Inexcusable Innuendos

Sirs:

In the Aug. 2 issue of TIME your foreign editor is guilty, if not of deliberate misrepresentation, at least of sly disrespect which is resented not only by the Spanish people but American citizens interested in the Spanish Cause.

You refer to the Spanish embassy of the Spanish Republic as the "embassy of the Spanish Leftists," though you are well aware that there is only one Spanish Ambassador accepted by the United States Government as the duly accredited representative of the Spanish Republic. An American would resent a reference to an American embassy as the "embassy of the American New Dealers," as being disrespectful though it would be as accurate, but in the case of Spain it is more serious to use such flippancy about a government for which many are dying in its defense. It is bad enough that the world democracies permit Dictators Mussolini and Hitler to attack a defenseless Republican and liberal government--but for a great publication such as TIME to stoop to sly innuendos is inexcusable. . . .

PETER BORRAS

President

Central Committee for Relief of Republican Spain

Washington, D. C.

TIME agrees that the diplomatic representatives of the Spanish Republic are the only ones accredited to the U. S. General Franco's unofficial representative in the U. S. is Don Juan Francisco de Cardenas, onetime (1932--34) Spain's Ambassador at Washington, whose "Embassy" is suite No. 204 at Manhattan's Ritz-Carlton Hotel.--ED.

Not Too Far

Sirs:

Very interesting and amusing, your article on "Pumpernickle Bill" (TIME, Aug. 9).

You err, however, in saying that Pennsylvania German is a mixture of German, Dutch and English. It is really a congeries of Low German, corrupt High German and (often incorrectly formed) English. There is no Dutch whatever in it, though certainly it is a comical language too.

Also your translator seems to have blundered somewhat. "Gaibt gore nix drum fer maid hame nemma" means "doesn't care at all for taking girls home," not "likes to take a girl home." At the most, taking "gabit gore nix drum" as an understatement, it might mean "doesn't mind," but "likes" would be "gleicht," derived from the German adjective "gleich," meaning equal, similar, like.

ELDOR PAUL SCHULZE

Albany, N. Y.

Says William L. ("Jolly Pumpernickle Bill") Steinke, leading authority on spelling, translation and pronunciation of Pennsylvania Dutch and originator of the column Bill now edits:

"The best translation would be 'he doesn't mind taking a girl home from a picnic.' Literally translated it says 'he doesn't care out.' When a Pennsylvania Dutchman says he 'doesn't mind' he is expressing a rather high volume of enthusiasm. So, to translate the phrase into 'likes' for Yankee readers, TIME isn't going too far.

"TIME was not quite accurate in saying Pennsylvania Dutch is a mixture of German, Dutch & English. It is a potpourri of plattdeutsch, high German, English and contains many colloquialisms, the origins of which are difficult to trace. Pennsylvania Dutch dialects and word usages differ considerably even in the five principal Pennsylvania Dutch counties: York, Bucks, Lehigh, Berks and Carbon."--ED.

Well Done

Sirs:

Accept my sincere thanks for the splendid writeup of "Pumpernickle Bill" in a recent issue of TIME. It was well done, and had many favorable comments.

WILLIAM S. TROXELL

odder ewwa der Pumpernickle Bill

The Morning Call

Allentown, Pa.

Exclusive Set

Sirs:

After reading your article on Allentown, Pa. Call's Columnist Pumpernickle Bill, I realized that excepting the novels of Helen Martin and Elsie Singmaster, little or no attention has been paid to the peculiar Pennsylvania "Dutch" (or German).

I have known them the past ten years, seen them work, heard them talk. They, perhaps more than any other small group, have a most definite set of characteristics.

They are an exclusive set, loyal unto their own, but wary and suspicious of "otsiders."

They are scrupulously clean about their sidewalks and gardens, but careless about their person. They are ardent churchgoers, but "hex" conscious and superstitious. They are hard people to do business with, but faithful when once won and kept coddled.

They live in row houses one block long, keep their windows closed and shades down to prevent the entry of dust . . . and sunshine. Their main items of diet: potatoes, cabbage and squash let them grow beyond the limits of plumpness. They mistrust science and its balanced meal and vitamin instruction, are susceptible to goitre.

The average "Dutchman" is blond, fair looking, but great of girth. Men, women and children drink beer with pretzels, attend family (name) reunions. They are slow thinkers, but conservatives, who are easily led by backslappers.

There are exceptions which prove the rule--an occasional child does well in school. Most adults work for somebody else in breweries textile mills, International Motors' plant, and neighboring Bethlehem Steel. Few hold real executive positions.

Quiet, exclusive, they will live by themselves, speaking bastard languages, growing fat, tending their flowers. Backwoods people, they live in the city of Allentown Queen of the Lehigh Valley, population about 100,000.

ROY J. HADLEY HERTZ

Allentown, Pa.

Pike & Pickerel

Sirs:

I have just read and observed the free publicity Slurring Subscriber "Doc" Joseph Sullivan from this city has received in yourcolumns [TIME, Aug. 9, p. 6], after "dire threats on his part of canceling subscription etc., etc. Without intimidation might I also hope to get these few lines published as being one of your many subscribers who will by now have drawn your attention to the fact that "Oscar" in photograph on p. 44, Aug. 9 issue, is a pike and not a pickerel, as the accompanying article mentions.

