Court Arguments

To the Editors:

Supreme Court Justices [NATION, Oct. 8] are not appointed to further any private political view. Rather, the duty of the high court is to uphold the laws of this country and, as you say, "develop a higher loyalty" than mere politics. That distinction is the reason this nation has been able to remain a democracy.

Barbara Shaloo

Tinton Falls, N.J.

I am relieved that we have a chance to be rid of the proabortion, procriminal, propornography Supreme Court whose decisions have done so much damage in the past quarter-century.

Donald L. Moore

Bellwood, Ill.

You state, "No matter how conservative it becomes, the Supreme Court is not about to return to the pre-Brown vs. Board of Education era and permit the state to discriminate against racial minorities." Do you really mean to associate conservatism with racial discrimination? Your allusion is disturbing.

Scott W. Jones

Williamsville, N. Y.

What a pathetic bunch of male jurists. Except for Sandra Day O'Connor, the Justices should all be replaced by the brilliant young ghostwriters who draft their opinions.

Peter N. Flessas

Milwaukee

Fearing the Future

Your report on the agreement for the return of Hong Kong to China [WORLD, Oct. 8] missed the point. It questioned whether the unique capitalistic system, which has enabled the colony to prosper, can survive until the changing of the guard in 1997. Nothing destroys capitalistic enterprises more effectively than fear, well-founded or not. I wonder if the prime movers in Hong Kong's commercial community will wait around to test China's promises and performance.

H. Jackson Dorney

Miramar, Fla.

I doubt that the Hong Kong accord will last 50 days, much less 50 years.

Anthony Mantykowski

Carrouges, France

Welcoming Gromyko

President Reagan tells Andrei Gromyko [NATION, Oct. 8] that, from the days of Vladimir Lenin to the current leadership of Konstantin Chernenko, Moscow's policy has been to promote world revolution. Maybe so, but this philosophy did not concern Americans before World War II. As an engineering student during the Hoover Administration, I had Soviet students in my classes. I also knew American engineers who had helped design and build a steel plant in the Soviet Union. After World War II, the two countries became antagonists in a cold war that continues to this day. Perhaps it is time to recall an admonition in George Washington's Farewell Address: "The nation which indulges toward another an habitual hatred is a slave to its animosity."

Melville B. Millar

Redondo Beach, Calif.

I am frightened by Reagan's inability to seize the initiative from Gromyko. With Reagan as President, the Soviets do not need military superiority; they will simply outsmart us.

Arden F. Mahlberg

Madison, Wis.

Beirut Blame

President Reagan's attempt to evade responsibility for the Beirut embassy bombing [WORLD, Oct. 8] by blaming former President Jimmy Carter injects partisan politics into our military. This is a destructive precedent not in keeping with American tradition.

Frank A. Zimanski

Captain, U.S.N. (ret.)

Coronado, Calif.

Heads should roll in the State Department, not in the Oval Office.

Frank D. Martinez

Niceville, Fla.

Pied-Piper President

President Reagan's popularity among college students [NATION, Oct. 8] can be credited largely to timing. He took over a demoralized U.S. and rebuilt its pride.

Fernando E. Martinez

Baton Rouge, La.

The enthusiastic reception at Bowling Green University for Ronald Reagan reveals an important image of today's university students: they have gone from thrusting their fists into the air to sticking their heads in the sand.

Peter K. Cutler

New York City

Supporting Percy

Your piece on the Illinois Senate race [NATION, Oct. 8] creates a misleading impression of Senator Charles Percy's lawmaking record. He has had many legislative achievements, among them a provision of the current Export Administration Act that would assist small businesses in becoming successful exporters. When I campaign for Chuck Percy in Peoria later this month, I will point out to voters the importance of this legislation to the Illinois economy.

John Heinz

U.S. Senator, Pennsylvania

Chairman, Subcommittee on International

Finance and Monetary Policy

Washington, D.C.

Following Egypt

Your article "Friends and Enemies" [WORLD, Oct. 8] says that "Mubarak's fondest hope is that other Arab countries will follow Hussein's lead in forgiving Egypt." The Camp David accords were a historic peace agreement for the betterment of mankind. Jordan and the other Arab nations should not "forgive" what Egypt has done. They should accept its achievements.

Marshall Grant Tel Aviv

Schooling Preschoolers

I deplore the methods currently espoused by some preschool educators [EDUCATION, Oct. 8]. Kindergarten should be a place for whetting the appetite to learn, not a place for homework and tests.

Ruth Van Ness Blair

Clearwater, Fla.

Perhaps if we were willing to allow children to be children at the appropriate time of life, we would not have so many childish adults.

Carol M. Corbin

Freehold, N.J.

There is nothing wrong with getting children off to a quick start by developing their thinking, organizational and creative skills. Problems arise when we demand visible, measurable signs of progress in these youngsters, who can neither read nor write. The child who marks all the pictures correctly on a work sheet shows only what he already knows, but if he plays at building a bridge, he demonstrates that he is learning

Sally Barrett

Tacoma, Wash.

Your discussion of early learning aptly uses the term battleground to label the debate over appropriate kindergarten teaching. As with any fight, this one also has casualties. In this case, it is the youngster whose childhood is being invaded who is the victim.

Judy C. Reedy

Louisville

Manic Benefits

The latest research into manic-depressive illness [BEHAVIOR, Oct. 8] attempts to give a good name to a bad disease. Having worked as a psychiatric attendant, I know that the "creative" highs of manic-depression do not always give rise to artistic works of genius. On the contrary, many of these highs can result only in elaborate schemes that have absolutely no base in reality.

J. Clifton Raphael

Memphis

I am a freelance artist who has known two major manic episodes. There is a very thin line between a mild manic experience, which is beneficial, and a full-blown manic occurrence, which I know from experience is dangerous and devastating. Let's bring manic-depressives out of the closet and onto the podium, but not put them on a pedestal.

Joe Bailey

Orlando, Fla.

Many of the artists identified by Psychologist Jamison as manic-depressives were also suicides, alcoholics or drug addicts. Perhaps the illness contributed to their creativity. But when left untreated, that same ailment may also have led to their destruction.

Kathleen L. Rowe

University City, Mo.

Fabulous 40

Your story on abortion [NATION, Sept. 24] says that medieval theologians estimated that "the soul joined the body at the 40th day of pregnancy." Forty is a magical number. The biblical Flood lasted 40 days and 40 nights, Ali Baba had 40 thieves, and Moses wandered in the wilderness for 40 days. Suleiman died standing up, leaning on his cane. Nobody realized he was dead until 40 days later, when he finally fell.

Sun Ji Cannon

Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia