Views of Agnew

Sir: God bless Zero Agnew [Sept. 20]. It's time we opened up our high public offices to all Americans--not just the talented few.

JOHN WILLARD Cambridge, Mass.

Sir: Aw, come on! Surely a man who served as president of the Lock Raven P.T.A. can't be all bad.

(MRS.) JOAN B. STRUTT Baltimore

Sir: Your article on Agnew was probably the most viciously biased, prejudiced and uncalled-for attack on an American citizen. TIME has long been known to be off the beam of American thinking, and you have done it again.

PETE ELLIS Matthews, N.C.

Sir: I cannot remember ever having read a more objective and fairer story on any subject. While Muskie comes off with banners flying, you let Humphrey, Nixon and Agnew take it on their chins for their shortcomings, but you do not neglect to also point out the good points that these men enjoy. Whoever loses the election, it will not be your fault.

MORRIS YEAGER Philadelphia

Comment by McCarthy

Sir: I have just read the article "The Government in Exile" in the convention issue [Sept. 6]. Taken altogether, it was a good report, although it contains a number of minor errors of fact. There is, however, one statement in it to which I must object most vigorously and for which I must request a correction. I never called Jesse Unruh or anyone else a "son of a bitch." Moreover, Jesse Unruh did not double-cross me at any time at the convention. He honored every commitment that he made to me and was completely open and honest at all times.

EUGENE J. MCCARTHY United States Senate Washington, D.C.

Viet Nam Debate

Sir: The excellent coverage that TIME gave to the debate on Viet Nam at the Democratic Convention contributed greatly to the public understanding of this historic debate. The war in Viet Nam is a most vital issue facing the American public, and this debate and its coverage gave the American people the opportunity to hear both sides of this issue and it is hoped that by such debates national policies may be altered.

CONGRESSMAN PHILLIP BURTON Washington, D.C.

The Chicago Argument

Sir: TIME says that Chicago police did not "distinguish between radical leaders, yippies, McCarthy partisans, and other disaffected youths." Do you imply that in the dark, amid yelling, bottle throwing and insults, while faced with thousands of milling people, the police could sort out the four groups and could then apply the appropriate kinds of restraint? You must be dreaming. You say that no one "could have known which windows [thrown objects] came from." No trick at all when you ask hotelmen to spot for you, as the police did. You are also casual about thrown objects that start from the fifteenth floor; they strike hard, and it is homicidal to throw them.

WARREN SNYDER Chicago

Sir: As a Chicagoan, I would like to apologize to all the news media for the difficulties they encountered covering the Democratic National Convention. As an American, I want to thank them.

GARY G. CHICHESTER Chicago

Sir: I honor Mayor Daley for keeping Chicago free of riot and anarchy. It was better for those who live here that every dissident in sight got clubbed than that our city should have surrendered to them in the name of freedom of speech.

WAYNE HANEY Chicago

Sir: Daley may have the support of some elements in Chicago, but there are those who cannot forget his "shoot to kill" order, the problem of police harassment in black neighborhoods, and the incidents in April, when the police broke up an orderly peace demonstration and many people were Maced and clubbed, including newsmen and bystanders. There seems to be a pattern here that, unfortunately for the mayor, cannot entirely be blamed on "outside agitators."

MRS. W. LAWRENCE DIEHL Evanston, Ill.

Sir: To quote Carl Sandburg: "When Chicago has a debate whether there is a hell someone always says, 'Down in hell they debate whether there is a Chicago.' "

E. H. SHOSHANY Greenwich, Conn.

Sir: Chicago was the first city in a good many years that has had a large demonstration group enter and finally leave the city without fires, looting, or multiple killings. Why do you suppose decent people from both national parties are considering voting for a man such as George Wallace? It's because the decent, law-abiding person wants to be able to once again walk our streets without fear. Our other candidates would be wise to realize the demonstrators are also the minority.

DEBORAH TOTTEN PERROTT Canoga Park, Calif.

Wallace and Intellectuals

Sir: Lately, the range of Wallace's appeal [Sept. 13] has disturbed me. The racist, hate-oriented and obscurantist flavor of his political stand has always offended me. The appeal of his ceaseless efforts to assail the "pseudointellectual" elements in our nation has particularly concerned me. The social, economic, political and technological problems we face are among the thorniest and most complex that have ever confronted us. They require intellect for solution. But George Wallace vilifies intellect and inevitably links it with subversive interests.

