Oklahoma's Haskell

Sirs:

If yon are interested in fair play you will do the State of Oklahoma the honor of publishing a corrective reply to your recent article in which you publicized the life and reputation of the Honorable C. N. Haskell the first governor of the State of Oklahoma. You do Oklahoma and its people an irreparable injury when you make such comment Upon the State its people and its first governor as that published in your magazine of recent day. The Oklahoma State Senate in special session has prepared and adopted a reply to that article . . . in the hope that you will publish the same giving the people of the nation a corrective reply to the article recounting the death of our beloved first governor. Here is the article and we sincerely trust you will publish the same:

"A weekly magazine published with a slender circulation in Oklahoma and other States in the Mid-West has made a bid for subscriptions by one of its numerous resorts to yellow journalism. "In its issue of July 17, 1933, TIME went out of its way to libel and defame the name and reputation of Charles N. Haskell, the first state governor of Oklahoma. As a delegate to the constitutional convention, as a governor of the State and as one of its delegates to four national conventions, as the publisher of a great newspaper and as a city, community and State builder, Governor Haskell's name towers like a giant rock rises in gigantic majesty which carries a sense of security in matters clear to the heart of every patriot.

"We have no way of knowing the cause of antipathy animating the writer and publisher of the magazine. . . . But as to Governor Haskell's relation to the public and to the State of Oklahoma, it was wholesome and constructive. He was a fighter, and like every advanced thinker, was misunderstood by many, and understood by many. His life was closed with nothing substantial showing against his character and many of his most ardent enemies including the great and illustrious Theodore Roosevelt, withdrew his criticism and sent a personal apology. . . .

"TIME does not know that not a single delegate to the constitutional convention came on the floor of the convention or even appeared in the territorial Capitol with either a belt of cartridges or pistol upon his person, or gun in his baggage.

"TIME does not know that Governor Haskell neither borrowed money from the State nor asked so to do.

"TIME does not know that Governor Haskell never owed the State a dime in his life.

"TiME does not know that the people of the State at an election called for the purpose determined the location of the Capitol and that Oklahoma City outran the combined votes of all its competitors and that Oklahoma City won the Capitol by an election so decisive that it was incontestable.

"Only recently an Eastern magazine defamed the character of a famous Oklahoman and paid off in damages after being sued for libel. This however, is not a sufficient nor fining rebuke for the crime of malicious defamation upon the name of the dead. It has been truly said that the only defense a private citizen, or even a public official has against a scurrilous yellow newspaper or magazine is the double-barrelled shotgun but unfortunately its use is a violation of the law and in this particular case the heart of the man who should use it had been forever stilled in death before his defamer appeared upon the scene.

"It is doubtful whether this insult should be officially noticed but the Oklahoma State Senate, as an added tribute to the memory of the State's illustrious first governor, takes this occasion to give official denunciation to this infamous libel and an exposure of the author who gave it expression and the TIME, the magazine whose circulation depends upon its brazen iniquity."

Respectfully submitted, J. C. NANCE

President of the Oklahoma Press Association and Member of the State Senate Walters, Cotton County, Okla.

Charles Nathaniel Haskell was not the great and good man of the Oklahoma Senate's resolution. Promoter and politician, he was forceful, clever, no better and no worse than the Oklahoma of his day. His political opponents charged him with all manner of crime and corruption, thus building up in the public prints the belief that scandal tainted his administration. Impeachment proceedings were started against four of his six successors, two of whom were removed from office. An attack by President Theodore Roosevelt on his honesty drove Haskell out as Democratic national treasurer. On rechecking, TIME finds its account of Haskell's career substantially correct with the following exceptions: 1) oil promoters did not figure in the Guthrie constitutional convention because in 1906 oil had not yet been extensively developed in Oklahoma; 2) Governor Haskell, on retiring borrowed vacation money not from the State but from private friends; 3) his transfer of the State capital from Guthrie to Oklahoma City followed a referendum, caused a great constitutional uproar and was finally confirmed by the State Supreme Court. TIME apologizes for these factual errors but has no apology to make for the general impression it conveyed of the Haskell career.--ED.

Plop

Sirs:

In re your exhibit at the Fair: you present a paradox. Your coined phrase, "The March of Time," connotes an irresistible moving force. And yet your exhibit is practically the only static thing, at the Exposition. Expected, after viewing complicated manoeuvers of spectacular science, were, at least, a handful of clocks, or perhaps a gigantic hourglass. Thanks to a far-seeing director, no mechanical movement is in evidence. Even the visitors to the building are restricted in activity, and are content to plop their beer-saturated bodies into the chairs, and curtail the movement of their gum-chewing jaws.

