To the Last Gasp

Sir: I will smoke [Jan. 17] until the day I die. I have smoked for over 45 years. I smoke cigarettes, cigars and a pipe. This is nobody's business but mine. First they wanted to stop people from drinking. That didn't work. Then they wanted to stop people from having babies. That won't work. Now they want to tell people if they can smoke or not. Who are they to tell other people what to do and how to run their lives?

I don't jump out of a window because someone yells fire. I like to see people get all the facts, figures, etc., and then use their own judgment. I don't believe in leading, pushing and needling people.

PETER J. SCHON Flint, Mich.

Sir: Last year I stopped smoking. After six months, I wound up an overweight nervous wreck, suffering from compulsive eating habits, extreme tension, unexplained chest cramps, a sudden rush of gum and teeth problems, and facing a costly replacement in clothing. Two months ago, I resumed smoking and the chest and dental problems promptly vanished, I am losing the excess poundage, eat normally, and most of the tension has departed.

It does seem far more urgent for all agencies concerned to concentrate on making smoking safer rather than wailing endlessly about the smoking hazard being on the loose after the barn doors have been belatedly closed.

DOUGLAS C. CARTER Great Falls, Mont.

Sir:

This week they've scorched our smoking

With frightful compilations.

Oh, experts, when the smoke dies down,

What newer deprivations?

(MRS.) MIKE SLATTERY San Diego

Sir: Now let's go after the whisky and the wild, wild women.

RAYMOND L. PARSONS Tempe, Ariz.

Flags Over Panama

Sir: The bloody incident of the past weekend between my country, the Republic of Panama, and the U.S. [Jan. 17] has been one of shock and surprise to both our countries. We both share a deep sadness for the irreparable loss of our countrymen. All that remains for us to do is pray; pray for our deceased and pray for the re-establishment of a peaceful coexistence between our nations.

RONALDO R. THOMAS Los Angeles

Sir: The new policy for Latin America, which the U.S. Government has initiated with the shooting of defenseless Panamanians during the struggle of flag raising in the Canal Zone, can be entitled "how to make enemies and lose friends." Insecurity, arrogance, selfishness and cynicism were demonstrated by the "Zonians" in their violent action. Instead of leaving the decisions to teenagers, the Canal Zone authorities should have taken the necessary steps to execute the agreement between U.S. and Panamanian governments in relation to flag raising in the Canal Zone territory of the Republic of Panama. It is inconceivable that the greatest nation on earth maintains a Stone Age attitude toward the same country that has contributed so much to the richness and power that the U.S. now has. Panama has not received adequate, up-to-date compensation for the physical and emotional sacrifices it has made during the first part of this century.

HUGO NAVARRO Panama

Sir: With the evidence of the Balboa (Panama Canal Zone) High School flag "razing," I wonder how anyone in the U.S. can now seriously favor giving 18-year-olds the vote.

(MRS.) BARBARA J. LANDFIELD Mount Sterling, Ill.

The Big State

Sir: Your cover story on John Connally [Jan. 17] is the first really perceptive look at Texas since J. Frank Dobie shocked University of Texas coeds with classroom stories they probably had originally overheard coming from behind the cattle sheds.

BILL NEWKIRK University of Texas '40 New York City

Sir: Praise be to TIME and Houstonian Sullivan! He and Magnuson deftly and courageously painted the objective picture of "the five worlds of Texas."

As teachers of Texas history, we applaud the accuracy of your research and welcome the invitation to "self-reliance." As citizens, we accept the challenge ahead under the able leadership of our Governor, John Connally.

CARROLL BRISTER & JAMES McTEE Blocker Junior High Texas City, Texas

Unacquainted

Sir: In TIME it was reported [Jan. 17] that Congressman John W. Byrnes of Wisconsin purchased stock in a Milwaukee insurance firm at the "urging" of former Senate Secretary Robert G. Baker. This is an error. It is well known in Washington that Congressman Byrnes does not know Baker and was not associated with him in any transactions.

JOHN L. STEELE Bureau Chief TIME Washington, D.C.

Man of the Year

Sir: The color pictures with your Man of the Year story [Jan. 3] did more to promote understanding and create confidence in Negro abilities than all the demonstrations of 1963 combined.

JUDD H. ROSE Livermore, Calif.

Sir: Thank you for the cover.

LENA HORNE Palm Springs, Calif.

Cold Blood in Cyprus

Sir: In your account of the recent tragic events in Cyprus [Jan. 10], you mention the unfortunate killing of a Turkish Cypriot mother and her three children. Your readers may have formed the impression that they were deliberately killed in cold blood. The truth is that machine-gun emplacements were erected by the Turkish insurgents on the house in which they were living. All four were killed in the breakthrough during the night. The entire responsibility for the tragic death of these unfortunate people rests with those who invited the calamity by using the house as a stronghold to fire on the security forces.

A. K. ANASTASSIOU Director General Ministry of Interior Nicosia, Cyprus

Sir: The murdered woman and her three little children were not Cypriots. They were the whole family of Major Dr. Nihat llhan of the Turkish armed forces, who was assigned to duty at the Turkish military unit in Cyprus. Armed Greeks broke into their home and shot Mrs. Murvet llhan and her three children (aged two months, five and seven) with automatic weapons. Turkish Cypriots only fired upon Greek terrorists in Cyprus during disorders and did not burn homes of innocent people, as did the Greeks.

