Saintly George
Sir:
Assuming that George Romney [Feb. 16] wins the Michigan governorship and successfully cleans up the legacy of "Soapy" Williams (certainly no easy task), I would like to propose for the Republicans an unbeatable team: George Romney for President and Margaret Chase Smith for Vice President. Who can better vanquish the creeping hydra of Kennedyism than Saintly George, the dragon killer?
RICHARD N. HALE '65
Brown University
Providence
Sir: The story on Mexican-born George Romney says, "His parents were U.S. citizens (so he presumably meets the 'native-born' constitutional requirement for President)."
I am sure that TIME did not intend this gaffe. The constitutional requirement is that one must be a "natural born" citizen of the U.S. The meaning of the phrase, in my opinion, is a person who is a citizen from the moment of his birth. I agree with your conclusions that, since his parents were citizens at the time of his birth, Mr. Romney is, therefore, constitutionally eligible to the presidency.
HENRY B. MCBRIDE
Jackman Station, Me.
> The U.S. Department of Justice says the constitutional specification, "natural born citizen," has never been interpreted regarding presidential eligibility. If Romney was elected, an attempt could be made to declare his election unconstitutional, but the department says this is "highly improbable."--ED.
Sir:
George Romney was one of our patrol leaders when I was Scoutmaster of Troop No. 1, Rexburg, Idaho, from 1919 to 1921.
Did you ever know of a 54-year-old who looked more trim and youthful? His dedicated attention to physical fitness over the years is reflected in his appearance.
ANDREW M. ANDERSEN
Boise, Idaho
Sir:
Romney does not smoke, drink or swear.
Take away the nonsmoking drinkers, subtract the nondrinking smokers, leave out those who do both and those who swear. Whom have you left? Those who can't vote. I give him one state--Utah.
CHARLES L. LARUE
River Edge, N.J.
On the Rocks
Sir:
As an officer of the Women's Society of St. Pelagius' Church [Feb. 23], I should like to thank you for printing our weekly parish calendar. We are proud to be able to offer more fun than any other agency in town. Our motto is "More coffee and play than the YMCA."
Of course, we have a few "fringe" types in our parish who would rather we spent more time in worship, study and stewardship. Our pastor always has a ready answer for them: "What we have to offer is Christian Hand Bell Ringing."
Thank you again for the publicity--we can always use it. The next time you mention us, though, please use our full name: St. Pelagius'-on-the-Rocks.
MRS. WILLIAM E. BROWN
Encino, Calif.
Death of an Artist
Sir:
Yours was perhaps the first accurate journalistic account of my brother, Artist Arshile Gorky [Feb. 23]. He was deeply influenced by the Sumerian heritage of his Armenian birthplace, Haiodz Dzor in Van province, and by the ancient art he loved to study in the nearby Armenian Apostolic cathedral of Akhtamar Island in Lake Van. Our family came from a long line of Armenian priests.
His was indeed a tragic life. More tragic is the age-old custom of appreciating artists only after their death.
VARTOOSH MOORADIAN
Chicago
Attorney General Abroad
Sir:
Your cover story on Robert Kennedy was a very revealing and very well-written article [Feb. 16]. Too few people realize the importance which men like the Attorney General play in the Government.
CANDACE O'BRION
Waldwick, N.J.
Sir:
As a loyal subject and obedient taxpayer, I would like to inquire of the sovereign who is footing the bill for the Grand Tour of the Duke and Duchess of McLean, Va.
LAMAR S. PEREGOY JR.
New York City
Sir:
Does the Secretary of State do What the Attorney General could, When the Attorney General's doing What the Secretary should?
MRS. FREDERIC R. FISHER
McLean, Va.
Sir:
Robert Kennedy's good-will tour around the world is a debut to prepare for his campaign for the presidency in 1968. He has all the qualities to make a good President.
JEAN-LOUIS GOUIN
Pierrefonds, Que.
