Bagging it

AMERICAN industry really is serious about improving the quality of its products. First came that washing machine commercial about the lonely repairman.

Next were American-made cars: Quality has shot up.

Now it's paper bags - the little brown ones that takeout restaurants stuff a sandwich into. We've just pried our tuna-on-rye out of one that's proudly stamped: ''A Quality Product by Samuel Walker and crew 12.''

We hadn't particularly noticed a quality problem with bags. Nevertheless, having to eat tuna unexpectedly off a city sidewalk isn't our idea of an early-spring picnic, so we're grateful for Samuel Walker's attention.

Now - if only he could find some way to sell us a bagful of quality. We could sprinkle it over lesser-grade items and - voila! - quality everywhere. . . .