Dear Ann Landers,
ou've said that a man who hits his wife is the lowest type of animal. Now-what about a woman who hits her hus-band? What kind of an animal is she? I'm married to an active volcano. When she loses her temper (which is often) she hauls off and slaps my face, punches me, kicks me in the leg or throws dishes. We've been married almost three years and I don't know how much more of this I can take. I've never hit a woman in my life but I'm beginning to think maybe it's about time I did. May I have your advice? -Black and Blue

Dear Blue,
A husband who belts his wife in retaliation reduces him-self to her primitive level. My advice to a husband who gets hit is to leave the house for several hours. If this doesn't cure your wife, stay away for several days or indefinitely. No man should have to duck crockery or wear a crash helmet in his own home. Dear Ann: About every three months my wife (we've been married six years) goes off her rocker and picks a fight with me so she can bounce some glassware off my head or kick my shins black and blue. We had a real go-round last night, and she hit me in the mouth and cut my lip with her ring. (The diamond I gave her when we were engaged.) I don't drink, gamble or run around. The reason she goes off half-nuts is because I like to read or watch TV after dinner, and she thinks I should be talking to her instead. I do talk to her a lot, but I don't care to spend three or four hours at it, especially when there's football or hockey on the tube. What's the solution? -Idaho Woe Dear Woe: Your wife needs counseling. Her behavior is immature and childish. She needs to learn how to get rid of her frustrations and ag-gressions in a civilized manner. I hope she follows through before you get fed up and leave. No man should have to put up with physical abuse. My position on spousal abuse has been unequivocal since I started writing the column, but I cannot say the same about spanking children. Back in 1955, parents followed the admonition "spare the rod, spoil the child. " Although I never condoned physical abuse, I felt, as did most parents then, that an occasional swat on the behind was simply good discipline. I have since revised my views. Some parents don V know their own strength, and, too often, spanking leads to beating. It is not necessary to hit a child to get a point across. In fact, studies have shown that children who are abused often grow up to abuse others. But in the early sixties, my opinion was less enlightened. Can you believe the following words came out of my typewriter?