The Inaugural Sir: As a student of history, I believe that Kennedy's inauguration speech was one of the best ever given in the history of the country. One cannot say the same thing about the prayers that preceded it--especially the first one, which was too long and seemed to be more like a speech than a prayer. No wonder the podium caught fire.
SIDNEY I. PHILLIPS
Vancouver, Wash.
Sir:
The inaugural day weather in Washington, D.C. was in perfect accord with the snow job to which the nation was subjected during the Los Angeles Convention and the campaign.
S.V. FROHLICHER
Hudson, Wis.
Sir:
Inauguration week in Washington sounded strangely like "Hell week," "Pledge week" and Senior Prom.
HELEN KENNEDY*
Long Beach, Calif.
Sir:
Only two individuals at the inaugural ceremony made any lasting impression: John Kennedy and Robert Frost.
K. W. ROBBINS
Thornton, N.H.
Sir:
President Kennedy's magnificent inaugural address is a stirring example of how one strong voice can rouse free nations from a state of pessimistic gloom to a confident enthusiastic optimism. It won for us in the last world war; may we have more and more of it to win for us now.
W. F. C. DEVLIN
Laguna Beach, Calif.
Sir: Please, TIME, a Rolls-Royce never "chugs," as captioned in your Jan. 27 issue, en route to the Kennedy inaugural ball. As a devoted member of the Rolls-Royce Owners Club, this borders on blasphemy to the faithful.
A Rolls-Royce does not "chug" no matter what the weather may be. It may skip, falter and, on rare and seldom proven occasions, even fail, but chug--never! It glides.
KEITH MARVIN
Troy, N.Y.
First Lady
Sir:
Congratulations on the story about Jackie Kennedy. May all the "common as an old shoe" variety of Americans read it and forget their snobbery.
If we wish to be truly democratic, we will rejoice at individuality, especially when it is embellished by extraordinary grace and beauty. Where more appropriate than in the White House?
MARGARET S. HARRIS
Anacortes, Wash.
Sir:
After reading your recent stories on Jack and Jacqueline Kennedy, et alii, I'm delightfully convinced that we have again that rare phenomenon: government of adults, by adults, for adults.
JOHN HAKAC
Tucson, Ariz.
Sir:
Your article on Mrs. Kennedy represents a shocking display of bad taste. Beneath the sugared veneer there is a coarseness and vulgarity made up of gossipy half-truths, snatches of conversation printed out of context and snide insinuations which are evil and destructive in nature. The First Lady of the land deserves better treatment than this.
WILLIAM R. VAN GEMERT
Roslindale, Mass.
Sir:
Re Mrs. Kennedy: a sensitive article about a sensitive person! While Mr. K. didn't get my vote, Mrs. K. does.
MRS. JOHN S. MAHONEY
Appleton, Wis.
Sir:
Please don't keep me in suspense. What did Jackie do for the 40 unexpected luncheon guests ?
DOYLE L. MCCULLER
Houston
P: She bought a casserole course from a neighborhood Greek restaurant, served it with a salad and raspberries for dessert.--ED.
Sir:
Jackie Kennedy: Welcome to the Politicians' Wives Union! We are nonpartisan, have no dues, duties, charter or elected officers, but we are legion, and stalwartly defend every member who likes to read a book--for sheer pleasure.
RUTH CHOTINER Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Sir: The oeuf en gelee, for two years voted "Menu-Item-Most -Likely-To-Be-Left-On-Plate" by my Intermediate French students, is enjoying new prestige.
ELEANOR WOOD
Menlo Park, Calif.
Sir:
Having been married to an Italian for 20 years, I faintly rebel at Jackie's equating it to being dead.
I will say that since reading your life sketch, I feel much more sympathetic toward her, and she has gone up in my estimation 100%.
HEATH EVANS PANTALEONI
Metuchen, N.J.
