Original Mackerel

Sirs:

Representative Hamilton Fish's strictures on the New Deal seem to have overtaxed his native stock of invective and sent him quarrying in the works of our early masters of vituperation. His recent characterization of the WPA ". . . Like a dead mackerel in the moonlight, it stinks and shines and shines and stinks" (TIME, July 18), rather ineptly retains the stench but loses the shine of the original simile which eccentric John Randolph of Roanoke applied to Edward Livingston over a century ago: "Fellow-citizens, he is a man of splendid abilities, but utterly corrupt. Like rotten mackerel by moonlight, he shines and stinks."

JOHN F. GERSTUNG

San Francisco Junior College Long Beach, Calif.

Lost Confidence

Sirs:

Why not completeness in your Music department? You claim to "note the noteworthy" in record releases. Yet in your July 4 issue, you fail to mention the Franck Sonata in A Major for piano and violin, superlatively played by Rubinstein and Heifetz.

I had hoped to find in this column a much-needed guide as to the worth-while record releases. I lose confidence when you miss a new recording of the musical stature of this.

JOHN MAIER, M. D.

Massachusetts General Hospital

Boston, Mass.

If Reader Maier will consult TIME's record reviews for June 6, he will find the disc he speaks of noted among the noteworthy a month before he missed it.--ED.

Private

Sirs : At a large gathering here a friend said he was sure the Hughes flight proved something --just what it was he thought the Editor of TIME might reveal. Will you tell me who put up the money and who got it.

J. LYON

Toronto, Ont.

Howard Hughes's plane is owned by his own Hughes Aircraft Co. He will pay the entire cost of the trip, about $5,000, himself. Only connection of this private venture with the New York World's Fair is that he is the Fair's aeronautical adviser.--ED.

Mutt & Jeff

Sirs:

In the Press section of TIME, July 18 the recent portrayal of President Roosevelt in the Joe Palooka comic strip is suspected of being the first comic .strip portrayal of an incumbent President.

I am sure that Bud Fisher could tell you, however, of a time some years ago when he did just that. According to my memory, once while President Coolidge was vacationing, Mutt and Jeff journeyed to the Black Hills for a several-days' visit with him. Having proudly attired themselves in formal clothes for their first meeting with their host, they were bowled over when the President cheerily greeted them wearing a cowboy costume. PAUL W. KEVE

Arlington, Va.

Reader Keve's memory is correct (see cut).--ED.

Negroes Sirs:

I perused the TIME of July 11 most assiduously in order to be satiated by your weekly repast and was very comfortably feasting when I was suddenly shocked by the caption "Darkie's Horses" on p. 26 under Sport. Certainly I thought, "my eyes are deceiving me. I must be partaking of the feast more rapidly than is good for my digestive apparatus." . . .

Does TIME not yet know that such expressions as "darky," "pickaninny," and the like are peculiarly offensive not only to several million of us Negro citizens of the U. S. but, also, to millions of other citizens . . . ?

REGINALD FRANKLIN FISHER

Urbana, Ill.

Sirs:

. . There may have been a time when "darkie' was applied to members of my race with complete impunity on the part of persons of your race. In fact, there was a time when the average Negro was little concerned by what name he was called. But for your enlightenment permit me to advise that the most illiterate, irresponsible and dependent Negro today vehemently resents this very inappropriate misnomer you so glaringly carry in your magazine.

It is obvious that your editors have had little or no contact with numbers of the colored race. . . .

HARRY D. EVANS

The Mme. C. J. Walker Beauty School New York City

Sirs:

I am a real friend to the Negro and apostle of Abraham Lincoln as well as a firm believer in Jesus Christ. . . . How do you think the Negro, the educated American Negro can respect you?

Joe Louis is, of course, a Negro but not a darky. I expect Mr. Louis would much rather be dubbed "nigger," than darky. The word "nigger" dees mean something; darky is nothing at all. . . My dear father was at Shiloh with General Grant April 6-7, 1862.

Louis T. VALLE JR.

Allenton, Mo.

Best-Sellers

Sirs:

In Books, July 4 issue, in the story of the present bestsellers, TIME states that the two best-selling books of the week at The Emporium's bookstore in San Francisco were Heidi Grows Up and Ferdinand. I assume that you chose The Emporium as a store whose sales are representative of San Francisco as a whole, i.e., Heidi Grows Up and Ferdinand were San Francisco's best-sellers last fortnight.

However, in the book section of the San Francisco Chronicle, edited by Joseph Henry Jackson, one of America's top book critics, last week no mention was made of either of the above-mentioned books in the best-seller lists, nor have they been in the last month or six weeks. According to the Chronicle, last week's San Francisco best-seller was The Yearling.

How do you explain the discrepancy in these reports ?

ART OLSEN

Redwood City, Calif.

TIME's best-seller list differs from others in two respects, 1) It is based on actual sales figures supplied by leading bookstores throughout the U. S.

Other lists, compiled from booksellers' reports of the most widely-selling titles without sales figures, do not show the relative popularity of fiction and nonfiction. 2) Most best-seller lists are limited to current novels and works of nonfiction, exclude children's books and reprints, which are included in TIME's list. Last month in the book department of San Francisco's Emporium, Ferdinand sold five times as many copies as The Yearling, although its total national sales are not equal to those of the ten national best-sellers.--ED.

Distressed Sirs:

I am distressed beyond words over the political situation of my beloved country.

That awful Roosevelt creature is coming to our State, infringing on our State rights and our magnificent National Constitution, for the sole purpose of putting one named "Camp," who has never served in Congress in his life--in place of our own selected Senator George, who has served us most satisfactorily for 16 years.

Our State has not the money to compete with the big Treasury grab bag in Washington, and while we are bending every energy to have Mr. George reelected, it is very uncertain. Roosevelt seems to be sans honor, truth, or anything that is good. . . MRS. B. F. BULLARD

Savannah, Ga.

Senator George does not say so.--ED.

Taxpayer

Sirs:

Re the dual capacity interchangeably assumed by F. D. R., I am wondering, as an humble taxpayer whether, as he meanders across country and back with his private ten-coach train, patting on the back or giving swift kicks on the rear, as head of the Democratic Party, he is personally paying the expenses, whether the Democratic Party is doing it or whether it is put on the taxpayers. . . .

A. F. HOFFSOMMER The Travelers Harrisburg, Pa.

Since 1907 the U. S. Government has made an allowance each year of $25,000 annually to the President for travel and entertainment. Presidents like Franklin Roosevelt who spend more, pay it out of their $75,000 salary.--ED.

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