Man of the Year

Sir:

He is undoubtedly Nelson Rockefeller--and about the only reason TIME might not put him on its Jan. 5, 1959 cover is the fact that he'll probably be elected President in 1960, and you'll have to repeat.

WARREN W. ANDREWS Dearborn, Mich.

Sir:

Pianist Van Cliburn: he accomplished more than a corps of diplomats in finding at least one common ground on which it is possible to talk to the Russians.

NORMAN B. HOWARD Hamilton, Ohio

Sir:

Mao Tse-tung: his introduction of the "commune" marks the biggest backward step in progress since the invention of slavery.

LYON STEINE Valley Stream, N.Y.

SIR:

WILLIAM A. EGAN--THE 49TH STATE'S FIRST ELECTED GOVERNOR.

GORDON J. SEVERSON FAIRBANKS, ALASKA

Sir:

The forgotten child of Little Rock and Virginia who is not receiving an education.

RICHARD H. GOODMAN

Brooklyn

Sir:

Charles de Gaulle. He is the man.

NURMAN SAHLI Solo, Indonesia

Sir:

For his behind-the-scenes activity in restoring the integrity of France, I nominate Jacques Soustelle.

LEE FELDMAN Champaign, Ill.

Sir:

Nasser--for his unique and outstanding role in undermining Western democracy.

G. M. KERR Dallas

Sir:

I recommend Vice President Richard M. Nixon because he risked his life fighting Communism abroad, and is risking his political future fighting Communists and their fellow travelers here.

ARTHUR E. WYNN Forest Hills, N.Y.

Sir:

I'm amazed no one has nominated Sherman Adams as 1958's most maligned man.

L. A. TAYLOR JR. Patuxent River, Md.

Sir:

Choose Fidel Castro--the SimOn Bolivar of the 20th century.

JOHN BERENGUER Wilmington, Del.

Sir:

The inventor of the hula hoop.

VICTOR A. SCHMIDT Minneapolis

Sir:

Dr. Wernher von Braun--his accomplishments are out of this world.

HOWARD L. ISENBERG Chicago

Cutting Down the Xmas Tree

Sir:

It was with considerable disappointment that we read your attack upon an established industry ["That Xmas Loot--Santa Brings More Headaches Than Cheer"]. What a man does in his business is actually his own business, but when he tells a thousand of his suppliers that his people may not accept Christmas gifts, then he is using the boycott.

RALPH B. THOMAS Advertising Specialty National Association Washington, D.C.

Sir:

Our company had considered Christmas gifts this year for 500 accounts. Among the prospective gift selections was a subscription to TIME ; however, we were jolted to a stop by your article.

W. E. COFFMAN The Novelty Advertising Co. Coshocton, Ohio

Marie Stopes

Sir:

I was most surprised to see the claim in your obituary of my mother, Dr. Marie Stopes, that she was a Roman Catholic at the time of her first marriage. This is quite untrue, for she of course was never a Roman Catholic at any time in her life.

(DR.) HARRY STOPES-ROE Haslingfield, England

P: TIME erred.--ED.

A Modernized Christ

Sir:

If young artists are to follow the advice of Father Edward M. Catich in giving "Christ a shave and a haircut," and "defeminize Christ, return his trousers, restore his masculinity" [Nov. 24], it follows that we should also put Christ in a Chrysler ("God is my Auto-Pilot"). Also, since Christ was a carpenter, we could put him in good standing with the A.F. of L. and C.I.O.

W. DESJARDIN Salem, Mass

Sir:

I just cannot visualize Christ with a Homburg wearing a Brooks Brothers suit.

GEORGE A. GOFF Jacksonville

P: For Painter Alice Stallknecht's conception of a modern Christ, see cut.--ED.

Below the Border

Sir:

In the almost ten years that I have known Mexico your Dec. 8 cover story is one of the few that I have read in a U.S. publication that shows an intelligent understanding of what is going on down here.

W. C. GREB Mexico City

Sir:

Your comprehensive and accurate view of Mexico today is tarnished by your cover painting splash of President Lopez Mateos.

A. S. HEDIGER Palo Alto, Calif.

Sir:

Tamayo an artist? No wonder they won't have him in Mexico.

STEVE HANSEN Onalaska, Wash.

Sir:

I have been very appreciative of your covers by some of the world's best artists. Ben Shahn's have been delightful and penetrating, and now we even have Rufino Tamayo! Thank you.

MRS. B. KLAUSSEN Lewiston, N.Y.

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