Irish Volcano

Sirs:

"Thomas J. Mooney has been simmering like an Irish Volcano." (TIME, p. 18, Jan. 16.)

The inference is that Mooney is Irish. He is not. Mconey is not the name he was born to.

Better check up before casting slurs like this on the Irish.

MICHAEL FANNING Los Angeles, Calif.

> Tom Mooney's grandparents emigrated to the U. S. from County Mayo, Ireland. If that makes their grandson a Russian, Stalin is a Dutchman.--ED.

Vicunas

Sirs:

It is of no great importance, but your article under "Manufacturing" in the issue of Jan. 2 regarding vicunas is a little misleading, if the enclosed snapshot [see cut] means any thing. This shows . . . Rosita, a vicuna, at Limatambo airport, near Lima, Peru, altitude approximately 400 feet, where Rosita lived for some months and was still there when I left a year ago.

H. S. MARTIN Dayton, Ohio

Vermiform Appendix

Sirs:

May I inject one thought into the paean of Hitler hate with which my compatriots of the world's most hysterical nation are now soiling your columns?

It is no doubt very bad--no question about it--that Mr. Hitler is mean to the Jews, and it is a grievous performance. But, what irks me is that these exhibitions of high ethics that my fellow-countrymen indulge in, only occur when the villain is an ENEMY OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. . .

My fellow countrymen watched with calmness the butchering of Armenians, for decades --while Turkey was a British ally. They bore patiently through the years the sufferings of the Hindu, while England bled white that rich nation. They exhibited stoic calm while the Irish were starved, killed, ground down. The same calm was exhibited in the case of the Boers, and while the Russian ally of Britain was knocking off some million Christians. But now, NOW, the villain is an enemy --and a much and rightly feared one--of England, and hark to the uproar.

My upbringing was such that I hate to see the U. S. A. at this late day turned into a vermiform appendix of the British Empire, that's all. Got to stop now to congratulate Margaret Halsey, who twisted the British Lion's tail so sweetly in With Malice Toward Some.

H. P. MEESE

Swissvale, Pa.

Stamp

Sirs:

This is a time when the U. S., Great Britain and Canada are joining hands in a rising surge of good feeling and friendship, and the forthcoming visit of Their Majesties, King George and Queen Elizabeth, to our countries will still further cement this natural bond that is so welcome to all of our good citizens.

As a help to this great cause, a suggestion has been made recently in the press by Mr. G. P. Bainbridge of Vancouver, B. C. that a postage stamp be printed for common use by both the U. S, and Canada during Their Majesties' visit. Those used in Canada could be surcharged "Canada" and "United States" could be printed on those used there.

P. W. RACEY Mining Engineer Vancouver, B. C.

Maudlin Sympathy

Sirs:

An article in Jan. 23 TIME arouses my desire for expression. Five women visit Governor Lehman. The poor boys never had a chance. "Poverty, slum life, marijuana, liquor." Shades of Theodore Dreiser! If man enjoys free will, he is a responsible being. He knows what he is doing and does it anyway. He is a double menace to society--in plan and in deed. Hang him, If man does not enjoy free will, he is not responsible. He is then a monster--a product of a Frankenstein civilization. Destroy him--before he breeds his ilk.

But he isn't to blame; it's his heredity and environment. Agreed. Environments that breed crimes and criminals should be destroyed. As for heredity. . . . Perhaps the mothers should be hanged too.

But let's cut out this maudlin sympathy for criminals. . . .

RALPH CHILDS

Shenandoah, Iowa

Thoughtless Little Incident

Sirs:

In the last issue of TIME (Jan. 16, p. 46) I see that you refer to the oxygen inhalation apparatus devised by myself in conjunction with Dr. Lovelace and Dr. Bulbulian. . . .

I did not happen to be present when the reporter took Dr. Goulden's picture. Apparently he was on deck and had the inhalation apparatus strapped on over his face and, as there was no oxygen connected up to the apparatus, he probably unconsciously put the pipe in his mouth. It is one of those thoughtless little incidents that can happen when one is not perfectly conversant with oxygen and the impossibility of having fire of any type in its neighborhood. . . .

WALTER M. BOOTHBY, M.D.

Metabolism Laboratory Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minn.

Dies

Sirs:

Some TIME ago when Representative Dies's activities were first recorded, you informed your readers the pronunciation rhymed with "Geese."

Jan. 16, p. II, col. 2, paragraph ending under his picture: unless most of Washington et al rhyme it with "Mice," the title to Secretary Ickes' undelivered blast "Loaded Dies" would have gone with the wind.

Please, what is the correct pronunciation and is it commonly used?

A. W. McKINLAY Los Angeles, Calif.

-TIME never tried to rhyme Dies with "geese." Nor with "mice." Dies rhymes with "spies."--ED.

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