U.N. & Katanga

Sir:

The blame for Mr. Hammarskjold's tragic death lies entirely on the unfortunate U.N. action in Katanga [Sept. 22], trying to re-incorporate the "secessionist" province.

I am shuddering at the thought that the U.N. may fight us Germans (West) for not joining Ulbricht's Germany (East). A few more moves like the last one in Katanga and the self-respecting nations should start pulling out of the U.N.

H. GAENSSLEN

Frankfurt, Germany

Sir:

The U.S. was lucky that there was no United Nations organization in the days when the American colonies started to secede. If there had been such a thing, it very probably would have passed a resolution, by a majority of Japanese, Thailanders, Afghans, et al., that the revolution would be considered a threat to world peace. Troops of that U.N. would have been sent in to bring the naughty colonies back under the central government in London. One of the first things that U.N. would have done would have been to order the mercenaries, Von Steuben, Lafayette and others, back to Germany and France.

Why insist, in every article about Katanga, on talking about "mercenaries" and "white-officered troops." And what do you mean by "white"? South Africans, Rhodesians, Congo Belgians, Algerian French born and bred in Africa, probably for two, three or more generations, who have lived and worked their whole life in Africa, are Africans. A white Katangan of Belgian extraction can have the genuine patriotism for Katanga that an American Negro or American of Polish extraction can have for America.

If the U.N. should send so many troops into Katanga that they would completely crush the Katanga army and if they should install a Leopoldville, U.N.-approved government, what would be the difference from what the Russians did in Hungary? Not much, I believe.

G. B. SALM

Geneva

Sir:

Perhaps you can explain this--how can the U.S. sit on the sidelines when U.N. troops try to overthrow the only pro-Western sector of the Congo, now an independent state?

I hope the fierce opposition that the Tshombe troops have displayed will show the U.S. that they want to be free and independent of any pro-Communist regime, such as the central government.

W. G. NOWLIN JR.

Lexington, Mass.

Presenting an Image

Sir:

Our Government has succumbed for too many years to the seductive myth that "world opinion" [Sept. 15] should play a vital role in the shaping of foreign policy. We do not need international smiles to prove that our decisions are wise and courageous. Let us be the leaders of world opinion, not the victims of it.

JEROME E. LORD

Boston

Sir:

Public relations are an American specialty at home. Why not abroad? The reason lies in the uncertain image we have of ourselves.

Are we provincial, power-conscious, purse-proud, Paar-like, puerile, paternal, peace-loving, perceptive, practical, persuasive, principled, or phwhat?

If we could truthfully see ourselves at all times as 1) morally sound (and firmly expecting others to be), and 2) practically sound (willing to hardheadedly negotiate when valid national self-interests conflict), others would soon see us with respect and confidence.

LUCILE JOHNSTON

Portland, Me.

Sir:

As for our foreign policy and world opinion, let us do what is just, moral and necessary. If we ourselves respect our principles and our power, the world will also, if not now, later.

MRS. DONALD PHILLIPS

Atlantic City, NJ.

Sir:

I say, to hell with world opinion when a nation's very existence is threatened.

If we are destined to be wiped from the face of the earth, let's make sure we take the shoe thumper and the Soviet Union with us.

ROBERT M. MEYER

Sherwood Park, Alta.

Slight Imbalance?

Sir:

I am certain that I detect a slight imbalance in Secretary Goldberg's scale [cover picture, Sept. 22], or at least in Artist Chaliapin's portrayal of that scale. On the other hand, the Secretary seems to be tilting his head toward the lighter pan.

Perhaps Secretary Goldberg would eventually care to pick up that businessman's hat and case. But then, what would become of management on the scale?

DONALD GILLER

New York City

Sir:

As well as providing every conceivable benefit for the workers of America, organized labor has exceeded its usefulness by sponsoring strikes and creating problems in labor-management relations without regard for national security or the ravages of inflation. Indeed, "organized labor is in trouble." It deserves all the trouble it gets.

HENRY O. MARCY IV

New York City

Sir:

Being active in the labor movement, I was interested in your article on Secretary of Labor Arthur Goldberg. I am a member of Local 5114 United Steelworkers of America of Mullan, Idaho, which is now on strike against the Lucky Friday Silver Lead Mines Co. I wish to take issue with you on your implication that youth is apathetic in the labor movement. I am the oldest (52) man on the executive board. Our president is 32 and vice president 27.

