Open Madison's Grave
Sir: The nomination of William Rehnquist by President Nixon to be an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court [Nov. 1] is beyond the comprehension of any citizen whose political philosophy is grounded on the Bill of Rights. It not only indicates the real lack of eminent jurists who agree with the Nixon theories, but it also reveals the shallowness of the President's own political beliefs and his inability to perceive the long-term consequences of his expedient acts.
No virtuous wrapping of Mr. Rehnquist in such adjectives as "brilliant," "scholarly," "logical," "superb" can obscure his belief that society's rights are superior to individual rights. If this nomination is confirmed by the Senate, then open Madison's grave and throw in the Bill of Rights to keep him company. It will be of no use to us!
ROBERT B. ELLIOTT
Albany, Calif.
Sir: Your otherwise excellent roundup on the Supreme Court nominations ignored the historic fact that no one can predict the ideological behavior of a Justice. Few of them have followed the party line of the nominating Administration, and those that have, have tended to lack influence in the court.
The agonizing of Mr. Nixon and Mr. Mitchell over the political coloration of their candidates is nothing but a tedious, ignorant waste of time.
CARLETON JONES
Baltimore
Sir: If Nixon would stop fretting about his place in the damn history books and tend to the quotidian business of running this country, those same history books might have a better verdict to return on his efforts. Whether it's putting in a phone call to the men on the moon or molding a Supreme Court, Richard Nixon seems to think only in terms of his own footnotes in weighty tomes, rather than the well-being of the country he is supposed to be leading.
TERRENCE MAITLAND
Woburn, Mass.
Revoking the Credit Card
Sir: Why all the disturbance about the Republic of China's expulsion from the U.N. [Nov. 8]? In fact, Chiang Kai-shek has been snobbishly dismissed from an impotent and ineffective international social fraternity. Revocation of his American Express card would have been a more consequential abashment.
E.F. DONNAN JR.
Charlottesville, Va.
Sir: The expulsion of Taiwan from the United Nations may be followed by expulsions of other members of the world organization if the U.S. does not cut its financial support and request the Assembly to move out of North America.
The U.S. may be kicked out just to prove that the Red slogan "the American imperialist is a paper tiger and bean-curd tiger" is true.
JAMES LEE
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Sir: The decline of the League of Nations began with the League's refusal to extend its support to Ethiopia against Italy. History will record that the decline of the United Nations began on Oct. 25, 1971, when the U.N. expelled Nationalist China.
GERT P. ARNSTEIN
Los Angeles
Sir: I can only say how very funny that the Communist countries now meet in the U.S., to dictate their will to the U.S., supported by U.S. funds. Perhaps now the U.S. citizens will realize that the U.N. is a big circus and that they are the clowns, for they are footing the bill.
E. KRUGER