Letters, Nov. 12, 1979

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Inflation Woes

To the Editors:

Inflation is, quite simply, the Federal Government's printing more worthless paper money to compensate for past and future worthless policy [Oct. 22]. It is a deep and worsening problem that will never be solved until every aspect of our society identifies and re-examines its own position. Then we must have the courage to change.

Fred A. DaBois Tennent, N.J.

Explain "overheating" to the construction or auto industries, which can't build homes or sell cars. I don't see retailers screaming about too many crowds in their stores. What is overheated are interest rates, and the Feds, the biggest borrowers in the country, are the most affected. I am going to try the Fed's solution on my slightly overweight dachshund, overfeeding her to get her to stop eating. I only hope she doesn't get sick and die.

Cornelius Moelling Grand Rapids

The central problem is that few people believe Big Business or Gigantic Government. Volcker of the Fed and Shapiro of Du Pont plus others meet in a posh resort in Hot Springs to speak of "easy money" and "the sooner we suffer the pain, the sooner we will be through it all." It would be more believable if it came from a motel in Davenport, Iowa.

Thomas N. Horton Glen Ridge, N.J.

The unsophisticated, maybe 80% plus, are beginning to put the Fed in the same class as OPEC. Both are pushing prices higher.

Philip Coleman Swarthmore, Pa.

Paul "Green Giant" Volcker for President in '80 on a bold, anti-inflation platform that defends the dollar abroad, puts a nonpartisan squeeze on runaway Government spending at home, and effectively controls the excessive flow of money and plastic money into the U.S. economy.

Jack Pope San Francisco

Papal Aftershock

The articles "Aftershock from a Papal Visit" and "Hard Questions on the Issues" [Oct. 22] go behind the pageantry of the Pope's visit and deal directly with some of the problems his papacy faces.

The Pope misjudged the pluralism of American religion and its effect on Roman Catholicism. Unlike Italy, Poland, Ireland or Mexico, the U.S. is as much Protestant as Roman Catholic. In a pluralistic country, in an ecumenical age, the Pope made no real effort to recognize other Christian faiths and meet with leaders of major Protestant denominations.

(The Rev.) Russell C. Block Berkeley Heights, N.J.

I find the criticisms being directed by some against John Paul II's recent pronouncements rather remarkable and even amusing. Apparently many of his critics fail to realize that the Pope is not concerned with his standing in the popularity polls. As the Vicar of Christ, there is only one pollster whose approval he desires to maintain.

Gerald W. Urbancik San Antonio

Did not the Holy Father in effect reply to Sister Theresa Kane in his homily, which urged nuns to be "other Marys"? He referred to the Last Supper, at which the church says the priesthood was instituted, and almost as an aside, he said, "And Mary was not there." Subtle though it was, what more answer could he give or should she need?

Tom McKoan Canaan, N.H.