Richard Conlin's "The grocery bag fee" (Herald, April 9), demonstrates the shortsightedness of local politicians who wish to solve one problem by substituting another, much more serious one. Conlin supports the replacement of paper and plastic bags with those made from compostable materials. As a result he states, "As a result manufacturers and suppliers are responding with new products - including compostable (sic) plastics made from vegetable sources, such as cornstarch and sugar cane."

In a time of the greatest food shortage in modern times why would a politician, such as Conlin, suggest we develop grocery bags from cornstarch and sugar cane? He should know better; he should "Think globally, act locally." Food shortages have increased the worldwide costs of basic foods 83 percent in the past two years. Throughout South America, Africa and Asia 20 million children are threatened with starvation. Food riots have broken out in Mexico, Egypt, and Thailand.

To help fight greenhouse gases the United States has converted 25 percent of our corn production to ethanol. This action resulted in the first cost increase - then the Democratic Congress, to get the farm belt states' votes increased the subsidy by over a billion dollars. As a result corn became a gold mine for farmers, and they converted their acreage from wheat and soybeans to corn.

Throughout the world more and more people are citing the United States, and our love affair with ethanol, as a major cause of this food disruption. We should be taking immediate action to stop the production of corn-based ethanol and boycott any gasoline that contains what should be a basic food material. If we stay on our present course people throughout the world they will soon say, "The Ugly American is an environmentalist."

Frank Bradley

Gatewood Hill