HOWARD L. NIXON II Pittsburgh

Fortas Footnote

Sir: In view of President Johnson's insistence that the Senate act favorably and at once on the appointment of Justice Fortas [Sept. 13], a bit of history may be interesting and enlightening. Soon after President Eisenhower announced that he would not be a candidate for another term, Senator Philip Hart (Michigan Democrat) introduced a resolution, stating, "Whatever the outcome of the presidential elections in November, a new administration will take office. None of us knows which political party will direct that administration. I suggest this is a most appropriate time for the Senate [then controlled by the Democrats] to record its extreme reluctance to see recess appointments made to the Supreme Court."

In August 1960, that resolution passed--48 to 37. The Democratic majority leader who voted for it himself and who led 47 other members of his party to do the same was Lyndon Baines Johnson. It does make a difference whose ox is gored, doesn't it?

JOHN SCHMIDT Williamsville, N.Y.

Lucky 13

Sir: Having a sports figure on your cover [Sept. 13] is jinx enough. But dated Friday the 13th, it must be twice as jinxed. Apparently, this did not hinder Denny McLain in achieving his 30th victory. Just add 13, the date on the cover, plus 17 from his uniform and you get the magic number 30.

LEVON CHANTIKIAN Long Island City, N.Y.

Baffle-Gab Theology Sir: Re your Baffle-Gab Thesaurus [Sept. 13], you failed to note that the bureaucrat selecting 257, "systematized logistical projection," would undoubtedly also feel compelled to invent a suitable acronym for his invention: in this case, SLOP.

JAMES J. WALLACE JR. Tucker, Ga.

Sir: Your Baffle-Gab Thesaurus strikes me as having endless possibilities.

The American layman, for example, could become an instant theologian and not even have to worry about crossing denominational lines.

Using any three-digit number he is certain to succeed with:

Relevant Ecumenical Love Personal Human Vocation Rich and Meaningful Implemental Dialogue Integrated In Terms of Crisis Authentic Grass Roots Witness Real Transitional Response Optional Chardinian Commitment Incarnational Communal Identity Christian Existential Liturgy Fulfilling Experimental Encounter I suspect that he would impress many clerics over, and all clerics under, the magic age of 30.

(THE REV.) JOHN URBAN Our Lady of the Assumption Church Beloit, Wis.

Open Invitation

Sir: The advice from ex-burglar Robert Earl Barnes [Sept. 6] in his illustrated booklet "How Safe Is Your Home from Burglars?" must be in preparation for a new rash of burglaries. If we followed his advice about changing the hinges so that doors opened out rather than in, it would be an open invitation for the burglar to simply remove the door rather than have to kick it in.

MARGARET P. HUTCHINSON Villanova, Pa.

Mysterious Pictures

Sir: I enjoyed your article about mysterious pictures [Sept. 6]. Like most art historians, the problem has long fascinated me and I finally did an exhibition on the subject a few years ago. Unfortunately, I was unable to borrow all the things I wanted as many museums will not publicly admit that certain of their pictures are problems.

THOMAS J. MCCORMICK Director Vassar College Art Gallery Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

Back to the Middle Ages

Sir: Perhaps it would be beneficial for the college campus activity in the 1980s to have the international flavor of the 13th century rendition of its counterpart, along with the organized student guilds also found during that period [Sept. 13]. Once again, students could fire and hire faculty, plan course content, overrule the administration, and with rapidity move their centers of learning to meet their needs.

However, in 20th century America, it does seem slightly ignotum per ignotius to reduce education to self-directed abortive confusion. What ever happened to Socratic midwifery of the mind?

BEATRICE A. CHIGOS San Bruno, Calif.

The All-American Boy

Sir: After reading your story, "Kids Turning On" [Sept. 13] I wonder what Dr. Hayakawa would have to say about the generation that spent every Saturday at the movies and the rest of the time with their ears glued to the radio, listening to such gems as "The Green Hornet," "Stella Dallas" and "Jack Armstrong."

JANE DURIE Mountain View, Calif.

Narcotics or Nicotine

Sir: Your article on teen-age drug use [Aug. 30] raises a question. If American youth so strongly urges "telling it like it is," why do more than 10% of the nation's high school students experiment with drugs like marijuana? Aren't they concerned with seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, and tasting it like it is?

BENJAMIN HUANG Hamden, Conn.

Sir: The parents of young drug addicts, suspected or proven, won't profit much from your call for "franker conversation" [Aug. 30]. Have you ever tried to talk to a rebellious teenager? What parents must ask themselves is: "What is missing from my life, that I must use drugs--nicotine or alcohol--myself?" The same ingredients will be missing from the child's life, and he will have every reason to agree with the unspoken message of the parent's example: Life is not worth living without drugs. Parents could ask: Do we love enough?

MRS. PAMELA HALSE Darwin, Australia

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