That Great American Doll

To the Editors:

All this TIME reader wants to know is where that blonde on the cover [June 28] is traveling to.

Bill Kauzlarich Farmington, Ill.

The great American doll is still gleaming her plastic smile from the back seat, inadequately dressed for the crosscountry trek. Why not give her sensible clothes, a protective helmet for her head, her own motorcycle and that wide-open highway?

The cutesie, all-American blonde you project, glossy and slick, is vacuous to this American woman.

Maria Friedrich St. Paul

It is a relief to find an American travelogue without the obligatory '76 Bicentennial rhetoric.

Although "purple mountain majesties" and "amber waves of grain" are important aspects of our national heritage, what would America be without Disneyland, Baskin-Robbins or the buffalo burger?

Martin Kobren Reisterstown, Md.

It is a shame that TIME should feel it necessary to bestow upon its readers yet another display of Bicentennial baloney. What is even more distasteful is its form--red, white and blue cheesecake.

Margaret Condron Hartford, Conn.

You never even mention by name, nor does your Cartographer Rosenblum show on his map, the scenic spot probably viewed by more people than any other on this continent. More brides and grooms, yes, kings and queens, princes and princesses, heads of state, world-famous figures and millions of others come to see and wonder at Niagara Falls.

Herbert P. Nagel Kenmore, N. Y.

Even though it was evident that you had the facts, the first few paragraphs were enough to scare off even the hardiest traveler. After all, who wants to find himself awash in $61 billion of film and disposable diapers?

Jacques C. Cosse, Director of P.R. Hilton Hotels Corp. Beverly Hills, Calif.

Cruel and Brutal

Once again South Africa [June 28] and its cruel, brutal and archaic leaders have shown their true colors. Their riot control methods remind one of Australia's early days when in many areas the fashionable sport for the young bloods was to go out and shoot an aborigine. The harvest that Prime Minister Vorster will reap will be one of violence and death as blacks swarm through cities like Johannesburg, aided by Marxist countries whose ideology is able to breed, as it always has been able to, in poverty, misery and oppression.

Garth Godoman Perth, Australia

The Soweto uprising demonstrates that shooting blacks and clubbing whites only help to polarize South Africa. The leaders on both sides should take a long hard look at America in the 1960s in order to see how killing, rioting and looting polarized the U.S.

Thomas Ward Collegeville, Pa.

Henry Kissinger is sowing the seeds of hatred and violent confrontation on the continent of Africa.

In his many condemnations of the South African government's policies of separate but equal development, or apartheid, Dr. Kissinger is giving moral support to the many subversive terrorists who want J. Vorster and Ian Smith out.

Thank God that South Africa has laws to quell such disturbances as the one in Soweto.

Vincent Brown San Francisco

Not Executed

As a U.S. Foreign Service officer, I condemn your use of the word executed to describe the murder of Ambassador Cleo Noel and his deputy George Moore [June 28]. My Webster defines execute as, "put to death in compliance with a legal sentence." The thugs responsible for such assassinations will doubtless be encouraged to receive such a mantle of respectability for their atrocities.

William H. Mills El Paso

The assassination of Francis Meloy and Robert Waring, as well as other U.S. diplomats, can be attributed to the United Nations.

The invitation to Yasser Arafat to address the U.N. assembly and the inclusion of P.L.O. delegates to participate and attend sessions, put the seal of approval on terrorism.

Jerome C. Engelman Hollywood, Fla.

Donald Duck and Dopey

Looking at the choices we have for President in '76 I'm happy for the first time that I am not old enough to vote. Choosing between Carter, Reagan and Ford [June 21] is like choosing Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck or Dopey.

Kathy Hite Walnut Creek, Calif.

A presidential candidate's religious beliefs and regional background are specious criteria for assessing whether he will ultimately be "good for the Jews." The most reliable guarantee of security for American Jewry, as for all subcultures in our pluralistic society, is the fundamental moral integrity of our national leadership. Accordingly, Jimmy Carter will receive my vote.

Barry D. Kellman Jerusalem

It is a quirk in our political system that we tend to elect an accomplished campaigner rather than a potential President. Jerry Ford is the first to admit he is a rather bland campaigner. Yet as President his leadership has been calm and productive.

Have not the lessons of '68 and '72 taught us that flamboyant campaign rhetoric and idealistic promises mean little after Election Day?

Patrick F. Gallo Austin, Texas

The Worms Turn

So the worms in the Big Apple are going to rip off the participants in the Democratic National Convention [June 28]. This situation illustrates vividly the reasons for New York City's woes.

The combination of money-grubbing union bosses, greedy businessmen and spineless government officials who allow this kind of fleecing will lead us all into bankruptcy. And if the Democrats allow themselves to be taken by these brigands, they are unworthy of our votes in November.

Lee Fahrney Derby, Kans.

What Is a Baptist?

Your one-sided, negative and non-factual presentation reinforces the illusion that Southern Baptists are primarily racist, unintelligent and irrelevant [June 21]. It completely ignores what Baptists are most famous for, namely, freedom and individual rights.

(The Rev.) Dan Ivins Bowie, Md.

Plugging the Leak

I would like to point out the poor management that caused and allowed the dam on Teton Creek in Idaho to collapse [June 21]. Someone in that area should have understood what to do in an emergency. The pictures show the bulldozers trying to stop the leak from below the dam. Any person with any knowledge at all of stopping a seep in a structure holding water would know the leak must be stopped from the upper side of the dam.

Emory Kimball Casper, Wyo.

The first photo shows the futile error of trying to plug a leak on the dry side of a dam bank. Any farmer familiar with dams and irrigation knows you must plug the hole at the source: on the water side.

Connie Christensen Weldona, Colo.

Capote's Company

The author of A Christmas Memory and In Cold Blood will no doubt be surprised to find himself in the company of such renowned novelists as John Ehrlichman and Elizabeth Ray [June 28] and to have the first installment of Answered Prayers dismissed as making his readers "throw up" while his characters eat lunch. When the book is published, those who regard Truman Capote as the gifted writer he is may well throw up while Melvin Maddocks eats his words.

Madeline Porter Boulder, Colo.

Ghastly Error

Your statement [June 7] that Sylvia Wallace was "a former ghostwriter" for me is completely erroneous.

Sheila Graham London

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.