The Middle East as Naked Canvas

To the Editors.

If Americans stare at a naked can vas painted by the artist Future, we can envision a war between the Arabs and the Israelis any time within the next few years. After the war begins, we can en vision the Arabs once again cutting off America's oil supply. We can visualize Americans growing cold living in their poorly heated houses and standing on corners waiting for streetcars.

With that coldness will come anger toward America's "Israeli policy." A new wave of anti-Semitism may arise.

That sentiment may force our Govern ment to withdraw its support from Is rael. Israel will stand alone; she may even fall. Not because they are evil, but because they are cold, Americans may help add a chapter to the long history of at tempts to destroy the Jewish people.

It is important for Jews to join together and form a political base.

Barbara Ann Friedman Pawtucket, R.I.

Why should there be any surprise that Yitzhak Rabin, a Sabra and inured to years of struggle, is now measuring up to the challenge these new crises pose? After all, a characteristic of the modern Israeli has been his ability to perform under extreme pressure.

Ricky Marx Tacoma, Wash.

If the Western world is to survive, oil must be made available, come what may. Israel is the only land base from which a takeover of Arab oilfields could be mounted. Every country dependent on Arab oil should show solidarity in its backing of Israel.

Sam M. Schneider St. Louis I never cease to be amazed by the Zionist position that the rest of the world somehow has an obligation to atone to the Jews for the losses they suffered in World War II. As a Polish Catholic, I have never made the demand that the Jews atone for the 3 million Polish Catholics who were exterminated by the Nazis. Twenty million Russians were killed, and there is no attempt to atone for their suffering.

The war visited horrors upon all the nations and peoples it touched. All Eastern Europeans were Untermenschen in the Nazi world view, all were similarly mistreated, all are equally dead. I am angered at the continual parade of the figure 6 million Jewish dead and the absolute failure to notice the stunning loss of life by others.

Robert Kowalek Los Angeles

The Jewish Agency was recognized by the League of Nations in 1922 and by the United Nations in 1947 to represent the views of the Jewish community then settled in Palestine. Why, therefore, is it illogical or contrary to the principles of the U.N. Charter to recognize the Palestinian Arabs, natives of the land in question, and to grant them the right to speak to the international community?

The U.N. has been accused of having become the tool of the Arab countries, which are able to amass sufficient votes to pass any resolution they desire.

On the contrary, the U.N. has evolved to the point that it now reflects the will of the international community. It has become more democratic because of the participation of most of the nations of the world, and is no longer the preserve of a few major powers, as in the past.

Lebanon believes that if peace is to be achieved, Israel must withdraw all its forces from all of the occupied Arab territories and recognize the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. The participation of their recognized representatives in the diplomatic process can no longer be ignored. The acceleration of that process is needed now to avert renewed warfare. Reconvening the Geneva Conference to deal with the problems of the Middle East in their entirety will substantially enhance prospects for a peaceful and final solution.

Edouard Ghorra

Ambassador of Lebanon

United Nations

Who Won in Greece?

Unmistakably, Greek voters gave the right a smashing victory. This is pleasantly refreshing, since one would expect that after repressive military rule, the people would turn to the left. Instead, they proved that they are among the most politically sophisticated people in the world. Their message could not be clearer: as much as they fear and hate a military dictatorship, they fear and hate a Communist takeover more.

As to your statement that government appointees were considered "disappointingly" conservative, that's your opinion. Mine is: thank God, they are refreshingly conservative.

Nikolaos G. Kondylis Watertown, Mass.

The outcome of the recent election in Greece in no way reflects the electorate's political orientation. It reflects rather a constellation of political, legal and psychological circumstances which, in a sense, were designed to produce it.

Caramanlis came to Greece in July neither through a military coup nor through elections. Power was handed to him by the Greek junta after the tragedy of Cyprus. The junta did not fall from power; it merely moved backstage.

The election took place less than four months after Caramanlis' return to Greece. The schedule was designed to give little chance to opposition parties to organize effectively. It also gave Caramanlis a chance to present himself as the "alternative to the tanks."

The electoral law was carefully designed to magnify the parliamentary strength of the victor in the election --and to assure Caramanlis of a subservient and obedient Parliament.

Finally, through technical circumstances, 1 million people between 21 and 25 were denied the right to vote. Thus the vote for Caramanlis should not be interpreted as a vote for the right. It should be interpreted simply as a vote of fear, a vote against the return of the tanks.

