Cold War in Laos

Sir:

As one of the only two State Department vice consuls in Laos reporting on that unhappy land before and during the 1954 Geneva solution, I feel qualified to say that the cover story on Laos was superbly done.

This little land and people need our understanding assistance. They are charming people--innocent, kind and loving. It is a tragedy that they have been thrust into the no man's land of the cold war.

ROGER S. DARLING

Falls Church, Va.

Sir:

I fear that neutralism is not the answer to Laos' political problems. After Communist Chinese inroads on neutralist India's territory, and the respect shown for the Korean cease-fire agreement, any trust in Chinese and Russian promises of non-interference in Laos can be likened to Neville Chamberlain's trust in Hitler at Munich.

WILLIAM F. STRATHMAN

Lafayette, Ind.

Sir:

You state that Cambodia follows a policy of "capricious neutralism." We are astonished at the fertile imagination of your writers in finding derogatory adjectives which, in addition to being inaccurate, seem to be calculated to needle and annoy.

We find ourselves once more obliged to take issue with your misjudgment of our foreign policy, which we believe to be a genuine and sincere neutrality.

NONG KlMNY

Ambassador of Cambodia

Washington, D.C.

School Aid Battle

Sir:

Compliments to TIME on an objective, de-emotionalized report on the controversy over federal aid to private schools. I have made it required reading in my classes.

FRANCESCO CORDASCO

Department of History of Education

Seton Hall University

South Orange, NJ.

Sir:

The American Catholic throughout the history of the nation has proved his loyalty and devotion to the American way of life. He has borne cheerfully the burden of double taxation in order to educate his children according to the just dictates of his conscience. It is indeed unfortunate in these times of seeming progress that the conscientious American Catholic is to be systematically made the victim of the universal evils of injustice, intolerance and discrimination. The larger and more important constitutional issue today is the protection of the rights and dignity of the individual citizen, and not the belaboring of the almost nonexistent, specious church-state question.

THOMAS J. GREGORY

The Bronx, N.Y.

Sir:

Re your article "Battle Over Schools": When pressure from a certain religious denomination can strike such terror in the minds and hearts of our governmental leaders that they feel compelled to alter their legislation as this sect so desires, can we, as Americans, truly say that in this country the church and state are separate?

ROBERT E. POTTS

Essex Fells, N J.

Sir:

Officials who spend the taxpayers' money are answerable to Americans who elected them. If federal funds are allocated to Catholic parochial schools, who will direct them how to spend it? We, the taxpayers? Abraham Ribicoff?

LARRY STEINBERG

New York City

The Corvette

Sir:

With reference to your [phrase] "the famed Canadian subchaser known as the corvette," I would point out that this class of warship has had an honourable history in the navies of Europe long antedating the settlement of Canada or indeed the questionable activities of John Paul Jones either against Scotland or for Russia.

Such false propaganda for the New World is exactly on a par with Russian claims to have been first in the field with every modern discovery.

STANLEY OF ALDERLEY

Lieut. Cdr. R.N.V.R. (retd.)

Gorey, Jersey

P: Lord Stanley of Alderley, 6th Baron Sheffield of Roscommon, Baron Eddisbury of Winnington and a Baronet, served in a trawler, an ex-U.S. destroyer, a gunboat, during World War II, never in a corvette. For a comparison of corvettes, see cuts.--ED.

Operation Abolition

Sir:

I read your articles on the John Birch Society and Operation Abolition with alarm. The Americanists and the House Committee on Un-American Activities show a backward trend toward McCarthyism. Most Americans are loyal to their country. They need rather to be reminded of the basic freedoms upon which it was founded. One of these is the freedom of speech, which includes the right to disagree with an opinion even when it is that of the esteemed House committee--without being classified as Communist or Communist-duped.

"House Committee on Un-American Activities" is a worthy name for said group; its activities are most unAmerican!

(THE REV.) ROBERT W. HANNUM

Wellington Community Methodist Church"

Medford, Mass.

Sir:

I was privileged to see the film Operation Abolition, and I believe that the whole of the film was not exaggerated. Is there any exaggeration in truth? The threat of Communism can never be taken too seriously. Many people do not realize that the precious freedoms that we cherish so deeply will be lost under this horrible plague of men's minds. Communism is not a political party, as some believe. Americans have become too complacent and unless a change is made, Communism will be victorious even in America.

RICHARD W. LEWALLEN

Stillwater, Okla.

Meeting in Brazil

Sir:

I have noted your account of President Quadros' meeting with Ambassador Berle. In view of the great respect and wide circulation enjoyed by your review I feel that as one of four persons present I should inform you that story is entirely incorrect. No incident or affront of any nature occurred during the interview. Foreign Minister Arinos was not even present.

JOHN M. CABOT

Ambassador

Rio de Janeiro

P: TIME is glad to print Diplomat Cabot's version.--ED.

