Russian Boys

Sirs: . You inform us the pronunciation of those easily had Russian boys is "Mmmdivani." If I may be so bold. sir, let me say that now it is quite clear about their charm. It's the "Mmm" -- three letters strung together, which, when uttered by women of all ages, in all languages, say all there is to say. FANNING MILES HEARON Spartanburg, S. C.

Innate

Sirs:

... To TIME'S quotation, "I don't sec why Barbara, who's the sweetest girl in the world, can't be loved for herself,'' attributed to her father, Franklyn L. Hutton. Sally (Mrs. Dickason) and I heartily subscribe.

While Barbara was aboard the Lurline. we were privileged to know her better than we have the vast majority of our fellow voyageurs during Sally's five and my twelve years' cruise experience. She vouchsafed us several personal and unusually laudable confidences that have caused us to love, cherish and admire her as we have few, if any, before her. Not only does she neither drink nor smoke, but if given half a chance by a morbidly curious, thoughtless world she could, without half trying, win it completely. An innate sweetness and native charm amply justify the plea of a justly proud father, "Why can't she be loved for herself?"

DEANE H. DICKASON

New York City

Crusty

Sirs:

... I wish to say that your remarks concerning His Eminence Cardinal O'Conncll of Boston are not justified. The word "crusty" is certainly out of order. The man is old and has different opinions but that's not being crusty, that's being different. The word crusty is nothing but a dirty slam put into an article by some very ignorant scribe of your wonderful TIME. You can rest assured that when our subscription to TIME runs out it will not be renewed. You would do well to apologize through your columns to His Eminence Cardinal O'Connell.

J. J. KELLEY

Cleveland, Ohio

His Eminence William Henry Cardinal O'Connell (whose awesome face appeared on TIME'S cover. Dec. 24, 1928) is perhaps the ablest U. S. Churchman of recent times. He is also crusty.--ED.

Flabella

Sirs:

In your issue of June 26 you mention the Feast of Corpus Christi at St. Peter's, and in speaking of His Holiness, Pope Pius XI you state: "Prelates held a damask canopy over the Holy Father's head and stirred the warm air about him with ostrich-plumed flabella."

In the interest of accuracy, these flabella are not ostrich plumes but are peacock feathers and were presented to the Popes by an American, Mrs. Joseph W. Drexel of Philadelphia, of the famous banking family of that name.

FRASER NAIRN

New York City

No Bum

Sirs:

While reading your June 12 issue of the TIME I was amazed to find, under your "Toilet Kit Tempest" article, a reference to the Civilian Conservation Corps members as "forestry workers on the dole."

I am a member of that organization known as the C. C. C. and with my fellow members feel that Major General De Witt is unjustified in classifying us with people who obtain money from the government without working for it.

Although the Corps is an emergency unit used to keep unemployed men off the streets, it is by no means a free boarding house proposition.

Some people do not recognize us as anything but bums and slackers. We are neither. We work for a living. We are not slackers. We are willing to work. Please make this clear to the readers of the TIME and help us along with a boost instead of a kick.

EDWARD S. BENOIT

Camp Tourney Torrington, Conn.

Sirs:

In answer to G. F. Baker's letter in June 26 issue, the "socalled Tree Soldier'' does not get his tobacco, laundry, chewing gum and shows free. Mr. Baker should be around here sometime and see how the laundry is done "free," with every man draped over a wash tub and wash board.

As for being useless in the woods, that is absurd! We've been here about six weeks and have planted a good many million trees, building trails, camp sites, permanent quarters, graveled roads, etc. If G. F. B. doubts the above statements he may write to Mr. J. M. Walley, Forest Supervisor, Chippewa Forest, Cass Lake, Minn. In other words, know what you're talking about before you say anything, G. F. B.

ROBERT A. TIGUE

Co. 705 C. C. C. Camp F12 Cass Lake, Minn.

Stoddard King

Sirs:

With reference to your excellent and courteous recognition of the passing away of Stoddard King in Spokane, Wash, last week [TIME, June 26], it is noteworthy and lamentable that the work by which a fine creative mind is best known is usually the one by which he would least prefer to be known. Stoddard King's work matured to such extremely fine flights of puckish fancy in his later years that the continual reference to the fact that he wrote "The Long, Long Trail'' irritated him. Many of us often thought that King would have liked to have the memory of that ditty buried. It obscured the value of the pungent wit and humor which poured in a continual and effortless stream from his typewriter into the pages of the Spokane Spokesman-Review and into his books. These books--collections of fine humorous verse, What the Queen Said, The Raspberry Tree and others--must and will pass into future collections of Americana as characteristic of this age. We who knew King, however slightly, feel it would be ignoble in his death to permit his memory to be only as long as only as long as "The Long, Long Trail" and no longer. He always remained in Spokane because there he had his beginnings and there he could repay the kindness of those who helped give him his education. HECTOR L. CHEVIGNY

Seattle, Wash.

