Reflections on Apollo

Sir: As one who is committed to peace, I could not help being moved to reflection by the recent events of Apollo 13 [April 27]. The worldwide interest, concern and effort to rescue the three astronauts were as they should have been. For a single life is a precious commodity.

And yet, I find it difficult to reconcile the magnificent outpouring of human concern and solidarity in this instance with the lack of sensitivity that permits thousands to be slaughtered in Viet Nam.

JOHN VIGILANTI

Yonkers, N.Y.

Sir: Let us all say an unconstitutional prayer of thanks, in our own unconstitutional way, to our unconstitutional God, for the safe return of Astronauts Lovell, Haise and Swigert.

FRANK J. HART

Costa Mesa, Calif.

Sir: The astronauts have given us quite a show, no doubt about it! Only one thought disturbs me. I keep remembering those super-extravagant, whistling-in-the-dark circuses staged by 4th century Roman emperors to divert public attention from the harsh realities of their crumbling civilization. Coincidence, probably.

GENEVIEVE S. GRAY

Tucson, Ariz.

Sir: Future space exploration plans should be reexamined. Our boys have demonstrated their bravery, but the tremendous sums of money now being spent should be diverted to dealing with America's earthbound social and economic problems. The U.S. scientific and technical Establishment might better concentrate its efforts on such things as a cure for cancer or even the common cold, or perhaps the development of a practicable electric car.

CHARLES V. MONTAGUE

Palma, Majorca

Sir: I sincerely hope that the troubled flight of Apollo 13 will not bring about a cessation to the truly fantastic efforts of our space program. Man is just beginning to cross the threshold of a vast new frontier: a universe hopefully filled with rich new lands, raw materials and inhabitable planets for our crowded populace. The price of progress may seem high to us, but the cost of stagnancy is unbearable.

LINDA SMITH

Highland, N.Y.

Sir: I recall an eloquent presentation, given by a star of motion pictures, concerning God's being "dead." In his concluding statement, the actor pleaded: "Please, God, if you are alive, do your thing." Surely God did do his thing on Friday, April 17, at 1:07 p.m., E.S.T., when the entire world at that moment was united for the first time in history in prayer.

JAMES M. TOBIN

Chicago

Sir: Why weren't we cleverer? Even hotels don't have a thirteenth floor.

JONATHAN EVANS

Philadelphia

Functional Democracy

Sir: I was thrilled to read details about "Carswell Defeat" [April 20]. Americans should be proud of the care taken and respect shown by their Senators for the appointment of Supreme Court Judges. The whole episode speaks highly of the functioning of real democracy in your country. I wish we had such independently thinking Members in our Parliament.

B. C. DHAGAT

Bombay, India

Sir: You missed the basic reasons for Carswell's defeat. No intelligent individual is moved by either vague charges of mediocrity or 1948 speeches. Why gloss over the pressures of regional bias, shouting liberals, personal pique and party affiliations? I heartily endorse constructive criticism and even outright rejection; I regret, however, that the opposing Senators and your ensuing analysis offered so little basis upon which to accept the rejection.

DONATA A. DELULIO

Manhattan

Sir: The Carswell defeat was not a crisis for Nixon. He attempted to gain support in his Southern strategy by putting a segregationist on the Supreme Court. He failed, but he gained a vast increase in Southern support for his attempt. This was a cool political play that gained him support either way the Senate voted.

COLLIN FAL.LAT

Pullman, Wash.

Sir: If anyone is a second-class citizen, it's the white Southerner. Not only can he not attend the school of his choice, he cannot even have a representative on the Supreme Court. Hell, no, we don't forget the Civil War. Who will let us?

JAYE SYDNEY

Valparaiso, Fla.

Sir: President Wilson never referred to the Senators who opposed U.S. participation in the League of Nations as the "little group of willful men." That was how he described twelve Senators who filibustered against a bill giving the President authority to arm American merchant ships. Wilson said that a "little group of willful men had rendered the great Government of the U.S. helpless and contemptible."

Wisconsin's "Fighting Bob" La Follette was the leader of the filibuster.

GEORGE JOHNSON

Wausau, Wis.

Washington's Martha

Sir: Your photograph of Martha Mitchell, wife of the U.S. Attorney General [April 20], was a letdown. The picture did not fit the crime. One would expect to see a peppery, miniskirted, bead-wearing, long-haired hippie type rabble-rouser. Instead, a kindly old sweet-looking babe is portrayed wearing an old-fashioned nightgown-looking dress. She would seem more capable of shouting "Hallelujah, brother" than screaming "Crucify him!"

HENRY BROWN

Washington, D.C.

Sir: Nominee for the 1970 Roman Hruska Award: Mrs. Martha Mitchell.

THOMAS J. O'REGAN JR.

Chicago

A Ford in Whose Future?

Sir: It may not be fashionable in the Age of Aquarius to think of Russia as the enemy, but I was appalled when I read your article about Mr. Henry Ford's trip to the U.S.S.R. [April 27]. It defies rationalization that the State Department would permit Ford Motor Co., or anyone else for that matter, to assist the Soviets in the manufacture of trucks and other equipment of strategic value.

Russia is currently very active against U.S. interests in the Middle East, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia; yet Mr. Ford "would like to break into the small but growing Communist automotive market." The lure of the almighty buck must be very strong around Dearborn.

I wonder how long it would take for Russian Ford trucks to be rolling down the Ho Chi Minh Trail or to be transporting Soviet troops in another suppression mission a la Czechoslovakia.

If Ford Motor Co. is allowed to proceed with this plan, it would amount to aiding a well-known and declared enemy. If you will recall, it was the Russians who said, "We will bury you." Why should we help them try it?

MIGUEL I. GASTON

Atlanta

Clothes and the Man

Sir: Imagine with what glee Abbie ("America Last") Hoffman must have read your nitpicking apology for his wearing the American flag on a recent television talk show [April 13].

The issue here is not, as you state, who wears the flag. It is how it is worn. Uncle Sam, even with his sternest mien, wears it with dignity.

I am not a right-winger. I do not have a uniform and rifle and do not attend patriotic-oriented meetings. While, like most average Americans, I am not a superpatriot or a mystic idolator of our Stars and Stripes, I do not enjoy seeing it trampled under the sweaty feet of a professional anarchist who seems to hate himself as much as he does his country.

DAN SALVIONE

Rochester

Taste Deserved, Justice Served

Sir: Duly impressed by our educators' appraisal of the quality of intelligence inherent in this present college generation, I was amazed to read of those of our nation's youth who, being blessed with the best of educations and living in a society that for the greatest part is free of poverty and hardship, fell victim to their own greed, stupidity and complete lack of morality, as put forth in your article titled "Americans Abroad" [April 13].

Their attempts to smuggle hashish throughout the Middle East are astounding. It is a blessing that they are being detained in the vile prisons of Beirut, Istanbul and Rabat, if for no other reason than to prevent their trading more drugs in the U.S., and for the good of their own miserable souls.

Thank God the State Department cannot touch them, so they can have a well-deserved taste of justice, far harsher than that justice which they downgraded in this country.

CHARLES J. HALLETT

Brooklyn

Conservative Liberal

Sir: Livingston College has made a commendable effort to recruit black and Puerto Rican students and faculty to the new campus [April 20], but it has certainly done nothing to end discrimination against women in the academic community. The first-year catalogue of the college lists women as only 7 1/2% of its faculty, thus making the liberal new school one of the most conservative coeducational institutions in the country in terms of equal employment opportunities for women.

Nationally, women represent about 40% of the faculty of junior colleges, 20% of the faculty of four-year colleges, 10% of the faculty of large, prestigious universities and, alas, only 1% or 2% of the tenure ranks. Thus, Livingston College in its first year of operation has an even poorer record than the large, prestigious universities.

PHYLLIS ZATLIN BORING

Assistant Professor

Romance Languages

Rutgers University

Old Bridge, NJ.

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