What a Bash!

To the Editors:

The Democratic National Convention may have been "the lull before the lull," but the Republican National Convention (Aug. 23) made me proud to be an independent.

Sherry Solomon

Houston

What a bash!

Addalee Jacobson

San Diego

Where did the convention's Reagan fanatics get those obnoxious horns? I'm glad I was--and still am--for President Ford.

Richard Carr

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Perhaps after the Republicans get creamed in November and the moderate Democrats realize that Carter will never be able to keep his promises, the disillusioned from both sides will form a new middle-of-the-road party.

This would leave the liberal Democrats and radical-right Republicans hanging on to their dogmas--and out of office.

Arthur T. Morey

Richmond Heights, Mo.

So William Simon thinks that the G.O.P. has not had a new idea for 81 years.

Since "new ideas" today seem to mean vast, expensive federal programs that cause further encroachment on our freedoms, I am content to remain a Republican with no new ideas.

Bruce Lavash

Cincinnati

You're wrong when you say that the Republicans favor less government; the Republicans think it's fine to spend money on B-l bombers, but when it comes to food stamps for poor people you hear a different story.

Ron Payse

Lakeside, Ohio

There is no better example of our constitutional system of checks and balances than Mr. Ford's use of the veto to curb the Democratic Congress's headlong race toward socialism.

Stephen M. Fox

Playa del Key, Calif.

Come Nov. 2, Gerald Ford and his Republican colleagues, who extol principles completely devoid of compassion, pragmatism and common sense, will have little left with which to console themselves--except munching on peanuts.

Barry Nathan

St. Louis

Why should Watergate be an issue? Can't the Democrats speak on their own merits, instead of talking only about rattlesnakes?

Barbara Turley

Phoenix

It is not a question of whether the American people want to forgive and forget Watergate in the upcoming election. The question is: Do they want to risk it happening all over again?

James C. Magee

Drexel Hill, Pa.

When Senator Howard Baker of Tennessee and some of his colleagues speak of the Democrats "rattling the dusty old skeletons of Watergate," has anyone reminded them that some of the culprits are still looking forward to serving their jail terms?

Lilian Walking

Santa Rosa, Calif.

Forget the Maine?

Re the destruction of the U.S. battleship Maine in Havana Harbor in 1898 [Aug. 23]: truth at last came to the surface--proof once more that Spain was unjustly accused. Will the United States ever apologize? Will the cry "Remember the Maine" quiet down?

Will you finally pay attention to the sufferings of all the Spanish soldiers you murdered in Cuba? How many mistakes have cost massacres?

Cristina Rodriguez

Miami

Decline and Fall

"The Score: Rome 1,500. U.S. 200" [Aug. 23] consoles us that America does not parallel Rome because we are an ingenious and curious nation with breakthroughs in space technology, medical science, etc.

This erroneous conclusion is derived from observing the work of a tiny percentage of Americans, while the vast majority live only for Monday-night football, the paycheck and the weekend.

William Traversa

Los Angeles

Mind and spirit really never had a chance during the Roman Empire, which was elitist. There is more hope for us with our popular participation in elections, our consumer groups and all the other new activist groups that are trying to solve our environmental pollution problems and meet the world's energy and hunger challenges.

Selma I. Spielberger

Philadelphia

The Yves of Revolution

Three cheers for Yves Saint Laurent [Aug. 16] for restoring the feminine mystique to fashion. Now that we girls have proved that we are equal to boys in most things in life, perhaps we can step out of those fly-front pants and back into skirts. Saint Laurent has created a fashion revolution which may lead to a whole social revolution.

Greer Fay Cashman

Jerusalem

I have not the time (three hours for makeup), the money ($2,000 to $10,000 indeed!), the energy, or the three servants to dress me that these ridiculous outfits require.

Susan Fry Portola

Valley, Calif.

Bottom Line

What David Tinnin fails to realize in his piece on profits [Aug. 16] is that the apparent success of the profit system in America has been possible only as long as those who profit are allowed to escape the real costs involved in ripping off the planet and its inhabitants, both present and future.

James L. Sudmeier

Riverside, Calif.

What a splendid Essay!

John Diebold

New York City

Excellent. David Tinnin could have pointed out, however, that the more complex and capital-intensive our economy becomes, the greater is the need for larger sums of money to launch expensive new products. The question is how much longer the economy will be able to raise the money privately.

David R. Ashley

Montrose, Colo.

Jockeying in the Aegean

Your article "The Aegean--Acts of Piracy?" [Aug. 23] gives a clear picture of the true story in Asia Minor. What Turkey has caused in the Aegean is lawfully wrong and the Turks know it. The Greeks are in the position of owning their home and, because their neighbor likes it, seeing him come and take it.

Michael Goudis

Dunedin, Fla.

What the Turks intend is clear: to impose their views by force of arms, arms supplied by the U.S. and paid for by U.S. taxpayers, in the name of what Kissinger calls "good diplomacy."

Constantine E. Michaelides

St. Louis

Shocked

I was shocked to see Yugoslavia's President Tito [Aug. 23] use the word "freedom" so many times in his message to America. Who would have known that Communists could bring themselves to use that word?

Karin Romanenko

Greenville, Pa.

If Tito really wishes to celebrate the Bicentennial, let him begin at home. Let Yugoslavia give its oppressed peoples freedom of speech, press and assembly.

Petar Radielovic

Croatian Information Service

Arcadia, Calif.

Bullied into Fluency

I was one of John Rassias' Peace Corps trainees in language at Dartmouth [Aug. 23]. We were harassed, wheedled and bullied into fluency by him and his equally excitable assistants.

Few learning experiences can compare with Professor Rassias, nose inches from yours, screaming horrible threats to frighten out a response vite!

Merci, Professor Rassias. It was well worth the fright.

Linda Goldsmith Bostroem T

aos Ski Valley, N. Mex.

No Torture

Your excellent article on the widespread practice of torture by governments leaves the impression that a human rights amendment of mine has not yet been adopted [Aug. 16]. Congress passed a revised military aid bill, signed into law by the President on June 30, which contains the human rights provision.

The provision states that it is the policy of the U.S. that no security assistance shall be provided to any country whose government "engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights," specifically mentioning torture as an example of such violations.

Donald M. Fraser

House of Representatives

Washington, D.C.

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