An Atomic Scare

To the Editors:

After the Three Mile Island accident [April 9], I intend to vote against any politicians who say "Maybe" to nuclear power, regardless of their opinions on all other matters. What good is a chicken in every pot if the broth is radioactive?

Charlotte Reese Minden, Nev.

The nuclear scare fairly well demonstrated that the installation was able to deal with malfunction, and bolsters my confidence in nuclear energy.

Donald I. Dean, M.D. Rushville, Ind.

If nuclear power is not to be, where

do we go when civilization grinds to a

halt for lack of energy? Back to the caves?

Robert C. Green

Kingsley Field, Ore.

The Three Mile Island "event" will do for nuclear power what the Hindenburg did for zeppelins.

James S. Mellett New Fair field, Conn.

We, your so-called "intellectually concerned" and "idealistic young," no longer enlist in a cause for the sole reason that it may be "tangible and satisfyingly anti-Government and anti-Establishment." We oppose nuclear power because of the all too real threat, not only to our own lives, but to those of our children. Susan Grundy Poughkeepsie, N. Y.

The energy crisis could ultimately destroy our economy and bring down the world economy along with it. Such a collapse would precipitate world conflict and probably atomic war. We cannot escape the danger of the atom. But I would rather risk a mishap once every 20 to 30 years than face one nuclear holocaust. Philip L. Hall Yoakum, Texas

Nothing can be perfectly safe. Should we ban automobiles, cigarettes and bathtubs? The biggest danger of nuclear power is that we won't have enough.

Steven C. Van Voorhis Stratford, Conn.

Fueling Controversy

If the energy situation is truly as serious as Jimmy Carter claims it is [April 16], then when is he going to declare a real war on the problem-proclaiming a state of emergency and totally mobilizing all our energy resources? Is handing over billions of dollars in windfall profits to the petroleum industry his idea (and that of Congress) of a "moral equivalent of war"?

Warren W. Phillips Stamford, Conn.

It is unfair to say that Americans are unwilling to reduce energy consumption. They have not been asked to do so as part of any long-range conservation effort. Our leaders should be looking to the future and providing us with a national environmental plan. Such a national plan could deal with the hardship of reduced consumption.

Catherine A. Sobkowiak Schenectady, N. Y.

Gasohol is part of America's future. Why imply [April 9] that alcohol must come only from food crops? Distilling can also turn various grasses, weeds and shrubs into fuel.

Jonathan V. Post Cliffwood, N.J.

The ultimate fuel must be methol produced, from cellulose-containing waste products. Although the B.T.U. yield of methanol is only half that from gasoline, the eventual mass-production cost will be less than half the cost of gasoline.

Russell C. Haworth Denison, Texas

Your item on gasohol reminded me of a product sold in the early 1920s known as Alcogas. It cost more, but it burned clean and was very efficient. Alcogas was produced from molasses.

John Treherne Martinsville, Va. Brown's Factors

Your article on the admission procedures at Brown University [April 9] cleared up a great mystery. As a reject

(Z) from Brown's class of 1976,1 have always wondered what disqualified me. Now it's clear that the fault didn't lie in my board scores of 1,370 or any of the awards I received, but in other, more important factors. In my next life I'll come from the right zip code, play football and the violin, and choose Brown alumni for parents.

Shari J. Cantor West Hartford, Conn.

You somehow managed to print that cheery, encouraging college-admissions article at the worst possible time.

Susan B. Smith Kent, Conn.

Loeb's Capital Ideas

Shame on Marshall Loeb in his Essay "America's Capital Opportunity" [April 2] for falling into the very trap that has contributed so greatly to high budget deficits and therefore to inflation. Every time he proposes a new tax, he wants to spend it. Surely he must agree that these taxes should be used to help turn that $29 billion deficit (which Mr. Carter is so proud of) into a $29 billion surplus.

Albert W. Savage Los Alamos, N. Mex.

Marshall Loeb's seven-point program to restore America's capital opportunity will get my vote in any election. It's time to give the business of America back to the people and take it out of the hands of a fumbling, self-serving Government.

Carl P. Schumacher St. Louis

Instead of criticizing the Environmental Protection Agency's efforts, why not focus your energy on the need for stronger environmental-investment tax credits for corporations? With credit dollars for complying with regulations, companies can make other investments, hire more workers and, on the whole, help curb inflation. Plus the Government gets its money back in tax dollars.

