Sex in Reverse

Sirs:

Your article in TIME, Aug. 27, under Medicine, regarding scientific reversals of sex, finds both an easy answer and an astounding sequel, I am delighted to note, on p. 42 of the same issue, under Cinema.

In reviewing Harold Lloyd's new film, The Cat's Paw, your critic tells how "the son of a Chinese missionary (Harold Lloyd) ... returns to his hometown to find himself a wife.'"

We hope this provides an answer to the critics of the screen who claim there is nothing new in the movies. What the medical profession needs is a damned good gagman.

LESTER W. COLE JOHN C. OTTINGER JR.

Memphis, Tenn.

"Dying, Egypt . . ."

Sirs:

In your review of Cleopatra (TIME, Aug. 27) you quote Antony's last words to Cleopatra, "I am dying, Egypt, dying!", and attribute the line to Shakespeare. As a onetime resident of Cleveland TIME ought to know what every Ohioan knows, that the line was authored by Cincinnati's late, great General William Lytle, who was fatally wounded while leading a charge at Chickamauga.

HENRY SQUIRES

Toledo, Ohio

True that William Haines Lytle's famed "Antony to Cleopatra" begins "I am dying, Egypt, dying!" But Soldier-Poet Lytle (1826-1863) presumably took his cue from Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra, Act IV, Sc. 15, which contains the line. More about General Lytle will appear in the Sept. 17 issue of LETTERS, a new fortnightly published by TIME, Inc. For details about LETTERS, see p. 50.--ED.

Opportunist

Sirs:

In your issue of Aug. 27--which, like most of its predecessors, I have read from cover to cover--you print an interesting discussion of Major Angas' book, The Coming American Boom; and while giving to one of its publishers, Mr. M. Lincoln Schuster, due credit for his skill and initiative, you speak of Mr. Schuster as "as shrewd an opportunist as there is in the publishing world." In every fine sense this seems true; but if you meant by "opportunist" a man who seizes every chance to aggrandize himself, regardless of principles, I trust you will let me contradict you. Time and again I have seen Mr. Schuster vote for the acceptance of a book which offered no promise of money, but which seemed to him a work of art deserving of the light of print; Wolf Solent and A Glastonbury Romance may serve as instances. Mr. Schuster is known as an enthusiast, in literature and music, who lets his tastes dictate more of his business than any "opportunist" would dare to do. I am sure that he has forgiven you; but as for myself I wince when TIME takes liberties with living souls. De vivis nil nisi bonum.

WILL DURANT

Lake Hill, N. Y.

By "opportunist" TIME meant that sharp Publisher Schuster is alert to every opportunity to score a publishing coup, did not mean he was lacking in principle. But TIME cannot subscribe to Author Durant's concluding maxim: "Of the living, nothing but what is good."--ED.

Simon Called Schuster

Sirs: I've been waiting years for the chance to be one of the bright lads whose letters inform readers that "TIME erred," so you can understand my elation when I saw the picture in the Aug. 27 issue in which you have Partners Simon and Schuster confused.

Mr. Simon is on Friend Ripley's left, Mr. Schuster on his right.

J. H. SPINGARN Literary Director

Jack-o-Lantern

Hanover, N. H.

Let Reader Spingarn feel elation; a careless proofreader, rebuke.--ED.

Hood's Prize

Sirs:

In your issue of Aug. 27 you pay a well deserved tribute to Raymond M. Hood. I knew him very well. He was a lovable companion and a splendid man to work with, and were he here today he would be the first to take up his pen to correct a grave injustice which you have done to his associate, John Mead Howells.

While it is true that Hood made the original design for the Tribune Tower, Howells rendered invaluable service in connection with the project. It is not true that the design was submitted from the office of John Mead Howells. The design was submitted in the name of John Mead Howells and Raymond M. Hood, associate architects. It is not true that Hood had to turn over $40,000 of the prize money to Howells. The arrangement was for an equal division of the $50,000. . . .

HOLMES ONDERDONK

Chicago Tribune Building Corp.

Chicago, Ill.

In DeMille's Hand

Sirs:

We have been having quite a discussion in our office as to the nature of the object held in the hands of Mr. Cecil B. DeMille, which is the cover of your Aug. 27 issue of TIME. . . .

VIRGINIA E. REANY

Youngstown, Ohio

The object is an oyster shell containing an imperfect pearl built around the remains of an eel. If the pearl substance had been fashioned into a perfect sphere, says Mr. DeMille, the result would have been the largest, most valuable pearl in history.--ED.

Catholic Hitler

Sirs: . . . You refer to Hitler as "Catholic Hitler." The fact that he, as a baby, was baptized a Catholic, does not mean that he is now a practicing Catholic. Far from it!

Father Urban Habig of Phoenix once referred to Catholics of Hitler's type (not practicing Catholics) as "dead limbs on a living tree."

