Sister Heroine
Sirs:
Our President's heart is in the right place. So is Bryan Untiedt's (TIME, April 13). But his sister heroine of the western blizzard paid the full price of devotion, heard no praise.
Lest you forget I tell the story: March 15, 1919, a country school near Center, N. Dak. was also dismissed early because of a blizzard. Hazel Miner, schoolgirl, started home with her two little brothers, in a buggy. It also was upset. Useless to attempt walking, she prepared shelter under the upset buggy, wrapped the two brothers in the blankets. Finally in the dead of night spread her overcoat and her- self over them. When rescued next afternoon, two healthy little boys were found; over them the sister. They did not know she was frozen. PETER D. HOWARD
P. S.--I enclose her picture. Please return. Peekskill, N. Y.
Young Men With "Pull"
Sirs:
Why is it that "Uncle Sam" always employs young men as his lawyers in the Federal District Attorney's office?
It seems to be a training school for young attorneys with a "pull." No wonder the Government loses so often.
JAMES PARMAN
New York City
But many a notable career of public service began thus. Examples: The late William Howard Taft, Elder Statesman Elihu Root, Senator William Edgar Borah, Senator George William Norris.--ED.
Senators' Salary Tax
In your April 6 issue, on the bottom of p. 17, you state that "Senators do not pay income tax on their salaries." This statement is incorrect and unlike TIME.
The salaries of all Federal officers and employes are subject to income tax, except the salaries of Federal judges and the President of the U. S. . . .
J. A. KLAUBAUF
Aberdeen, S. Dak.
TIME's error. But compensation received from a State or political subdivision thereof is exempt from Federal income taxation.--ED.
Order TIME from Apr. 15, 1931 to July 31, 1931 inclusive.
The Private Secretary H. R. H. The Prince of Sukhodaya Ophir Hall, Purchase, Westchester Co., N. Y.
Please forward subscriptions regularly as per specifications above.
Brentano's, Inc.
New York City
H. R. H. The Prince of Sukhodaya is also H. M. King Prajadhipok of Siam.-- ED.
Baseball Missionary
Sirs:
Your article regarding baseball in Japan was interesting (TIME, April 6). Also of interest is the story of one of its early teachers there, one Horatio B. Newell, D.D. who organized the first scholastic team at Niigata about 1887.
Like Daniel Vierge, the painter who regained with his left hand the skill which he had lost with an accident to the other, Dr. Newell learned to pitch a baseball underhand after an injury prevented him from throwing in the usual way. The writer met Dr. Newell last winter just after he had returned from a 43-year ministry in Japan and Korea as a Christian teacher and worker for international peace--quite truly a grand old man.
For those who contemplate seeing our national game in the province where he started it in Japan, I am adding his comment on the weather there--paraphrasing the familiar lines:
"Dirty days hath September, April, June and November; Seven more have thirty-one without a gleam of light or sun If any month had thirty-two, they'd be dark and dirty too."
S. T. WELLMAN
New York City
Sirs:
Your article on baseball in Japan in TIME, April 6, was very interesting to me. TIME, which likes to know all things, might like to know a little more about baseball in Japan from one who has just returned from there. ... In village after village through which I traveled I was amazed and somewhat appalled to see young boys from nine years old up to 15 or 16 playing baseball with babies strapped on their backs.
The babies didn't seem to mind, tho, and, as a matter of fact often slept thru a home run. Perhaps one reason why the Japanese were slow at the game at first was because they insisted on being polite about it as they are about everything in Japan. There, if one man knocks an- other down accidentally they both apologize. They did the same on the field so there was much time out for bowing and telling one's opponent go Men Nasai, ("I beg your pardon"). But there is very little of that now.
Physical education directors told me that the present increased height and weight of the Japanese boy and girl is due a great deal to the introduction of baseball and other Western sports. The young Japanese of today is on the average an inch taller and six pounds heavier than was the case 30 years ago. . . . Miyatake, the Babe Ruth of Japan, who pitches for Keio University, is 5 ft. 11 in. tall.
JOHN ABBOT
Detroit, Mich.
