Coup Illustrates Virtue of Patience

Mikhail Gorbachev was leading the U.S.S.R. to economic and other desirable reforms which would have benefited the entire nation and the rest of the world.

But many in the Baltic Republics, the Republic of Russia and others would not support Gorbachev by waiting for orderly reforms, but became impatient and had to demonstrate and demand their own independence immediately, thus undermining the man who was trying to help them, and encouraging the old hard-liners to take back power by a coup.

Although this is not the U.S.S.R., thank the Lord, these events might serve as a salutary lesson to our own well-meaning but short-sighted demonstrators--practice constraint and patience!

BARON de BEER

Monrovia