Andreas Papandreou Athens The writer leads the Panhellenic Socialist Movement, which was defeated in the recent election.

Big Labor's Big Stick

You say that AFL-CIO President George Meany has passed the word that the new Congressmen are honor-bound to reciprocate or face labor's wrath in the next election. Does Mr. Meany feel that he has bought their votes on labor-oriented bills with AFL-CIO campaign contributions? If a Congressman does not vote on a bill solely on its own merits because of these donations, then it sounds like bribery to me.

Gil Morissette Buena Park, Calif.

TIME'S description of AFL-CIO lobbying [Nov. 25] is grossly inaccurate. We don't beg or threaten. We expect members of Congress to keep the promises they made to the voters.

We support legislation that is best for all Americans, because what's good for America is best for union members. We will present our arguments to the new Congress and report the record of promises kept and promises broken to our members. Among our specific goals:

> National health insurance that provides quality care for all; we oppose legislation to make doctors, hospitals and insurance companies rich.

> Tax justice--every American paying his fair share--by closing loopholes the wealthiest use to avoid their share.

> Improvements in unemployment and workers' compensation, education, housing, public financing of federal elections. We oppose trade legislation that would export American jobs, technology and capital because America needs all three.

We'll keep a box score for our members. Then, in their states and congressional districts, they will decide whether to support or oppose incumbents.

Usually they decide that one good term deserves another and that those who break promises deserve defeat.

Andrew J. Biemiller, Director

Department of Legislation, AFL-CIO

Washington, D.C.

Ford and the Press

I used to think that Nixon treated the press very badly, but after reading the article on what the press thinks of Ford, after his decent treatment of them [Dec. 2], they deserved all the rotten treatment they got and then some.

W.H. Nickel Bethlehem, Pa.

This fairness of the press might better be extended to delivering the truth to the people, who have had an unqualified man chosen by a disqualified one. Charity got its first bad press the day the appointee pardoned the appointer for named, unnamed and presumably unnameable offenses. In his years in Congress, no one ever considered Ford a possible leader of his country, but he is certainly outstanding as a follower.

(Mrs.) Elizabeth O. Rodgers Arlington, Mass.

When Ford travels to China next year, will Earl Butz tag along to tell some Charlie Chan jokes?

Richard Mates Glens Falls, N. Y.

Man of the Year

Man of the Year? Euell Gibbons, who has taught us to beat inflation by eating every damn bush and berry in our own backyards.

Ron Pepin Colchester, Conn.

Betty Ford and Happy Rockefeller.

Carolyn Belot

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Even though he is in prison for his part in the Watergate affair, I believe John W. Dean is Man of the Year. I shudder to think what would have happened to America had it not been for his testimony.

(Mrs.) Lorene Hassett Chicago

I vote for one of the few men to maintain a fair, evenhanded view of the Middle East situation--Senator J. William Fulbright.

James R. Beall Fayetteville, Ark.

Hello Out There!

Your American Note on humanity's first interstellar message [Dec. 2] called it an act of faith. You might also have described it as a symbolic act, part of a revolution in our concept of our place in the universe.

Now that the ice has been broken, we will be tempted to send more messages to nearer stars, but all of us should have a chance to see what kind of image we are conveying to someone out there. By inviting contact with a superior civilization, we may be risking the fate suffered by the American Indians during the European expansion.

Michael A.G. Michaud Bethesda, Md.

Forty-eight thousand years later:

"Hello out there--Earth, can you read us?" Silence. There may not be anyone to receive a return message from Messier 13 unless something is done to halt the present ecological holocaust.

I firmly believe there is an equally intelligent human race "way out there" that perhaps is a little wiser in ecological preservation than we.

Ruth R. Schneider Albuquerque

I have no intention of waiting 48,000 years just to hear a busy signal.

Sanford M. Bullock Bremerton, Wash.

Better Square Than Red-Necked

I love Hugh Sidey. He is a charming Midwestern guy who gives Americans the comforting reassurance that a cat can look at a king--and talk freely about it. Further, one gets the impression that the President of the moment (if he has sense) is reading Sidey too, and will jolly well shape up accordingly.

Having said this, I must take issue with Sidey on his term "a Rotarian without a red neck." Rotarians are not rednecks. Rotary is an international organization of the most excellent men of good will in each community. Square, perhaps, but in the fine old sense.

Patricia W. Letcher Lodi, Calif.

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