A Letter From The Publisher, Jan. 17, 1972

EDWARD EVERETT, the versatile statesman-educator-clergyman, once said that he was "compelled to regard the post office, next to Christianity, as the right arm of modern civilization" because the mails circulate "the moral sentiments, the intelligence, the affections of so many millions." The Rev. Mr. Everett was guilty of 19th century hyperbole, but he did have a point. Each week we get 1,000 or so letters filled with the moral sentiments, intelligence, affections (and the opposite) of our readers.

Letters Chief Maria Luisa Cisneros and her staff of ten read the entire stack and...