Central America

To the Editors:

Our concern with El Salvador [March 22] should not center on who the guerrillas are, or what their ideology appears to be now, or even how short the current regime falls of our democratic standards. Rather, we must worry about what will surely follow. The Communists will usurp the insurgents' victory, as they did in Cuba. We will have another enemy at our doorstep, and the Salvadoran people will continue to suffer.

Jose E. Llana Seabrook, Texas

As long as we support and engineer oppressive regimes, we will be faced with anti-American, and therefore usually Communist, revolutions in these nations. Instead of winning friends in the world community, our actions ensure that we will be hated by the new rulers. Perhaps in the future, our Government will realize its mistake and will cease to back right-wing dictators in the name of freedom.

Troy Storfjell Berrien Springs, Mich.

Has the U.S. forgotten the missing, dead and wounded of Viet Nam? Will Americans die for the wrong reasons in El Salvador? Will we use our dollars to finance a government that kills priests, nuns and schoolteachers? The U.S. is supporting the wrong side in this war.

Dave Evans Nitro, W. Va.

If I didn't know better, I would say that you got your cover photograph from my Viet Nam scrapbook.

Kurt Davis South St. Paul, Minn.

The End of Excellence?

We aren't losing excellence [March 22]; we're in the process of redefining it in a new world with new values that are more ecological and integrated than those of the shaky structure of the past three centuries. We are creating a new vision of excellence as we go along.

Phillip Sweedar Atlanta

What I strive for and to a degree achieve as a craftsman wood turner has its roots in the idea expressed by Ralph Waldo Emerson: "The reward of a thing well done is to have done it." This feeling cannot be abandoned.

Richard H. Montague Groton, Vt.

Excellence? It's in my backyard. It's called the Columbia.

Ginette T. Hochman Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Williams Resigns

At the time of his resignation from the Senate, Harrison Williams stated, "I do not feel that I broke any code of ethics" [March 22]. It is unfortunate that Mr. Williams could not see that this was precisely the problem.

Mickey McLaughlin Nashville, Tenn.

Senator Daniel Inouye may not believe that a Senator should be expelled for being a fool--but I cannot think of a better reason.

William Weinstein Belmont, Mass.

I protest the manner in which the FBI is being brought to task regarding Abscam. If Harrison Williams had refused the bribe, that would have ended the matter for him. I say the FBI did good work. I hope it will continue to uncover dishonest individuals in our Government.

Beverly Silverman Santa Clara, Calif.

Religious Reunion

The "Blueprint for Union" [March 22] of Roman Catholics and the Anglican Communion is unlikely to end their separation. The "emotional controversies" referred to in your article are as important as the items that were covered in the commission's discussions. I would be willing to wager that nothing will ever come of the illustrious papers composed by the academicians of both groups.

I cannot imagine that the Vatican would want to have anything to do with the Episcopal Church in America. And I am positive that Anglican evangelicals would never accept reconciliation with the Roman Catholic Church.

(The Rev.) Gerald L. Claudius Kansas City, Mo.

The shotgun wedding promoted by the ecumenical commission between progressive Anglicanism and the hard-shell Catholicism of John Paul II has no chance of success. When the modern bride-to-be realizes that her bridegroom goes apoplectic over abortion, birth control, compromise between clerics and laity, divorce and myriad other issues accepted by her generation, she will undoubtedly choose to go it alone.

Edmund A. Bojarski Rusk, Texas

As a Roman Catholic Christian, I read with great joy your article on a possible Anglican and Catholic accord. I believe separated Christians feel a deep loneliness for one another and wish that "all may be one." Our hope and joy, translated into prayer and love, will hasten that blessed day.

Catherine C. Fenzel Eastchester, N. Y.

Airline Statistics

In "Airlines in a Nose Dive" [March 22], you pointed out Pan Am's falling load factor and said, "TWA's [load factor] dropped even further in the first two months of this year to 49.1%." Untrue! TWA's load factor rose by 1.7 percentage points in the first two months of 1982 to 53.2%, reflecting our continuing program of reducing excess capacity--the plague of the industry.

David C. Venz

Director, Public Affairs

Trans World Airlines

New York City

Your chart contained the erroneous information that American Airlines had an operating loss in 1981. Actually, American recorded an operating profit of $72.2 million and net earnings of $47.4 million. Our operating profit fell short of the amount needed to finance new aircraft, but it was a $158 million favorable turnaround from the previous year.

David C. Frailey

Vice President, Public Relations

American Airlines

Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, Texas

Love for Linda

I am glad to know that Linda Ronstadt is not pigeon-toed in real life [March 22], because she is one of the very few show biz types that I would love to bring home to Mom. Not only has she survived the rock-'n'-roll treadmill with amazing grace but she has remained completely human under the media's celebrity microscope. If she finds moviemaking not quite comfortable, she can rest assured that we will all settle for just her music.

Glenn Morse Albany

Book Publishing

Yes, prices for hard-cover books are high [March 22], but a ticket to a Broadway show costs two or three times as much for only a few pleasant hours, and that's it. You can reread a book again and again. You can lend it to family and friends. It looks nice on the bookshelf.

Susannah Smith Dover, Del.

Hollister's Outrage

I love my little town of Hollister, Calif. [March 22]. It is beautiful, serene and peaceful, yet, at the same time, it is also industrial, agricultural, recreational and residential. We are not the little hick town described in your story "California: Tremors on the Fault." Our town does have earthquakes, which have left much evidence. But they are sporadic and insignificant in scale.

Gail C. Martin Hollister, Calif.

I would not trade all the little shakes and jiggles I have felt in the 20 years I have lived here for one good blockbusting Maryland thunderstorm.

W.Browning Belts Hollister, Calif.

Homosexual Movies

Perhaps films, like the rest of society, are beginning "to move beyond the notion that homosexuality is an illness rather than a choice" [March 22]. But there is no reason to think this is progress.

Travis Taylor San Antonio

For thousands of years, homosexuality has been considered deviant and unnatural behavior. Would your movie reviewer have us believe that a few new '82 films will make it an acceptable alternate lifestyle?

Gerald P. Deppe St. Louis

Homosexuality is no more a choice than is heterosexuality or, for that matter, being lefthanded or righthanded. For someone who is gay, the only choice is between denying his or her natural feelings and impulses or living them out.

Thomas R. Field Chicago

Kosinski on Abbott

In connection with your review of Pinball, I would like to inform you that I have not "supported and later repudiated the parole of Convicted Murderer Jack Henry Abbott" [March 22]. As president of American PEN (1973-75), I corresponded with Mr. Abbott, who was part of PEN'S Prisoners Writing Program.

Jerzy Kosinski New York City

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.