Fall Painting
Sirs:
Some time ago I was greatly shocked in seeing an oil painting of Mr. Fall, ex-Secretary of the Interior, hanging in the lobby of the Department of the Interior in Washington, D. C.
I wanted to destroy the painting or at least throw it into the ash can but was told the painting was government property and I would be arrested for destruction thereof if I destroyed the painting.
It is an insult to every loyal American to allow Criminal Fall's portrait to remain in the Department of the Interior, therefore I would appreciate information from a legal mind suggesting a legal remedy in this matter. . . .
C. M. HUBER Detroit, Mich.
Custom but no law requires an ex-Secretary's portrait to hang in his old department. Likeliest way to remove an undesirable would be by resolution of Congress. No picture of Harry Micajah Daugherty, discredited Attorney General, nor of Aaron Burr, unpopular U. S. Vice President, hangs officially in Washington. But in the Capitol lobby still hangs Schuyler Colfax, U. S. Vice President (1869-73) who was implicated but not convicted in the Credit Mobilier scandal.—ED.
Capone, Chiang, Hearst
Sirs:
May I suggest that TIME gives to physical characteristics an emphasis entirely out of proportion to their importance. It matters not at all that Capone is sleek and fat, that Chiang is wasp-waisted and shrill-voiced, and that Hearst is big-nosed. These persons' importance is in their relationship and effect on humanity; and this relationship and effect does not arise out of physical characteristics. . . .
A. W. RlECHERS
St. Louis, Mo.
Physical characteristics are an inevitable concomitant of personality. And personalities are the stuff of which history is made. TIME, historian, must continue to notice noses large & small, waists wasp or fat.—ED.
Baltimore's Gangplank
Sirs:
Incorrect is the statement under head "New Gangplank" p. 38, July 13, that the S. S. City of Baltimore out of Baltimore for Havre and Hamburg recently was first transatlantic passenger liner from that port since the clippers.
In 1891 and probably later the Allan line operated at least one steamer, passenger and freight, the S. S. Nova Scotian between Baltimore and Liverpool via Halifax, N. S. and St. John's, N. F.
TIME is splendid but occasionally slips.
ALEXANDER McGiLL
Lynchburg, Va.
Roosevelt Steamship Co.'s City of Baltimore was, as TIME stated, the first ship documented out of Baltimore since days of clippers. "Documented" means flying the flag of the port. Allan Line was an English line of which the home port was Glasgow. It operated between Quebec and Glasgow, using Halifax as a winter port. Its boats all had one word names and there is no record of a Novascotian. In 1915 the Allan Line was bought by Canadian Pacific. Empress of France is an old Allan Liner.—ED.
Potatoes? Apples! Lemons!
Sirs:
Your article U. S. Minister Brodie to Finland (TIME, July 13) expresses only the half of it. Not only does he import spuds to Finland, he at one time imported Oregon apples to Bangkok, Siam.