A change in focus for laboratories

The Opinion page article "National Labs Look to New Order Roles," Jan. 13, concerning the conversion of three national laboratories to create an "information superhighway network" to solve the problems in business, industry, education, and health care, brings up a signal point: Can we as a nation change our focus, our mission, and our objectives so that we stop thinking in terms of enemies and allies, and start thinking of a global village?

The most creative, educated, and technically equipped laboratories in the United States can set an example of their ability to change from "high quality/cost doesn't matter much" to an "open, flexible, market-driven and consumer-oriented culture." This will point out the way for the rest of the country to change our priorities from conflict to cooperation. If these people can't adjust, what hope is there for the rest of us? Mary Markus, Garden Grove, Calif.

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