Germany Keeps Life and Work in Proper Perspective (int'l edition)

Your commentary ''Wanted: A turnaround artist for Germany'' (Economics, June 21) failed to appreciate that the German (and in fact the European) mindset differs from the American version, where growth at any cost is the driving consideration and where money is the exclusive measure of success and happiness.

For example, what you describe as ''outmoded regulations on business hours'' is just fine for many Germans. They view Sunday as a day of rest--a time for a relaxing walk through the woods, some puttering in the garden, drinking beer under the leafy canopy of chestnut trees, or, heaven forbid, the leisurely reading of a good book. Expanding the shopping hours may indeed boost the German economy, but such a change would also result in reduced leisure time.

Germany clearly needs to make some changes, but the country should not abandon its sense that the ultimate function of the economy is to help provide a good life, in the broadest sense of the word--not merely to make money for its own sake.

Paul W. Rosenberger
Manhattan Beach, Calif.

I believe Germany could benefit by relaxing some of its regulations and lowering taxes, but Germany should not make a wholesale shift to a U.S.-type economy.

The U.S. economy has obviously grown much faster than those of most European countries in the past eight years. But most of the benefits of that growth have gone to those who were already rich. Only in the last three years of the cycle has the average American seen modest prosperity. At the same time, we pay a high social cost--particularly by sacrificing the well-being of American children to the pursuit of wealth. Germany, despite slow economic growth in recent years, provides health care to all its citizens, has better schools, and a smaller gap between rich and poor.

We should meet them in the middle.

Lawrence A. Brusher
Houston

Keeping Coca-Cola's Record Sparkling (int'l edition)

Nobody likes to hear bad things about a popular product that we consume regularly (''Things aren't going better with Coke,'' European Business, June 28). Although France and Belgium are many miles away from me, I was startled about the news of problems with Coke in those countries. Coca-Cola brings back a lot of personal memories for me, and the company has never given me a reason to doubt its quality or consistency.

To sustain its impeccable credentials, Coca-Cola Co. owes it to the world to investigate such problems thoroughly.

Ethel T. Olcsvay
East Brunswick, N.J.

Aping Your Rival Is No Way to Succeed in E-Biz (int'l edition)

In ''Internet anxiety'' (Cover Story, June 28), you ask what steps companies should take to cope with threats from Internet competitors. If I were Barnes & Noble, I would inaugurate an auction site and put limited quantities of books up for sale. I would also hold an auction for gift items and specialty books to give people a reason to come to my site every day, or any time they had a special need. Just think of the database this would give Barnes & Noble. What I would not do is try to imitate Amazon.com

William A. Rousseau
Holly Springs, N.C.

For U.S. Farmers, a New Way to Husband Resources (int'l edition)

Agriculture in the U.S. has the opportunity to catapult itself into the next century as an acknowledged steward of the soil and environment (''More bitter harvests ahead,'' American News, June 28). A prime example is the huge potential for agriculture to lead the domestic effort in addressing greenhouse-gas issues and the fight to curb global change. Through better management practices that facilitate plant growth, the nation's crop and rangelands are a carbon dioxide bounty in the form of carbon sinks. The financial incentive to farmers would be provided by revenue generated from the sale of tons of carbon sequestered in their plants and root systems, above and below the surface.

The sequestered carbon is quantified in the form of carbon credits that are bought and sold through an emissions-trading system structured much like the successful sulfur dioxide program to combat acid rain. Agriculture gains from producing a new commodity (sequestered carbon), and the nation benefits from the sequestration.

An additional benefit is the enhanced perception and understanding among the American public of the importance of agriculture.

William K. Crispin
Tavernier, Fla.

''The dragons bulk up'' (Asian Business, July 12) (int'l edition)

''The dragons bulk up'' (Asian Business, July 12) should have said that NEC was the world's No.2 memory-device maker in 1997, not the world's No.2 chipmaker.