Holt's Rollins

Sirs:

I have read with indignation the article entitled "Rollins Rumpus.'' I have been a Rollins student last year and hasten to inform you that the opinion printed in this article voices the sentiment of, I believe, by actual count, 1/25th of the student body who call themselves liberalists and contribute to the college about nothing but destructive criticism and adolescent judgment--for instance, asking that one of their number be made one of the trustees was one of their brilliant ideas, a 19-year-old trustee! MARY ELIZABETH RANSOM

Stamford. Conn.

Sirs:

Liberalism has been the most important and attractive issue at Rollins since the beginning of Hamilton Holt's presidency, and since 1925, under his guidance and sane interpretation of the word, the college has known its only strides forward. But there are always found in groups, erratic leaders who push a good thing too far, and by that I'm referring to Professor John Andrew Rice, who taught liberalism knowing no bounds and disregarding all laws of convention. And so he managed to form his group of followers, "Riceites" as they were called.

The Knowles Memorial Chapel, presented as a haven of rest to the students by Frances Knowles Warren, in memory of her father, a trustee of the college, is as lovely an edifice as one could imagine. Professor Rice was not accused of whispering in this chapel, but because of his atheistic ideas refused to enter it. even in his cap and gown in the senior processional, as it is customary for each professor to do. And of course, like blind sheep, his followers upheld him in his theory and throughout the year likewise refused to enter it even on a rare occasion when its donor was present.

NATALIE COLE

When President Hamilton Holt dismissed Professor Rice (brother-in-law of Swarthmore's President Aydelotte), TIME, may have mistaken the yap of a small undergraduate minority for a case of widespread indignation. It now appears that President Holt did indeed have "good and sufficient" reason for the exercise of his executive authority; and that there was no genuine issue of Liberalism. TIME awaits the final report of the American Association of University Professors on the Rice inquiry and meanwhile regrets any injustice it may have done.--ED.

Again, Freaks Sirs:

. . . Put me down as a freak along with Feminine Reader Graves and the rank and file of other feminine TIME readers who do not care if they are maligned so long as TIME subscriptions are not denied the weaker sex. My story herewith: Nearly three years ago at the time of my marriage I had my subscription transferred to my new name and address. At that time my husband and mother-in-law were reading the _______and _________ respectively. Of course many arguments ensued, in which we each tried to prove the newsworthiness of our choice. As the weeks passed I found it increasingly difficult to find TIME when I had a few moments to spare unless I met the postman at the door and hid the magazine for future reference. Finally when my husband and mother-in-law were having their own race as to who was to get TIME first, I ... put my TIME-reading day over to the following Monday so they would have an even break to discover the perfect newsweekly. Needless to say the other two magazines mentioned came no more. . . . MRS. JOHN RODERICK PIERCE

Charleston. W. Va.

With Mother-in-Law Pierce, TIME can have no quarrel. But for a scientific report on mothers-in-law in general, see p. 38.--ED.

Two Up Sirs: The other day while playing a round on Union County's (N. J.) famous Galloping Hill Golf Course with Mr. and Mrs. Sid Karbel, honeymooning East from Detroit, the lovely Mrs. Karbel calmly remarked that she had found an unbelievable blunder in TIME. In the pictorial section on the World Conference, she said TIME curiously labelled Mr. Morrison's picture with U. S. Senator Couzens' name. On investigation, I found to my amazement that she was right. Thus, "up the flue," went two concepts-- TIME'S infallibility, and that the only women who read TIME are "freaks." HARRY H. RICHMAN

Roselle. N. J.

Might Sirs: ... I drag it around under my arm all week long, reading it in the train, at the luncheon table, in the stores waiting for change! . . . No, I couldn't do without TIME. In fact --if, press stories are true--a certain Mr. Morrison of Texas, now in London, might have done well to have followed TIME!* MRS. R. B. HANFORD

New York City

Tempted

Sirs:

I'm tempted beyond my powers. Each reply to that pompous ass, Husband Ritter, has broken down my resistance until I find myself following in the footsteps of Maynard L. Ginsburg (TIME, July 3) and writing my first, last and only communication to any magazine, in order to contribute my mite to the avalanche of criticism he has brought down upon himself by that moronic letter. Freaks, indeed! Down with TIME, then, to make the world safe for Husband Ritter and his ilk. For as long as that splendid magazine exists, there will be appreciative, intelligent and up-to-the-minute freaks who read it from cover to cover, 52 weeks of the year. Tsch, Tsch, poor Wife Riller!

GENE M. SCULLY

Indianapolis, Ind.

Love & Goodwill

Sirs:

What has happened to the Letters department? It seems to have been suddenly possessed by a rather unhealthful sex complex. I feel sorry for both the men and the women who have gone to such extremes in their statements. . . .

Looked at disinterestedly the tempest is amusing. Of course these subscribers do not mean all they say and must realize it after they have expressed themselves. Neither sex has a corner on good or evil or ignorance or knowledge.

What the world is needing is the spirit of love and of goodwill. It is hoped that the letters will finally breathe this more rational spirit.

C. J. SEBASTIAN

Central Christian church Cincinnati. Ohio

*U.S. Delegate Morrison, who last week went to bed with indigestion, had never heard of Czecholslovakia's Stateman Benes (TIME, June 26). --Ed.

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