Bob Hope’s Mountain Lands

It is interesting to note that Times writer Alan Citron is exercising “freedom of the press,” Margot Feuer (member of Save the Mountain Park Coalition) and Mary Wiesbrock (environmental activist) “freedom of speech,” (Part A, March 7) and cartoonist Conrad “freedom of artistic venom” (“Faith, hope and damn little charity,” March 16). However, it appears they would have us believe that “free enterprise” is a dirty word.

Free enterprise is an important element in our democratic form of government; an element being embraced throughout the world now more than any time in history.

Bob Hope is an extremely charitable man. Few have given so much to so many so often. Hope’s concern for his fellow man is near legend.

It is impossible to calculate how many millions he has raised for charitable causes by performance, presence, name and direct donation.

And, unless something has happened overnight that I’m unaware of, I believe it is the “right” of the donor to indicate the recipient of the gift.

If Citron had investigated a little further he would have found out about the provision in the sale of Hope’s property (7,400 acres in the Santa Monica Mountains) which calls for a donation of 1,000 acres of prime land to the National Park Service.

WARD GRANT

Public Relations for Bob Hope

Burbank