Airborne Alert

Sir:

Citizens everywhere should protest the SAC airborne alert. This is not only an aggressive and dangerous act, but essentially a propaganda and money-getting grab by the Air Force.

Any common-sense appraisal makes it patently apparent that neither Russia nor anyone else could launch an attack that would simultaneously knock out all 1,500 planes, 100 SAC bases, ships at sea, submarines, and 300-odd overseas bases, including rocket sites. If they are that good, neither twelve planes nor 120 planes will "save" us.

Congress and the Secretary of Defense ought to clamp down to save the $65 million involved and eliminate the possibility of a nuclear accident.

SILAS B. WEEKS

Durham, N.H.

Sir:

Re your TIME box story, "SAC's Deadly Daily Dozen": congratulations on a well-written, factual report of a vital mission. Your representatives captured in great detail the important phases of airborne alert activities. Not mentioned in detail but of equal importance is the tremendous machinery supporting each airborne mission. The loving technical care that each crew chief displays in managing his equipment, supporting technicians and supply support is the keystone in producing a high-quality reliable aircraft fleet. Thus our flight crews can fly this "highspeed loitering" with full confidence in the safety and reliability of their machines.

You have done a service to the public by indicating the quiet manner with which SAC has mounted a ready force, coupled with the wise expenditures of its tax monies.

RALPH N. LEONE

Major, U.S.A.F.

Amarillo Air Force Base, Texas

Revising the Standard

Sir:

The New English Bible is stupendous. We have advanced so far in culture and intelligence that all poetry should now be similarly explained and improved. It is reported that 304 scientists have recently revised that ragged classic, Crossing the Bar. Here is an excerpt from the "Revised Edition":

The sun is set. It is evening. The star is out.

There is a call for me. It is distinct.

I hope the sandbar will not moan

When I die and pass over it,

I hope the high tide will move slowly,

Without any foam or noise,

When I, who came out of the sea,

Go back into it again*

Shakespeare should come next, and the destruction of our heritage will be complete.

EDMOND J. WALSH

Nashville, Tenn.

Tomb of the Prophet

Sir:

Your story on Morocco contained a grave inaccuracy. The location of the tomb of our holy and blessed Prophet Mohammed, God's peace be upon him, is stated to be at Mecca, whereas in actual fact it is at Medina.

G. J. Quasimi

London

P: For view of colonnaded corridor leading to the Prophet's tomb at Medina, Saudi Arabia, see cut.--ED.

Unemployment

Sir:

I have read and reread with astonishment, even dismay, the article on conditions in Muncie, Ind. What kind of a race are we breeding? A family of three with an income of $138 weekly, mostly untaxed, and unhappy! Doesn't Muncie have a public library, or adult education classes?

My heart doesn't bleed for the Maces. Mrs. Mace, who will not accept free corn meal or dried eggs, should send her unemployed husband to the library for a cookbook and find out how many wholesome and tasty foods she can make with them.

JAMES M. SOMMERVILLE

Dana Point, Calif.

Sir:

Corn meal and dried eggs, with the addition of milk, brown sugar, molasses, ginger and cinnamon will produce a delicious Indian pudding for Mrs. Mace of Muncie.

BLANCHE HENGEL

Buffalo

Sir:

It made me feel "warm all over" to read that the machine operator laid off by Warner Gear is receiving a $30-a-week unemployment benefit from the United Auto Workers. This was caused by the fact that the money for these benefits comes from a fund established solely by company contributions, and the benefits are paid in accordance with the terms of a Supplemental Unemployment Benefit Plan (SUB) agreed to by Warner Gear and UAW Local No. 287.

LEONARD DAY

Warner Gear Division

Muncie, Ind.

Sight & Insight

Sir:

Collector Merle Armitage's huffing against Henry Koerner's art should not go unanswered. New insights always strike some people as "inexcusable." Koerner's Leontyne Price portrait seemed to me astonishing, disturbing, beautiful, profound.

ALEXANDER ELIOT

Ekali, Greece

If Looks Could Kill

Sir:

For years I have been an ardent reader and fan of yours, but still feel compelled to write: shame on TIME for describing Joshua Wallman as an "owlish" youngster.

Why is it that we in this country continue to use the terms "bookworms" for bright children and "owlish" when they happen to wear glasses? In Europe, exceptionally bright individuals are portrayed as similar to Greek gods, perfect in mind and body. Unless we stop tagging our intelligent youngsters so unfavorably, they will continue to be afraid to show their superior intelligence in school.

(MRS.) ERIKA EARTH

San Antonio

P: Let Reader Barth recall that the owl is a symbol of Greek Goddess Athena, goddess of wisdom.--ED.

* Tennyson's version:

Sunset and evening star,

And one clear call for me!

And may there be no moaning of the bar

When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep

Too full for sound and foam,

When that which drew from out the boundless deep

Turns again home.

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