Sir:
As of the date of your cover story, I have become an implacable enemy of government by brotherly love.
RICHARD H. WOMACK
Corpus Christi, Texas
Sir:
Now that Bobby Kennedy has completed his fact-finding tour, shouldn't Caroline be sent on a fence-mending trip?
RICHARD F. COLLVER
New Haven, Conn.
Sir:
Your reporter has evidently never tasted whale steak. Otherwise he would never describe the Attorney General as "munching manfully on a whale steak." While in Norway three years ago, we went to a fishmonger's to buy dinner. Imagine our surprise when a shopper advised us to try the whale steak. Try it we did that evening and found it to be perfectly tender and delicious. We could not tell it from a juicy sirloin. Our six-year-old ate it with gusto.
(THE REV.) JESSE M. CORUM
New City, N.Y.
90% to God
Sir:
In this day and age when the crooked arms of the TV antenna hold the skyline, rather than the straight arms of the cross, the tithe is a good start [Feb. 16]. Later, someone may reverse the percentage so that we give 90% to God and 10% to ourselves. We could still live better than in the days of Moses.
PADDY J. QUINN
Los Angeles
Sir:
An earlier and more specific Biblical reference to tithing than the Exodus one is Genesis 28:22. After Jacob's dream, in which God offers him prosperity and guidance, Jacob promises that if God be with him, "I will surely give the tenth unto thee."
CLAY NOIA
Pasadena, Calif.
Cruising Along
Sir:
I am delighted with your provocative story on new ships and sea travel [Feb. 16]. However, our liner the President Roosevelt, stated in the article as having already sailed, departs on her maiden voyage to the Orient in April.
GEORGE KILLION
President
American President Lines
San Francisco
Sir:
Your footnote states that France weighs 66,000 gross tons, the Queen Elizabeth 83,673 tons and the Queen Mary 81,237 tons.
Gross tonnage is not the weight of a ship, it is a measurement, in units of 100 cubic feet, of the volume of enclosed space in the hull and superstructure. "Gross tons" is believed to have had its origin in the number of huge casks (tuns) of wine that oldtime ships had the space to carry.
Less frequently used as an official unit of admeasurement of merchant ships is displacement tonnage. This is the actual weight of a ship at a given time, empty or otherwise. The displacement tonnage of a ship increases according to the weight of fuel, passengers, mail or freight with which it is burdened.
CAPT. WILLIAM M. DAVIDGE
U.S. Merchant Marine
Wantagh, N.Y.
> Computing their weights by displacement in long tons, the three ships, fully loaded, maintain the same comparative positions: France 57,000, Queen Elizabeth 79,181, Queen Mary 78,707.--ED.
Whither the Catholic Intellectual?
Sir:
"Where are the Catholic Salks, Oppenheimers, Einsteins" [Feb. 9]? The answer can be found in their religious background, which is compatible with the scientific spirit of free inquiry: Judaism.
MRS. ELINOR SHANK
Portland, Ore.
Sir:
No Einsteins, but also no Rosenbergs.
JOSEPH KERRIGAN
New York City
What's on Top?
Sir:
While some of your venturesome Americans have recently "discovered" the shapka [Feb. 16] and associate it with Communism, we Canadians have been wearing this headgear for more than 50 years and prefer the more unattractive name of fur wedge.
J. R. RUGGLES
Ottawa
Sir:
Gentlemen, the shapka is not only Russian, but also the national headgear of Pakistan and Afghanistan. In Pakistan it is known as the "Jinnah Cap" after Pakistan's founder, who made it a national trade mark. The Camel Driver from Pakistan was seen in it during his U.S. tour.
R. H. KHAN
Midland, Texas
Sir:
The correct English translation of the Turkish word shapka is simply "hat." The Turkish word for the fur hat worn during the cold weather by men is kalpak.
ASUMAN K. WHITHAM
Santa Monica, Calif.
> TIME was using the Russian word shapka, meaning fur hat.--ED.
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