Let Me Make One Thing Perfectly Clear

The complicated problems of world peace, social justice, and international economics were all child’s play to one S. Butchart, a turn-of-the-century Canadian of Owen Sound, Ontario. He had them all figured out, and had devised gloriously symbolic charts and diagrams with which to instruct the world. To assist the U.S. he sent this and seven similar self-portraits to President William McKinley in 1898. Alas, the President did not see them. An unimaginative clerk took one look and filed them away as the work of a crank. Who knows? Had McKinley figured them out, all that unpleasantness with Spain over Cuba might have been avoided.

This picture was found in the National Archives at Washington and was sent to us by Michael P. Musick of Greenbelt, Maryland.

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We continue to invite our readers to send us unusual, dramatic, or “what’s going on here?” photographs—at least thirty years old—that they own. They should be sent to Geoffrey C. Ward, American Heritage Publishing Co., 10 Rockefeller Plaza, N.Y., N. Y. 10020.

As we cannot be responsible for original material, we request that a copy be sent at first. Under no circumstances should glass negatives be mailed. Pictures can be returned only if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. AMERICAN HERITAGE will pay $50.00 for each one that is run.