Church v. State in Puerto Rico Sir:

It seems to me that the term freedom has in our society become increasingly associated with an insidious kind of liberalism which regards any code of morals or legitimately established authority as restrictive and undesirable.

The Oct. 31 article "Fuss in Puerto Rico" might be more appropriately entitled "Fuzz in P.R.", for it is indeed fuzzy thinking knowingly to vote for a party which uses public funds to run birth-control clinics, a party which has repeatedly refused to grant one hour a week off public school time (as is done in the U.S.) for religious instruction of the pupil's choice; it is indeed fuzzy thinking to vote for this party and still claim to be a Catholic.

It is this essential contradiction which the bishops' letter effectively brings out and which has been erroneously labeled as an undemocratic mixing of religion and politics. Is a warning designed to safeguard the beliefs of a predominantly Catholic society to be considered as "an incredible medieval interference in a political campaign"? Is such a warning truly a violation of free suffrage?

PEDRO G. SALAZAR

Berkeley, Calif.

Sir:

I am moved to write expressing my horror, indignation and amazement as a Catholic at the action taken by Bishops Davis and McManus.

What grist for the Protestant scandalmongers' mill! Everything that American Catholicism has stood for--separation of church and state, freedom of religion, a non-temporal clergy--is endangered by the stupid, archaic and "dog-in-the-manger" mouthings of these modern-day Savonarolas. This sort of thing is precisely what makes Protestants turn green at the gills and red in the face.

THOMAS O. McSLOY

Chicago

Sir:

Despite any and all mitigating circumstances which the Roman church might claim for its actions in Puerto Rico, when any body seeks to take upon itself the prerogative of directing the voting of its adherents it is striking a blow at freedom, no matter where it is done in the world. To have it done in an area that is under the protection of the U.S. Constitution is a deadly blow indeed.

RICHARD BLIESMAN

Oskaloosa, Iowa

Sir:

The manner of action of three Puerto Rican Catholic bishops is just as bad as the attitude and action of several American ministers of religion who directly or indirectly persuade or force their subjects not to vote for a Catholic candidate for the presidency. In Puerto Rico the action was not motivated by a religion issue, but rather by a moral issue involving principles and practices contrary to sound Christianity, while here in the U.S. there is no moral issue involved, but only bigotry.

The American Catholic bishops are keeping aloof from politics; they have never forced their subjects either to vote for a Catholic candidate or forbidden them to vote for a non-Catholic candidate.

(THE REV.) Louis DONANZAN

St. Michael Church

Chicago

The Radical Conservative

Sir:

Hats off to Bill Buckley and his National Review Magazine. It is revealing to know that along with myself there is a brilliant editor and 31,913 subscribers who believe that unless the trend toward liberalism in government and politics is checked, our lives soon will become no more than a prepaid, state-supported labyrinth of sameness in which each of us is distinguished from the other only by number.

BEECHER BLAKE

Bellevue, Wash.

Sir:

In all fairness to Mr. Buckley, let it be said that the reason the Republicans are the minority party is not that they eat their young. It is also untrue that they are born with feet in mouth and therefore starve before reaching voting age. This latter takes years of careful training, preferably by a wealthy father.

WILLIAM C. DA VIE

New York City

Eve's Owner Consoled

Sir:

We were overjoyed to see that our Eve Disconsolate by Hiram Powers received a pat on the back in TIME [the sculpture re-established the nude as a fit subject for U.S. artists] but were disconsolate to find no mention of its owner, the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, N.Y.

When Eve was first exhibited during the Victorian age, people had to remind themselves that the mother of mankind had been "naked and was not ashamed" and that there was no need to fear it would introduce "foreign indelicacy among our women."

MARTIN RIES

Assistant Director

The Hudson River Museum

Yonkers, N.Y.

Frigidity in Women

Sir:

In your Oct. 31 issue, Dr. Linden states that frigidity is due to modern America's emancipation of women to compete with their husbands for dominance of the household, and that thus the husband, being no match for his aggressive wife, abdicates his familial responsibility.

Competition in our society is not new, but the female as a competitor is, and the emancipation of women has put certain phases of equality (not based on biological aspects) on a competitive basis with the male. His ego and intellect are threatened.

All males have to do is be the men they once were.

(MRS.) DOROTHY B. WILSON

Fort Smith, Ark.

Sir:

When Dr. Linden concludes that frigidity may be cured if the woman can be restored to "a truly feminine position," I assume he means a position that accepts male dominance. Is the feeling that she is dominated by the male then absolutely essential for sexual satisfaction in women? Surely not. I suggest that in women who need to feel dominated in order to achieve orgasm, sexual emotions are still attached subconsciously to the dominating male who first aroused them. I mean Father, of course.

Frigidity would then seem to be a symptom of immature sexual emotions.

JEAN M. WHELAN

Westbury, N.Y.

Sir:

The women that suffer from frigidity need a mere improvement in their daily diet, such as curry powder, oregano, paprika, onions (not onion salt), black pepper and much garlic accompanied by beer. This frigidity coma is nonsense in South America, Mexico and all of the Asian nations because of much spices.

(MRS.) FATIMA MIA

Pacoima, Calif.

How to Join the U.N.

Sir:

Could you tell me if Red China has officially asked the U.N. to become a member, and how does a country go about asking to become a member of the U.N. ?

NEHRU PERMAUL

Sunland, Calif.

P: Red China has not asked to be admitted to the U.N. as such; it has instead protested the legal status of Nationalist China's seat on the Security Council, on the ground that the Nationalist China government no longer represents the Chinese. Since 1956, the General Assembly has rejected proposals to put the question of China's U.N. representation on its agenda, but by an increasingly narrow margin.

Nations wanting to join the U.N. file an application with the Secretary-General, which must be approved by seven members of the Security Council (including the five permanent members--China, France, U.S.S.R., United Kingdom and the U.S.) and two-thirds of the General Assembly present and voting. Membership begins the day the Assembly makes its decision.--ED.

Get Lost

Sir:

In regard to the article, "The Real Brand X" [Oct. 31], let me say: It's not that I really believe that "first place is too crowded"--it's that I am so utterly sick, sick, sick of loud and aggressive commercials telling me how superior some product is--that I am more than happy to try Brand X, out of sheer negativism. Three cheers for good old maligned Brand X !!!

MARY JANE GROSSO

Seattle

Sir:

As a sequel to the Brand-X story, I would like to add another product name worth millions even before the product is introduced. The name I have in mind is "LOST." Picture if you will a commercial that reads, "and the next time you shop for a laundry soap that makes washings whiter than white, get LOST."

If that doesn't appeal to the client, how about this easy-to-remember product name: ZIT. The caption of the ad practically dictates itself: '''This is ZIT!" The subheadline to read: Does ZIT wash? Yes! Does Zit wear? Yes! Does ZIT do something more for your figure? You bet! If this is ZIT get LOST.

LAWRENCE KANE

New York City

Sir:

The Brand "X" Corporation thanks you for a most entertaining article.

HARRY CHAFVIN JR.

President

Brand "X" Corp.

Cincinnati

Shop Practices

Sir:

Re: the article "The Means & the End," anyone who has not spent a day working in a thrift shop (as I have spent many, being affiliated with the Lots for Little Thrift Shop in New York City) has no right to so uncharitably criticize Sylvia McDaniel's "trade secrets." After all, in order to be truly charitable, one must act with prudence.

LYNN STEUER

New York City

Sir:

It is with deep humility that at least some of us in the Episcopal Church would apologize for the article published in the Living Church (not an official organ of the church) and reprinted as "news" in TIME, Oct. 31. This article's content is a travesty upon our church, but thank God the church in Springfield, Mo. cannot represent all of us! For every one of them, there are ten unlike them.

(THE REV.) PAUL H. KRATZIG

Trinity Episcopal Church

Victoria, Texas

The Last Judgment

Sir:

Bernard Safran must have painted his cover portrait [of Nixon] from a reflection in Nixon's mother's eye.

B.N. ARONS

Ithaca, N.Y.

Sir:

Hats off to TIME Magazine on an excellent nonpartisan campaign coverage.

JACK MULLANEY

Leominster, Mass.

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