'Don't Look Now"
Sirs:
'. . . the President stood bareheaded . . . to watch a parade of 12,000 persons, including a fleet of small tanks" [TIME, April 18].
Don't look now, but your participle is dangling. Or could it have been that the balance of the 12,000 persons were big tanks?
BERNARD DEEGAN Hopemont, W. Va.
Liberals
Sirs:
Witter Bynner says that a liberal is marked by
a graceful siding with the underdog,
Although he may not know which dog is under-- but TIME seems about as confused as to what makes a liberal as liberals are about underdogs. A few months ago you had Walter Lippmann neatly defined as at once liberal and conservative, in March you said Paul Anderson could now write "liberal" articles, meaning pro-New Deal, and two weeks ago your Art critic did some fancy theological hairsplitting about Old Liberal Lippmann and New Liberal Lewis Mumford, the sense of which was that they had nothing in common. After that I expected the worst, which came last week: "The partners in a Yorkshire textile mill, Alfred Armistead, liberal Conservative, and Henry Hinchliffe, conservative Liberal. . . ."
Why the mystification? A liberal is a man who believes in the increasing freedom of the individual in relation to his government. Sample: Franklin Roosevelt. A conservative is a man who is opposed to change in existing institutions, harking back to some previous condition (Free Trade) for his standard in judging the present. Sample: Walter Lippmann. A reactionary contemplates some fundamental change in the status quo in order to recover the supposed advantages of institutions that have disappeared. Samples: French monarchists, Southerners who believe in slavery, Dorothy Thompson. . . . EDWARD MCARDLE Toronto, Ont.
Do TIME'S readers agree with Reader McArdle that Franklin Roosevelt is a good sample of a liberal?--ED.
Aiken's Marriages
Sirs:
In the issue of TIME, April 18, it was stated in the column Milestones: "Divorced. Conrad Potter Aiken, 48, famed poet ... by his second wife, Clarice Lorenz Aiken, 30; in Boston. . . ."
The 1938 volume of [the British] Who's Who states Conrad Potter Aiken married 1st, 1912, Jessie McDonald; divorced 1929; 2nd, 1930, Clarice Mary Lorenz; divorced 1937; 3rd, Mary Augusta Hoover.
Is this an error on the part of TIME or Who's Who?
MARY ELIZABETH BOWEN
Western College
Oxford, Ohio
Neither. Although on April 8 Clarice Aiken, Wife No. 2, obtained a divorce from Author Aiken in Boston, Mass., he had obtained a Mexican divorce from her last summer, forthwith married Mary Hoover, 30-year-old Boston artist and dancer.--ED.
Prima Donnas Praised
Sirs:
For your article "Orchestral Prima Donnas" [TIME, April 25] hearty congratulations! It helps along in the good work of popularizing the less familiar instruments. The regular soloists of the organization deserve as much recognition as the special big-name artists. In proportion to the pleasure which they give, the individual members of the orchestra, particularly those of the wind choirs, seldom receive their due. To my mind, there is as much beauty in a fine clarinet or viola passage as in an aria performed by a good singer. And as for the horn, the "poetry and passion" of that glamorous instrument is equalled only by outstanding operatic tenors.
LAMBERT A. SHEARS
Duke University
Durham, N. C.
Lewis & Constitution
Sirs:
TIME, April 18, reports that Mr. John Lewis may not be a Presidential candidate in 1940.
Under the U. S. Constitution the President must be an American-born citizen, and since Mr. Lewis was born in Wales, regardless whether he desires to be or not to be, he is not eligible for the Presidential office.
L. V. TEXEL
Minot, N. D.
Reader Texel knows more about the Constitution than about Lewis' life. John Lewis was born Feb. 12, 1880 in Lucas, Iowa, son of a Welsh immigrant (TIME, Feb. 7).--ED.
Reflected Sentiments
Sirs:
I was naturally pleased at TIME'S write-up of The Beacon, accompanied by my sourpuss photo in your issue of April 25.
