Letters: Safe Medusa

British Husband & Uncle

Sirs:

Kindly give me your authority or the source of your information for the statements pp. 19 & 20 of the March 7 issue, concerning the existence of a chain of subterranean forts which guard the French frontier from the English Channel to tl e Mediterranean.

I am in the difficult position of trying to convince a British husband and British uncle, who might credit :" if they had read it in their London Times, but read it as ''ridiculous nonsense'' in the American" press.

RUTH S. MAcNiven

Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana

The existence of France's chain of subterranean forts is well known to military authorities of all nations, but to convince British husbands or uncles, let them read a long descriptive article (with map) on the subject by Editor-in-Chief Stephane Lauzanne of the semi-official Paris Matin, published by the New York Times April 12, 1931.—ED. First Class Postage Sirs:

How can TIME . . . fair and impartial in all things . . . make such a brazen misstatement as that in your article, issue of April 11, headed "Taxation," subhead "Communications." "Post Office Department begging Congress to increase first-class postal rate to make that service self- sustaining."

The most casual inspection of the annual operating statements of the Postal Department would reveal the illuminating fact that first-class (letters) is the only service to show a profit—that it nets the Government from 50 to 90 millions of profit annually.

The same statement also shows that the tremendous losses sustained by the department are in handling second-class mail, newspapers and magazines. Deficit on this class. 1931. 97 millions. Average annual loss, five-year period, over 90 millions. Uncle Sam paid out nearly $5 for every dollar of revenue from this class last year.

These facts are usually carefully concealed from the general public by the beneficiaries thereof. TIME is hereby CHALLENGED to publish this statement of facts. . . .

GORDON E. SMALL

Cincinnati, Ohio

TIME erred, gladly stands corrected. The Post Office Department's figures for fiscal 1931 showed: ist Class $46.905,962.72 profit 2nd Class 96,674.617.93 loss 3rd & 4th Classes both showed deficits. —ED. Shoelace Institute

Sirs:

The writer was intensely interested in your article entitled "Pencils" in your issue of March 28.

We have a condition in the shoelace industry very similar to the pencil industry, but we lack an institute or an association of our manufacturers to try to stabilize conditions, like is being tried by the pencil institute.

Would appreciate your advising us where the pencil institute is located. . . .

D. LlPSCHUTZ

General Shoe Lace Co.

Louisville, Ky. Lead Pencil Institute can be reached at 726 Jackson Place, Washington, D. C.— ED. Pennsylvania's Swick Sirs: The following constituents of Congressman J. H. Swick of Beaver Falls, Pa. would like to have you publish the record and achievements of Mr. Swick.

C. A. WHITE J. M. GRIER W. C. MUSICK LEWIS VINCENT

J. W. LlTTELL

Beaver Falls, Pa.

The record of Representative Jesse Howard Swick of the 26th Congressional District of Pennsylvania is as follows: