Earth & Space Sir:

May I pour a little soothing oil on American heartburn over the failure of your Sputnik? Look around the free world and take stock of what your first Sputnik--called by some Marshall Aid--did for mankind, and take heart. A nation capable of such deeds can laugh off its first failures.

ERNEST J. BOURNE London

Sir: Let us not worry about our delayed satellite. Who Sputniks last, Sputniks best.

SIG. GROSSMANN Rio de Janeiro

Sir:

Here is one American's judgment of this country's "decision" to talk disarmament with Russia: this is appeasement! Appeasement ! Appeasement!

BILL McGuiRE Ridgecrest, Calif.

Sir:

President Truman, an ex-captain, had the courage to fire MacArthur when the occasion demanded. Now, with the peril greater, why can't Eisenhower, an ex-general, show the same courage with the bickering Pentagon crowd?

JOE RAY Oneida Castle, N.Y.

The Whole Schell

Sir:

You devoted a lot of space to Maria Schell and her body in your Dec. 30 story, but only show us pictures of her face. I think you owe it to your male readers to'show a picture where more of her is visible.

M. HERMANSEN Edmonton, Alta.

P:For the rest of Schell--ED.

Sir:

Without knowing it, TIME also sketched a revealing portrait of contemporary Germany. Pale but plump, simple-minded but Prussianistically pompous.

D. H. WENDT Livorno, Italy

Sir:

M-G-M need have no worry about the impact of Maria Schell on the U.S. male moviegoer. The strapping thighs plus classic features of European girls are among the assets which have turned thousands of them into G.I. brides. Being a cautious European, I will say nothing about the reactions of the U.S. female moviegoer.

(MR.) I. T. O'CONNOR Galway, Ireland

Remembering Hungary Sir: Concerning your story on the "Widow's Christmas" [Dec. 30]: there are many who would like to forget the Hungarian revolution because it is such an unpleasant reminder of the political impotency of the Western world. TIME deserves credit for keeping our consciences troubled.

STEPHEN BENKO Chester, Pa.

Going to Hell

Sir:

Bravo to Rector Kinsolving for saying, "Hell is a damnable doctrine ... is responsible for a large measure of the world's hatred [Dec. 30]." He has the courage to preach the beliefs that others in the clergy don't even dare to admit to their parishioners.

I. A. MORRIS JR. Clifton Springs, N.Y.

Sir:

Before denying the existence of Hell, one should consider God's infinite capacity for justice. Evidently this is something that Pastor Kinsolving has neglected to do.

DAVID MURPHY Halifax, Nova Scotia

Sir:

After the Crucifixion, it took Christ three days to liquidate Hell. We all know, but of course we don't tell the priests.

D. W. null Bandung, Indonesia

Sir:

Hell is necessary.

W.N. RIDDELL New York City

Bulletins From the Doghouse

Sir:

As an English-bulldog owner and exhibitor, I resent the letter of one Albert M. Grossman who refers to White House Press Secretary Jim Hagerty as humorless and "Ike's little bulldog." The bulldog has character and the best sense of humor of any dog in the show ring; my dog has such a sense of humor she would even run to Hagerty.

ROBERT D. HEGGE St. Louis

Sir:

So Jim Hagerty got mad at Art Buch-wald?--I don't see that that's any reason for a bunch of self-styled pundits to start publicizing the fact as an international incident. More of them might do well to remember that their stories are only as good as his information, and be thankful for the best press secretary in history.

ELIZABETH CAVANAUGH SHAW Lake George, N.Y.

Sir: I nominate James (Bird Brain) Hagerty as the No. 1 Jerk of the Year.

NEWTON F. STOGNER Saint Jo, Texas

Action at Albany

Sir:

Congratulations on your excellent Jan. 6 article on the State University of New York's President Carlson. While it is certainly true that he lacks the support of the regents and the governor, he is a clearsighted and forceful educational leader who is making a courageous effort to lift New York State out of its humiliating position vis-`avis public higher education.

M. E. GRENANDER Associate Professor of English State University of New York New York State College for Teachers Albany, N.Y.

Sir:

Your sentence dealing with last year's successful campaign for the approval of the $250 million bond issue says it met with opposition from the board of regents and Governor Harriman. The governor and the regents gave their unqualified and effective support to the campaign throughout the year. You also suggest that the campaign was my responsibility alone. The bond issue was a policy of the board of trustees, all of whom gave indefatigably of their time and effort on its behalf.

WILLIAM S. CARLSON President State University of New York Albany, N.Y.

Who's What?

Sir:

Regarding the low percentage of Catholics in Who's Who in America (Dec. 30): would St. Joseph have made the Who's Who of Rome in his day?

THOMAS R. PETERS St. Clair Shores, Mich.

Sir:

Since the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy in the U.S. is composed mostly of Irish immigrants or their direct descendants, it is understandable why Catholic education has so many of the Irish character traits: self-deception as to personal worth, lack of perseverance and tenacity of purpose, and desire to escape reality.

MARION A. TROZZOLO Kansas City

Heart & Hardship

Sir:

You give Elvis Presley plenty of space yet never do you note any of his good qualities, and the Dec. 30 issue under People has your usual "barnyard Timisms." Why don't you ever mention that Elvis doesn't drink, smoke, and has tried very hard to set a good example for the teenagers?

MARILYN CORDY Corvallis, Ore.

Sir:

What's with Elvis and the White Christmas bit? Has that beat-up tune become the national anthem? Why don't they let the guy alone? He obeys the laws of the land (he ain't a bank robber or anything), and he pays his taxes, don't he?

C. OVERILL Santa Ana, Calif.

Sir:

I have been around the world seven times. Elvis' "hardship" story is undoubtedly the saddest story I have ever heard.

(Sp/3) MEL CZAJKOWSKI U.S.A. Fort Huachuca, Ariz.

Back on the Record

Sir:

The Haydn Society did not go "down to noble defeat (in 1955)" and "go out of business," as you stated in your Dec. 16 issue. The society merely curtailed its activities temporarily in order to gather strength after it went through bankruptcy proceedings that started in 1955. We are back in the running with a new, successful Sampler, 20 December releases, and have scheduled 108 records for 1958.

V. RICHARD TALBOT Executive Vice President Haydn Society Inc. New York City

Man of the Year

Sir:

How in the hell could you pick one of the most potential menaces to humanity?

R. CLARKIN Thompsonville, Conn.

Sir:

I thought you named only human beings --not creatures of outer space.

J. L. MCCURDY Sarasota, Fla.

Sir:

I found no mention of Mrs. Khrushchev in your article. Do you suppose she also orders her clothes from Italy?

JEAN C. ANTHONY Springfield, Ohio

P:What does Reader Anthony think?--ED.

Sir: A very appropriate cover. However much we may hate to admit it, the Communists have opened the new space age MRS. KHRUSHCHEV while we made world headlines with our internal convulsions at Little Rock and idiotic ballyhoo over the Girard case.

CAROL LEE KUCEROV Lafayette, Ind.

Sir:

Let's all hope his head swells and the crown topples.

H. R. BATCHELOR Ontario, Calif.

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