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If a few centuries hence a group of Americans, with the idea of destroying patriotism, began denying the fact that Geo. Washington had ever lived and started calling the twenty-second of February "Xington's Birthday," and in the celebrations used a black cat with seven tails as a symbol of the day what would you think? This compares well with what we so-called Christians are doing.
A few days before Christmas the writer was looking over a large stock of cards which he wanted to send to friends and less than ten percent of these cards featured anything that had to do with the Christian tradition. This, The Coming of Christ, is by far and away the single event of greatest importance that has ever happened during all time.
Surely on Christmas, the greatest of anniversaries, it shouldn't be lost sight of.
TIME seldom overlooks a bet; but I think you fell down this time to the tune of the above.
J. J. POWER Laguna Beach, Calif.
Hand of Dyer
Sirs: In this week's issue you make mention of Coolidge shaking the "hand" of a "flea-hound"— but make no note of his shaking another hand— less hairy, more skillful—which during the last year has flown airplanes for 1,251 hours without accident of any kind to plane or personnel, and directed 107 individuals to fly successfully. Lt. J. E. Dyer, U. S. N., was awarded the Herbert Schiff Memorial Trophy for safe flying by President Coolidge on December 15. His record exceeds by nearly 500 hours that of any other winner of the trophy. There's a "hand" for you. A. A. DOYLE
Sacramento, Calif.
Atchison No President
Sirs: Steuart H. Britt's letter in TIME of Dec. 31 is not adequately answered by your comment. Students of history should be informed that in reality Atchison was never President of the United States. Polk was President until midnight (not noon, as Mr. Britt says) of March 3, 1849, and promptly thereafter Taylor became President. The Constitution provides, concerning the Presidents: "Before he enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath. . . ." President Taylor took this oath at noon on March 5 because he had no occasion to enter on the execution of his office before that time. In contending that Taylor did not become President until he took the oath, Mr. Britt stops himself from claiming that Atchison ever became President—because Atchison never took the oath. The presidential succession law did not apply to the situation on Sunday March 4. Under the law then in force, the president pro tem of the Senate (Mr. Atchison) was to succeed only in case of the removal, death, resignation, or inability of both the President and Vice President; inability, that is, "to discharge the powers and duties of the said office." But Taylor was not unable to serve thus as President. If some emergency had arisen demanding presidential action without delay, Taylor no doubt would have taken the necessary oath—his first duty as President—on Sunday. And if Taylor had really been unable to serve, the Vice President, Millard Fillmore, was next in the line of succession— not Atchison. S. A. T.ORRANCE Yonkers, N. Y. Bartholomew Columbus' City Sirs: