Dim Soviet View Draws Reply : Paper Defends Indiana: Not ‘God-Forsaken Hole’

Editors of a Soviet newspaper should tour Indiana to learn that it is not a “God-forsaken hole,” the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel said today.

The News-Sentinel, in an editorial, offered rebuttal to an article in the Moscow Red Star newspaper that was critical of Republican Sen. Richard G. Lugar and his home state.

Lugar is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“Sen. Richard Lugar has decided he will not send you a letter about the terrible things you wrote about him and his native state,” the newspaper said.

“If the senator wants to just let it go that you’ve labeled him a right-wing extremist with cannibalistic views who’s out of step in Washington, then his wishes must naturally be respected.

“But rest assured that concerned Hoosiers will not sit idly by when derogatory comments are made about this fair state of ours.

“First, the ‘God-forsaken hole’ would seem to be a bit harsh in describing all of Indiana. How would you like it if we started calling Siberia nasty names? All good-hearted Siberians would be most upset.”

The editorial also said it was “quite interesting” to find the term “God-forsaken” in a Communist publication.

It continued: “Perhaps you would benefit from a tour of our fair state to see for yourself that Hoosiers are really not that much different from Russians. Such a trip might be the first part of a journey toward a new era of peace and understanding for the entire world.”