Ann Klicar Lemont, III My Sister, the President

Frank Trippett's Essay "Looking for Mr. President" [April 9] notes that a President need only be a native-born resident and old enough to be dry behind the ears. Must the President also be male? I tell my sons that some day they may grow up to be the brothers of a President.

Susan Egusa Lake Oswego, Ore.

Psychiatry and the Church

Your article on psychiatry [April 2] was more negative than it should have been. I believe that psychiatry is the right arm of the church. It has helped people free themselves from inhibitions. It has freed them from guilt and fear. It has let people be themselves. It has let them know themselves.

Rather than being depressed, we should exalt the good points of this noble profession.

(The Rev.) John Eliason Burlington, N.C.

Psychiatry provided sensitivity and human understanding when religion failed to.

Leslie Haltbakk Lier, Norway

The Garwood Case

Prosecuting Bobby Garwood as a turncoat would be hypocritical [April 91. After all. haven't most Americans decided that the true "criminals" of Viet Nam were those foolish enough to have served their country honorably?

Daniel S. Schafer Laguna Beach, Calif.

As a former Marine of Korean War vintage. I believe that this thing should be buried along with everything else connected with that stinking war.

Robert E. Currie Woodside, N. Y.

If it is determined that Garwood should be punished, I hope he has to go to the end of the line and wait his turn while we try Presidents, admirals and generals, along with noncoms, the CIA, civilians and politicians for all the lying, the cruelties, the burning of villages, the Gulf of Tonkin incident, the bombing of Cambodia, etc.

Merle Martin Wooster, Ohio

Disputing Logic

Westerners like R.Z. Sheppard, in his review of Vladimir Bukovsky's book [March 26], seem to be absolutely unable to grasp the fundamental difference between Western and Soviet political thought. To Marxists, socialism and Communism (or Sovietism, for that matter) are not freely chosen or choosable political stances but scientifically established laws of history. Dissenting, like disputing physics or logic, therefore must be a symptom of mental illness. Thus, in good conscience, the Soviets have no other place for dissenters but the nuthouse.

Herbert Weil Kiel, West Germany

Middle East Aftermath

It kills me to hear the propaganda and false niceties from the lips of men like Libya's Gaddafi and the P.L.O.'s Arafat [April 9]. How can the Palestinians expect the world to take them seriously as long as they allow themselves to be led by terrorist criminals like Arafat?

Arafat calls Carter a Chamberlain, and I must say that in this instance I agree. Because that makes Gaddafi a Hitler and Arafat his Mussolini.

Brian S. Pummill Perrysburg, Ohio

A King for Massachusetts

Governor Edward J. King [April 2] was elected by Massachusetts on a campaign pledge to reduce state property taxes by $500 million. All I can say to Commonwealth voters is, you get what you pay for. You go for a bargain, you get bargain-basement quality. And boy, are we getting it.

Dwight She pard Dennis, Mass.

Edward King's greatest sin in the eyes of his detractors is not his ineptness in personnel administration, but his courage in opposing today's giveaway mentality of the bureaucracy and the media; it is that one person's need constitutes an automatic blank check on someone else's abilities. We love him for the enemies he has made.

Robert P. Clark Belmont, Mass.

Un-Lutheran Ideas

The ideas and views of West Germany's Paul Schulz [April 2] certainly are not reflective of the Lutheran faith, as his defrocking attested. So why should he be trying to hold on to a Lutheran background, and why is he accusing his accusers of anything?

Emmett Abella Roseville, Ohio

Voll for President

Thank you Dan Voll and Century III [April 9] for showing Americans that as far as we young people are concerned, pessimism is a dirty word, faith in the future is not a ridiculous ideal, and America will still be around when we're 80 years old. We lowered the voting age to 18. Why not go a step further and bring down the legal age for serving in Congress? Dan Voll for President!

Chris Wilson Sterling, Kans.

Owen Kiernan's greeting to the nation's high school leaders echoes the commencement speaker's standard text. What the young "leaders of tomorrow" are never told is what happens when they confront the leaders of today.

Jack Osgood Brookline, Mass.

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