Letters: Oct. 6, 1967

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Sir: The prospect of "victory" in Viet Nam [Sept. 22] fills me with dread. It would mean a continuation of the absurd philosophy that war can end war, a victory for militarists who would bring peace to mankind by killing him, and a further retreat into our paranoid delusion that we can spread brotherhood and love by filling the world with soldiers and guns.

CHARLES W. RUNYON

Farmington, Mo.

Sir: The Republicans should keep in mind that there will be large numbers of Viet Nam veterans voting for the first time in this coming presidential election. These men are not about to vote for a "peace at any price" candidate. Such a candidate would be telling us that all the sweat, blood and human life that we have given here was in vain. Such a candidate would in effect be selling us out. No one wants peace more than those of us who must fight the war. Still, we realize that any peace reached must be a just one that meets the standards that sent us over here in the first place. We are willing to pay the price and see this thing through. We are looking for a man who will not throw out our sacrifices, but who will exercise our capabilities wisely and bring us to a just peace.

(PFC) DOUGLAS E. BLAYNEY

U.S.M.C.

A.P.O. San Francisco

Noble Aspect

Sir: In the article on the churches' activities here in South Viet Nam [Sept. 22], you have called attention to one of the few really noble aspects of our involvement in this unfortunate land. Having spent nearly a year as a physician with the Army here, I have seen the deplorable state of Vietnamese medicine, and I have been embarrassed and angered by the feeble efforts of our government in this sphere. In striking contrast to the dismal record of governmental bureaucracy is the progress of the religious organizations; and though I am by no means a religious man, I am proud of what these Americans are doing. I speak with special feeling of the Seventh Day Adventist Mission Hospital here in Saigon. In this institution American doctors are bringing ever more sophisticated medical care to Vietnamese who only yesterday were being treated by traditional herbals or even acupuncture. In this dreary war, where it seems that the welfare of the Vietnamese individual is so often forgotten in the rush to preserve the independence of the Vietnamese nation, one takes pride in seeing these selfless Americans quietly doing good works in difficult and trying circumstances.

HARTE C. CROW

Captain, U.S.A.

A.P.O. San Francisco

Steel v. Death

Sir: The deployment of the ABM system [Sept. 22] is not only an indication of the present Administration's absurd penchant for wasting tax dollars, but a grave crime against man's will to survive. It will likely open the way to vaster, more absurd mechanizations of defense. If it is never used, the magnitude of such a dead investment will reproach mankind in its folly for generations to come. If it is employed, it will not even protect urban areas; we may die with the satisfaction of knowing that most of "them" will be just as dead. I cannot countenance my taxes being used for the preservation of steel and the propagation of death.

THOMAS F. KEEFE

Manhattan

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