Herewith are excerpts from letters come to the desks of the editors during the past week. They are selected primarily for the information they contain either supplementary to or corrective of news previously published in TIME.

Babbitt

Sirs:

Who can blame Subscriber Coward and his friend for having a disagreement while playing the new game, "Babbitt" ? The definition of a Babbitt published in TIME, July 26, [MISCELLANY, p. 29] was most vague. Why not be specific, if you set yourselves up as authorities ? ... Is it part of the game to point at a specimen, crying out its name, as in "Beaver" ?

HILDA RENTCHLER

Boston, Mass.

Practice varies about pointing and crying out. Some hold that these trimmings make "Babbitt" more exhilarating. The original Babbitt--George F.--as created by Author Sinclair Lewis, possessed the following: Head--large, pink, heavy. Hair--brown, thin, dry. Nose--Sloping, blunt, heavy spectacle-dented. Chin--overfleshed, strong. Cheeks--pads. Hands--puffy, unroughened. Body--well-fed. Legs--thick. Feet--plump. Expression in slumber--babyish. Expression in thought--"gets things done." General expression -- extremely married, prosperous. Clothes -- standard, brown or gray; white piping in vest. (He would feel naked without fountain pen and silver pencil in vest pocket.) Neck-tie--purple knitted or tapestry with stringless brown harps among blown palms; snakehead stickpin with opal eyes. Jewelry--Boosters' Club lapel button; elk-tooth watch-chain pendant. Spectacles--huge, frameless, with gold ear-crooks. Shoes--black, laced, uninteresting.--ED. Pessimist

Sirs:

I am of the opinion that TIME the weekly newsmagazine is the best organ giving us the best and most important news in the most condensed form, but it does not reflect reality of the TIME we are living now. As per contents in reality:

National Affairs Uncertain

Foreign News Suspicious

The Theatre Shallow

Cinema Pornographic

Music Mostly jazz

Education Insufficient

Medicine Scientific

Religion Contradictions

The Press Sensations

Miscellany Worthless

Milestones Soft, Mush

Sport Useless

Business & Finance Dollar Chasing

Law ....Mostly Lawless

Books Not worth reading

Quiz Loss of Time

Take it or leave it. ...

M. J. DESIRE

Los Angeles, Calif.

Grandson Wrong

Sirs: Possibly, Grandson Ulysses (TIME, Aug. 9, POLITICAL NOTES, p. 10) may be in error in believing that the General was christened Hiram Ulysses. I have in my possession two signatures-- one written just after the unwilling cadet had been received at West Point--"U. H. Grant, Georgetown, Ohio"; the other, not long after graduation--"U. H. Grant, 4' Inf." Evidently, Grandson has the names reversed. CHARLES PLATT

Ardmore, Pa.

Navy Lore

Sirs:

TIME, Aug. 2, p. 6, ARMY AND NAVY, "The Naval Committee last week went through the usual formality of investigating the disaster after it had happened." Check up on the word "Committee." Except for purely social functions committees are rarely appointed in the Navy. . . .

C. C. CHAMPION JR.

Lieut., U. S. N. Navy Department Bureau of Aeronautics Washington, D. C.

In Montana

Sirs:

I note in TIME, Aug. 2, a letter from Terrell Croft, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, stating that your July 12 issue was delivered by the Mexican postman at 4 p. m. on July 14 to his address. I'll admit that in this case TIME made good time. However, I wish to advise the gentleman from Yucatan that Montana is always to be found on the map, and is not in the "slow" class by any means. Your issue of Aug. 2 was received by me at 9 a. m. this morning, Aug. 1. It happened to be Sunday, which accounts for the delay. As it is, I am answering your letter of tomorrow, today. HARRY A. VAGG-- Saco, Mont.

Bunbury Flayed

Sirs:

Subscriber Bunbury's letter in TIME, Aug. 2, p. 2, leads me to set at rest any idea that other New Yorkers may share his opinion regarding the reprints of TIME'S Printers' Ink advertisements.

I, for one, have been favorably impressed with the apt manner in which some live ad agency's copy writer has caught TIME'S style. His production of snappy copy has averaged as well if not better than any issue of TIME. You will be frank to admit, I am sure, that not all of your staff members can maintain the swift pace set for them by the master author of TIME'S unique manner of expression. You are fortunate in having this series in the hands of one who could take his place among your capable group of reporters without your readers ever missing a bit of your clever flow of prose.

You use good judgment in allowing your subscribers to read this series. Among them are many who control advertising appropriations and yet they may never see Printer's Ink. It also seems to me that such good imitations of your style and thorough explanations of your functions should bring you subscribers as well as advertising from the army of Printer's Ink readers.

T. B. MEEK

Flushing, N. Y.

Sirs:

As one who has followed closely TIME'S style since a casual newsstand acquaintance many months ago, I disagree with Mr. Bunbury's letter in TIME, Aug. 2, p. 2.

In my opinion you have been complimented in the Printers' Ink series of advertisements by an almost perfect reproduction of your vein and phraseology.

Printers' Ink finds its way to my desk occasionally, and I have noticed your advertisements but they have been so surrounded by the claims of other publications that I have never given them careful consideration.

The reprints in TIME, however, always get attention when I am making my weekly cover-to-cover survey of your excellent paper. I believe, therefore, that they carry your message to a wider audience and afford your readers the entertainment of comparing the imitation with the original.

A. J. LORD

New York, N. Y.

Preserves All

Sirs:

For years I have been trying to devise a means of preserving a record of Current History in my library in a form that would be compact, concise and complete.

TIME has done it, with a utility which leaves nothing to be desired. The weekly issue may be read, loaned, clipped, or lost; the bound volume preserves them all. Here you may eat your cake, and have it too.

If you can see that a bound volume is always included with my subscription, you will be doing me a real favor.

Check enclosed.

R. W. EATON

P:Vol. VII (Jan.-June 1926) is now ready for distribution. To subscribers cost is $1.65; to others $3.00--ED.

*Also president, Farmers & Merchants State Bank.-- ED.