Letters to Editors

Sirs:

It is reported that President Roosevelt relies upon newspaper editorials and letters to the editor lor information concerning the public's attitude toward his policies. If so, he is liable to get an entirely wrong slant on public sentiment.

So far as editorials are concerned, they represent the opinions of the editor or the owners of his paper. The owner's point of view is largely influenced by his desire to keep on good terms with the big advertising interests. With a few-honorable exceptions no newspapers of wide circulation dare to antagonize the wishes of big business.

Letters to the editor are still less an indication of public sentiment. The most powerful men in the U. S. today are not the great bankers, financiers or real estate racketeers, but the obscure and unknown persons who pass upon letters to the editor and decide what shall and what shall not be printed. From their decision there is no appeal. They can, as many of them do, suppress all letters attacking the grievous wrongs and social injustices of our present economic system. Once in a while, to make a pretense of fairness, a letter criticizing the existing social order may be printed. The rest is silence.

WHIDDEN GRAHAM

New York City

Let Reader Graham be assured that no "obscure and unknown person" passes upon Letters-to-the-Editor of TIME. Each & every letter printed (and many another not printed) is read and cogitated by the Editor after it has been selected and recommended by a trained and trusted staff member. Of the hundreds of letters received weekly by TIME, it is possible to print only a dozen or so. Those printed are chosen by the same criteria as govern the selection of news published in TIME, plus the criterion of justice: making corrections or apologies where gravely due. Never is a letter omitted or suppressed because of its writer's social, political, economic or religious views. Because of the intense interest exhibited by TIME readers in many a question to which TIME'S Letter Page cannot give adequate space, TIME is preparing a Letter Page Supplement which will be mailed, free, to any TIME reader on request. This supplement will contain an overflow of controversy, correction and information on TIME subjects ranging from Oklahoma's Chief Justice to Prize Lies, from Andrew Jackson's pipe-smoking wife to the Loch Ness Monster. To obtain a copy of the Letter Page Supplement, write to I. Van Meter, editorial secretary of TIME, 135 East 42nd Street, New York City.--ED. President's Voice

Biggest volume of letters to TIME last week concerned the elimination of President Roosevelt's "voice"' from "The March of TIME" (TIME, Jan. 22). Excerpts:

Sirs:

I was very much surprised to learn during last night's broadcast that the White House has requested that the President's voice be imitated no longer on your program.

It seems to me to be a move in the wrong direction, as I believe that our President has built up his tremendous popular following by the power of his voice, which radiates force, understanding, and a great human sympathy.

We are not all able to listen to his public utterances by radio or otherwise at the time they are made by him, and it is therefore my opinion that the people are to be denied the emotions of assurance and confidence in our Chief Executive and the future of our nation, as stimulated by President Roosevelt's well-imitated voice, by an arbitrary ruling from Washington.

True, most of us can read his speeches, but that is a cold and impersonal process when compared to the most excellent imitation of your "voice" of the President. . . .

WALTER L. TANN

Jackson Heights, N. Y.

Sirs:

... It seems to me that you have more right to picture the President in a serious and sincere manner in a radio broadcast than a caricaturist has to draw a distorted cartoon. ... Or supposed statements of the President are quoted in humorous magazines, likewise giving the public wrong impressions. Will Rogers always glibly tells of some meeting he had with this or that President, quoting fanciful statements made by the latter. If others can use the President's name, pictures or statements for the purpose of joking, why should not "The March of TIME" be free to make a pretense of his voice, done in such a remarkable manner? . . .

CHARLES E. FOTH

Amherst, Mass.

Sirs:

Thanks very much for your announcement . . . that you will not continue the very unethical mimicry of the President's voice; you are to be commended for your voluntary action.

In the nature of things, public men are public property: but, with the President, who should command the highest respect of the nation, it is different. . . .

You will no doubt get much criticism for your action, especially from those who are not respectfully inclined, but I glory in your audacity and spunk in rendering respect and honor to the office of the President.

GUSTAVE C. HOENES

El Paso, Tex.

Sirs:

. . . Shall miss the President part of program but heartily approve your prompt cooperation in the matter. . . .

MR. & MRS. E. F. MURPHY

Syracuse, N. Y.

Sirs: I have forwarded the following letter to Mr. Stephen Early, Public Relations Secretary to President Roosevelt. It speaks for itself. My Dear Mr. Early:

A nominal Republican, I viewed the election of Mr. Roosevelt with misgivings. Then, on March 4th, the Inaugural Address swayed me in my judgment. March 4th, and the first Sunday evening broadcast sent a tingle up my spine. I thanked God that 1 was an American, and that at long last America had a leader.

All because there is magic in the voice of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. I was familiar with his addresses, through the printed word. They were interesting, well conceived and concisely written. But delivered in the firm, friendly voice of the President, they took on new vitality.