How Australia Feels
Sirs:
On p. 19, April 6 issue of TIME under "Australia" is, in my opinion, a grave though perhaps natural mistake: "Australians . . . have . . . in common a grand wholehearted despisal of anything and everything to do with the U. S." On the whole this is rather true of their press, politicians and local businessmen in their public expressions. However, this attitude is mostly but another example of world-wide poor sales- manship by countries down to individuals in destructively criticizing outsiders and their products in an effort to increase the sale of home-made products.
The great majority of Australians have a high regard and kindred feeling for the people and institutions of the U. S. For example, their governments and large companies send men here to be trained and have experts from this country in their organizations. . . .
E. C. SAWYER
Middletown, Ohio
Snakassination
Sirs:
At one time the belief was popular in Australia that the kookaburra was a mighty destroyer of snakes.
Demands for his protection brought forth numerous writers who pointed out that while kookaburra had been observed to seize a snake in his beak, fly with it to a great height and drop it,* there was no certainty the snake was a live one or that this was kooka's method of snakassination or that kooka was doing anything but playing.
TIME, April 6, p. 19 that--"The kookaburra . . . swallows snakes and laughs" would not therefore receive general acceptance in the land where the dawn is signalled Galli-Curci-like with an explosion of ringing notes, amid a quick fire of echoes, the world awakes with a bang; and though abrupt and startling the onset kooka rushes exultingly into a rifle shot pealing crescendo, terminating in high pitched demoniacal mockerj'. S. E. BUTLER
Waukegan, 111.
--Thus do astute gulls open clams.--ED.
Yen
Sirs:
Hurrahs and huzzahs for such news items as the "Governor General's Junket," appearing in TIME, April 6! That trip certainly sounds good and gives one a yen to emulate Mr. Davis. . . .
You'll have to cut out such minute descriptions and detail or many will be the homes and offices bereft of the breadwinner who will run to the nearest Cook's office and book passage for such adventurous places. . .
HERMAN WEINER
Philadelphia, Pa.
Stack of Black Cats
Sirs: Your article "Worst Man" concerning "Killer" Burke (TIME, April 6) differs much from the facts as they have been made known to the people of this community by local editors and told by the men who took part in the capture.
"It was grey dawn" states your article. "--As dark as a stack of black cats" states Sheriff Hoover in an interview for the Milan Standard. "Upstairs in a farmhouse--." Not in THAT farmhouse.
"--did not have time to snatch his weapon before they had seized and beaten him into sub-mission," is TIME's description of the capture. "His gun, a .32 automatic, was found in his coat in another room," Father-in-Law Porter said for the Star. He was captured at his father-in-law's house. "One of the detectives threw a flashlight on Burke as he reclined in bed ... he was awakened and (we) took him without any trouble," continued Mr. Hoover's interview.
He was known to his father-in-law as Richard F. White but in Mapleton, Kan., a Thomas H. Camp was last reported there when his mother passed away and he was a pallbearer. He was 22 years old then.
"Burke" is in prison awaiting trial for murder. I saw Mr. Porter driving his Studebaker President yesterday. I enjoy your magazine a great deal. Occasionally I use it in the high school, in summarizing some important current event
A. THOS. JOHNSON Principal
Milan High School Milan, Mo.
To Principal Johnson, for TIME-worthy corrections and addenda to nationwide press reports, all thanks.--ED.
Many Miles of Noodles
Sirs:
"Idaho's Senator Borah purposes shipping it to the hungry Chinese (who do not know how to eat wheat) . . ." records TIME, April 6, p. 14, but says the China Year Book 1929-30 p. 1,052:
"The consumption of wheat flour is reported to be continually increasing in the Far East, and in North China in particular, to which factor the present world shortage may be partly attributed."
Also enlightening are the figures on China's wheat:
Normal wheat crop 27,067,661 piculs (133 lb.)
Imports 1927 3,824,674 piculs
Exports 1927 30,892,335 piculs 495,982
Approximate annual consumption 30,496,353 piculs
Far from not knowing how to eat wheat are the Chinese. Many miles of noodles (mien), fried, boiled, cooked with egg, chicken, beef or pork, are lifted annually by Chinese chopsticks, slithered and sucked into Chinese mouths. North of the Yangtze Kiang steamed bread (mantos), made of wheat flour, is a chief part of the diet. In Yenching University dining halls, 128 Cantonese boys eat rice, 300 Northerners eat bread, all eat noodles.
CARROLL LORBEER
Claremont, Calif.
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