Wilson's Management

Sirs: TIME of Aug. 29, in its admirable sketch of William Gibbs McAdoo falls into a natural error when it says: "McAdoo helped nominate Wilson at Baltimore in 1912. He managed that year's winning Democratic campaign." McAdoo did this--but not William Gibbs, who had not yet attached his star or his heart to the Wilson regime. Wilson's pre-convention and campaign manager was William McAdoo, a Princeton graduate, resident of New Jersey and New York lawyer, quite a different person. I suggest that the young editor who wrote this sketch read up his political history and give us the facts on this other McAdoo. SELDEN W. TYLER

Wakefield, Mass.

William F. McCombs (not McAdoo), a New York lawyer, Princeton graduate, was a pre-convention boomer for Wilson. He asked William Gibbs McAdoo to work with him, to which Mr. McAdoo agreed. During the early part of the Baltimore convention McCombs, fearing Wilson's defeat, telephoned Wilson that he could not be nominated, advised him to withdraw. McAdoo told Wilson to do nothing of the sort. After Wilson's nomination McCombs asked McAdoo to put in a word for him for chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee. Wilson appointed McCombs though he preferred McAdoo. McAdoo was made vice chairman. Shortly after the campaign began, McCombs became ill and was out of the campaign until mid-October, during which interim McAdoo managed and did all the active work.--ED. Secretary Chapin Praised Sirs: ... I have known Mr. Chapin [Secretary of Commerce Roy D. Chapin] for 20 years and, while I have had no contact with him for several years, I simply want to state here for the enlightenment of whoever was responsible for the partisan writeup on Mr. Chapin that it is ex tremely unfair and misrepresentative to state that he is a "breezy, bustling individual" and that he is a ''typical high-pressure salesman." Nothing is further from the truth. Mr. Chapin is a man of very deliberate actions, retiring in manner and conservative in his business dealings. He is of course an outstanding factor in the motorcar industry, and, as head of the Hudson Motor Car Company, directed the building of their powerful selling or ganizations--but it was always done in such a way that his own personality never came into the picture, excepting by way of its influence--and that had to do principally with thoughts of permanency and stability, a maximum of poise having been his always. The motorcar industry has now become one of the three leading industries in this country. Mr. Chapin is one of about a dozen men who have had the most to do with putting it there and putting it on a financial basis so sound that it has attracted the most substantial money interests of the world. He is. of course, a builder and is sales-minded, but is exactly the opposite of what is commonly meant by the term ''high- pressure salesman." He is a powerful, deliberate, conservative negotiator. In reading this article, I realize for the first time that your paper is apparently strictly in sympathy with the doings of the Democratic Party and, while I made up my mind three months ago to vote for Al Smith if he were nominated, I must say that the developments of the last two months make me feel warranted in giving my support to Hoover. In regard to the matter of tapping the till of the automotive industry through Mr. Chapin, would say that this, if true, is no less worthy an ambition on the part of the Republican Party leaders than was that of the Democratic Party four years ago in harnessing Mr. Raskob into the picture--who had heavier financial leads into the till of the automotive industry than Mr. Chapin has, and I am quite sure that Grosse Point Farms is a community no more "swanky" than is Hyde Park, New York or the East River and Chesapeake Bay districts where Mr. 'Raskob takes up his abode. I realize that a letter of this kind will perhaps avail nothing, but it states some facts that are subject to proof, and which it would be good for the member of your staff who wrote the "Chapin for Lament" article to note, whether he refuses to accept them or not. MORGAN J. HAMMERS

Stamford, Conn.

TIME retracts, as being error, the statement that Secretary Chapin is "typical high-pressure salesman." Mr. Chapin has been and is a great, not a "typical" salesman and of course his phenomenal career reflects other qualities besides salesman-ship.--ED. Precautionary Sirs:

Upon my return from a trip to the branches, I find on my desk your copy of Aug. 29, in which you show the Bank of America as borrowing $3,800,000 from the Reconstruction Finance Corp. for the period from July 21 to July 31, 1032.

I presume you have already seen my published denial of this statement. If not, the following are the facts:

Apparently the R.F.C. consider an approval of a loan as a loan, even if the money is found to be unnecessary and the application is with drawn. We were much surprised at this interpretation as we applied for the loan some time ago as a precautionary measure, but did not need the money nor did we receive it.

A. P. GlANNINI Chairman

Bank of America San Francisco, Calif.

Hopis & Rattlers

Sirs:

Your article, "Snakes & Rain" of issue Sept. 5 is indeed interesting, especially the last part of the story on p. 26 which deals with the Hopi Indians and rattlesnakes. From my experience with the great Florida diamondback rattler, timber or mountain rattlesnake, as well as with the Seminole Indians with whom I hunt, no person, white or Indian, is immune if a large rattler, with its venom sacs filled, injects this poison through its hollow fangs into your body. Personally, I do not believe the Hopi Indians are immune or have an antidote which can be successfully used after the dance, as rattlesnake venom works swiftly into the circulatory system, especially when the blood is circulating faster through exercise. I am led to believe the Hopi either goads the snakes into biting a soft substance such as a ball of cotton or soft cloth or "milks'" the snakes immediately before the dance. The "milking'' process is done by holding the rattler behind the head and having it strike into a fabric or parchment tightly drawn across the mouth of a jar or glass, thus forcing the venom out of the sacs into the receptacle. This would prevent fatality from a strike and it is needless to believe the Indians are not struck during the ceremony. One point of your story is purely fantastic from reptile study and that is: "these snakes are really friends of the Hopi." Rattlesnakes are never friendly nor care to be handled. Their nervous and fighting makeup places them as a defensive reptile--irritable and ready to strike. I have yet to see a pet or friendly rattlesnake. C. H. MACDONALD The Florida Reptile Institute Silver Springs, Fla. Shiftless Iowa Farmers

