Rosenberg Spy Case

* Re “Decoded Soviet Messages Affirm Rosenberg Spy Case,” July 12:

How significant is the CIA release of decoded information regarding wartime “espionage” by Julius Rosenberg (July 12)? Yes, he may have passed on whatever he “knew” to the Soviet Union, motivated by the belief that U.S. authorities were wrong in denying information to an ally.

His information was probably quite insignificant, allegedly supplied by a low-level employee at Los Alamos. But Julius Rosenberg was a Jew who wanted peace and friendship with those then-benighted Russians, and served the purpose of promoting the Cold War and frightening other peace proponents into silence.

Ethel Rosenberg was scarcely implicated, even in the decoded material, yet she was incarcerated and ultimately executed to induce a “confession” which never came. Their principles and their courage inspires their now-grown sons Robert and Michael Meeropol who work to help the children of other “political prisoners.” I too am inspired, and wonder if I would have the moral fiber to choose death over dishonor.

HELEN L. TRAVIS

San Pedro

* The questions I have about the Rosenberg trial are the same:

Was the information provided to the Soviet Union a threat to national security?

Was the severity of the treatment to which the Rosenbergs were subjected as the result of the absurd hysteria (and don’t tell me it wasn’t absurd; I just saw “I Was a Communist for the FBI”) of the times?

RONALD WEBSTER

Long Beach