Defining the Issues

Sir: I now understand the difference between a statesman and a politician. Dean Rusk [Feb. 4] is a statesman who understands the issues and knows what he is talking about. And he does it with dignity.

MICHAEL P. SPRINGER North Mankato, Minn.

Sir: Speaking neither as a "hawk" nor a "dove" but simply as an American, I say that we have a job to do in Viet Nam, and the only way to do it is to get with it! Let us stop diddling around with unilateral and unnecessary concessions to the enemy!

EDGAR W. RIEBE Metuchen, NJ.

Sir: The President has sought the intervention and good offices of the U.N. in resolving the conflict. But it would appear that the only role the U.N. can play is to advise and effect a confrontation of the right governments and powers. Only a conference in which the National Liberation Front confronts the U.S. admits of any real hope. If this can be brought about, we may find the way out of what now appears an impasse, and the U.N. once again will have been the instrument that has saved the world from holocaust.

BISHOP JOHN WESLEY LORD The Methodist Church The Washington Area Washington, D.C.

Sir: Now we're bombing North Viet Nam again, following the counsel of our President's advisers, who have the unenviable record of being 100% wrong in everything they've advocated. A lot of people who didn't vote for Goldwater because of his bombing stand feel betrayed.

MRS. J. F. MONROE Milwaukee

Call for Help

Sir: It was with great interest that I read your article concerning Captain Ronald Rod and his efforts to help the people of Due Pho [Dec. 24]. As his replacement, I have become all too painfully aware that a program such as the one he started is desperately .needed. It is my hope that civic organizations everywhere will take an interest in helping people in places like Due Pho. They can use all the help they can get. JAMES V. KIMSEY Captain, U.S.A. Senior Adviser Due Pho District Viet Nam

The Divorce Circus

Sir: Your Essay on divorce law [Feb. 11] is a most articulate and fair summation of this chaotic legal circus. The tragedy of an unhappy marriage is multifaceted; too often the legality of dissolving it only compounds the felony. Let us hope our state legislators will take a fresh, reasonable and realistic new look at this sensitive area.

(MRS.) SUSAN MORSE Manlius, N.Y.

Sir: Indeed, the time for divorce reform is now! Your fact-loaded dissertation, however, neglects the most significant fact regarding divorce: throughout the country at least 90% of divorce cases are uncontested, and ordinarily the courts learn only what plaintiffs care to tell them. It is sheer nonsense for statutory law to concentrate on marital fault rather than a problem-solving approach while in real life, divorces by consent are being negotiated in law offices. Tragically, the contested cases usually involve greedy or spiteful spouses rather than a motivation to save the marriage.

HENRY H. FOSTER JR.

Chairman, Research Committee

Family Law Section, American Bar.

Association

New York City

"Greetings . . ."

Sir: The Essay on the draft situation [Feb. 4] should be a "must" for every youth who still has to fulfill his obligation and duty to his country. While I was in Viet Nam, the thing that hurt the most was the news items concerning the anti-Viet Nam demonstrations and draft-card burners back home. Any youth who does not wish to serve his country has no right to partake of the fruits of freedom. It makes me a little ashamed to realize that I'm a member of a generation which is so vociferously denying its responsibility.

JAMES M. STONICH Los Angeles

Sir: Your final sentence is representative of the widespread intolerance and reproach that is leveled against our nation's idealistic youth. It is far nobler to align oneself with the task of bringing about universal peace than to inadvertently pledge submission to a warring nation.

BRIAN THIEBAUX Riverside, Calif.

Sir: It is regrettable that the U.S. has not taken the lead in promoting the creation of a permanent U.N. Peace Force composed of carefully selected volunteers. Millions of young Americans would gladly serve in such a force if it would fulfill their national military obligation.

FRANK J. HORACEK National Student Secretary United World Federalists Washington, D.C.

