Intellectuals Abdicate AROUND HERE, in this country, there is little understanding of what Mao Tse-tung is after, but that does not inhibit the bouts of insensate, nearly senile gloatings. Perhaps such a release is necessary, for this nation can otherwise gloat over precious little else these days. It will be rare in the history of recent years to dis- qover hopelessness of equal quality as can be felt now. The economic difficulties are of course well known, but, pervading all, is the suspicion that this is a nation without common roots