Letters

(3 of 3)

Despite her sometimes hedonistic lifestyle, Princess Margaret had an appetite for real work. For 30 years she was a model chancellor at the University of Keele in Staffordshire, taking an enormous interest in the university's research, much of which was directed toward medical concerns such as anticancer drug development and deafness. She met thousands of students who will remember her as a participant in their lives, not a remote figure. Margaret's visits brightened the lives of many in North Staffordshire. She went into coal mines, attended charity auctions and visited old people's homes. These are not the activities of a perpetual playgirl.
MARK PARGETER
Caversham, England

My father was a provincial veterinary officer in Kenya, and because of his position, I had the honor of being presented to Princess Margaret in Mombasa. Tense and eager, I was waiting my turn to be introduced when suddenly she came in, and I curtsied. Her Highness was so beautiful that I was speechless. She was as lovely as a Dresden doll and so delicate. She gave me a lovely smile that I still remember.
RAZIA HASSAN
Lahore, Pakistan

To Prevent Another Enron

There has been a lot of criticism accusing Enron's management of illegal acts. Some people are even calling for confiscation of their assets [Nation, Feb. 18]. I agree that we should not tolerate criminal or irresponsible behavior but also feel that we should put our emotions aside and consider how Enron's collapse became possible. It is essential to realize that the creative human mind can always find a way to abuse the system. Although we must not stop improving our legislation and institutions, the possibility of a similar or even bigger disaster will remain. It is the responsibility of each of us to find a way to keep the effects of any future collapse to a minimum.
PAVEL EROCHKINE
Coventry, England

It is sickening that the executives from Enron invoked the Fifth Amendment before Congress after they stripped people of their life savings. The actions of Enron's managers have caused a crisis of confidence in publicly traded corporations, erasing billions in market capitalization. Those people who gained personally at the expense of others should be treated the same as the al-Qaeda terrorists: they should be sent directly to prison.
PHILIP MONGEAU
Montreal

Japan on the Brink

Your article on President Bush's visit to Japan noted the sad state of this country's economy [World, Feb. 18]. There is an incredible amount of red tape, bureaucratic behavior and old-fashioned thinking in the Japanese government. Yet the attitude of the country's people toward these things is changing. Twelve years of recession is enough to make the Japanese aware of what is going on. Furthermore, many of the Old Guard, who had great influence in business, bureaucracy and politics during the 1980s, are already out of power. Most Japanese are prepared for radical economic change and are even creating innovative business schemes on their own.
KOSUKE SUZUKI
Tokyo

Pay It Forward

"What is a life worth?" asked your story on the controversy surrounding the compensation due families of the Sept. 11 victims [Nation, Feb. 11]. Life is sometimes priceless and sometimes worth nothing, depending on where you live. I would suggest that those families who can live without their respective awards not challenge the amount but pass the money on to the less fortunate. This would not only gain them self-satisfaction but also make their loss more sacred. Unending lawsuits only make others feel less sympathetic.
ISPHANYAR BHANDARA
Rawalpindi, Pakistan