In which year did Chesterton write the 'I am' (what's wrong with the world) letter? In which year G. K. Chesterton wrote the letter with the message?


  Dear Sirs:
  
  I am.
  
  Sincerely Yours,
  
  G. K. Chesterton


This letter was an answer to the question: "What is wrong with the world?".
This story is no doubt related to the 1910 publication of Chesterton's book What's Wrong With the World, the dedication to which contains a number of jokes at Chesterton's expense:


  Many a mild lady visitor opened her eyes when I remarked casually, "I have been doing 'What is Wrong' all this morning." And one minister of religion moved quite sharply in his chair when I told him (as he understood it) that I had to run upstairs and do what was wrong, but should be down again in a minute.


It is not entirely certain whether Chesterton did write this letter, although Dale Ahlquist, president of the American Chesterton Society, believes it's likely true. There appears to be no evidence of the letter.


  This story has been repeated so often about Chesterton that we suspect it is true. Also, it seems it is never told about any one other than Chesterton. What we have not found, however, is any documentary evidence for it. It may indeed be from The Times, as the story is usually told, but no one has taken the trouble to go through the back issues and find a copy of the actual letter. It has also been attributed to other papers, but again, no proof.


Source: Website of the American Chesterton Society