THE USE OF PEN NAMES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21081, 5 February 1934, Page 7

THE USE OF PEN NAMES

TO THE EDITOR OF IHX PBHSS. Sir, —Your "T.A.S." informs me that he has been and he hopes, in future, to be allowed to give his opinion regarding the use of pen names in correspondence to the press. I hope to see him in print again on this subject, and I also hope to see him introduce logic instead of sarcasm, when he makes, I hope, a better effort than that which you printed for him on Saturday, February 3. "T.A.S." must remember that what he thinks, as he puts it, is not likely to carry much weight with public men when he tells them that they do not find "public opinion" a very appetising menu. The wisdom of some writers is laughable, indeed; in "T.A.S." we find the counsellor who is most in need of advice himself. I do hope he will now realise that it is very foolish to accompany demand with abuse, such as his comment is towards public men. Why do not those* writers, who are obstacles in their own path, leave well alone? " He reminds me of the person who, after fitting all

the storekeeper's stock, finally paid ' for and expressed complete satisfac- , tion with the comfort, etc., of the ; shoes selected, to decide later that the | shoes were unsuitable. I have every • in sa y in e the time of r /<, be severely taxed in • keep up his correspondence ' m The Press" with all those public men who read his Saturday's effort In particular do I expect to see your necessity to arrange extra space for the correspondence from those public T3. 4 h ° d ,f cid . e th ey are the "misids r.A.S. refers to. r ,^ * s Your correspondent praises your leading article in this matter, and m the same letter he does his utmost to pusli you under. You are we comei to your witnesses. I am Feb™,,, 4. , K i. B AHLFI:, -D. TO THE »DITOH, OP THI r«*SS. Sir,—lf I may say without offence, Mr B. Ahlfeld appears to be one of those persons who, having declared for anything, will never be convinced to the contrary no matter how hopeless their case may be proved to be. Like Pilate they say, "What I have written, I have written," and close their ears to reason. Perhaps they flatter themselves, that is consistency. Less interested parties call it by other names, the mildest of which is obstinacy. The fact is that while we mem- ' bers of the public, like "T.A.S." and ' myself, add our little lots, the position ' has been put so clearly and plainly 1 ■by your leading article that our case . is irrefutaßle, and Mr Ahlfeld is left . a voice crying in the wilderness and surging a plea which the common- , sense man will not listen to, because , he knows it is specious and will not • stand scrutiny. ; Perhaps Mr Ahlfeld will not be- J l!eve it, but I am not prone to wear the white feather at any time, and 1 if I ever have to run away from an 1 | opponent in debate lie will have to < be of far greater capability than Mr i Ahlfeld. ' ( I would draw attention to this critic's calm self-assurance, to his eternal projection of the Ego. He tells as (though.we are not really interested) what he does in regard to press correspondence. He signs some letters. He does not sign others. That is interesting to him, perhaps it ' is of no interest to the public, and It is egatistieal to argue that because he finds that order good that my other rule is wrong, and that people refusing to conform to his way are ! inspired by motives far less creditable than his own. Who gave Mr Ahlfeld , authority Jo dictate to us, the editors ; and the people, what we should do in | this matter I ? Yours, etc., ANONYM. : February 4, 1934. / <