Sirs: Where on earth do you get the idea that Iowa farmers are shiftless? They not only have shirts but generally keep them on. I lived in the State 40 years, in different sections. In early times there was pioneer crudity but always pioneer pluck and push. I have just traveled 300 miles in the State and have seen nothing in farmstead or roadside which by any reasonable standard could be called shiftless. Also. Iowa farmers are among the best dressed people in the world-- dressed suitably for their work; and, unlike political propaganda they are as well clothed under the surface as on it. F. B. TAYLOR

Dickinson Co., Iowa

Sirs:

. . . The farmers you mention are not shiftless, simply unfortunate. In my county I find 247 farmers that have worked hard and intel ligently from their age of majority until now when they are from 60 to 75 years old, and were prosperous eight to ten years ago and now have not enough money to bury them. I believe there will be found less shiftlessness among farmers than in any other vocation.

A. D. STEPHENS

Crookston, Minn.

It was a pleasure to read in the Aug. 29 edition of TIME your article regarding the Farmers Holiday and milk strike, as it is centered about Sioux City, Iowa. It would give me even more pleasure to read more about it in later issues, as it is a problem worthy of serious thought. The outcome may be vital to the entire nation, but in any event will prove of vital interest to the entire Midwest.

In your magazine it was stated the milk strike at Sioux City was subsequent to the Farmers Holiday. In this I beg to differ. The milk strike came first and the Farmers Holiday originally started out of sympathy for the milk strikers.

The Farmers Holiday, now that the milk strike is over, takes on a different aspect. It is apparently only serious to the farmers them selves. The wholesalers of all farm products are able to supply all retailers with farm commodities by shipping in from outside points by rail. The persons affected are farmers themselves. Many of them are feeding cattle. When the cattle are about ready for market and the feed is gone, there is nothing to do but market them. . . . Many small farmers have been able to provide themselves with food and clothing on the funds derived from the sale of chickens and eggs. This income has been cut off by their own brotherhood, regardless of their need. Thus we have a divided house. . . .

I think the public in general sympathizes with the farmers and realizes that such prices as are now obtainable for their commodities will bankrupt even those that have fared we11 so far. The people of the Middle West realize that they are dependent upon the prosperity of the farmer for their own prosperity. But, I believe it is the general opinion of the public that the farmer is going about the matter in the wrong way. So far the people of Sioux City have not felt any hardship from the strike, nor have people in other communities. If this is true then the strike is in vain. . . . E. E. LANGLEY

Sioux City, Iowa

TIME did not imply that all western farmers are shiftless, did say that many of the Iowa picketers were such. Observers variously described the picketers as youngsters "just blowed in"; as former farm-owners reduced, because of debts, to the class of farm laborers; as the poorest class of farm tenants.--ED. Seiberling's Cuddly Toodles Sirs:

Knowing your desire accurately to report the true facts in connection with any situation, I am writing regarding the article in your Aug. 29 issue, headed "Rubber Dolly.''

Your article implies that the Miller Rubber Co. first developed and marketed the rubber doll, but that is not the case. This company manufactured the first all-rubber doll with moving arms and legs and the dolls so manufactured were marketed by the American Character Doll Co. of New York, who sold them in large quantities during 1931. The doll we made then has since been improved but it is still equipped in the larger sizes with a light flexible metal frame and contrary to the inference made in your article, it is not heavy or cumbersome but on the contrary is light, pliant, cuddly and attractive.

We also are working 24 hours per day manufacturing dolls which are marketed in various sizes and are doing all we can to manufacture a sufficient quantity to take care of the holiday demand for "Toodles."

T. W. CASEY

Vice President

Seiberling Latex Products Co. Akron, Ohio

Three Iowa Details

Sirs: Sharp, exact detail is a TIME quality which readers respect. For TIME to say that Phil Stong's State Fair is "rich in sharp, exact detail" is to trespass on this TIME quality which to the devoted newsmagazine reader is sacred ground. TIME'S review of State Fair was reasonable, but to refer to the book as a standard of accuracy in details of Iowa rural life (p. 33, Sept. 5 issue) is deserving of challenge. Three times Author Stong stubs his toes on pebbles of detail any Iowa 4-H pig club member knows all about. lowans exhibit their pigs in pens, not "cages" as is done in State Fair. One judge and not a committee makes the awards; and the hogs are judged in a show ring where they are paraded skillfully. Never in Iowa would they suffer the injustice of being judged in their pens the way Phil Stong relates. State Fair is interesting--and accurate in describing the way a Hampshire boar eats out of his trough--but it is not sharp, exact detail of Iowa hog technique, a very important element in rural Iowa. KENNETH HINSHAW

Springfield, Mass.

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