Catholics, I believe, consider Hitler a very dead limb.

(MRS.) MARGARET PAGE

Phoenix, Ariz.

Sirs:

. . . Herr Hitler is not a Catholic; he is an apostate. Although not formally excommunicated by the Holy Father, he is ipso facto excommunicated by the very anti-Catholic and unchristian policies he advocates and demonstrates. Until he repents of these egregious errors, one can only consider him as an apostate. . . .

GEORGE M. FITZGERALD

Kalamazoo, Mich.

Exhorting eminent Catholics to attend the international pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady at Lourdes, France on Sept. 20, the Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham, England, exclaimed from his pulpit last week: "What a fine impulse for real peace in Europe if Hitler were to attend!"--ED.

Stern's Heritage

Sirs:

. . . Yesterday my attention was drawn to the following extract [TIME, Aug. 27]: "Last December J. David Stern, an ardent New Dealer, bought the New York Evening Post and in February hired Dr. Gruening as editor. . . . For all their enthusiasm for social reform, Stern of Russian-Jewish extraction and Gruening of German-Jewish extraction were unable to see eye to eye." . . . Would you be surprised to learn that David Stern is not of Russian extraction but of the same as Dr. Gruening, although further removed? . . .

On his maternal side, he is a nephew of the late Simon Muhr, one of the leading and outstanding citizens of the 1890's, a philanthropist, whose name continues to live. The family is a noted one in the town of Schenhausen, Bavaria where is their ancestral home, built in 1736, and lived in ever since by them. At this time there is still one of the family bearing the name living there. . . .

On David Stern's father's side, I might add. there is yet finer stock. . . . His uncle, Edward Stern, founded the Edward Stern Printing Co.. a well-known publishing house of this city. And the most important fact, his father, David Stern, a cultured gentleman, served in the Civil War.

Now possibly you can understand why I discredit TIME. . . .

(MRS.) GERTRUDE WEIL HERSHFIELD

Germantown, Pa.

To Reader Hershfield. thanks for a TIME-worthy account of Publisher Stern's lineage.--ED.

Friend of Swedish Sport

Sirs:

With reference to an article which appeared in your issue of July 30, I am enclosing herewith a copy of a letter received by me . . . from Mr. Torsten Tegner, the proprietor and editor of Idrottsbladet.

I recognize, of course, that in order to do justice to me as an individual it would be necessary for you to depart from one of the basic policies of your publication, notwithstanding which fact I am entertaining the belief that your American spirit of fair play will get the better of your prejudices.

LAURENCE A. STEINHARDT

American Minister Legation of the U. S. of America

Stockholm, Sweden

Disavowing all prejudices, TIME gladly prints the following letter, substantiating Minister Steinhardt's original claim of misquotation by Idrottsbladet (TIME, July 30).--ED.

My dear Mr. Steinhardt:

On my return to Stockholm from my vacation, I have made a thorough investigation of the circumstances surrounding the statement which recently appeared in Idrottsbladet charging that you had criticized Swedish sportsmanship in the course of a speech to visiting American athletes. I am convinced that the article in question did you a great injustice. I find that you made no speech. It appears that the article was based on the account of one of your guests at a tea party given by you and at which there were more Swedes than Americans present. It seems that during this party you suggested to the American athletes present that they familiarize themselves with the different customs that prevail in Sweden, urged them to deport themselves with dignity and told them that, by reason of their reputation as international champions, a very high standard of performance would be expected of them. Most certainly none of these legitimate comments constitutes a reflection upon Swedish sportsmanship. From these facts it follows that the article neither reflected your very informal utterances to your fellow-countrymen nor your views. In fact, we know you as the friend of Swedish sport in the Corps Diplomatique of Stockholm!

What pains me more than the distortion is the violation of your hospitality. . . .

T. TEGNER

Proprietor and Editor Idrottsbladet

Stockholm, Sweden

Sikorsky's Flying Boat Sirs:

TIME airwriter erred. In TIME for Aug. 13, under Aeronautics, this appeared: ". . . it was the Sikorsky S-42, world's largest amphibian." The 542 is neither an amphibian nor the world's largest anything. It is the largest American-built flying boat and, beyond a doubt, outperforms any ship of its kind in the world, but that is all. World's largest amphibian is Sikorsky Model 540, better known as the Yankee and Caribbean Clippers. 542 will always be strictly a flying boat. TIME airwriter undoubtedly mistook beaching wheels for landing gear.

MAX KARANT

Aviation Editor Evanston News-Index

Evanston, Ill.

Neither the Sikorsky 540 nor 542 may correctly be called amphibian, as they never descend on land, have retractable landing gear which is used only when the boats are beached for overhauling. They are properly called flying boats.--ED.

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