Loss of Area Industrial Jobs

Your article (“States Finding California Defense Firms Easy Targets,” front page, March 8) lamenting the loss of California defense industries to other states did not include the benefits of increased non-military trade with Pacific Rim nations to make up for this loss. For the most part the buildup of military hardware manufacturing was an anomaly of World War II, which after its end was conveniently continued as the Cold War. Good minds and even the educational institutions went on their unadventurous way catering to this.

Realizing a commercial neglect, first Japan and now Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand and China seized the day--their gadgets, devices and clothing come nonstop through California ports. It is time we let the hardscrabble states cope with the wax and wane of the jerry-built war economy and fix our vision on everyday usable items desired by most of the world’s customers.

BLAINE MOUNT, Los Angeles