CAN THIS BOY SAVE THE MONARCHY?

"There is no better way to ensure emotional danger for Prince William than to put the future of the Windsors and their reign on his shoulders." CAROLYN ELGAR Richmond, Virginia

Can Prince William Save the Monarchy [WORLD, July 22]? Why should we think that is desirable? Rather than fawning over a 14-year-old who has done nothing to deserve his celebrity other than being born, we in the U.S. should be occupied by our American experiment. The political breakthrough that freed us from an inbred aristocracy is a concept that in 220 years has led to the dissolution of dozens of dynasties and royal houses. Hereditary monarchies, with the appellation "by the grace of God," are more than just quaint anachronisms. The English should spend less time considering whether Diana should be called Her Royal Highness and a little more considering why anyone should be. THOMAS BALL San Juan, Texas Via E-mail

It is appalling to think that a family as wealthy and privileged as the British royals has failed at something millions of others have succeeded at--leading a decent life. All the royals have to do is show their smiling faces every so often and give a bonus handshake. If that's too much for the family, why does the British public still support it? VIKAS DUVVURI Stanford, California Via E-mail

Prince William is the ideal king-in-waiting, having inherited the best features of his parents: his mother's good looks and his father's devotion to duty. There is no doubt that William is a breath of fresh air. MAHMOUD RAKHSHANI Toronto

The night Prince Charles was born in 1948, my mother thought it important enough to wake me, then nine, to tell me the excellent news: "Elizabeth has an heir." In spite of the royal family's subsequent problems, my mother died a confirmed royalist. People of my generation, brought up in an era when the royals were generally very popular, find it difficult to imbue our children with that same enthusiasm. Most of us now know the royals are no different from other people. William, the "fresh heir," as you describe him, should be released from the kingship of his country. Let there be a referendum on the monarchy soon. I believe it will save Wills some heartache. LOUIS PROCTOR Liverpool, England

Who cares if Prince William can or cannot save the monarchy? It has ceased to be of any interest, and at best is just good material to fill the tabloids. ASHER GABBAY Petah Tikva, Israel

Figuratively speaking, Princess Diana has been beheaded. Now all that remains is for Prince Charles to ascend the throne in due course; his appropriate name then would be King Henry VIII the Second. Long live hypocrisy! JOCELYN MARY SEEMANN Durban, South Africa

The problems of Diana and Charles were exacerbated by the media. Let young William live in peace. SUNIL SHIBAD Mahim, India

STAYING INVOLVED

We were delighted to read Richard Stengel's reply [NATION, July 22] to Robert Putnam's 1995 essay "Bowling Alone," in which Putnam asserted that Americans' traditional engagement in civic activities has been in a 25-year decline. We couldn't agree more with Stengel! There is, indeed, a hidden revolution of citizen involvement that's not reflected in the declining membership rolls of traditional civic groups. But the media typically fail to report on the new forms of civic participation that contradict Putnam's notion of waning social capital. A vast universe of American public life, including citizen-based initiatives in health care, education, government, the media, race relations, economic life and much more--remains largely invisible. The notion of citizen withdrawal from public life feeds on itself: if we accept the notion that others have given up on the larger community, why wouldn't we be more likely to give up too? For our democracy to flourish, journalists must widen the news lens to include a fuller picture of who we are. FRANCES MOORE LAPPE, Editor PAUL MARTIN DU BOIS, Publisher American News Service Brattleboro, Vermont

Stengel wrote, "many associations--gated suburbs and business-improvement districts, known as BIDS (which have their own police forces)--are driven in some respects by self-concerned fear." Then he goes on to include the Viper militia in the same paragraph! As former chairman of New York City's Bryant Park Restoration Corporation, I spent 10 years retrieving that seven-acre park from drug dealers. Today it gives pleasure to thousands who previously avoided it. Without a bid this would not have been possible. The major BIDS in the New York area have vastly improved the quality of life here. ANDREW HEISKELL New York City

Stengel reveals the shallow roots of his argument that civil engagement is alive and well in this country when he cites Princeton sociologist Robert Wuthnow's suggestion that we are eschewing large, bureaucratic organizations for smaller, flexible ones that "fit our life-style." This sounds more like convenience-store values for those who can't be bothered with deep commitment. Stengel's apologist thinking is especially disturbing in the context of a society in which the middle and lower classes are rapidly losing ground while a small group of the economically elite amasses more and more of the nation's wealth with little sense of noblesse oblige. Boutique values and transient commitments are just perfect for the residents of gated communities who have little time to spare in their rush for profit. DAVID S. LITTON Austin, Texas Via E-mail

SENDING JOBS TO CHINA

Thank you for your article on U.S. manufacturing jobs going to China [BUSINESS, July 22]. Because of Chinese human-rights violations, I do not buy products made in China. This has become increasingly difficult, however, as the American market is flooded with Chinese goods. This year Louisiana fishermen were severely hurt when the Chinese undersold Louisiana-harvested crawfish 40% to 50% per lb. At the supermarket, people wondered aloud how the Chinese could possibly make a profit. I fear they are using political prisoners and virtual slave labor. MARTA MCCARRON Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The Chinese government is not creating unemployment in America; it is the multinational corporations that are responsible for cutting jobs and exporting them to China. When labor costs rise in China, these corporations will maximize profits by moving their manufacturing operations again to another country with even cheaper labor. DAVID CHIANG Colts Neck, New Jersey Via E-mail

Your article succinctly shows the folly of the U.S.-China policy. We overlook massive and persistent human-rights violations, the military intimidation of Taiwan, nuclear testing, the neglect of young orphans in order not to disrupt business dealings with China. But we are actually exporting American jobs to China. And the U.S. is doing this while its trade deficit with China has mushroomed to $3.06 billion. ALAN L. GLEITSMAN Malibu, California