Letters, Jun. 4, 1956

The New Navy

Sir:

TIME, May 21 carries the finest statement concerning the U.S. Navy's program, plans, prospects and personalities that I have ever read. All the members of the board of directors of the Navy League of the United States join me in sending a hearty well-done. HAROLD A. WATERWORTH President, Philadelphia Council Navy League of the U.S. Philadelphia

Sir:

May I congratulate TIME on its portrayal of the new Navy and its appreciation of the superb leadership of Arleigh Burke? Last week President Eisenhower handed the Secretary of the Navy the highest award the Military Chaplains Association can present with this citation: "Recognizing the high quality of his moral leadership, his fine religious example, his dedication to the welfare of the men who serve under him, and his strong support of the work of his chaplains, the Military Chaplains Association confers upon the Honorable Charles A. Thomas, Secretary of the Navy, its Distinguished Service award."

MAURICE S. SHEEHY President

Military Chaplains Association Catholic University of America Washington, B.C.

Adlai & the West

Sir:

Cheers for the friendly and good-spirited report on Adlai Stevenson's visit to San Francisco [May 14]. As far as the myth of Stevenson's being a thin-skinned intellectual unable to face the facts of life is concerned, every American who knows him knows how unlike the real Stevenson this newspaper caricature is. TIME is to be commended for a good reporting job on a great American.

PALMER VAN GUNDY

Santa Monica, Calif.

Sir:

I read without interest some of the detestable things this man called Stevenson says about the President and the Vice President. I wonder if many, like myself, would vote for him as dogcatcher?

J. C. STARK

San Clemente, Calif.

The Golden Calf

Sir:

I would like to thank TIME, May 7 for the spread and the pasture scene on the Brahman herd. We have received many compliments about the picture and it was certainly a magnificent job, from making the picture to its publication. The article was excellent and I believe gives a true picture of the cattleman's problem in many details. G. A. FURGASON General Manager Norris Cattle Co. Ocala, Fla.

Shrinking World

Sir:

As head of the federal agency having a continuous iso-year history in development of scientific geodesy, I especially appreciated your May 14 article on the Army Map Service determination of the earth's size.

Your readers may be interested to know that several of the more recent determinations of earth's size are much closer to the Army Map Service figure than is indicated by your article. For example, a modern Russian determination gives an equatorial radius of 6,378,245 meters [3443.977 nautical miles —TIME, July 22, 1946]. At a 1953 geodetic meeting, U.S.C.&G.S.; Mathematician Erwin Schmid announced a revised determination of the equatorial radius, 6,378,240 meters [3443.974 nautical miles], calculated solely from the latest adjustment of our surveys in the U.S. The new Army Map Service results thus confirm both within 20 meters or about 66 feet.

H. ARNOLD KARO Admiral