Letters, Feb. 23, 1931

Stimson & Mussolini Sirs:

I am one of a majority of citizens of this neighborhood who am hopping mad over our Sec. State's apology to that ——* Mussolini; and am convinced that what this country needs more than a good 5¢ cigar is a Sec. of State and a Sec. of Navy of equivalent value. Please answer following questions for the benefit of a dozen or so of your readers:

1) Did this country ever apologize to any nation before in the course of its history?

2) Did any nation in the 20th Century bigger than Albania or Serbia ever turn in an abject apology on demand to another within 24 hours before?

3) Is Stimson just plain scared of the ——* or does he think an apology is something one nation can send to another like a valentine?

DAVE CAMERON

Harrisburg, Pa.

Sirs:

In TIME, Feb. 9, one reads: "All the U. S. people apologized." I beg leave to differ. If the question of apology had been left to the American people, not two percent of them would have voted for it. Would we have apologized, under identical circumstances, to the president of Liberia? Should the president of Nicaragua be miffed at some careless statement of an army officer, would we get down on our knees and pray for his pardon? Can you imagine this country debasing itself just because some petty potentate of some little two-by-four country was peeved at the careless remark of some Marine? If not, why do we become hysterical when Mussolini cracks his whip? Let each man draw his own conclusion.

E. F. GEORGE

Lubbock, Tex.

International history is full of apologies and expressions of regret between great nations, the U. S. not excepted.—ED.

General Butler & Col. Williams Sirs:

In your article on General Butler in Feb. 9 TIME, two instances of gross unfairness have prompted me to write. You say:

"He went back to the Marines, was sent to California. There he denounced and court martialed his predecessor in command of the post on charges of drunkenness after entertaining General Butler in his home."

That is true, so far as it goes, but the impression given is untruthful and unfair to General Butler. He placed Col. Williams under arrest with great reluctance, under orders from his, Butler's, commanding officer. The true story is contained in detail in the enclosed clipping from the N. Y. World. . . .

The second point is that you say:

"Their [Adams' and Butler's] relations were further strained when General Butler laughingly introduced Mr. Adams at a Quantico dinner as 'the Secretary of the God-damned Navy.' "

This is wholly untrue. The story was started as a rumor—a suggestion on some one's part that it would have been a very funny remark for General Butler to have made. . . .

ANNE M. KEEZER

Baltimore, Md.

The World's, account was a statement by friends of the late Rear-Admiral Ashley Herman Robertson, who was Gen. Butler's commanding officer in San Diego, purporting to be Admiral Robertson's version of the Butler-Williams affair, as follows:

". . . Col. Williams invited Gen. and Mrs. Butler to dinner. Arriving at the dinner, Gen. Butler found cocktails already were circulating pretty freely. They left as soon as possible.