US Policy in Yugoslavia

The Opinion page article "The US Is Half Right on Yugoslavia," June 22, brings the following thoughts to the mind of an American-Slovenian.

First, the word Yugoslavia describes not a people but a region, "Southslavia." There are no Yugoslavs. There are Croats, Slovenes, Serbs, Macedonians, Montenegrins, etc., living in the region.

Also, the United States has a responsibility toward the South Slav people because in 1918 it helped establish the union called Yugoslavia. This policy was thought up by conniving politicians and Croat and Slovene idealists, but was never agreed to by a majority of the people. The US cannot now shake off involvement with the cold attitude: "not in our national interest."

Serb aggression with brute force cannot and should not lead to civilized agreements between unequal parties. Hilda Prpic, Cleveland, Ohio Memories of a Tibetan home

The Home Forum page essay "Taking Notice of a Walking Man," June 22, by Ruskin Bond is the highlight of my admiration of his literary accomplishments.

I studied at a boarding school for 13 years in Mussoorie, India, where I met him many times and studied his stories as a part of the curriculum. And now, years later, on the other side of the world reading his essays, I can recall all the wonderful sights of the foothills of the Himalayas through his words.

This essay is special to me, as a Tibetan far away from home, because of its optimistic symbolism of the Tibetan monk whom the author affectionately calls "my lama" and who, he declares, "is practicing for the long walk back to Tibet."

There is not one person from Tibet who is not dreaming the same dream as the monk, and it is sad to recognize the minute chances for the monk and many like him to see their dream come true. Tenzing Thinley, Maple Valley, Wash.