REFLECTIONS: Umbrella into Cutlass

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The Palestine terrorists whom Ben Hecht admires lack the atomic bomb. However, the scientifically inclined among them have been working on a person-to-person substitute which may have a great and grisly future. Last week they sent exploding cream-colored envelopes to Ernie Bevin, Anthony Eden and other prominent Britons. Nobody was hurt—largely because of the British Government's long experience with unfriendly mail. But the packet was ingenious. Within an inner envelope, marked "Private and Confidential," were 1) a cardboard folder containing enough powdered gelignite to kill the opener, 2) a pencil-sized battery, and 3) a detonating system supposed to work when the envelope was slit with a metal letter opener or when the expectant reader opened the folder. The gadget lacked, of course, any enclosed note of apology.