Point of View
Sir:
I have just read your excellent article, "Ocean Frontier" [July 6].
It reminds me of a note my brother, Professor N. M. Foote of Baldwin-Wallace College, had on his physics bulletin board when I visited him recently. It said: "The ocean's bottom is just as important as the moon's behind."
(THE REV.) WILLARD G. FOOTE Rock Island, Ill.
Sir:
TIME'S cover story on oceanography has been received with great pleasure at Woods Hole. Everyone is most pleased, a difficult achievement!
JAN HAHN
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole, Mass.
Sir:
C. P. Snow's opinion of "dimwitted scientists" seems to be proved by the oceanographers' hope that knowledge of the ocean will lead to the answer of why we are here.
The universal state of catastrophe in which we live, a direct result of unfettered scientific progress, testifies that scientists have more to learn from traditional religion than from culture.
Culture may describe; science can tell us how; only God can tell us why.
RABBI MORTON J. SUMMER New York City
Sir:
Indeed, knowledge of the oceans might answer such questions as "Why are we here? Where did we come from? Where are we going?"
If science were approached with an eye to these basic philosophic questions, adults as well as youngsters might have a greater interest in and curiosity about science generally and oceanography particularly.
PATRICIA R. HETHERINGTON New York City
Sir:
The explanation of Artist Bohrod's cover was informative, but neglected to mention the origin of the figure of the navigator shown in the title scroll. This was copied from the color drawing in the book The Index of American Design.
The original of this figure, The Little Navigator, is one of the treasures of the New Bedford Whaling Museum, and came from the shop of James Fales, as shown in the accompanying photograph. It has been reproduced many times without credit, even on bath towels.
PETER S. GRINNELL Member, Executive Board New Bedford (Mass.) Whaling Museum
¶ See cut.—ED.
Not so Sicknik
Sir:
Your July 13 issue contained an unfortunate misstatement of fact regarding Jonathan Winters: that he "spent most of the past two months as a patient in his favorite subject for humor: the funny farm." Actually, Mr. Winters was detained for less than 24 hours following the incident in San Francisco, and then spent two weeks at a private nursing home. He has been completely discharged from medical care and has been back at work for the past two months.
MARTIN GOODMAN New York City
And Then What?
SIR:
RE YOUR "PORGY AND BESS" CRITIQUE [JULY 6]: SUGGEST YOUR CRITIC GO OUT AND BUY HIMSELF A BIG FAT WATERMELON.
LEON SHAMROY
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS LOS ANGELES
Innocent Abroad
Sir: