IN its first issue in March 1923, signaling its purpose to the world, TIME carried on its cover the arresting face of the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, "Uncle Joe" Cannon of Illinois -last of the truly autocratic leaders of the House. This week TIME carries on its cover the face of the present Speaker of the House, Sam Rayburn of Texas. Also on the cover is the arresting face of another Cannon, Missouri's Clarence (no kin). With them are the three other individualistic legislative leaders who share, in the 86th Congress, the position of power once held, in effect, by Uncle Joe Cannon alone. For the story of the House and its evolution from Joe Cannon to a subtle, interlocking series of relationships, see NATIONAL AFFAIRS, "I Love This House."

TIME stories, which bring all things and come in all sizes, should have a style to match their subject. Sometimes the news and the circumstances mold a story into the form of a novelette, especially when there is an edge of mystery and a gathering of men of wealth, women of beauty, and rapacious figures from the underground to duel over one of the world's great fortunes. The locale should be evocative: cafes on the Champs-Elysees, sun-drenched days at Cap d'Antibes, intrigue and attempted murder on the war-ravaged reaches of the North African coast. For such a true story, involving those standbys of fiction, the goodhearted prostitute and a hired assassin who feels compassion for his victim, and for a developing scandale that gives promise of shaking French society as did the Stavisky case in 1934, see FOREIGN NEWS, L'Affaire Lacaze.

EVER since small foreign cars began to sell in the U.S. market--and ever since American Motors made its astonishing comeback with its compact car--motorists have wondered when and if the Big Three would bring out smaller cars. There were many reports out of Detroit and surreptitious pictures (left), but last week there were no longer any doubts. The Big Question: What will they look like and when will they come out? TIME'S Detroit bureau talked to dozens of auto executives, suppliers, tool and diemakers. Winnowing a mass of information, TIME this week puts together an accurate picture of the small cars and tells when they will be introduced by Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. See BUSINESS, Small Cars Acoming.

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