Mrs. Roosevelt's Party

Sirs:

Your account (TIME, May 25) of Mrs. Roosevelt's party for wayward girls is revolting to any woman, but to a Southerner, unthinkable. Surely attention could have been brought to the plight of these young women (I don't call 20-year-olds children!) in a less public manner. A visit to the White House should be preserved as a reward for more worthy groups of young people.

EMILY BOOTHE RADWAY New York City

Gordonsville Souvenirs

Sirs:

As one of the reporters on the job in Gordonsville, Va. the other night when Cora Walles and her brother William were finally killed and the house burned around their bodies, I cannot help resenting the reflections cast in your last paragraph on members of the posse slicing up the bodies of the dead negroes and taking them home for souvenirs (TIME, May 25). That part of the account is absolutely false, as the bodies were turned over to a licensed undertaker, who buried both bodies in the family burying ground on the place where the unfortunate battle between the members of the finest body of State Troopers in the U. S. and two crazy colored people, with a Northern education, took place. This is certainly one time that TIME has made a gross misstatement, as those burning bodies were protected by members of this same body of men until the fire cooled sufficiently to allow them to be turned over to the undertaker. Perhaps TIME can answer why those bodies showed only slight charring from the waist to the shoulders, although other portions of the bodies were completely burned. We poor guessers think perhaps steel vests were protecting those bodies. Also why tear gas bombs enough to cause an army to shed tears could not drive them out of the house? There were souvenir hunters there the following day picking up cartridges, etc., but we civilized people believe in respecting the dead even if colored, crazy desperadoes, and especially after having put up such a crazy hot scrap as those two did.

C. N. GOLDSBOROUGH Culpeper, Va.

Sirs:

... Ye gods, TIME, where in the world did you filch such sordid stuff as that? . . .

LEM W. HOUSTON

The Free Lance-Star Fredericksburg, Va.

Another reporter on the job at the Gordonsville tragedy was United Pressman Levings Somers Willis. Of the sordid stuff he saw, says he: "I have in my desk a charred piece of jawbone of the man which was handed my wife by one of the crowd at the scene. I will gladly mail this to TIME. I personally saw both bodies raked from the ashes of the house, and saw pieces of skull and jawbone broken from the body of the man. Boys used the body of the woman as a football in the early morning hours. Slicing flesh to get at the bones is incorrect since it merely was necessary to break off brittle pieces of skull, jaw and leg stumps for souvenirs. The bodies were left at the scene for spectators to play with from 2 a. m. until 10:30 a. m. when they were removed to undertaking parlors." --ED. Essential Experience Sirs: As an uncooked college undergraduate who for many years thought babies were found by their mammas under geraniums, and as a mere male whose interest in child-birth will be forever academic, I ought to keep my mouth shut about Dr. Nielsen's unhappy squawk anent the use of analgesics, but I can't. Upon reading her statement (TIME, May 25) that the pains of child-birth have been grossly exaggerated in the minds of American women and that a woman's personality may be damaged if the normal course of child-bearing is altered by the use of a painkiller, I was reminded of the terrible day upon which I was called unexpectedly and against all desire to witness one woman's agony as she underwent this "essential experience." I was speeding along a desolate stretch of road in southern California a few years ago when I saw the car ahead, the only other one in sight, slither to a haphazard stop beside the road. The driver was a woman, suddenly torn with pain. She had been driving alone into town when her time had come. Shaking with terror I jerked the cushioned seats from my car, made a bed for her in the shadow of her Ford, dumbly helped her as best I could. As she met her fate upon that parched and mournful road--blanched, haggard, disheveled and robbed of all beauty, biting her hands and gasping in torment, but brave as she moaned and whispered a pitiful challenge: "I won't die! I won't die! Oh, let me have my baby!"--all strength within me fled and I wept from helplessness and pity. Chilled by the memory of that scene of dust and anguish and a woman's tears, I find it hard to believe that a woman, to achieve her complete development, need endure as much. As I said, the matter isn't one in which I should interfere with my opinion, but I hope Dr. Nielsen will find reason to reconsider her position on this question. ROBERT RIDGWAY Los Angeles, Calif. Dr. Gertrude Nielsen, mother of three, warned against "the excessive use of analgesics" and deliveries "in an unconscious state," but never advocated such primitive hardship as witnessed by Reader Ridgway. --ED. Artful Armenian Sirs: While browsing among the pages of the May 18 issue of TIME ... to which I am a subscriber at the Compton (Calif.) junior college, I couldn't avoid running across the somewhat handsome faces of several robust blubbering behemoths of the grunt and groan industry appearing under the box-caption, Sport. The reason for my writing is Harry (Arteen) Ekizian, better known to fight fanatics as AH Baba, the Terrible Turk. Because he is a personal friend of my family I can say, with authority, that Ekizian is NOT a Turk. Thank goodness! I am ignorant of the source where newshounds acquired that erroneous and misleading fact of bald-headed Ekizian's being a Turk. I am certain that Ekizian, himself an Armenian, would not have informed sport scribes that he was a Turk--an insult to any true Armenian! Majoring in journalism at school, I am quite aware of the fact that some reporters resort to "sensationalism" to ask for a raise the next morning; or perhaps they are alliteration fiends unable to find one for "Armenian," use "Terrible Turk" and "Krushing Kurd." Let him be known hereafter as the "Artful Armenian." Having retired from the U. S. Navy a few years ago, Ekizian is known coast to coast as the undefeated wrestling champ in those circles. His honorable discharge papers are always on hand to prove to the Doubting Thomas that he IS an Armenian. Besides if he were a Turk, he wouldn't be able to win so many times! . . . Another false fact, deserving of enlightenment, is that Ekizian is not a former fish-peddler or short-order cook, as many newshawks have claimed. While here in the "City of Angels," he wasn't given the opportunity by local rasslin' moguls to display his true wares; the reason for his venture east. LEON ALVIN JACOBIAN

