HILLARY CLINTON VS. ELIZABETH DOLE

Your article highlights the improving role of women in professional and public life [NATION, July 1]. Although we have yet to consider seriously a woman for the U.S. presidency, it is encouraging to see that two such strong women as Hillary Rodham Clinton and Elizabeth Hanford Dole are role models for younger women. This is healthy for our society, as there is greater acceptance of women in positions of power. I look forward to the day when we contemplate the role of the President's husband. JAMES MCKEAN WOOD New Hope, Pennsylvania Via E-mail

It's amusing and a bit sad at the end of the 20th century to watch two powerful, talented American women competing, power bite for power bite, for the position of--First Lady. Why are Elizabeth Dole and Hillary Clinton, both "accomplished and ambitious" politicians with Ivy League degrees and high-flying careers, battling it out for the honor of being the unpaid helpmeet of the most powerful man in the world? Is it because they're devoted wives or because the White House has a glass ceiling? If these women have star-quality expertise, then, yes, we should hold the proposed Hillary-Liddy debate. And next time, elect one of them President. SHERYL HALPERN Montreal

Forget about Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Dole. What America needs is a Bess Truman; she left it all up to Harry. STANLEY DUPLANTIS Houston

The fact that these two women are so different yet similar presents a lesson for us all. No matter what side of the political fence we happen to be on, it is healthy to stop and think about the things we have in common. MARGARET CROOK Boston

We are not electing a First Lady. We are choosing a person to serve as President. While any number of women may be qualified for the job, right now our only realistic choices are men. Information about their wives is interesting, but pitting one potential First Lady against another misses the point. A husband and wife are a team; compare how the two teams work. Isolating the wives and suggesting that Americans can simply "pick one" trivializes the voters' decision. Profile the women--compare their professional styles, their occasional mistakes, their communication methods--but please don't encourage people to vote for a man for President based on their opinion of his spouse! ANN G. BAUER San Diego

You gave Bob Dole credit for suggesting the idea of a First Ladies' debate, but the Hillary Clinton Quarterly originated the idea more than two years ago. We still think it is a good one. How many people really want to hear monotone Bob and boxer-briefs Bill spew platitudes for an hour or two? Give us a real catfight with some honest blood and guts. It's the adrenaline rush the American political system so badly craves. FRANK MARAFIOTE, Editor Hillary Clinton Quarterly Concord, New Hampshire

When did we start electing First Ladies? Stop this foolishness. LAWRENCE F. POWERS North Bennington, Vermont

There is no guiding light for First Ladies about what their duties are. Some expectations about the position may change with the times, but the role is essentially a supportive one. Regardless of their abilities and qualifications, Hillary and Liddy must understand that neither is running for co-President. HELEN W. JOFFE Hamilton, Ohio

BOB DOLE'S GREATEST ASSET

The Elizabeth Dole depicted in your article [NATION, July 1] is wholly different from the sincere, gracious, caring person who is my close friend and mentor. She never forgets a birthday, is always appreciative and is the first to lend a word of encouragement during difficult times. Those who work with Elizabeth Dole are privileged and honored to serve someone whose entire career has been devoted to making a positive difference in the lives of others. According to you, Mrs. Dole's Christian faith and common courtesy are at the least puzzling and at the most threatening. Perhaps you are out of touch with her values and the values of most Americans. It is unfortunate that your readers were denied a fair look at the real Elizabeth Dole. CINDI F. WILLIAMS Chief of Staff to Elizabeth Dole Washington

If Elizabeth Dole should take up residence in the White House, my guess is that by comparison she would make Hillary Clinton seem almost as self-effacing as Bess Truman or Mamie Eisenhower. DESMOND LEIGH-HUNT Santa Barbara, California

Bob and Elizabeth Dole seem to have true grit in word and deed. If we were to elect Bob Dole to the presidency, the media would have to report on issues and solutions instead of the never-ending soap we have now. I like the idea of fewer little dinner parties and more shared thoughts and ideas. CONNIE SIMPSON Steamboat Springs, Colorado

BRING ON THE BLUES

I was blown away by the article on the [nightclub and restaurant chain] House of Blues [MUSIC, July 1]. I could not believe that its founder, Isaac Tigrett, suggested the black community had turned its back on the blues music genre. How could this middle-aged yuppie white man make an intelligent assessment of the role blues has in our community? Blues is a result of the racism, poverty and hopelessness felt in the black ghetto, experiences Tigrett has never been familiar with. For the record, blues music was never ignored by the black community; it has simply manifested itself in different genres such as hip-hop, R. and B. (rhythm and blues) and gospel. Before Tigrett makes his billions off the blues tradition, maybe he should try to understand the music. Blues is a vital part of black history, and he can bet the black community will never forget its importance. EVANS RICHARDSON, age 16 St. Louis, Missouri Via E-mail

