Letters: Jul. 5, 1968

Who Has It?

Sir: In regard to your Soul listing in the story on Aretha Franklin [June 28]:

Soul Straight City William Blake Robert Burns Eliot Pound Picasso Matisse DONALD A. BROWN Hyattsville, Md.

Sir: Soul Straight City Nikita Khrushchev Aleksei Kosygin Russia France Volkswagens All American cars Arlington Cemetery Forest Lawn JAMES M. CURTIS Berkeley, Calif.

Sir: Soul Straight City William Jennings Bryan Jack Paar Woody Guthrie Bob Johnny Dylan Carson STUART LEVIN, D.V.M. hicago

Sir: Soul Straight City TIME Magazine U.S. News and World Report CHARLES SCHMIDT San Francisco

Sir: Soul Straight City Los Angeles Free TIME Magazine Press LIZA WILLIAMS Los Angeles

Of Guns & Ammo

Sir: I disagree completely with your article on The Gun [June 21], but I will defend unto death your right to say it with a rock, poker or some other hard object. FRED L. NORMANDIN JR. Forest Grove, Ore.

Sir: The main reason for the high crime rate in the U.S. today is the lack of law enforcement and the laxity and slow process of the courts in punishing offenders. The gun run now in progress is certainly not being carried out by potential criminals but rather by citizens who wish to protect themselves and their families, since they can no longer depend on the authorities to do this job. Before we do something foolish in a time when we are guided by our emotions rather than our reason, we may do well to recall the words of Benjamin Franklin: "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

J. D. RUTLEDGE

Blackfoot, Idaho

Sir: As a longtime N.R.A. member, I view the forthcoming gun-control laws with much concern. Nevertheless, the statement of N.R.A. President Harold Glassen, "We don't tell anyone to write his Congressman," is an outright lie. I refer to a letter addressed to N.R.A. members from the office of President Glassen, dated June 14, 1968, in which he urges "sportsmen of America" to express their views without delay to their Senators and Congressmen. Glassen further states that the ultimate goal of said gun legislation is complete abolition of civilian firearm ownership.

If nothing else, friend Glassen clearly won the Loudmouth of the Week Award. I might even burn my N.R.A membership card.

W. T. MAURICE

Simi, Calif.

Sir: Your excellent article on guns referred to my study of homicide in Philadelphia in 1958 and quoted a statement the National Rifle Association has often used to suggest that I, as a criminologist, favor their position about gun legislation. You further indicated that "Wolfgang has since modified that view."

My views on guns have never been modified, for I have consistently favored the most restrictive gun legislation the Government can obtain from Congress.

My personal choice for legislation is to remove all guns from private possession. I would favor statutory provisions that require all guns to be turned in to public authorities. Citizens could be compensated for their loss at a standard rate based on the current value of the weapon. Hunting and sporting clubs could maintain depositories for guns. Members would be able to sign out for their weapons at stipulated times but be required to return them to the depositories.