The Babies Left Behind

To the Editors:

I was one of those for the war in Viet Nam, but as I slept last night under a soft, warm blanket, I thought of the children of God in Viet Nam under their blankets of stinking death, hunger and abandonment [April 14], and I wondered there in the dark if lightning would strike.

Gary V. Heesch Oregon City, Ore.

That the "baby lift" is another facet of our emotionalism with respect to South Viet Nam is undeniable. But that it is being used by the Administration to manipulate emotions in favor of the President and against the Congress is highly questionable.

Applications and plans for the adoption of these babies have been in process for as long as two years. It would appear that the only change is acceleration of the process, created by the acceleration of the crumbling of the defenses of South Viet Nam, which stems from the refusal of the Congress to approve the President's request for aid to South Viet Nam. But the real responsibility is that of the American people themselves. Congress is only carrying out the mandate of its constituents, and that mandate for years has been to get out of South Viet Nam and stay out. Admirable as the baby lift may be, where is our concern for South Vietnamese babies left behind?

Margaret Chase Smith Skowhegan, Me.

Mrs. Smith served from 1949 to 1973 as an independent-minded Republican Senator from Maine.

Isn't it nice to see so many Americans open their kind hearts to donate food, clothing and money to those refugee children who are being brought to the U.S.? But what about the starving black child in the ghetto, the poor Indian on the reservation, or the ragged-clothed youngster in Appalachia? Where can they flee to? How many special funds are set up for them?

J. Thomas Jones Muncie, Ind.

Congenial World

In your Essay "The U.S. Cannot Live in Isolation" [April 7], you say that "not only must the U.S. be able to defend itself but it must have a world--or at least some regions of the world--congenial to its system and its goals."

And I ask: Are the goals of the innumerable juntas you have supported throughout the world (Greece, Chile, Santo Domingo, etc.) your free society's goals too?

Laura Tzelepoglou Athens, Greece

The failure of U.S. policy in Cambodia and Viet Nam, and its setback in the Middle East, clearly reflects the change in the "correlation of forces" to the disadvantage of the U.S. This change is partly an inevitable development: a world divided between superpowers and non-powers is a historic anomaly, and the increasing ability of smaller powers to frustrate great powers is a return to normality. But the change is also a factor of American decline: the decline of our willingness to allocate resources and take action in support of our foreign policy.

We must integrate public support into the conduct of our foreign affairs through responsible and candid leadership by the Executive, in the Congress and in the media, with better understanding of the roles of pressure groups, whether they be economic, ethnic or philosophic. Also, there must continue to be a strong moralistic basis for U.S. foreign policy. It would have no validity without one.

We seem, at least temporarily, to lack an element indispensable to developing and carrying out sound foreign policy. It is faith in each other as common voyagers.

Robert Taft Jr. U.S. Senator, Ohio Washington, D.C.

I did not like your Essay. The area of the world in which the U.S. should be "prepared to commit itself seems to have shrunk drastically in the past 14 years. Is this because "the world changed," or is it because our wisdom and resolve have also shrunk? At this rate, maybe in another 14 years a TIME Essay will give a new list of "top priorities": Washington, D.C., New York City, Cape Cod, Miami Beach. I preferred Kennedy's inaugural pledge.

Hugh H. Mills Seattle

Middle East Hack Work

The question [April 7] is not one of finding an Israeli government strong enough to make high-risk concessions, but rather of finding an Arab government independent and bold enough to meet directly with the Israelis and sign a peace treaty.

It appears that when Sadat gets down to the issue of real peace (via a treaty) he cannot hack it.

Harriet Miller Trumbull, Conn.

Speaking of U.S. leverage with Israel, Rabin stated, "Israel is a sovereign state, responsible for itself." I hope Rabin remembers this before he drops another "$2.5 billion request" on us.

John F. Black Dolton, Ill.

Your article is very disturbing by reason of its obvious bias in favor of Sadat, the "moderate Arab."

You must think the Israeli Cabinet especially thick not to have been aware, as events in Cambodia and Viet Nam have shown, just how illusory Kissinger's wizardry really is.

Instead of assessing the blame equally, you, your President and his Secretary of State have resorted to the unworthy ploy of scapegoating.

Lionel Byrne Ottawa

Target Henry

In response to your question "What Now for Henry?" [April 7], the answer is: RESIGN.

(The Rev.) Julius H. Lang Naples, Fla.

What in the hell is wrong with people who now are taking cheap shots at this great man? Color 'em intellectual Archie Bunkers.

Bill Gilmore Rolling Meadows, Ill.

It is not Henry who has become a prisoner of his own legend. It is "America's absurd naivete" that has become a prisoner of its own created legend of Kissinger's infallibility, and is now desperately demanding the legend be true.

Helga Marshall San Diego

Competition in Oil

TIME was in error when it reported in its March 31 issue that I "sharply opposed" efforts to eliminate the oil-and gas-depletion allowance "for all but the smallest independent oil producers."

I have offered and fought for reforms because our tax provisions should encourage domestic exploration, not foreign drilling. The small, independent producers drill 85% of the new exploratory wells in this country. Consumer interests are well served by tax policies that allow these smaller firms to provide badly needed competition in the petroleum industry.

Lloyd Bentsen U.S. Senator, Texas Washington, D.C.

Bikini Parity

Re "Away from Freedom" [March 31]: as a farmer, may I join farmers worldwide in extending congratulations to our American counterparts, who in 1974 received from the sale of food products "almost exactly as much" income as did the producers of other things in life, such as autos, bikinis and Ping Pong balls.

Dave Sayer Ninette, Man. Canada

Advice to Fischer

The Press section [March 31] quotes NBC-TV News Vice President Richard Fischer, referring to news coverage of Viet Nam, as saying: "We are totally in the hands of the various crooks who run charter services."

Speaking as a correspondent who has covered Indochina on and off for 14 years, I am bound to say that this remark is gratuitous slander against some very brave and competent men. Charter pilots risk their planes and lives day after day for such organizations as NBC, and their rates are naturally very high. They get beaten up these days trying to jam a few last women and children into overloaded evacuation flights or chasing through hostile towns on motorcycles, looking for missing newsmen who need to be flown out.

I would advise Mr. Fischer to avoid finding himself alone on a Vietnamese beach, hoping that some helicopter or plane will find him before the North Vietnamese do. Charter men don't like being called crooks.

Malcolm W. Browne Acting Chief New York Times Saigon Bureau

Bald and Bewildered

I am bewildered by your calling me "bewigged" [March 31]. Through 90% of The Sunshine Boys I am not only not "bewigged," but I am shaved bald.

Walter Matthau Beverly Hills, Calif.

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