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Sir: Just as we would forgive the earthworm for not knowing that the roots, trunk and leaves of the oak tree are really one entity, so must we forgive Bishop Pike if he cannot see that Father, Son and Holy Spirit are really one. Please, no trial. The bishop is neither heretic nor prophet—simply out of his depth.
ALEXANDER P. MAILLIS Nassau, Bahamas
Hard Road to Ho
Sir: Your Essay "Why Ho Keeps Saying No" [Nov. 11] fails to explain Ho's determination to dig in. As you noted, a Communist military victory has become virtually impossible, yet Ho continues this war that each day devours more of his country's vital resources. He has another goal in mind. As his nation grows weaker, world opinion against American participation in the war becomes stronger. Now we stand almost entirely alone in Viet Nam. Ho realizes our predicament and knows that each death we cause brings us lower in global prestige. His negotiating with us would help us more than we are now hurting him. So the fight continues.
H. RENTON ROLPH Stanford University Stanford, Calif.
Sir: Surely President Johnson is kidding when he says he can't understand why the Communists won't "agree to move from the battlefield to the conference table." Why should they come to the conference table when they have nothing to negotiate? If and when they get tired of fighting, they simply retire behind the 17th parallel. If they can't have victory, they accept nothing—not even defeat. We, on the other hand, will not accept defeat, and apparently refuse to go after victory. The Communist policy of "rule or ruin" and "if we can't win, return to the status quo" has worked well elsewhere, and will probably work in Viet Nam.
RUSSELL J. HILL Berea, Ohio
Free All Along
Sir: TIME errs in its resume of the Mark Fein change-of-name case [Nov. 18] when it states that Nancy Nahon cannot remarry "until the Supreme Court acts on Fein's appeal and his conviction becomes final." Indeed, Nancy Nahon was free to remarry from the moment Fein was sentenced to life imprisonment and thus became "civilly dead," his marriage ipso facto terminated. In a civil proceeding brought by the family of the alleged victim of the murder for which Fein was convicted, Supreme Court Justice Charles Marks stated: "The declaration of civil decease and disability is clearly effective as of the time of the imposition of sentence. It is not dependent upon nor stayed because of any appeal of the judgment of conviction which may be taken or may be pending or the possible result thereof."
ARNOLD R. KRAKOWER New York City
As the Twig Is Bent
Sir: Thank you, thank you, thank you! My gratitude for the story about "Twiggy" [Nov. 11] cannot be described. Being 19 years old and a freshman in college, and having always been shaped like a board, I now have the satisfaction of knowing that I'm not alone in my malady. If Twiggy can do it, perhaps there is still some chance for me.
MONICA CLOUTIER River Falls, Wis.
Monkee See