Los Angeles, Calif.

For Valor

Sirs:

It is correct that the first issue of the Congressional Medal of Honor was to the Andrew raiders, for service in April 1862 (TIME, Me 18). But Surgeon Bernard J. D. Irwin received one in January 1864 for a deed done in February 1861. Therefore, he was the first, as to date of action.

[Technically, the distinction of being the first man to earn the nation's highest award for valor goes to Frederick W. Gerber, Sergeant Major of Engineers from 1839 to 1871, who was cited "for distinguished gallantry in many actions . . . covering a period of 32 years." However, the decoration did not exist before 1862. --ED.] These awards were to be issued for acts, "above and beyond duty," and I have no doubt that many were well-merited. However it must have been quite a shock to the 30 who escorted President Lincoln's remains to have been decorated for that reason.

It also must have been a stunning blow to 560 men of a certain Northern regiment, whose time being expired, refused to stay over for an emergency. Three hundred from the same regiment did stay and, simply because of this, the whole shebang, goers and stayers, were bemedalled.

In this instance 860 of these prized awards were disposed of in one shot out the gun.

Your article states that Lindbergh was the first civilian authorized to receive one. But Dr. Mary Walker, whether authorized or not for "service rendered during the War," received hers in January 1866. And as she was man enough to brave the taunts and jeers of Sherman's men by wearing pants, I judge that she earned it.

JOHN C. STILES

Brunswick, Ga.

The National Defense Act of 1917 established a board to investigate previous awards of the Congressional Medal of Honor. The board disallowed all 864 medals promised those of the 27th Maine Volunteer Infantry who would re-enlist in 1863, but given even to those who went home. Also canceled were the 29 Medals bestowed in a moment of patriotic inadvertence on Lincoln's funeral escort. The board also rescinded Dr. Walker's award. No civilian has ever received the Medal legally. Charles Augustus Lindbergh rated one because he had belonged to the reserve air force long before his Paris flight.--ED. Sirs:

". . . He gravely accepted from President Roosevelt the $2 Medal (of Honor) which made him the 1,825th person in U. S. history to receive this No. 1 award" (TIME, May 18).

Did TIME slip on this figure? . . .

ROBERT D. SHANK

Hollywood, Calif.

Legitimately 2,597 of the awards have been made. During the War, the Navy provided a $35 gold medal for naval winners of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Standard gold star and blue brocade for the Army Medal costs $2, for the Navy (bronze star) $2.85.--ED. Sirs:

... I wish to call your attention to the fact (which you may have purposely suppressed, as General Smedley D. Butler is not a newspaper man's favorite) that you omitted the name of General Smedley D. Butler of the Marine Corps. General Butler is one of only two men, as far as I know, who have received, free from all politics and favoritism, two Congressional Medals of Honor for courage and daring in action above and beyond the call of duty. . . .

