The Pope & the Pill

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Sir: Regarding "The Overshadowing Issue" [Aug. 2], it is no doubt true that there were over 50 major race riots in the U.S. with whites on the offensive, but I challenge Dr. Franklin's statement that they were not followed by cries for "law and order." I can still remember the horror with which, some 30 years ago, a white man told me of a race riot he had witnessed and his pity for its victims; and though it may seem strange to some, his relation of the incidents was absolutely without racial bias. The fact is that in those days no one who did not condemn race riots would have come out of his hole to admit it. Indeed, until recently it would have been difficult to find anyone of intelligence, or even coherent of speech, to express any justification for such outrages.

GEORGE D. JAGELS

Pasadena, Calif.

Sir: The 50 riots in 60 years that Franklin talks about look like picnics compared to the bloody riots we've had every summer for the past several years. Nobody had to call for law and order because it was there and was respected.

So now, it's "racist" to call for law and order (Dick Gregory). Does Mr. Gregory mean that if you're for law and order you must be against Negroes, because they are not (for law and order)? I'm trying to figure that out.

MARY J. JANCOSKI

Travis Air Force Base, Calif.

Freedom Marcher

Sir: Letter Writer Dooskin [Aug. 2] should know that there was at least one demonstrator for the Czech cause. An American by naturalization but a Czechoslovak by birth, I ran around to my liberal friends and tried to work up a little low-keyed demonstration. They responded yawningly, "Oh yes, I did hear something about something going on . . . Uh, where is it now?" So, I took myself on a lonely little freedom march up Fifth Avenue. Needless to say, nobody even noticed me. Why wasn't there more response? Because protesters are programmed to protest "liberal, new-left, pro-revolutionary, antiwar" causes, and this didn't quite fit. You can't sing the song if you don't know the words.

VIERA BRNA

Bellmore, N.Y.

Busy Bees

Sir: Regarding Air Commando Squadrons in Thailand [July 26], I'm reminded of the story during World War II when Lieut. Ryan of the U.S. Navy Seabees stepped out of the jungle of New Caledonia and onto the beach to greet an assemblage of Marines assaulting the beach with "The Seabees are always glad to welcome the Marines ashore." As in that case, in 1968 the Seabees of the more than 20 Seabee teams that have operated in the remotest parts of Thailand since 1963 are happy to welcome the Air Commandos aboard. We've treated nearly 50,000 patients at sick call, dug 75 wells, constructed 25 schools, built 125 miles of road with some 30 bridges, and trained 15 counterpart Thai border-patrol police teams in civic action work!

B. W. VAN LEER

Captain, CEC, U.S.N.

Washington, D.C.

Bowled Over