Letters to the Editor. Justice in America

I am writing to commend the Monitor for its articles by Robert Press about the Office of Special Investigations' actions against Dr. Arthur Rudolph [Sept. 4, 5]. The actions of the OSI are disturbing to all Americans who believe in justice and fair play. The actions of the [Justice Department's] OSI are even more disturbing when one knows of the case of Frank Walus. In 1977, the OSI accused Mr. Walus of Nazi war crimes. Federal prosecutors helped suppress evidence which would clear Walus. The actions of the OSI were so unethical as to be unbelievable, except that the law journal ``The Chicago Lawyer'' courageously investigated the case. The prosecution of Feodor Fedorenko was another travesty of justice. Despite the fact that he was acquitted of all charges, Fedorenko was subject to further government prosecution. He had been broken economically and physically and had not the resources to fight. In 1984 he was put aboard an Aeroflot flight to Moscow. I do not know his fate.

Like the witch hunters of the Middle Ages or the Red-baiters of the McCarthy era, the OSI is accusing people of crimes which no one dares question. Andrew Allen Belvedere, Calif.

Among your excellent articles on the discovery of RMS Titanic, may I correct the statement that the SS California, the ship nearest the Titanic when she sank, was a US luxury liner [``Stunning scenes from Titanic's resting place,'' Sept. 12]. Actually, the ship's correct name was the ``Californian,'' a 4,250-ton package freighter. Edward E. Andrews, Director (ret.) Great Lakes Maritime Institute Birmingham, Mich.

In his column, ``Trade wars'' [Sept. 12], Joseph Harsch stressed two conditions that must be met if the US is to appreciably reduce its trade deficit: lowering the value of the dollar and raising the quality of American goods. There is a third requirement that none of the nation's political leaders has the courage to mention: temporarily lowering the American standard of living to give less prosperous countries time to narrow the gap between their living standards and ours. In today's ever-shrinking world, the present enormous disparity is no longer tenable. William W. Lyman Portsmouth, N.H.

Letters are welcome. Only a selection can be published and none individually acknowledged. All are subject to condensation. Please address letters to ``readers write.''