Letters to the Editor
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

‘Bruno’s Pique’
Joseph Bruno’s “pique” at not receiving a phone call from William Weld about running for governor demonstrates not only his phenomenal arrogance, but also one reason why the Republican Party lacks any semblance of vitality in New York state [“Bruno to Potential GOP Candidates: Run It By Me First,” Brian McGuire, New York, August 19, 2005]. As a major party leader (he obviously believes he is), Mr. Bruno is the one who should be calling people, not the other way around. Heck, he should be calling and personally visiting every attractive potential Republican candidate and practically, if not actually, begging them to run for office. Every minute Mr. Bruno sits on his throne waiting for candidates to kiss his ring and request his blessing is a minute lost. Now we have a clue as to why the state legislature is such a worse-than-useless mess of an institution.
BARRY M. BENJAMIN
Manhattan
‘Frameworks of Government’
Re: “From Philadelphia to Baghdad,” John P. Avlon, Opinion, August 23, 2005. Much has been said of the delay in completing an Iraqi constitution, an impatience that exposes a lack of knowledge of our own American history.
In many regards the colonies had been self-governing since the 17th century. As such they already had working charters and “frameworks of government” from which state constitutions were being modeled once independence was declared. These state constitutions, in turn, helped to shape the U.S. Constitution. Indeed, the great historian Paul Johnson writes in “A History of the American People”: “… the total gestation period of the United States Constitution should be seen as occupying nearly thirty years, 1763-91.”
EVAN WAGSHUL
Brooklyn
‘Arthur Koestler’
Stephen Koch’s excellent article about Arthur Koestler left out an interesting detail [“Remember Arthur Koestler,” Page 1, August 23, 2005]. When Louis de Broglie received his Nobel Prize, he was besieged by journalists with their usual inane, silly questions (which now seem prescient!) about “death rays” and other comic book fantasies, etc. Disgusted, he refused interviews; however, Koestler, who studied physics in the university, managed to obtain one hour with de Broglie. Once the two met and the Nobelist realized he was talking to one who could and did ask pertinent, professional questions, the interview turned into the most cordial conversation and lasted hours. This landed Koestler as the science correspondent at the Vossische Zeitung. A small but not insignificant detail.
ROBERT P. HELD
Manhattan
‘Robert Moses’
Francis Morrone’s reassessment of the legacy of Robert Moses [“Longing for Robert Moses,” Page 1, August 22, 2005] brought his customary acute observations and insights to the subject of the great parks and buildings of the Moses era. He properly focused on his landscaped park ways, parks, and grand swimming pools – whose 70th anniversaries we will celebrate next summer.
Among his greatest accomplishments, however, was the construction of nearly 600 playgrounds, including those in parks and “standing alone” on hundreds of corners. Though the nation’s first municipal public playground (Seward Park on Manhattan’s Lower East Side) was constructed at the turn of the 20th century, it was Moses and his team of WPA funded architects and engineers who made it possible for millions of children to play safely, removed from the dangers of city streets.
We at Parks have always been proud of that and the many other legacies of the “Good” Moses that we inherited, and we have made sure that the playgrounds have kept pace with design and safety innovations. Virtually all the Moses-era playgrounds have been restored in the last 20 years, and thanks to unprecedented capital funding from Mayor Bloomberg and other elected officials, more than 60 playgrounds will be restored in the next two years.
ADRIAN BENEPE
Commissioner
New York City Parks & Recreation
Manhattan
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