AMERICAN NOTES: The World Intrudes

War in the Middle East.

War? The word had an odd, almost atavistic ring as the bulletins broke in on America’s quiet Saturday morning, blaring that Israel and her neighbors were once more locked in full combat (see THE WORLD). With the U.S. finally disengaged from its ordeal in Viet Nam and embarked on hopeful new relations with the Communist superpowers, that elusive generation of peace had suddenly seemed more than a wistful illusion. Much of the nation’s population, drawn by both fear and fascination to the unprecedented personal travail of the President and Vice President, had turned its attention inward, where so many neglected problems demanded action. The tidings of Yom Kippur, the Jewish High Holiday, were a grim reminder that the world beyond is part and parcel of America’s continuing concerns. Once again the pursuit of peace remained a task of highest priority.