It could be that we of Local 5114 U.S.W.A. are the exception, but I have strong reasons to doubt it.

W. R. BONDURANT

Wallace, Idaho

Lesser Temples

Sir:

For the sake of accuracy, I would like to point out that President Kennedy's request for $4,000,000. which the House Appropriations Committee turned down [TIME, Sept. 22], was not to be used to jack up the Temple of Abu Simbel above the rising waters of the Nile's Aswan High Uam in Egypt. The President felt that the American contribution in the form of funds accumulated in Egypt could best be used to preserve the lesser temples in the U.A.R. and Sudan and help finance archaeological exploration in the Nubian area of Egypt, also threatened once the dam is completed.

EUGENE SOCHOR

Acting Assistant Director

U.S. National Commission for UNESCO

Washington, D.C.

> Last week Congress decided after all to appropriate the requested $4,000,000 for preserving such lesser temples as the Temple of Isis on the island of Philae (see cut).--ED.

Lutheran and Catholic

Sir:

You are not quite accurate when you state in "Is Protestant a Bad Word?" [Sept. 22] that Lutherans who say "Holy Christian Church" in their recitation of the Apostles' Creed are a major exception from other Christians who say "Holy Catholic Church." The new Service Book and Hymnal of the Lutheran Church in America permits the use of "Holy Catholic Church," even indicating in a footnote that it is "the original and generally accepted text."

This is one point that is a perennial thorn in the flesh for high-church Lutherans in this country. And there is quite an ever expanding movement of them, too.

(THE REV.) PAUL J. PFADENHAUER

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church

Merrick, N.Y.

Sir:

Thank you for "Lutherans for Rome" [Sept. 22]. It may help stimulate a movement toward church unity that has already extended beyond the border of Germany.

Already established in this country is the Fellowship of St. Augustine, whose membership includes Lutheran clergy and lay people. The unity of the church is high among the aims of the fellowship, and members were recently told about an American wing of the League for Evangelical-Catholic Reunion.

WILLIAM MAKI

New York City

Sir:

It is indeed odd how those of us who are practicing, somewhat devout Lutherans and who represent the vast majority of all Lutherans have never heard of this off-sect (Dr.

Asmussen and Die Sammlung) that advocates recognition of the Pope. Indeed, this is what forever separates us from the Roman Catholic Church. Only now we are told that we desire a reconsummation of the relationship.

BRADLEY ROBERTS

Baltimore

Which Hotel?

Sir:

In your Sept. 29 issue, a story about the filming of Advise and Consent stated that Democratic Chairman John Bailey's five-room suite was filmed in the Mayflower. It was the Sheraton-Park Hotel, headquarters for the entire cast.

BARBARA XORTON

Director Public Relations

Sheraton-Park Hotel

Washington, D.C.

Omega

Sir:

Your article "Nature's Onion" [Sept. 15] states that the subatomic particle omega lives for only 10^22 seconds.

Having just labored through a tedious arithmetical process, I find that 10^22 seconds is not, as you explain in parenthesis, one ten-thousand-billion-billionth of a second, but 317,097,919,837,646 years!

At the risk of appearing pedantic, I offer 10^22 seconds as correct.

ALAN D. PATERSON

Adelaide, Australia

> Correct, and a minus to the printer.--ED.

Art for the Few?

Sir:

Could Mr. Barzun [Sept. 29] be suggesting that a great work becomes less great because it's published in paperbacks or recorded frequently, that art ceases to be art when there's an abundance and easy availability?

Is art only for an initiated few, the "elite" and, let's face it, the rich?

I agree that he has a genuine complaint regarding all the condensation, but let's not be unfair and mention all these things in one breath.

Would he, for instance, keep most TIME readers from reading your Art section--does he consider that, too, one of the "destructive influences of the cultdre boom"?

GERTRUD PARNHAM

Lincoln Park, N. J.

Seamless

Sir:

Let's keep the record straight. Formfit developed and sold the first molded bra last spring [Sept. 22].

SIGMUND W. KUNSTADTER

President The Formfit Co.

Chicago

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