In response to Don Olson (Readers' Forum, April 14), the U.S. Constitution, in mentioning the qualifications of the president, does not use the word "he" but instead states that "no person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President, etc." No reference is made to gender in terms of qualification. In the standard usage of the time, the term "he" is used in the Constitution to denote both sexes. This strict interpretation of the term is validated by Article I, Sec. 2, Cl. 2 and Sec. 3, Cl. 3 which both use the word "person" and "he" in the same provision.
Edward L. Lalone
Orem