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First we justified abortion in order to spare the mother's life. Now Geneva's Dr. Flournoy justifies it [TIME, Feb. 22] in order to spare the mother social disgrace and psychological traumata. The next step−which already has been taken in some places−will be to justify abortion in order to spare the mother the inconvenience of completing a pregnancy and rearing a child she hadn't counted on. And all this . . . will be done in the name of reason and human dignity. O brave new world!
FRANK PATRICK Durham, N.C.
Qualified Support
Sir:
It was flattering to find that you had given so much space to our analysis of the President's legislative program, and I am duly grateful. Nonetheless, I should like to register a mild protest against your description of my brother and me as "generally faithful supporters of the Fair Deals [TIME,Feb. 22]."
With certain conspicuous exceptions, such as the Louis Johnson defense program, my brother and I usually supported the foreign policy of the previous Administration, to which President Eisenhower contributed so greatly. We did not support the domestic policy, although we did not write a great deal about it for the reason given in the column you quoted: namely, the Truman domestic programs were mostly for the record and not intended to be enacted . . .
JOSEPH ALSOP Washington, D.C.
20,000 Leagues Under the Desk
Sir:
I most heartily agree with the campaign of the Illinois State Library to preserve the innocence of our children by putting such salacious books as Pilgrim's Progress and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea on the restricted list [TIME, Feb. 15!. But they cannot, in good conscience, stop there. The next book to be kept from free circulation must be that most question-provoking volume, the King James Bible. What if a child should inquire into the early employment of Mary Magdalene? ... I fear even to mention the Song of Solomon . . .
Seriously, do librarians ever read the books they guard? If so, does it ever occur to them that most of the books the world considers great are not concocted out of Pablum? . . .
SAM A. HANNA JR. Mexico City
Friendly Service (Contd.)
Sir:
Mr. F. W. Johnston, president of the National Funeral Directors Association, states [TIME, Feb. 8] that the Divine Master had a friend who offered a service that no one else could provide and one that was gratefully accepted.
What fees did this Joseph of Arimathea get for his service?
PABLO CARTER Mexico City
Sir:
. . . National Funeral Directors President Johnston's attempt to portray Joseph of Arimathea as the ancient counterpart of some modern morticians seems somewhat farfetched. Joseph, a wealthy member of the Sanhedran, offered his own tomb and personally rolled the stone across the entrance. This was obviously an attempt to cover the body−not display it. If anyone approximated the morticians, it was the women who came to the tomb on Sunday intending to anoint the body. This was before they realized the significant fact of the Resurrection.
(The Rev.) LESTER KINSOLVING St. Thomas' Episcopal Church Rodeo, Calif.
Man, Wolf & Boy
Sir: