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Quoting from your interesting article on Helen Hayes (TIME, Dec. 30): "The piece was Sir James Barrie's Dear Brutus. The leading man was William Gillette. And there was not a dry eye in the house when Helen Hayes got through wringing the last teardrop out of the scene in the wood where Gillette, the childless artist, meets the daughter he might have had." Right. But one particular night the eyes were wet with tears of laughter. Dear Brutus was playing, I believe, at the Empire in New York City. It was some months after the Armistice. Theatre-goers approaching that block in Broadway where the Empire faces the Metropolitan found silent crowds pressing police lines, were asked to display theatre tickets before proceeding, remembered that President Wilson, having landed at Boston that day from his second futile European trip was to make his first impassioned League speech that night at the Met, was at the moment Hearing New York. Within the Empire Dear Brutus proceeded to the scene in the wood and to the exact point where an unseen property robin trills a high, clear note. And at that instant, outside the theatre, bedlam broke loose. Horns honked, the waiting Democrats cheered. William Gillette, shouting his line above the din, said: "What was that?" To everyone in the theatre came a vision of the scene outside—the open car, the erect figure, silk hat, gleaming glasses, lantern jaw. And little Helen, taking her cue, gave the line which for several minutes stopped the play while the audience rocked with laughter and the two characters, turning their back?, leaned against the canvas trees and joined in. Helen said, plaintively: "Oh—it's just that old bird come back again." JOHN J. FINLAY
Chicago, Ill.
"Gentlemen"
Sirs:
Not, I venture, because Edward Riley Stettinius Jr. is "long on organization, strong on public relations . . ." (TIME, Dec. 30) does he habitually use the salutation "Gentlemen."
At the University of Virginia, where ''Ed" Stettinius was student president of the Academic Department (1923-24) that salutation amounts to no less than a ritual performed scores of times each day by students meeting at the corner or on the campus.
HOWARD ALDEN HENSCHEL
Northport, L. I.
Labor's Thanks
Sirs:
The ways of Government never cease to amaze. The latest—a Season's Greeting card from the Department of Labor—seems a bit of extravagance with the taxpayers' money. And, perhaps, may account for at least a part of continuing postal deficits. Wonder if figures are available as to number sent out.
WILLIAM T. STROM
Dayton, Ohio
According to the Department of Labor's Commissioner of Labor Statistics Isador Lubin, his bureau "did not send out any Christmas cards. We sent out expressions of appreciation for co-operation and help rendered us during the past year by private industry. All firms that helped the Bureau during the past year by furnishing information and statistics received a card of thanks. Private industry has rendered the Bureau hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of free service entirely on its own volition."—ED.
Governor's Grass
Sirs: