Tremendous Relief

Sir / I had trouble understanding the emotions I felt on hearing that the Viet Nam conflict was nearing an end [Feb. 5]. I did not feel like breaking out the champagne, but I did feel a tremendous relief. I echo the commentator who said it is not that something wonderful has happened; it is more a feeling that something terrible has finally ended.

KAREN P. OLSEN

Bellingham, Mass.

Sir / Upon learning about the end of the war, I could not help but feel a mixture of anger and shame--shame for all of those years and anger to those who raise champagne glasses in lofty praise of peace. I cannot celebrate.

I can only reflect on what we may have learned and think of all those who paid the price for that wisdom.

DENNIS R. SULLIVAN

Pittsburgh

Sir / At last we have a ceasefire, but an important question still remains unresolved. Where, when and against whom will our vociferous anti-everythings now direct their vituperative "freedom of screech"?

SIMON OTTINGER

New York City

Abortion and the Court

Sir / I weep for the hundreds of thousands of innocent lives to be destroyed as a result of the Supreme Court decision on abortion [Jan. 29], for the tremendous waste of human resources, and I weep for my children who will live in a society where property is protected by law but human life is denied such protection.

The Viet Nam atrocities end but not the destruction of human life.

(MRS.) ANNA FAUST

Norristown, Pa.

Sir / So, not only is the fetus not truly human, but according to Anthropologist Ashley Montagu, neither is the newborn, until molded by social and cultural influences. Presumably then we may take the life of the newborn any time before this molding is complete. After how much molding? One hour? One week? One year?

ROGER C. SCHREFFLER

Fair Oaks. Calif.

Sir / How misguided the country that prohibits the execution of ruthless murderers, but then allows the murder of the innocent unborn.

DAVIDS. MARCONI

Endicott.N.Y.

Sir / Those whom you call abortion foes prefer to be known as pro-life people. Who told you that the Right to Life movement is Catholic-dominated? In Michigan and elsewhere, Lutherans, Christian Reformed. Mormons, Baptists, Presbyterians and others are prominent in this ecumenical movement. As the vice chairman of the Kalamazoo area Right to Life chapter, I can assure you that this Episcopalian is not dominated by trie Roman Catholic Church.

(THE REV.) DAVID W. SIMONS

Paw Paw, Mich.

Sir / What torturous anguish and despair women have known for untold years, trying to satisfy church and state and husband and children and their own mental stability! At last, woman is allowed to take the personal question of abortion directly to her own conscience and to God.

(MRS.) LOIS THOMSON

Peoria, Ill.

Sir / No matter how you look at it, abortion is the killing of a living thing. But isn't this a better answer than the lifelong emotional damage that occurs to unwanted, unloved children? Is this not killing also--in torturous slow motion? Should this be chosen over abortion?

The much simpler, ideal solution to the abortion question is reliable, accessible contraception. Since this, as yet, is not a full reality, the freedom to obtain a legal abortion is a choice women should have.

(MRS.) ELIZABETH OVERHOLT

Newtown Square, Pa.

The Devil Applauds?

Sir / God is not dead, and neither is the devil, who really must be applauding your cover story, "Sex and Death in Paris" [Jan. 22], as it invades the living rooms and libraries of our so-called Christian nation. If Hollywood insists on wallowing in the mire, need you go and do likewise?

(MRS.) JEAN GRUDEM

Eau Claire, Wis.

Sir / Congratulations on your courageous and objective reporting in the cover story on Marlon Brando and his new movie, Last Tango in Paris.

There are those who will support the proliferation of visual reporting of blood, gore, murder and destruction while hypocritically desiring to censor honest portrayal of human sexuality.

Your straightforward discussion of Brando's strikingly controversial movie allows your readers to make an educated judgment as to whether or not they would want to place this offering on their entertainment schedules.

