While Parisian authorities have reassured us that terrorism played no role in the fire at the cathedral of Notre Dame, a new problem arises: All those promises of substantial financial contributions from the very rich have turned out to be only hypocritical statements of self-regard. No monies have come from them, only from ordinary people. Only in France are the rich the most selfish found anywhere; just read a Balzac novel!

Norman Ravitch *62
Savannah, Ga.