The Last Taboo

Sir / While reading your article on the brave new TV season [Sept. 25], it occurred 19 me that perhaps the only taboo television has not yet toppled is the one against intelligent programs.

STEVE BROOKS

Waterville, Me.

Sir / Your review of the new TV season, which concentrated on the success of the Lear-Yorkin team, was slick and commercial; but like their comedy, it misses the mark.

Comedy is basically a social corrective, not just a form of entertainment. It is Lear and Yorkin's preoccupation with putting society's evils into a neat package to sell to the networks that makes their shows not much better than the ordinary sitcoms.

Their success does not stem from their comedy. Rather, the laughter that arises is merely the nervous reaction of a society that refuses to change the conditions that produce a bigoted Archie, a sad Sanford, or a phony Maude.

E.X. TRAVERS

Silver Spring, Md.

Sir / TIME edges close to the reason for the strong appeal of All in the Family to the American viewing public. I believe there are two other reasons why the Bunker family appeals to both sides of the political spectrum.

The conservatives love Archie because he gives public expression to many of their hidden views. The liberals accept Archie because, in their opinion, he makes such fools of all conservatives.

RICHARD W. WHARTON

Joaquin, Texas

Sir / Your implication that TV is "toppling old taboos" is inaccurate and misleading. Until TV topples the old and ironclad taboo against showing the conservative view in a favorable light, it will remain just what it has always been: a mouthpiece for the left-wing propagandists.

DANIEL Q. BROWN

Sandusky, Ohio

The Right to Know

Sir / When Republican spies raided Democratic headquarters [Sept. 25], what documents did they steal? Do they plan to sell the stolen documents to the New York Times? Why are the Democrats so frantically fearful that the stolen documents might be publicized? In any event, it seems to me that the public has a right to know what was in the Democratic documents --far more right than in the case of the Pentagon papers.

ROBERT LUMPKIN

Pensacola Beach, Fla.

Sir / The television networks should examine the talents of Larry O'Brien. Since this Watergate affair, who else is better qualified to stretch a five-minute news item into a two-hour extravaganza?

JAN SCHNEIDER

Riverside, Calif.

The Heart of the Church

Sir / As a practicing Roman Catholic, I was ashamed rather than enraged at Pope Paul's decree that women would be barred from minor roles in the church [Sept. 25]. The

Pope has singled out those who constitute the heart of the church, without whose presence there would be a spiritual as well as a financial disaster.

In an age of fruitful Christian enlightenment, he is unknowingly smothering the life of his beloved church.

PATRICIA KENNY

New York City

Sir / The church has hurt me deeply by saying that women are not worthy enough to be officially allowed to read the Scriptures at Mass. Both my husband and I read the Bible to our children in our home, and I defy any priest to tell my children that the parts Mommy reads are somehow tainted.

However, I shall continue to be a practicing Catholic with the infinite faith that God is not as hung up on sex as men.

MARALEE KIRWAN BATTAGLIA

Niagara Falls

Sir / It strikes me that while you are seemingly well versed in the Catholic theology of the Eucharist prior to the Second Vatican Council, you have somehow fallen behind. I know of nothing in the council or since which implies that a Eucharistic Congress is a mark of regression.

If it is regressive for the Pope to decry abortion, adultery, permissiveness and pornography, a considerable number of people would choose to be regressive rather than embrace a shallow and bankrupt philosophy that would consider such distortions progress.

(THE MOST REV.) JOHN R. QUINN

Bishop of Oklahoma City and Tulsa

Oklahoma City

More About Less

Sir / Re your story about Sociologist Andreski's charges [Sept. 25] that sociologists write more and more about less and less: I wish I'd said that--in print. I have said it often in class. It is to the credit of my professors that I was not booted out as a heretic.

(MRS.) HELEN PAGE

Camp Springs, Md.

Sir / Re "Science or Sorcery": as one who holds a degree in sociology, I am qualified to inform you that maximization of socioeconomic potential is a function of the needs and aspirations of the group. In other words, everyone has his hustle.

FRED PARKER

Camillus,N.Y.

Sir / Stanislav Andreski's new book is another in a series of distinguished but quixotic attempts to shift social science closer to social reality. Such works are heretical because they call for a general demystification of their field, which runs counter to the vested interests of social science's most honored professionals.

A central value of Western society is the fanatical faith in science. Therefore those who possess "scientific" knowledge constitute the elite of Western intellectual culture.

Science, unfortunately, becomes equated with obscurantism, empiricism equated with quantification--with the result that the more cryptic a person is, the more scientific he appears to be. Given that these are economically troubled times, even for "hard" scientists, I have some pragmatic advice for the nation's unemployed physicists, mathematicians and engineers.

