Letters: Sep. 22, 1930

Escapes from Reality

Sirs:

In TIME, Sept. 1, you reported Dr. Eugene Lyman Fisk, Vice President of the Life Extension Institute, as follows:

"Alan has three outlets, intoxication, love and work. The chief American outlet is work. Through love man may gain leisure. It is a good check on both intoxication and work. It's not a bad idea to mix the three about even."

Because of my personal association with Dr. Fisk I queried him by wireless to the French Liner Lafayette, on which he had set sail, asking whether he had been correctly quoted. Dr. Fisk has replied to me by wireless.

"Deny interview as stated. I quoted a French philosopher on three escapes from reality, but said it is better to love intensely than lead a sterile narrow life. I did not say mix the three, but said work is the best outlet. Do what you can to correct. I said man employs three escapes, but I had abiding faith that he would find constructive rather than destructive escapes." . . .

IRVING FISHER

New Haven, Conn.

TIME regrets the misquotation, asks Subscribers to make correction should they encounter it in conversation.—ED.

Cinema & Harakiri

Sirs:

I likewise read the American Mercury article by Oland D. Russell, whom Carl E. Milliken, secretary of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, quotes as saying: ''Missionaries and movies are two of the most considerable American exports to Japan but . . . the Hollywood product has more to do with the decline of harakiri there . . ." (TIME, Letters, Aug. 25).

Mr. Milliken's well-written advertisement quoted correctly, but wisely abstained from drawing certain distinctions. "Harakiri" is only one form of suicide, at which the Japanese are peculiarly adept. Newsman Russell admits the Western screen is encouraging Japs to restrain from their heroic belly-cutting, BUT (here Mr. Milliken forgot to quote) AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER FORMS OF SUICIDE. "A Japanese authority who has studied suicide in his country." says Mr. Russell . . . "blames the movies for the increase of other forms of self-despatch."

GEORGE N. SCHEID

Tarentum, Pa.

Alabama's Heflin

Sirs:

The undersigned readers of TIME have read several of your reviews of public men. We now join in asking that you print a review of Senator J. Thomas Heflin, of Alabama.

J. P. MITCHELL T. B. WOODS JACK BRIDGES J. J. ESPY

Headland, Ala.

The record of Senator James Thomas ("Tom-Tom") Heflin of Alabama is as follows:

Born: at Louina, Ala., April 9, 1869.

Start in Life: Mayor of Lafayette, Ala.