Letters: Aug. 29, 1969

The Moon and the Middle Brows

Sir:

Oh, thank you, TIME, for your faint praise

Of us humble squares and our quaint little ways.

We "pay our taxes, turn the wheels,"

And usually end up portrayed as heels.

Your praise, O TIME, comes none too soon.

Because we bourgeoisie have reached the moon.

Reviled by the right, scorned by the left,

We've been feeling more than a little bereft.

Could be that we're kin to the prophet of old—

Not without honor, save in his own country, we're told.

Should strong backbones and middle brows some day elapse

Could it be this great country might simply collapse?

Perhaps!

(MRS.) VIRGINIA HACKLEMAN Connersville, Ind.

Sir: I am sick and tired of hearing the often-used line "Now that we've conquered the moon, let's conquer poverty here on earth." In the short eleven years of its existence, the space program has become the biggest scapegoat in history. Why wasn't poverty conquered before the space program came into being? We have the necessary resources in the U.S. to ensure that everyone is eating regularly, without slowing or abandoning the space program. To stop now would make as much sense as Columbus discovering America and then returning to Europe forgetting his discovery completely. Let's give Apollo 11, without reservations of any kind, the credit it deserves for what it is: mankind's greatest achievement. (Sox.) STEVE REED U.S.A.F.

A.P.O. San Francisco

Sir: Before supersophisticated writers start carping about Mr. Nixon's state dinner in Los Angeles honoring the astronauts, may a humble and grateful citizen say, "Thank you, Mr. President." Thank you for your boyish pride, your genuine affection for three gallant men, and most of all thank you for sharing it with me. I had a wonderful time. Where else could you see the Ambassador of Sweden, Rudy Vallee and an astronaut sit down together?

RITA C. McMANN Monrovia, Calif.

Watery Wastes

Sir: In early June, 1968, I was on one of the five destroyers that made up the surface force during the search-and-rescue operation for the U.S.S. Scorpion. Our mission was to search for debris along a track from Norfolk to the Azores. As a result, I cannot help but wholeheartedly agree with Thor Heyerdahl's observations about polluting the oceans [Aug. 15].

I will say further that if the Scorpion did go down along this route, her flotsam and jetsam would undoubtedly have been lost amid the garbage that we sighted. JOHN K. HOBBS Lieutenant, U.S.N. F.P.O. New York

Sir: A simple solution to the water-pollution problem would be the levying of fines by state governments against municipalities and industries that pollute bodies of water. These fines would be, say, 100 or more per gallon per day of waste discharge. This would mean industries paying out tens of thousands of dollars per day and rising tax rates in cities that persist in fouling rivers and lakes.

It would serve the purpose of making pollution hurt and raise the necessary money for construction of adequate treatment facilities. Simply a "pay as you go" plan.

K. D. WETTERER San Diego

Sir: Your new Environment section is as welcome as a breath of fresh air used to be.