In 1977 I went to a student concert and saw B.B. King perform. Aside from being moved and awed by the music, I was bewildered to find only a handful of African Americans in the audience. When I asked an older gentleman why more in his community didn't attend, he put his hand on my shoulder and said solemnly, "Son, my people have been livin' the blues for 200 years; most see no sense spending their time listening to it." I agree with Isaac Tigrett's comment that it is a tragedy "the black community abandoned the blues and the audience became white." Bravo to Tigrett for taking this American art form out of the little clubs and into the world! PHIL LOBEL Los Angeles

In the past our magazine has been very critical of the House of Blues, especially because of the appalling shortage of genuine blues artists the organization presents at its clubs. If, however, as you state, the company has managed to resurrect the legendary Muddy Waters, who passed away in 1983, please inform it that all is forgiven. And a table for two, please, close to the band. RICH and SHARON SCHNEIDER Blues Beat Lewiston, New York

MORE THAN ONE WE THE PEOPLE

In your report on Montana's Freemen [NATION, June 17], you mentioned that one of the Freemen was influenced by a right-wing group called We the People. This group is not to be confused with the progressive national political organization of the same name founded by former California Governor Jerry Brown. Members of this group, in conjunction with the Green Party, are working in 45 states to place Ralph Nader's name on the ballot for President of the U.S. GEORGE N. LYNE East Coast Coordinator We the People Ellenton, Florida

NOT SO ROYAL FLUSH

It is about time a magazine flushed out the news about the politically correct but poorly performing low-flow toilet [SCIENCE, July 1]. My experience is that the new toilets are an embarrassment to our technically advanced society. Why does one have to reflush to remove floating stuff that just didn't wash away the first time, only to flush again and get some new surprises? And a person cannot go away for a few days without making sure everything got flushed away, or he may risk returning to a house that has a new odor. Looks like environmentalists had better go back to the "throne" to do some more thinking. JOHN A. LACZ Hawthorne, New Jersey

Our family's solution to the low tide in toilet bowls is the plunger: don't go home without it. HOWARD F. STEIN Bethany, Oklahoma

POTENTIAL POWER OF FAITH

Your article on the role of faith in healing [MEDICINE, June 24] only highlights what we in India have known for thousands of years: the ordinary human body has almost unlimited powers and wonderful potential. As proof, we can look at the human beings who climbed Mount Everest without oxygen or who swam 100 km nonstop or who calculated the square root of a 27-digit number faster than a computer. All these feats were achieved by ordinary people just like you and me. The overwhelming majority of humans do not realize what they possess, and hence the power lies dormant. It is only when faith activates this potential that so-called miracles take place. We are capable of astonishing achievements, provided we know how to use our powers. BRAJENDRA SINGH New Delhi

The theories of scientific medicine are empirically testable and have been rigorously tested. The theories of faith healing have survived only because they can be rationalized on their own terms against all manner of objections: they can never be refuted. But none of this is to say that we can do without faith. CARLO FONSEKA, Dean Faculty of Medicine University of Kelaniya Ragama, Sri Lanka

Faith can heal, but that has been known to science for a long time. It is called the placebo effect. It does not matter whether that faith is based on reality. JOHN MITCHELL London

When faced with a crisis of any kind, and especially with the threatened death of a loved one, people rediscover spirituality with amazing speed. Now Western science is catching up to what some of us have always known: we are not sufficient in ourselves; prayer really does change things. Science can never compete with personal experience. If you've seen someone in your family healed, if you've had your prayers answered, what anyone else thinks about it becomes unimportant. TANYA BANKART Bedford, South Africa

In a world with scant belief in mythology or true religion, it is not surprising that the art of medicine is suffering. Our materialistic view of the world makes our bodies seem like something mechanical. So we go to the doctor the same way we take our car in for repairs. No wonder we feel so empty. ROBERTO TAKAOKA Sao Paulo, Brazil

CORRECTIONS

The chart accompanying our report on water-purification filters "Comparing the Top Systems" [HEALTH, June 10] mistakenly listed its source as Consumer Reports. The chart does not reflect results of any Consumer Reports tests, and the headline should have stated clearly that the filters listed are the top-selling systems, not the top-ranking ones as determined by testing. Also, the stock number and pricing for Amway's primary water-filter model for home use were incorrect. The model is number E84, selling for $297 at suggested retail and requiring a $56 faucet-installation kit.

Our "Verbatim" quote about former White House aide Craig Livingstone [NOTEBOOK, July 1] omitted part of what senior adviser to the President George Stephanopoulos said, and changed the meaning of his words. The quote should be: "All I know is that anything that has anything to do with security or logistics--Craig's going to take care of it. You don't have to tell him how to do it, when to do it. Just that it needs to be done...He knows how to cut through the bureaucracy."