Coolidge administrations for evidence of "buying presidencies." Let him also ask Elihu Root and Chas. Evans Hughes, Republican leaders, for their opinions on the fitness of Al Smith as a governmental executive, and their opinions on his loyalty to the United States. . . .

WALTER J. BECKER Peoria, Ill.

Wilson Flayed

Sirs:

I could not help nodding with indignation at the contemptible, malicious utterances of Rev. R. J. Wilson in TIME, Sept. 10. I pity his robust ignorance -. . . .

PAUL A. CHILDS Detroit, Mich.

Motherly Concern

Sirs:

I feel the impulse strong upon me to write once more to the publication which I "adopted" in its infancy, or at least in its young childhood (1923). (See TIME, Jan. n, 1926, LETTERS.)

I have watched your progress with true motherly concern. Exulting in your growing prestige, proud of the typographical beauty of each edition, proud of your accuracy, your wit, your charming diction, and most of all your abounding knowledge of all things worth while (your footnotes alone if compiled would make a valuable reference volume), proud of your sportsmanship in gracefully acknowledging an error, or manfully standing by your guns when you know you are right and can prove it.

Once in a while I wince when you introduce a word like "gob" or descend to the level of a Heflin in exchanging common and coarse banalities.

Your condensed biographies are gems. Note "The Beaver Man" and others -your article on "The Boys" (Aug. 27) is especially entertaining. Now when we read their reports we can also think of their backgrounds. By the way, a question regarding Richardson, uncle of Pundit Kent -When I was a little girl (a long time ago) Horace Greeley's New York Tribune was an oracle in my home. I remember just how it looked, closely printed in quite small type and no headlines -except once. I do not remember the date exactly, but near the close of the Civil War, it came out in heavy black lines clear across the top:

"Knoxville, Tenn., -186?.

OUT OF THE JAWS OF DEATH!

OUT OF THE MOUTH OF HELL!

-Richardson."

Richardson, the Tribune reporter, had been missing and mourned for dead for some time, but had a most wonderful and almost miraculous escape from Libby Prison, which was described in the Tribune.

Could it be (or is it chronologically impossible) that this might have been the uncle (Frank Richardson) of Pundit Kent?

Here is another request. Will you please tell us the hours of your "Newscasting" over the radio? I have not been able to find out.

Probably you will think this letter too lengthy or too prolix -that is a fault of old ladies.

(MRS. J. H.) LOUISE L. PHILLIPS North East, Pa.

Pundit Kent has an uncle who was in prison during the Civil War in Fort Delaware, not Libby.

Newscasting is given at different times by 40 different stations. Let TIME-adopter Phillips listen in on KDKA (Pittsburgh, Pa.) at 6:55 p. m.; or turn to TIME, page 35, pick out another station she prefers, look up that station's Newscasting schedule in local papers. -ED.

Prefers Jazz

Sirs:

. . . this Newscasting -I do not like it. When I turn on my radio I prefer stimulating jazz music, funny stories. ... In my free moments I want amusement.

SAMUEL COHEN St. Louis, Mo.

Flop Sirs:

I listened in on your Newscasting program last night. It struck me that you are breaking your neck trying to please the radio masses. TIME'S style, TIME'S whole refreshing attitude is not suited to this. TIME gives its readers many things which they do not want, many things which actually displease them; but TIME does it so cleverly that they read it and like it. In your Newscasting you fawn before the masses and sound ridiculous; hence, your Newscasting is a flop.

ROGER A. WILLIAMSON Chicago, Ill.

Ship News Sirs:

TIME readers, whose interests extend beyond the railroad depot, often travel upon the ocean. Aboard ship they are deprived of that pleasure of opening a crisp copy of TIME on the day that they know their fellow subscribers and newsstand buyers are getting theirs. For their knowledge of world events they must depend upon a typewritten sheet printed each night by the radio operator, posted in a prominent place the following morning.

If one were to analyse the content of these broadcasts he might obtain such statistics as the following:

Local San Francisco news 25%

Sensational crimes and accidents 25%

Hollywood gossip, divorces and such. 20%

Transoceanic flyers 15%

NEWS OF ENOUGH IMPORTANCE TO MATTER WHEN ONE HAS RETURNED HOME 15%

I am a radio operator and have been copying such broadcasts off and on for the past five years. It is tabloid stuff, selected with apparently no thought of the field it is to reach. A man at sea is merely bored to read the bald statement that "1 dies, 3 injured in crash at Little Rock"; yet when the service is gratis one scarcely can complain. It is my hope, therefore, that TIME and this station can cooperate in furnishing a high-class news broadcast to ships at sea.

BEN J. GRIFFITH Operating staff, Merchants Exchange Marine Radio, Portland, Ore.

To Subscriber Griffith all praise for a worthy idea. TIME will newscast to ships on both the Pacific and Atlantic as soon as arrangements can be completed. -ED.

Current History

Sirs:

May I take this opportunity to compliment you on your unique newsmagazine as it has been especially helpful to me during the past year in my Current History work. There are few periodicals that can be used to advantage in this line of school work. . . .

W. R. ATKINS Kalamazoo, Mich.

Roses

Sirs:

I believe in giving the roses while people are alive. I congratulate you on the make-up and substance of TIME. I have been a constant reader since I first saw it, a fews weeks ago. It is concise, original, thorough, dependable. Just the magazine for the busy discriminating man or woman. Good luck.

J. J. MULLOWNEY, Editor "The HOME Workers' Magazine" Nashville, Tenn.

TIME, whose days are not numbered, accepts. -ED.