Tower Appointed to Defense Post

Your Times editorial “Bush’s Defense Choice” (Dec. 17) posed a question regarding John Tower’s suitability for defense secretary in light of allegations and doubts relating to his character. But you also stated that he “ . . . Earned praise chairing the commission that investigated the Iran-Contra affair. . . . “ Of course he did! His latest appointment may be his reward for that and for service as chairman of the powerful Armed Forces Committee, during the time the Pentagon’s obscene pork-barrel procurement system thrived. We can only speculate that the budgetary corruption under the Reagan-Bush Republicans will continue under the Bush-Quayle Republicans.

It is unlikely that there will be a curtailment of military procurement profiteering--only a more careful cover-up. Only fools believe the new Republican Administration will stop feeding its corporate pals and their weapon merchants in the war industry at the hog troughs of political patronage. When will voters ever learn to “throw the rascals out?”

A. RAY LAMBSON

Oceanside