Dear Editor

...Washington, D C David C Williams Gus Tyler replies David Williams suggests that by 1972 the social issue will be defused largely because the gop will be in charge during the period of disorder No doubt that will help But with a heavy predominance of democratic majors and governors in office during the same period, these (local) officials will still be on the spot as the social issue explodes Professor Fleischman makes a valid point about the meaning of economic growth with which I do not disagree My main point was that it is not necessary to reduce employment or living standards to cope with our ecology problems I take it that Fleischman does not disagree I also feel that economic growth will not per se solve the problems of our society That is why I favor income and wealth (and population) redistribution 1 have little faith in trickle down--the filter traps too much at the top and lets through too little for the bottom Kudos Your Pearl Bell is a gem and Richard Margolis (in translation) is truly a pearl Putnam Valley, NY J C Rich...

...Dear Editor Tyler In his November 30 article ("Moving Beyond the New Deal"), Gus Tyler writes ' The current fad of resolving the environmental peril by halting economic growth--which lowers living standards and increases unemployment--is politically intolerable, economically undesirable, and simply unnecessary ' This is reminiscent of Gompers' statement (which I will not repeat) on Socialists in the 1890s At best, both statements are incomprehensible At worst, they both represent hokum' Any competent economist is able to explain that "economic growth" may be defined--in terms of output--any way you please Most Americans take "economic growth" to mean a per capita increase in commodity production The "fad of resolving...

...Tyler cites--a curious fad in that it really doesn't seem to be visible--entails a redefinition of "economic growth" Apparently that is what Tyler has in mind Tyler implicitly plays around with terminology and in the end has and eats his cake Environmental solutions will have as their major associate problems the questions of Ecology for whom?, and, who is going to Day for it--when...

...The New Deal solution to these problems is to trickle down economic growth This is something else Tyler seems to have in mind Apparently, the way to move "beyond the New Deal" is to back into it Sarasota Fla William Fleischman Assistant Professor of Economics New College In his article, "Moving Beyond the New Deal," Gus Tyler expresses the view that the social "issue" (crime, drugs, campus disorder) will be "real" in 1972 But these are problems, not issues between political parties The strenuous Republican effort to make an issue of them in 1970 enjoyed indifferent success, and in places (e g , California) seems to have backfired Unless we are very lucky, these problems will continue to plague us in 1972 But will the Republicans seek once more to make an 'issue" of them...

...I doubt it The Democrats will by then have all too easy and obvious an answer "Who's been in charge for the past four years...