The Jerry-Leonid Show

the Editors:

Your marquee [Aug. 4] should have read "Presenting: Gerald Ford, Leonid Brezhnev and an All-Star Cast in The Sting."

William F. Lawrence

Monroe, La.

I notice that we do not see Brezhnev's right hand. Could he be holding a knife to Ford's back, or is he picking his pocket?

James A. Clark

Mendham, N.J.

I have always styled myself a Democrat, congratulating myself on my lib eral outlook. Lately though, it seems that I agree with President Ford more than I agree with my own Democratic Congress. Gerald Ford seems to be realistic, as his decision to sign the treaty in Helsinki shows. Far from being a betrayal of Eastern Europe, this document is an acknowledgment of Europe as it is today. Our denial of its existence is hardly going to make the Berlin Wall go away.

Katherine Rakowsky

Naperville, Ill.

President Ford laid a wreath in memory of the Nazi concentration camp victims at Auschwitz and then proceeded to Helsinki to a friendly meeting with Mr. Brezhnev, the boss of a system responsible for maintaining numerous Soviet concentration camps.

Are Communist concentration camps better than Nazi camps?

Alexis B. Bogolubov

Cheshire, Conn.

On TIME'S cover. Leonid Brezhnev proudly shows his gold teeth.

I have been in many cities in Russia and have noticed thousands of his comrades with teeth capped, all in white metal (probably stainless steel). There will always be haves and have nots.

S. Charles Lee

Beverly Hills, Calif.

Shameful Blot

The statement that the U.S. Army is still testing hallucinogenic drugs and alcohol "but only with animals" [Aug. 4] reveals a callous attitude. Without animals, most of mankind would perish. Using them for experimental purposes is immoral, unethical and a shameful blot on the uncivilized world of today.

Madeline Orillo, President

World League for Protection of Animals

Sydney, Australia

The Haughty French

The French people are deluding themselves if they believe the drop in tourism is due to the "shrinking American dollar" [Aug. 4]. Rather, it is the haughty attitude of their own people.

What a shame that such a lovely place is inhabited and represented by such snobs!

Gail Connell

Athens, Ga.

Audubon and the Polluters

In reference to "Polluted Portfolios'' [Aug. 11], it is true that since 1940 the National Audubon Society has leased land within its Rainey Wildlife Refuge in coastal Louisiana for natural-gas and oil production. We have insisted on meticulous performance by the oil companies, and we have had no spills. The experience has given us enormous advantage in pushing for protective regulations elsewhere. The oil industry or an oily Government cannot brush us off as impractical do-gooders. We know what we are talking about.

In addition, some of our endowment monies have from time to time gone into the stock of companies that pollute and the bonds of municipalities that pollute. Such investments in no way inhibit our support of the enforcement of laws and regulations to control pollution.

Elvis J. Stahr, President

National Audubon Society

New York City

Equine Exploitation

I was surprised that your story on Ruffian [July 21] contained none of the abuses of racing today.

Thoroughbreds are the most exploited athletes in the world. Owners do not consider the entire anatomy but breed horses for massive chests. Trainers use drugs to keep their mounts on the track, and some may medicate to disguise a horse's unsoundness.

If the general public was disturbed by Ruffian's case, what would happen if they knew of the "cheap" horses? No effort is made to save them after they are injured.

Cynthia A. Miller

New Cumberland, Pa.

Doomsday Dynamite

When the end comes and access roads to Scott Meadows are dynamited, what happens to the members of the Doomsday Club [Aug. 4] who have been delayed en route? If they don't make it inside before the explosion are they refunded their "modest" $12,500 membership fee?

Margaret Terrien San Rafael, Calif.

Cricket and the CIA

You say that "the goals of the White House are to restore public confidence in the functions of the intelligence agency ..." [Aug. 4]. Well, I find it difficult to locate anyone who lacks the slightest confidence in the working of the CIA. I'm afraid that the doubters are a small, but vociferous group of liberals in the press and Congress who have neglected to remember that this is a nation born of blood, and who think that the maintenance of freedom can be had by the rules of cricket.

Alex Aaron Reiner

Hollywood

I sure as hell hope that the Central Intelligence Agency is a "badly shaken organization." If its "potential to serve the nation" involves illegally opening U.S. mail, spying on college campuses, infiltrating unpopular political groups, aiding and abetting the break-in of a psychiatrist's office, preventing the publication of a book for security reasons, murdering foreign leaders, and having its director lie to the Congress and the American public, then may the CIA forever continue to operate "below its potential."

Robert S. Tully

Washington, D.C.

Months of extravagant, vitriolic criticism, much of it unfounded, have discredited and weakened the CIA at home and abroad. The shield that good intelligence provides for the nation's security in an age of international turmoil has been damaged. The CIA made serious mistakes in the past 28 years, some of them on presidential orders, but mistakes nonetheless. It is easy to prescribe preventive legislative or administrative remedies for these. What is urgently needed now is national reaffirmation of the value of the CIA's achievements, the number of which over the years makes its errors pale in comparison. For example, the CIA's development of effective satellite reconnaissance has protected this nation while it seeks arms limitations agreements and saves billions that would otherwise be spent on unneeded weapons. It is time for Congress to quit pulling up all the vegetables in the intelligence garden to see if the roots are rotten.

Ray S. Cline, Director of Studies

Georgetown University Center for

Strategic and International Studies

Washington, D.C.

Mr. Cline was CIA Deputy Director for Intelligence (1962-66).

The Incredible Press

Your criticism of CBS Newsman Daniel Schorr [July 28] for rushing to print without the facts was most welcome. If the national media were as critical of their own flaws, biases and hypocrisies as they are of the rest of society, they might just pull ahead of the garbage men in credibility.

John Romjue

Hampton, Va.

Good Sweat

In response to the article on exercise [July 28], certainly physiologists would agree that maintaining proper weight through sensible diet is beneficial and that 30 minutes of light exercise per week is better than no exercise at all. However, Dr. Morehouse's advice, "When you start sweating, you're working your body too hard," simply ignores the results of recent medical studies. Participation in long-term programs of vigorous physical activity has been shown to be correlated with a decrease in the probability of death due to cardiovascular causes.

David L. Wiegman, Ph.D.

Department of Physiology, University of

Missouri School of Medicine

Columbia, Mo.

Venomous Woman

It would take more than an economic revolution to save the world should any of the selfish, microphone-hogging women attending the Mexican conference [July 14] seize world power.

The only accomplishment was to help change the international image of woman from "sugar and spice and all things nice" to acid and lemon and oozing with venom.

Deborah R. Berg

Andimeshk, Iran

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