Polish up your basic skills in higher mathematics and statistical techniques, for these are sufficient to make you a highly prestigious social scientist. Don't worry if you cannot write coherently, because if more than ten people read anything you have written, it cannot possibly be scientific and should not have been written anyway.

FRANK P.TARNEY

Instructor of Sociology

Southeastern Massachusetts

University

North Dartmouth, Mass.

Sir / It certainly is true that Stanislav Andreski's grandmother knew many things that social scientists are now "discovering." I, however, would like Andreski to analyze more of the social science principles his grandmother "knew." For example, my grandparents "knew" that "opposites attract" and that "birds of a feather flock together." In addition, they "knew" that "out of sight, out of mind" and that "absence makes the heart grow fonder."

The members of these pairs cannot both be true at all times for all social relationships. Social scientists working together in the areas of romantic love and friendship formation are trying to ascertain the specific situations under which these general and vague principles hold.

EMIL J. POSAVAC

Skokie, Ill.

Unshakable Policy

Sir / Despite the fact that TIME'S articles usually include erroneous statements about Chile, I feel that your assertion that "Chile has flatly refused to help" United States authorities in the fight against drugs in the story "Search and Destroy--The War on Drugs" [Sept. 4] must be corrected.

It has been an unshakable policy of my government to combat illegal drug traffic at the national as well as the international level, in collaboration with other countries. This attitude reflects itself in the strict and prompt enforcement of all current international regulations such as, for instance, those of the International Narcotics Control Committee. ,

The government of Chile is quite aware of the increase of illegal drug traffic, and in cooperation with Interpol and police services of different nations, including the United States, is making all the necessary efforts to combat it.

ORLANDO LETELIER

Ambassador of Chile

Washington, D.C.

Shoes When Required

Sir / TIME'S story "King of the Cocos" [Sept. 25] was fairer and more complete than most of the recent journalism I have read on the subject. As the sister of John Clunies-Ross, I have been distressed by sensational stories of "slavery probes."

But it is hard for me to see my brother as a "bizarre character." He goes barefoot for the same reason that people in any warm seaside community go barefoot, and he wears shoes when convention requires. And that's not a dagger. It's an all-purpose knife, similar to ones used by ranchers or sailors.

ININ CLUNIES-ROSS BURNETT

Thermal, Calif.

Writing on the Palm

Sir / Having been a white continental resident of St. Croix from 1962-63 and again from 1968-71, I can support the authenticity of your report "Behind the Facade" [Sept. 25].

The natural beauty and climate of "the Magic Virgin" is unsurpassed, and I left regretfully, but the continual fear of bodily harm, jeering harassment, the lack of orderly law enforcement and the apathy of many public officials gave me no other choice. (Arriving at my residence to investigate the fourth break-in within six months, the officer proceeded to borrow a pen so that he could write the report on the palm of his hand, having no paper or pad.)

MARY M. SOLOMON

Mount Vernon, Ohio

Sir / I wish to take personal exception to the inference made by your correspondent Peter Range. I have made my home on St. Croix for the past eleven years, and in spite of the recent tragedy, I still love my home and feel 1,000% safer here than I ever could in any major city on the U.S. mainland.

I cannot say that innocent people have not suffered at the hands of racists, madmen or drug addicts. But I would like to point out that our community is no different from others all over the world that share problems of race, creed and bigotry. Ninety-nine percent of us Cruzans love our island and wish to share it with others. We are not afraid to stand behind it.

SUSAN J. KELLEY

Christiansted, St. Croix

Julie as Hostage?

Sir / I note that the President's daughter Julie states she would be willing to die for the Thieu regime [Sept. 25]. That's a little much to ask, but wouldn't it be grand if she were to offer herself as a hostage to the North Vietnamese? Then all our P.O.W.s could be released and returned home.

(MRS.) AUDREY H. THOMAS

Green Bay, Wis.

Sir / Please, it is important for me to know: When does Julie Nixon Eisenhower ship out for South Viet Nam? I want to make sure no "peace bums" block the boat and keep her from going to the aid of President Thieu.

BETH DRAKE

Arlington, Texas

Bonekini

Sir / Jack Conrad, in his letter [Sept. 25] commenting on ever-shrinking beach attire, suggests that next will be the "nonokini" and asks what next? Perhaps the "bonekini"?

An oldtime Arizonan, when asked by a visitor what the Arizonans did when the temperatures reach 115 , answered, "Hell, we just go out on the porch, take off our skin and sit around in our bones."

R.G. MAHONEY

Tucson, Ariz.

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