Letters

J COOK (HAS, Sept 6) repeats the old phrase that, had it not been for America, we would have been invaded by Germany.

Not wishing to burst his/her bubble, but Germany ceased all plans to invade Britain after losing the Battle of Britain.

In turn, the Battle of Britain was won largely due to the skill of Polish pilots, who formed the physical majority of the RAF.

However, we ignore the Polish contribution because America and Britain betrayed them to the Russians.

Because of Cold War politics, we ignore and even denigrate the sacrifice of an estimated 27 million Russians who, by taking on the brunt of Germany's troops, ensured that there were insufficient troops to launch any invasion against Britain.

Equally, because of centuries of dislike toward the French, we ignore the sacrifice of 700,000 French resistance fighters, without whom an invasion of France and with it any liberation of Europe would not have been possible.

We also ignore the sacrifice of our own forces and civilians, as well as those of the former colonies and those of neutral and occupied countries.

We instead give sole credit to one country whose part was unique in that it was the only nation which had to be paid to enter the Second World War.

America's contribution did help Britain, but so did that of far more non-Americans, but such help does not mean that we must forever be slaves to America's bidding. - CT Riley, Spennymoor.

SHIPS CONTRACT

YOUR timely leader (Echo, Sept 5) states: "we must avoid circumstances where Britain becomes the dumping ground for hazardous waste".

My own research has led me to the list of applications for hazardous waste sites seeking permits beyond 2004 in order to comply with an EU directive. Of the 12 English commercial sites to apply, three are Tees based.

Even my poor maths tells me that there is then a possibility for 25 per cent of all England's hazardous waste to be dumped in our area.

And that doesn't include the import of worldwide stuff that our Health and Safety Executive might waive the rules on. - Linda Sewell, Hartlepool.

HEALTH SERVICE

THERE hardly seems to be an edition of The Northern Echo these days without some report of clinical abuse, but I am certain the cases that get reported are merely the tip of the iceberg.

However with the recent introduction of PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service, there may now be an effective means of tackling the problem.

The new service will need careful monitoring, though, in case it turns out to be a rerun of the now defunct (and deservedly so) Community Health Councils, ie a means of diverting patients' concerns up the garden path with utter and often humiliating futility at the other end.

A cautious welcome to PALS, maybe it represents a real change of heart. There again though, maybe not. We'll wait and see. - T Kelly, Crook.

EUROPE

MOST people who have bought a new household appliance have met the difficulty of interpreting the instructions.

To avoid this happening is the job of the technical writer who tries to meet the needs of everyone.

It becomes even more taxing when the instructions have to be translated into a number of other languages.

Now imagine the job of the writers of the European Constitution who were given the task of bringing all the treaties together.

The Convention is going through the draft constitution with a fine tooth comb. Take the case of the Union's values.

Proceeding through the draft constitution it is evident that the variations in the language of the different treaties and the need to clarify the original meanings is a major task for our politicians and other interested parties.

There will still be debate when the constitution is finalised, but the fact that all the facets of the current treaties have been scrutinised and updated will enable the European Union to work more efficiently on behalf of all people within the Union and have a more valid influence on those outside the Union.

We must not lose sight of the fact that the European Union and its predecessors have produced over 40 years of peace in Europe.

Those who are calling for a referendum on the European Constitution have not spelt out the detail of the terms of a referendum nor have they explained which of the Articles of the Constitution they are against.

Perhaps they can make things as clear and open as the information that comes out of the Convention. - Bill Morehead, Darlington.

PETER WEST

I ADMIRED the cricket commentaries of Peter West, who died recently, from being a boy (Echo, Sept 3).

He had great style. When Pakistan toured England for the first time in 1954, Peter West greatly admired their play by saying: "My hat, they all look well, these Pakistanis."

On another occasion when the television screen was showing a man in the crowd enjoying a smoke, West remarked: "The pipe-smoking Englishman at his leisure."

He always found the right words to go with the pictures. - LD Wilson, Guisborough.