JAY H. LEHR

Columbus

Sir / Oh, goody! Thanks to Last Tango being a True Work of Art, with all that great acting and directing, plus psychology, it can be shown in the uptown theaters. Now all of us nice, respectable ladies can have a chance to see a raw porno flick, just like those nasty sex shows that men sneak into down on skid row.

MRS. M.W. DUDLEY

Seattle

Sir / I am "mature, capable of grasping the idea underneath." But I was not fast enough to grasp your TIME magazine away from the hands of my third, sixth-and seventh-graders who are not "mature, capable of grasping the idea underneath."

(MRS.) JEANNE EKSTROM

Minneapolis

Constant Reminder

Sir / You ask "Oh, Say Can You Still See?" [Jan. 29]. Yes, I can see.

For me, and probably for thousands of immigrants who came to the shores of this country in search of freedom, participating in the Pledge of Allegiance or singing the Star-Spangled Banner is a constant reminder of gratitude for being able to live in the United States.

WILLIAM D. FREMONT

Los Angeles

Sir / Your Essay "Oh, Say Can You Still See?" prompts me to ask that you look to our American-born students, including grammar, junior high, high school and college youth, and find how many understand the word pledge. Then give them another challenge--try "allegiance."

As a Cub Scout den leader, I asked these questions and found that none of the sixth-grade Webelo Cub Scouts (aged about nine or ten) could define the first, let alone the second. Further discussion with older boys (including a few Eagle Scouts) revealed that somebody forgot to explain to them what it is all about.

Until they can understand the background and historical significance of a salute, or pledge, why complain if young people seem to lack respect?

EARL L.C. SOBEL

San Rafael, Calif.

Sir / I will pledge allegiance to the flag and to the republic for which it stands when it becomes one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all of us.

PAMELA MAHAIRAS

Norwell, Mass.

Discriminatory Practices

Sir / Your story "Goals That Look Like Quotas" [Jan. 29] smacks of ignorance. Put simply, the Government hopes to set goals, where necessary, that would alleviate past discriminatory practices.

Indeed, "discrimination in reverse" might well be analogous to equal opportunity, since this country must reverse its innumerable discriminatory practices toward minorities in order to reach America's goal of equality for all.

JESSE MARTINEZ

Cambridge, Mass.

Sir / For those of us who long ago welcomed the Fair Employment Practice Committee and all subsequent attempts to guarantee fair access to jobs for blacks and other minorities, it is dismaying to find one's own case representative of the failure of the Government to assure their white employees equal consideration for job openings.

I was asked to fill a more responsible job, temporarily and without increased compensation. I agreed, and although I was complimented for my intelligent handling of those new duties, I was told that I would not be considered for the opening since management was trying to find a black for the position. Despite his modest credentials, a black was hired. I was asked to train the new employee and then I was to step down and he was to become my superior.

Such an obvious attempt to fill minority quotas is a distortion of the liberal viewpoint that cannot be welcomed even by the minorities, since it is at best only another form of condescension to an intelligent minority member who wants to be considered solely on his ability and his record.

RICHARD HOGE

Philadelphia

Sealed Bid

Sir / I write on behalf of Dr. Armand Hammer and Occidental Petroleum Corp. concerning errors in the article that appeared in your issue of Jan. 29. Through years of association with Occidental as counsel for it and Dr. Hammer, I have become familiar with the material discussed.

The article quotes a White House consultant as saying that Occidental "is not involved" in either of the two proposed natural-gas deals with the U.S.S.R. This statement is incorrect. It is commonly known that Occidental is a partner in one of the proposed natural-gas deals referred to in the article.

The suggestion that Occidental obtained its Libyan concession through impropriety is completely untrue and may do grievous injury to it. Occidental's sealed bid was accepted as the best among other sealed bids.

Finally, your abbreviated report on Occidental's financial history may be misleading to some of your readers. Occidental has assets in excess of $2 billion. Together with its corporate partners. Occidental is and will be able to carry out all of its obligations, including those programs that it intends to consummate with the Soviets.

LOUIS NIZER

New York City

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