W. W. ANGUS

Toronto, Canada

Chicago American Sportswriter Jimmy Corcoran, fisherman, still maintains that Oscar was a pickerel. The New York Aquarium's Acting Director Breder and Field & Stream's Fishing Editor Dan Holland, however, agree with Reader Angus that Oscar was a Northern Pike. Fortnight ago an American representative dropped another Oscar in the water. Immediately, to the hum of hundreds of outboard motors, the crowd gave chase; during the scramble Oscar II's skull was cracked by a propeller, few hours later he was picked out of the water, dead.--ED.

More Pages

Sirs:

I shall be grateful if you will inform an interested reader of the exact meaning of the ambiguous statement which appears on p. 53 of TIME, dated Aug. 2. The sentence reads:

". . . For these pages list 626 advertisers whose estimate of TIME-readers led them to place more pages of advertising in TIME than in any other magazine for the first half of 1937. . . ."

Does TIME really mean that its total advertising is greater than the total advertising of all other magazines, including Satevepost? Or does TIME indicate that these 626 advertisers placed more of their lineage in TIME than they placed in other publications?

I should greatly appreciate your clarifying this ambiguity.

CHESTER BURGER

Brooklyn, N. Y.

TIME is glad to set Reader Burger straight. Most frequently used of the three yardsticks by which advertisers measure space (the page, line and dollar) is the page unit. Of all magazines, TIME leads in the total number of advertising pages (1,684 in the first six months of 1937); the Satevepost, in advertising revenue and lineage.--ED.

Wrong End Sirs:

In the June 28 issue of TIME you told your readers that Sir John Reith thought to entertain the Basque children in their tent city near Southampton by visiting them with a radio van, and used it, when the report of Bilbao's fall came in, to broadcast it against the advice of the camp's Basque officials.

Someone has given you the wrong end of the stick here. Sir John happened to be visiting the camp as a private guest of the Bishop of Winchester on the afternoon when the news about Bilbao came in. No B. B. C. van went with him, or was anywhere in the neighbourhood. He was asked by the camp officials to check the news with B. B. C. headquarters in London, and this he did. He had nothing to do with the decision to announce it by local megaphone or loudspeaker to the camp.

STEPHEN TALLENTS

The British Broadcasting Corp.

London, England

Highest Temperature

Sirs:

In the July 26 issue, TIME reports the interesting case of Daniel Long suffering from a heat stroke. Bellevue Hospital attendants found a temperature of 109.8DEG F. It was stated that this temperature was the "highest in that vast old hospital's records."

In Louisville, Ky., the records of St. Joseph Infirmary will show a temperature that far exceeds this one. On ten occasions the temperature of Mrs. R. N. Holbrook, suffering from a blood stream infection, rose above 107DEG. On December 5, 1936 her temperature rose to 110DEG; on December 15 to 111-o axillary, and following the last chill of her illness on December 28 her temperature rose to above 114DEG axillary.

The reading of the three different thermometers used was verified by several nurses present, the Sister in charge of that wing of the hospital, and myself. Although an oxygen tent was required for ten days following the severe chill and high fever, she recovered.

The doctors in charge know of no other case where a patient recovered after having had a temperature of 114DEG.

R. N. HOLBROOK, M.D.

Louisville, Ky.

Axillary (underarm) temperature readings are taken when the patient is too ill or restless to permit rectal or oral readings. Dr. Holbrook seems to have witnessed a record performance.-- ED.

Comfort in Cairo

Sirs :

Your reference to the Egyptian Parliament being "a steaming little sweatbox" during the recent investiture of King Farouk (TIME, p. 18, Aug. 9) would have been expected, except that again American engineering and manufacturing has brought cool comfort and the other benefits of true air conditioning to a tropical potentate.

In anticipation of the usual July weather, government officials last January, decided that the Parliament Hall at Cairo would be air conditioned in time for the ascendency of King Farouk. American-trained engineers in Egypt selected the necessary equipment which was rushed from this country and placed in operation just in time for the regal rites. This was confirmed by cable on the day of the event.

So, while "Cairo sizzled at a temperature of 104DEG," the new King, with his family and retinue, enjoyed the stately ceremonies in cool comfort. . . .

H. L. LAUBE

Vice President Carrier Corp.

Newark, N. J.

"Give Us Credit"

Sirs:

Time out for errors, p. 12, Aug. 9 issue estimates the Confederate forces at over 900,000 -- actual number according to Federal sources less than 600,000 and according to Confederate records the actual number was much less.

Also as this estimated number from Federal sources included naval forces of the Confederacy, militia, home guards etc., the actual number of troops on the firing line was hardly 200,000. Highest number ever commanded directly by Lee, 72,000.

You might mention at the same time that the Federal troops numbered over 2,000,000 according to their estimates.

Give us credit when you can, for you never miss an opportunity to take credit from us; the South was not licked, it just wore itself out whipping the Yankee and then went home to get a bite to eat.

And please don't cancel my subscription.

ROY YOUNG

Baltimore, Md.

The argument as to the number of Confederate soldiers is old and insoluble. Authoritative estimates vary from 600,000 to 1,082,119 enlistments. U. S. Historian Woodrow Wilson split the difference, guessed 900,000. The War Department states that 2,128,948 enlisted on the Union side.-- ED.

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