Much as Mr. Roosevelt uses the radio, we still have little opportunity to hear from his own lips the living drama of the New Deal. "The March of TIME" supplied the missing links. True, the Voice issued from the lips of an actor, but verisimilitude gave life to the conned lines.

Each Friday I listened eagerly for a new message of hope and encouragement--and now the Administration has banned recreation of the President's voice.

This seems a small thing, definitely out of step with the Administration's clever and liberal handling of public relations. Mr. Roosevelt's appeal is to the heart as well as the mind. The success of the New Deal depends entirely upon public support. When Mr. Roosevelt becomes "just another President" the fires of patriotism and sacrifice will die, and expediency and self-interest gain the upper hand.

True, I understand the statement that all broadcasters must be treated alike, and that not all have the good taste and ability of the editors of TIME magazine. But there are other methods beside absolute prohibition, as the 18th Amendment taught us. Limit recreations of the President's voice to his exact words, without important omissions; ban the direct connection of his words with commercial announcements--but restore to TIME magazine the right to recreate Mr. Roosevelt on its outstanding "March of TIME" program.

The Administration is committed to a policy of trial and error. This censorship of broadcasting has been given a trial; now admit that it was an error and change the ruling. Imagine the reaction of listeners to Mr. Roosevelt's words--read in the pseudo-Oxonian accents of a typical announcer!

Very sincerely yours, (Signed) Harmon S. Butler Mr. Stephen Early, The White House. Washington, D. C.

I sincerely hope that the White House will be deluged by a flood of similar letters, and that we shall again have the opportunity of hearing the President's pronouncements in his own voice, if not from his own lips. HARMON S. BUTLER

San Francisco, Calif.

Sirs:

I have this day written to the President to reconsider and have his voice back on TIME hour on Friday nights. . . .

CHARLES SHARLET

Troy, N, Y.

"Prize Lies"

Sirs:

The pitiful, amateurish "prize lies'' reported in your last issue are mere exaggerations and cowardly at that!

If prizes are to be given for lies let them be bold, libelous and if possible such as to create an international incident.

Surely you know that Lindbergh never flew from New York to Paris? He hired a double who took off from New York and has been hiding in Jersey City ever since. When the right number of hours had elapsed Lindbergh, who had been lying low in Ireland, flew across the Channel and the people of Paris who had never seen him before were completely taken in.

You ought to know also that Professor Warren is Ivar Kreuger in disguise. Just a simple matter of skin grafting which any beauty surgeon could perform. How Ivar laughs these days in Washington to think people believe he is dead!

I created the above lies myself, but if you want an absolutely authentic lie which provoked an international incident take the one the Chinese told about the Emperor of Japan. They said it was his fault that the Empress didn't have a son for so long. The Japanese said it was her fault and they ought to know. Anyhow Japanese anger at this widely printed Chinese lie was one of the things which provoked the Japanese attack on Shanghai. I was there and I know!

GEORGE B. WALSH

Philadelphia, Pa.

Loch Monster

Sirs:

I noted a reference to a Sea Serpent in Loch Ness. p. 60, Jan. 15, seeming to disbelieve in gowdies and gowpins and things that go bang in the night. Let TIME refer to Spalding's Memorials of the Troubles in Scotland and England [1624-45]. "In the month of June , there was seen in the river of Don a monster having a head like a great mastiff dog, and hands, arms, and paps like a man, and the paps seemed to be white: it had hair on the head, and its hinderparts was seen sometimes above the water, whilk seemed clubish, short legged and short footed, with a tail. The monster was seen body-like swimming above the water about ten hours in the morning and continued all day visible, swimming above and beneath the bridge, with out any fear. The towns people of both Aberdeens came out in great multitudes to see this monster; some threw stones, some shot guns and pistols, and the salmon fishers rowed cobles with nets to catch it, but all in vain. It never sinked nor feared, but would duck under water, snorting and bullering, terrible to the hearers. It remained two days and was seen no more: but it appears this monster came for no good token to noble Aberdeen, for sore was the samen oppressed with great troubles that fell on the land." Now will that satisfy you.

HARRY W. DONALD

Egypt, Mass.

Boston Disburser

Sirs:

ON P. 23 OF THE JAN. 8 ISSUE OF TIME UNDER CUBA APPEARS THE ERRONEOUS AND MISLEADING STATEMENT "HIT BY THIS GRAU CHISELING WERE MANHATTAN'S CHASE NATIONAL BANK FOR ONE MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS AND BOSTON'S FIRST NATIONAL FOR TWO MILLION DOLLARS." SO FAR AS THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON IS CONCERNED IT OWNED NOT ONE DOLLAR OF CUBAN BONDS NOR HAD IT TAKEN ANY PART IN DISTRIBUTING THEM. IT WAS SIMPLY NAMED AS A DISBURSING AGENT FOR THE PAYMENT OF CERTAIN COUPONS.

C. F. WEED

Vice President

The First National Bank of Boston Boston, Mass.

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