Just to keep the record straight, however, and in order to do justice to a friend, may I say that the quotation attributed to me, that Mayor Kelly is "a Charley McCarthy" who has "not yet denounced American Motherhood [but] aside from that . . . hasn't missed a pitch," was in reality written by Milton S. Mayer, Chicago's journalistic Puck and our star writer, in a recent issue of The Beacon. The quotation reflects my sentiments. . . . SYDNEY JUSTIN HARRIS Editor The Beacon Chicago, Ill.
Joseph Emerson Haven
Sirs:
Referring to the issue of TIME, April 25, Joseph Emerson Haven died in May 1937. The Republic of San Marino is served by the American consul of Florence, Italy and therefore the present consul at Florence is undoubtedly titular consul of San Marino. ... So perhaps Editor O'Brien should have his check refunded. . . .
EMILY H. WILKINS
Washington, D. C.
Mrs. Wilkins is right indeed. The current (January) Congressional Directory erred in listing Consul Haven. To generous Mr. O'Brien, a refund forthwith.--ED.
Temple & Life
Sirs:
While your comments on Shirley Temple may perhaps be fair from your point of view, may I mention that if your almost savage criticisms should have any effect on her career, you would be robbing all the little girls of the one character they really can enjoy. There are pictures for adults and boys galore--but for little girls there are practically none, save Shirley Temple's and Walt Disney's. . . .
Little girls from the time they are conscious of their own personalities want to be "glamorous." ... As boys identify themselves with daring heroes, girls identify themselves with the rescued heroine. Life as portrayed by Shirley Temple is life as it is known by most little girls. . . .
So please realize that while sophisticates go to the movies and should have their tastes catered to, there are also many nice little girls, and many women, who can see in Shirley Temple's portrayal of life, a life you know nothing of--but life as they know it. ... MRS, RALPH E. GLAYD
Plainfield, Mass. For Sale
Sirs:
Would you be kind enough to advise me as quickly as possible as to whether there is any market whatsoever for my perpetual subscription to TIME? . . . While I never intended to dispose of it, indeed I am very loath to do so, unfortunate circumstances have forced me to liquidate virtually all of my most prized possessions, including this, perhaps the most satisfying investment of my career.
As you are undoubtedly aware, I paid some $60 for the subscription six or seven years ago. . . . Despite the limited supply, I realize that the demand, or lack of it, is the determining factor in this type of transaction and I will entertain any reasonable offer for my holding.
Should it prove necessary for you to publish this letter, I would prefer, of course, to remain anonymous.
P 96
Wollaston, Mass.
TIME itself no longer offers Perpetual Subscriptions, but herewith gladly lets other TIME readers know about one Perpetual Subscription that is for sale. --En.
"Without Mouthing"
Sirs:
Your paper a decided asset to the above mentioned business [radio script, continuity, production]. Clear, concise, telling all there is to tell without mouthing the damn stuff.
Too bad I didn't have sense enough to subscribe before now. . . .
FREDERICK H. WAGNER
Hollywood, Calif.
"Sez"
Sirs:
TIME ad in April 25 issue says: "TIME has been voted the favorite magazine of Harvard, Yale and Princeton undergraduates."
Sez surfeited I: "Harvard, Yale and Princeton undergraduates are the favorites of TIME."
W. B. JENNINGS
Mt. Vernon, Mo.
Turkey
Sirs:
There is an item on p. 12 of TIME, April 25 which states that a Washington farmer is to be awarded $450 because WPA blasting operations had so badly damaged 250 turkey eggs that only 40 hatched and most of this number soon died. . . .
Anyone who would stop to figure this out would find that the Government paid this farmer at the rate of $1.80 for each turkey egg. The price ordinarily paid for turkey-hatching eggs is about 20-c- each. . . .
M. C. SMALL Managing Editor Turkey World Mount Morris, Ill.
Editor Small misunderstands. Farmer Krenik was reimbursed for the potential value of his eggs as full-grown turkeys.--ED.
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