Will on ‘The Jungle’

It is not often that I, as a liberal, am able to find errors committed by Mr. Conservative, George Will, but in “ ‘187’ Opens a Window on the Dark Side” (Column Right, Aug. 10) Will made a profound error in his interpretation of many Americans having read Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle.” Will’s interpretation suggests that Americans were “riveted and repelled” reading about “immigrants toiling in Chicago’s stockyards.”

Having taught for 34 years, assigning that book many times, I’d like to correct Will. Upton Sinclair said, “I aimed at the public’s heart, and I hit it in the stomach.” Sinclair’s novel was aimed at exposing the ruthless, uncaring producers of meats and other foodstuffs. But, of course, since that led to the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food Act, Will could not deal with federal laws that are intended to protect the public from big (food) business, since that would not cater to his own objectives of laissez faire.

JERRY ARONOW

West Hollywood