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Sir: I have known Lady Bird since she was a baby. I was bookkeeper for her father for 20 years. He had from 125 to 150 tenants on his farms, both white and colored. I have never known him to evict anyone and never known him to refuse to furnish them with groceries, clothing and doctors when needed. I have known him to help people when he knew that he would never be paid. The ridiculous statements made about Mr. Taylor in your magazine could not have come from anyone who knew this charitable man.
JACK MOORE Karnack, Texas
> They did, indeed. TIME correspondents interviewed more than 20 friends of Mrs. Johnson. Among them were several whose memories of Lady Bird and her parents cover more than half a century.—ED.
Sir: Our President is to be congratulated on his choice of a lady and your editors for a story that proves that the entire adult female population of the U.S. is not made up of movie queens and selfcentered women.
ALMA A. JORDAN Richmond
Sir: The fine photograph you printed of my mother in your last number can scarcely compensate for the ridiculous rubbish contributed by your commentator on the subject of her attending Cabinet meetings. Within two months of my father's inauguration, my mother suffered a brain hemorrhage which rendered her unconscious for four or five days and from the effects of which she never fully recovered. For the next two years she had, most unwillingly, to accept the role of invalid. During the whole period of my father's presidency I doubt whether she visited the executive offices half a dozen times.
I think she would like best to be remembered as the person who selected the site for the planting of the Japanese cherry trees in Washington.
HELEN TAFT MANNING Pointe au Pic, Que.
> The "ridiculous rubbish" about Helen Taft came from the official program of the Democratic National Convention.—ED.
Priestly Celibacy
Sir: I have been a Catholic priest for 16 years, and feel that Pierre Hermand's argument that celibacy dehumanizes and cuts priests off from the world they are supposed to serve [Aug. 28] is simply not true of all of us. The more intense, our priestly life, the more human we become, since our whole life is dedicated to the service of mankind. At no time have I felt separated from the human race. On the contrary, I long to get away for a few days from the doorbell, phone, sick calls, meetings, etc.—and if I had been allowed to marry. I would doubtlessly crave moments away from a sweet, adorable wife and crazy mixed-up kids.
(THE REV.) WILLIAM MITCHELL Phoenix
The Big Bridges
Sir: Your article about bridges [Aug. 28] expressed my own feelings for them. They are more awe-inspiring than rockets to the moon. I have an almost reverent regard for the minds that conceive those beautiful, unbelievable bridges.
(MRS.) AGNES HODDES Lexington, Mass.