TIME, apparently, delights in furnishing the requisite unique.

A. E. LIVINGSTON Bloomington, Ill.

Fair on the Horizon

Sirs: Your weekly newsmagazine is well read in this country cottage of ours. But of late we feel a lack in the news reviewed for our information and delectation. As Chicagoans the Century of Progress represents one of our closest interests, and this is true not of our family alone but of most of our circle here and elsewhere. Week after week we have been disappointed to find no mention to speak of, no summary of the numberless events happening in that important area--not to mention the effect the Fair is undoubtedly having on business and the world in general. Why, may we ask, is the Century of Progress left out of your horizon? This is an interesting question, as one knows of course that you are not sleeping on your job. . . .

LOUISE B. LEMON Ludington, Mich.

TIME printed a thoroughgoing appraisal of the Century of Progress and its organizers a week before it officially opened (TIME, May 22), has since mentioned its art exhibit (TIME, May 29), music (TIME, June 19), ballyhoo (TIME, June 26), reception of Italy's air armada (TIME, July 24). There is no reason to attribute national business stimulation to the World's Fair, but for a description of its funspots see p. 20--ED.

Cammerer's Picture

Sirs:

As a reader and subscriber since the beginning of TIME, I was struck with two glaring errors in your otherwise excellent article your issue July 17, p. 11, on National Parks and the new Director, Arno B. Cammerer.

In the first place, the picture was not that of the real Mr. Cammerer but some entirely different individual. Mr. Cammerer is extremely modest but I am sure you can find one of his pictures. . . .

In the second place, you omitted all mention of Mr. Cammerer's splendid work for the proposed Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, which, when established, will give to the nation underground features equally as "naturally wonderful" as those mentioned in your article.

W. W. THOMPSON Secretary Kentucky National Park Commission Bowling Green, Ky.

Herewith a true likeness of Director Cammerer and apologies to onetime Senator Otis F. Glenn of Illinois whose picture TIME used by mistake. Last week busy Director Cammerer was still Parkinspecting, had visited Yosemite, Sequoia, Zion, flown across the Grand Canyon of the Colorado.--ED.

Sectional Preacher

Sirs:

Your Cinema review, issue of July 3, of Hold Your Man says that Eddie and Ruby were married by an elderly colored clergyman. The picture shows the marriage performed by a white minister. By the way, Negroes do not relish the use of the word "colored." It rather is a slur--as indicating a mixture of white and Negro blood, and therefore not to be desired, either way. In our town, county and State, there is no race problem. The lines are clearly and unmistakably defined, and there is no attempt, nor I believe desire, to cross that line. The Negroes regard our white people as their real friend.

ISAAC S. LONDON Editor Post-Dispatch Rockingham, N. C.

In the South, Eddie (Clark Gable) & Ruby (Jean Harlow) are married by a white preacher. MGM having shot separate sequences for sectional exhibition.--ED.

Piping the President

Sirs:

The article entitled ''Vacation's End," TIME, July 10, did not mention through what means the President reached the quarterdeck of the U. S. S. Indianapolis, sometimes extremely difficult when in a seaway.

It is said that the present custom of stationing "side-boys" and a boatswain's mate to ''pipe the side" in the starboard accommodation ladder gangway, as part of the ceremony in formally receiving commissioned officers and distinguished civil officials, is a hangover from the time when ships had no accommodation ladders and guests reached the deck seated in a boatswain's chair attached to a whip. Orders to "walk away handsomely" on the whip were given through the boatswain's pipe (whistle).

When an elderly and portly flag-officer or captain was being received more hands were required to man the whip than in the case of a younger and presumably slighter lieutenant, say. So, the number of "side-boys" stationed at the ladder today varies with the rank of the guest being received. Also present-day "piping of the side" is a relic of the old order to walk away on the whip.

I wonder, was the old means revived for President Roosevelt due to his physical handicap? Of course if the President is in one of the ship's launches the ship's powerful electric cranes can easily take aboard the launch and all its occupants.

F. A. JEFFREY San Francisco, Calif.

Boarding the Indianapolis off Eastport, Me., President Roosevelt received all traditional honors. He walked across a short gangplank from the destroyer which brought him offshore.--ED.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.