WM. P. BARRON, M. D.

New Orleans, La.

Neither politics nor favoritism appears to have figured in the cases of four other U. S. sailors or marines, four U. S. soldiers who have equalled General Butler's feat of twice winning the Congressional Medal of Honor.--ED. Hoolidge --? Sirs:

Note the remarkable composite of Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover in the facial appearance of Theodore Jesse Hoover (TIME photo, May 11). Can this be the candidate Republicans have been praying for?

GEORGE TROY Wakefield, R. I.

Sargent Besieged

Sirs:

It appalls me, what you have done!

Not that I protest to the six inaccuracies as to fact in your account of my educational advisory business (TIME, May 25), but I am not an '"employment agent," not even licensed, can't pay the political graft in Massachusetts.

But since your article in TIME I am besieged by the unemployed all over the country and the educational cranks.

Once I printed honestly that 100,000 Handbooks were in use. Your interpretation, that I sell 100,000 at $6 annually, has led my clients to believe that I am too wealthy. Actually of the 100,000, two-thirds were probably presented to libraries without funds, impecunious colleges, information bureaus, chambers of commerce and clubs. It is a hard job keeping the Harvard Clubs of New York and Boston supplied. Of the scores of copies sent them I defy you to find one in these clubs--which all goes to show that Harvard men know a good thing when they see it. "Harvard practically ruined me" was only the last part of the quotation. It also made me what I am. But now every man, ruined by Harvard, is seeking comfort on my doorstep. PORTER SARGENT Editor and Publisher Sargent's Handbooks Boston, Mass.

Franked Farley

Sirs:

On three occasions lately I have received through the mail reprints of speeches by "Hon. James A. Farley." Each address had been delivered before some local "Democratic" meeting (Maryland, New York, Massachusetts).

These reprints, although frankly Democratic Party literature, were received in U. S. Government envelopes without postage; were said to be "part of Cong. Record;" were from the "U. S. Government Printing Office."

Here we have party propaganda circulated about our country by a government official at the expense of the people as a whole. U. S. citizens are not all New Dealers; some are decidedly opposed to its aims and works; none has given consent for party use of public funds.

Although a U. S. citizen Mr. Farley is called "Hon."; although Postmaster General he is of the "Democratic National Committee"; although not a member of Congress his speeches given before frankly party meetings are printed in the Congressional Record.

What justification is offered by the Government, or by the New Deal, or by Mr. Farley for all this? To me as an average U. S. citizen it is just plain dishonest.

SIDNEY N. PARKINSON, M. D.

Oakland, Calif.

By unanimous consent in either House, a member's "remarks" may be "extended" in the Congressional Record. The nature or author of the remarks is immaterial. By law, the Record or any part thereof may be mailed under frank, an economy exploited for years by campaigning Democrats and Republicans alike.--ED. Credit to Mescall Sirs: FLATTERING COMMENTS ON THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF UNIVERSAL'S SHOWBOAT [TIME, MAY 18] SHOULD BE

CREDITED TO JOHN MESCALL AS I PHOTOGRAPHED BUT TWO OF THE NUMBERS, NAMELY OL' MAN RIVER WITH PAUL ROBESON AND CAN'T HELP LOVING THAT MAN WITH HELEN MORGAN. YOUR CORRECTING THIS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

LEON SHAMROY

Hollywood, Calif.

Comfortable Hell

Sirs:

In the March 2 issue of TIME, you speak of Liberia as a "Hellhole," in connection with the appointment of a new Episcopal bishop to that place. The "hellhole" name is applied because of the weather.

Having made a study of the weather records of Liberia since I came here Jan. 1 to do some educational work, I have found that the records show up the climate as quite livable. Since my own arrival, the highest temperature has been 84DEG. At night it falls frequently to the point where comfort demands bedcovers.

The highest temperature I have found recorded during the past ten years in Liberia is 90DEG for one day. I have not been as uncomfortable yet in Liberia as I have been many times in New York or Chicago.

The rainfall is heavy, but contrary to general opinion, it does not rain constantly during the rainy season, but rains some nearly every day, and the sun may shine the rest of the day; or a cool cloudy day may follow.

Hell is not bad if it can't beat Liberia's weather.

J. H. FURBAY Acting Director

College of West Africa

Monrovia, Liberia

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