Tibet overlooked in MFN debate

Is MFN status the only way to keep China in contact with the West? The editorial admits that the White House position "says too little about democratic rights," and that the few changes made by China are not enough. The House of Representatives has voted against the MFN status. Do we have to deal with extremes: either a loud "in-your-face" policy, or an abject MFN status?The carnage in Tiananmen Square had barely ended when we dispatched our envoys to assure China that we were still friends. Why all this kowtowing? Is the "productive relationship" in this case big enough to justify our cringing demeanor? Edmund Alexander, Harwich, Mass. Letters are welcome. Only a selection can be published, subject to condensation, and none acknowledged. Please address them to "Readers Write," One Norway St., Boston, MA 02115.