To the Editors:

Bravo! Finally, a cover story [July 7] on an artist who is not only the biggest but the best thing to happen to the popular music scene since the Beatles.

Elton John has always come across as a multitalented, multifaceted personality. His music gives me the same kind of tingling effect as Debussy's Clair de Lune, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake or Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue.

Brian Gabrial

Omaha

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting Elton John. He told me how much he had enjoyed my music and my playing over the years, and that my music had stood the test of time.

And I said to him, "Man, I've got every album you've made. Your contemporary ideas and your talent have given the music world and the public the best."

Any cat who has sold 16 million singles and 42 million albums is giving out with the best--the very best! That cat must be doing something right.

Reggie, my boy, keep it moving and keep it swinging. You've got the world in a jug and the stopper's in your hand.

Lionel Hampton

New York City

Why didn't you do a cover story on Elton John five years ago when his songs were good? His music now is sheer trash. I wish you had the nerve to admit it.

James E. Mich

Alexandria, Va.

With all the first-rate music available at the nearest record store, one would be a fool to pay $10 to sit in a crowded room to see which of his "200 pairs of glasses" Elton John will wear.

Maryann Italiano

Hauppauge, N. Y.

I may be a very opinionated 13-year-old, but I thought your story on Elton John was absolutely fantastic! I just went all to pieces when I saw the cover.

Stephanie (Stevi) Tischler

Atlanta

After reading your cover story on Elton John, I have solved the mystery of why I find the piano benches not working in many of the concert halls.

Dave Brubeck

Wilton, Conn.

Jazz Pianist Brubeck, a concert trail veteran, is likely to come across broken benches, signs that John has been there.

I was amazed that you sent a correspondent to London for a story on Elton John when the U.S. is being toured by the real Captain Fantastic of rock and his crew--Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones. You were in the right church but, unfortunately, you were in the wrong pew.

Alison Power

Massena, N. Y.

Elton John's music is very much like Cracker Jacks. Once you get a taste, they're hard to stop eating, even if they don't have much nutritional value.

Susan Lloyd

Pottstown, Pa.

There are two kinds of music--good and bad. If you like it, it's good; if you don't like it, it's bad. With Elton John, it's good.

Harry James

Las Vegas

Crime and Fear

Your report on "Crime--Why and What to Do" [June 30] shows what is not going to be done about it and why. As long as Americans demand freedom rather than security, they will live in fear.

The President was wrong not to act on outlawing handguns. The N.R.A. is a threat to society.

Joel A. Rutherford Jr.

Oklahoma State Penitentiary

McAlester, Okla.

We've poured millions into our penal institutions, and their success has surpassed any of our dreams. Each new generation of prisoner is better trained, better informed and far more sophisticated than its predecessor. When these persons are returned to the free world, they actually do put into practice what they have been (unwittingly) sent there for. Prisons are schools of crime. The present "graduates" are part of the best-educated generation of criminals in our history!

Why should we be alarmed? We put them there and we insisted on paying for their education--in crime.

It's time we act on alternatives.

Brother Joseph Porter, F.S.C.

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, Pa.

Equality in Stupidity

The U.N. Women's Conference [July 14] proved once and for all that women are indeed equal to men--in their stupidity!

Sandra Goodglick

Los Angeles

Of course, the Mexico City Women's Conference had the trappings of self-justification officialdom. However, it was a small but significant step toward self-identity among women.

It was an enormous stride away from the paralyzing isolation that has been women's lot; and maybe, just maybe, women will begin to look with fresh skepticism at their own governments, which they serve but which hardly serve them.

Sissy Farenthold Houston

Lawyer and former Texas state legislator, Mrs. Farenthold stepped down last month as chairwoman of the National Women's Political Caucus.

Partial Post

Your Essay sums up succinctly the kind of service we've been getting from the United States Postal Service [July 7] from the day of its inception: partial post.

Robert Durback

Letter Carrier

Cleveland

The real problem today is that the Postal Service has no motive to be efficient. It has no competition, it can raise its rates at will, it need satisfy no stockholders, and it can't even implement manpower-saving measures without being faced with illegal strike threats. There is only one answer: throw the whole business open to competition and let the present anachronistic system die on the vine.

George F. Plaits

Ormond Beach, Fla.

Your article on the Postal Service was well reasoned, informative, accurate, and went as straight as an arrow to its mark.

With a few more articles such as yours, the people will cause the Congress to recognize that if we can spend several billion dollars to put a letter on the moon, we can spend a few bucks to get a letter across town. I do not believe that we have lost the need or the will to provide the funds needed for an excellent Postal Service.

Hal L. Hemmingsen, President

National Association of Postmasters

Glendale, Calif.

I recommend encoding all letters with computer-readable zip codes. A penalty should be placed on letters that do not conform to standards. The price for first-class letters could stay the same; a letter with a zip code, but not encoded, should go for 20-c-; and a letter with no zip code at all, 50-c-.

John Shelton

Chagrin Falls, Ohio

If we taxpayers subsidize commercial publications such as yours by providing you with less-than-cost mail service, shouldn't we then also subsidize Walter Cronkite?

Herbert L. Wurth

Former Postal Employee

Suffern, N. Y.

Mataji Knows Best

In apprehending her domestic opponents, Mrs. Gandhi [July 7] is only upholding a 28-year-old tradition in Indian politics: once in power, Indian leaders insist on "serving" the people to the bitter end. Her slogan seems to be MATAJI [MOTHER] KNOWS BEST.

Ashok Adnani

New York City

I who have just come from India am all admiration for your masterly and dispassionate summing up of the very complicated situation in India. Mrs. Gandhi has gambled, but was there any option for her when irresponsible and scheming politicians belonging to parties which have more leaders than followers began to incite the army and the police to mutiny? Mrs. Gandhi was driven to take the steps she has.

P. Mohamed Ali

Augusta, Me.

Recycling Discovery

Judging from your article "And Now Recycled Buildings" [July 7], some Americans are beginning to realize one of the reasons why they find European cities much more interesting.

Phyllis McMorris Demarecaux

Paris

Making It

After all these years you have finally made it as a first-rate joke book [July 7] with one clause: "Nixon testified under oath . . . "

David W. Harris

Montrose, N. Y.

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