School Support
Sir:
Your article on local support for education [which described a device, based on property taxes, for evaluating school districts' local support for their schools] is seriously misleading. In the good old agrarian days, you could measure community support of schools solely via the local property tax. But those days are gone. Thousands of school districts are now more than half supported by state and federal funds. The School Management survey measures today's effort by yesterday's standards, which is hardly the way to the New Frontier.
THEODORE O. CRON Managing Editor
Overview Magazine New York City
Christ & the Golf Club
Sir:
The article "Christ and the Golf Club" suggests that the scar on Scarsdale may well be a blessing in disguise, since your wide circulation will undoubtedly cause considerable soul-searching on the part of the Pharisees of all religious sects.
FRANK Ross
Los Angeles
Sir:
As a former resident of Scarsdale and its "organized acquiescence," my hat is off to the young woman who turned down her debut to the "Hollow Ball." I remember many times the heartbreak of young people who were not accepted in other organizations of top importance--school-frowned-upon sororities and fraternities.
MRS. CHARLES H. SANFORD III
La Crescenta, Calif.
Real Sculptor
Sir:
My photograph of a standing figure by the father of Mobilist Alexander Calder may help explain why the mother of the mobilist said the father was a real sculptor.
This figure by Alexander Stirling Calder is in the Calder show at the Delaware Art Center and appears in the background of your photograph of "Father Calder's Cub."
LEROY S. BROOKS
Wilmington, Del.
The Glass Womb
Sir:
The article "The Glass Womb" [which described the fertilization of a human egg on glass slides] made me wince at the way some men can tamper with the laws of nature and morality as they please, and appear justified in doing so. I think there is a point that Dr. Petrucci has failed to realize: if Dr. Petrucci is actually growing human life, he will be committing murder each time he kills one of the specimens.
PAUL GUNTHER
St. Louis
Sir:
Our work extends back ten years, during which period more than 2,000 living human ova have been studied in vitro. Our prime purpose has been to help women with their Fallopian tubes closed or removed to succeed in having children by obtaining a mature egg, fertilizing it in vitro, and then after four to six days transplanting it into the womb. LANDRUM B. SHETTLES, M.D., PH.D. Presbyterian Hospital New York City
Monks in Business
Sir:
Your story on the Trappist Preserves was a difficult coverage well done. We are grateful, and especially for the general tonality of the article.
Might I make a correction: Heublein, Inc. is our distributor only in the U.S. In Canada it is the firm of Rose and Laflamme, Ltd.
(THE REV.) C. BENTON, O.C.S.O. Director
Trappist Preserves Spencer, Mass.
Sir:
Your story about tax exemption and the Christian Brothers, one of the world's largest producers of commercial brandy, omitted several points. The organization has paid up some back corporate profits taxes, but it is now suing for a complete refund of approximately $490,000 on the ground that "Plaintiff is exempt as a church" and that "all property [is] subject to the control of the Pope." The Department of Justice has filed a counterclaim for an additional sum in back taxes of $1,351,193.97.
PAUL BLANSHARD Special Counsel
Protestants and Other Americans United for Separation of Church and State Washington, D.C.
The Cardinal & the Schools
Sir:
Cardinal Spellman might be surprised to learn of strong resentment by members of his faith toward his profound support for church and state integration. The cardinal's church should bear responsibility for its self-created school problem.
RONALD A. EWAN
San Diego
Sir:
In response to Cardinal Spellman's views on federal aid to parochial institutions, it does not behoove President John F. Kennedy to say, "No comment."
As President of the United States, and as part of his campaign promises, he owes the people an honest and detailed answer.
LAIRD IRISH Minneapolis
Abolition & Consequences
Sir:
You have recently commented upon the abolition of the farthing in Great Britain, and some of the consequences. There are others.
For example, it will no longer be possible for British juries to give contemptuous damages of one farthing. Then again, the King James version of the New Testament will call for amendment; see the Gospel according to St. Matthew, V, 26: "Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing." And X, 29: "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?"
GILBERT WOOD
London
*No kin.
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