NECATI ZINCIRKIRAN Managing Editor Hurriyet Ankara

Sir: Your readers may condemn this picture, but they must realize that this is reality all over the world. Let all men look at this picture and the murder of our President and pray that we will some day come to our senses and live in a world of peace.

H. CRAIG CURRY Mitchell College New London, Conn.

Bombay's Boundaries

Sir: As an Indian, I have violently disagreed with you.

But as a Bombayite for over a quarter of a century, I loved your article on Bombay [Jan. 10] as I love the city itself for all its shortcomings as well as for its merits. It was a wonderful piece of journalism.

ARUN VAIDYA Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pa.

We Love Him Anyhow

Sir: Regarding your article on Liberia [Jan. 17], all that is in it is true, but damn you for all the mockery it carries. Tubman is a good man, and the people of Liberia love him. If he remains in the mansion forever it is because the people want him to.

R. TOMBEKAI DEMPSTER Monrovia, Liberia

Pope & Patriarch

Sir: Your article on the meeting between the Patriarch and the Pope [Jan. 17] was excellent. As an Orthodox Catholic I must commend you for the fine way you handled the controversial issues. You showed a great deal of sensitivity to the viewpoints of both the East and the West, and did not sacrifice the Orthodox viewpoint for the sake of sensationalism or emotionalism.

David Lee's picture of the Patriarch and Pope embracing is a masterpiece. It should receive an award.

KATHERINE VALONE Chicago

Poison in Parked Cars

Sir: We read with interest your article reporting new findings on the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning from automobile exhausts [Jan. 17]. Perhaps your readers would be interested in some additional information on this dangerous gas.

No one knows how many auto accidents are caused by motorists whose reaction time is somewhat slowed by a small seepage of carbon monoxide into a closed auto. If the exhaust and manifold are in good shape and fitted tight, the auto is probably safe. But it's even safer to leave a rear window open a crack.

The most dangerous time comes while sitting in a parked car with the motor running and the windows closed. This is a frequent occurrence in cold weather when the auto heater is turned on. To avoid possible poisoning, the motorist should always open a window when parked with the motor running.

HUGH H. HUSSEY, M.D. Director of Scientific Activities American Medical Association Chicago

Best of the Press

Sir: I agree with you on nine of your ten selections of the top U.S. dailies [Jan. 10]--not a bad percentage in any league. The one selection that I disagree with vehemently is your choice of the New York Daily News. Regardless of its circulation and unique policies, the Daily News makes me "sick," as I'm sure it does most professional journalists and journalism educators.

RICHARD E. PAVLIK Assistant Professor Department of Journalism Southern Colorado State College Pueblo, Colo.

Sir: You inadvertently perpetuate a misinterpretation in saying that I "let slip the opinion that there are only 18 'good' U.S. dailies." What I originally said was that of 200 major dailies, 10 to 18 would generally be ranked as "excellent" or "first-rate" by knowledgeable critics. That is not a bad percentage of excellence in any field. More important is the growing element of leadership on many dailies that seeks excellence, abhors distortion of news, and welcomes constructive criticism. There is fortunately more of this spirit in all branches of journalism than ever before.

EDWARD W. BARRETT Dean Graduate School of Journalism Columbia University New York City

Sir: One of my mischievous friends sent me his free copy of your Jan. 10 issue. He apparently was amused that you did not recognize the Christian Science Monitor as a daily newspaper.

Certainly some of TIME'S veteran correspondents haven't had any problem in evaluating the Monitor's role when they came to Boston. In fact, they have been most appreciative when our copy boys have volunteered to take them by the hand and show them where the Statehouse is or tell them off the record who is Governor. We do this from time to time as a matter of professional courtesy.

R. C. BERGENHEIM Assistant to the Manager The Christian Science Monitor Boston

Sir: You cited the late Paul Patterson's ingenuous idea--"If you put out a good enough paper, people will read it, advertisers will support it"--as illuminating a "fundamental truth: newspapering is a business, and a good business makes money."

This neat reasoning has one major flaw. Where a publisher has the field to himself, his newspaper can be a mediocre hodgepodge of rural obits on the front page, disjointed wire-service pieces, syndicated advice columns, plus a heavy dose of detailed high school sports coverage. Yet it will blanket the area, carry all the advertising the marketplace can afford, and make as much money as any Pulitzer prizewinner would in the same situation.

In fact, you have me as a subscriber as a direct result.

NATHAN MUSHKIN Captain, U.S.A.F. Ellsworth Air Force Base, S. Dak.

Sir: For Kentuckians the Louisville Courier-Journal exceeds all other papers in the country in excellence.

JIM PARKS Richmond, Ky.

Sir: Here are America's ten top newsmagazines: 1) Mad 2) Mad 3) Mad 4) Mad 5) Mad 6) Mad 7) Mad 8) Mad 9) Mad 10) Mad.

MARTIN L. DUGGAN News Editor St. Louis Globe-Democrat St. Louis

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