Sir: Your mention of classic tricks designed to disqualify the draftee brings to mind the story that was circulating in Britain at the time of the Suez crisis. A Teddy boy showed up for the pre-induction physical wearing a truss borrowed from a friend. The doctor looked him over, asked how long he'd been using the truss. "About two years," came the confident reply. Whereupon the medic stamped the inductee's papers NEAR EAST, explaining, "If you can wear a double truss upside down for two years you can sure as hell ride a camel!"

CLIFFORD E. LANDERS Rio de Janeiro

Sir: Let me suggest that American women finally be asked to face up to a reasonable consequence of their equality complex: draft them too. Surely there must be enough feminine dropouts, girlish lie-arounds and jobless at-home chocolate munchers who could take many of the noncombatant positions now filled by thousands of drafted men. Of course this wouldn't hurt army morale any.

CHARLES T. MOFFITT The Graduate School University of Washington Seattle

Respected Competitor

Sir: Your article on the aerospace industry [Feb. 11] was excellent, and highlighting Lockheed, our most respected competitor, was indeed appropriate. I am surprised, however, that you did not mention the General Electric Co. I and the 50,000-plus employees of the General Electric Aerospace and Defense Group consider ourselves a factor in the aerospace industry. Sales have been about $1 billion a year in recent years. Last year we were fourth in terms of prime contract dollars in the Department of Defense and fifth in NASA. We have been as high as third with the U.S. Government and never below sixth in the past ten years.

A. E. BUESCHER JR. Manager

General Electric Co. Missile & Space Division Philadelphia

The Play's the Thing

Sir: What a joy to find the beautiful photographs of current London plays and stars [Feb. 4]. The photos are excellent, both in color and composition.

SHELDON R. SILVER Temple University Philadelphia

Sir: Let's not forget to mention that you can get a ticket in London most any night 30 minutes before curtain time at about one-third the Broadway price.

CHARLES R. LARSON Washington, D.C.

Tramp, Tramp, Tramp

Sir: I agree with you that to every red-blooded American sitting in front of TV, watching the ball game on a Sunday afternoon, the idea of the German hikers [Feb. 4] must seem just a little bit ridiculous.

Imagine such a waste of time while one could just loaf. And even the teen-agers walk. Why, they could be sniffing glue or enjoying a goofball or two.

MRS. HEINZ B. KRAUSE Melville. N.Y.

Friendly Cheer

Sir: Fie upon you! For years TIME has castigated the networks for poor programming and feeble attempts to educate. Then television finally takes a giant step forward, and gives audience-participation tests in important fields of interest. And what is your reaction? You give a mixed, silly, and asinine review [Feb. 4]. I say give Mr. Friendly a hurrah for a good, honest attempt to make television the useful tool it was intended to be.

KENNETH M. WOLFE Montreal

Sir: // some clay examinations Are run on TV every night, Tlie networks may find that people Would rather switch than write.

JOHN H. DROMEY Baring, Mo.

Understating the Case

Sir: Your statement, "Another campus in Rolla . . . was created out of a school of mines and metallurgy" [Feb. 4], must surely be nominated as TIME'S understatement of the year. You missed a significant part of "Missouri's Upward Reach." The University of Missouri at Rolla is the largest undergraduate engineering and physical-science school west of the Mississippi, sixth largest in the nation. Founded in 1870 as the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy, it has long had departments in civil, electrical, mechanical, chemical, and geological engineering, mathematics, chemistry and physics, as well as ceramics, mining and metallurgy. The U.M.R. graduate program has expanded 500% in the past five years; we now have more than 400 master's-degree and doctoral candidates in engineering and physical science. Since September 1964, 58 individuals with Ph.D. degrees have been added to the staff and faculty, making 132 out of 286 with Ph.D.s at U.M.R.

D. W. HEIMAN Associate Director The University of Missouri at Rolla Rolla, Mo.

Barbra in Paris

Sir: Your item on Barbra Streisand in the Paris salons [Feb. 11] proves again that knish flambe never will be crepe suzette!

GEORGE W. COOLEY Williamson, N.Y.

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