To the editor:

During the past 18 months, I watched the local battle with Wal-Mart to build a large retail store at Sixth Street and Wakarusa Drive. I thought it was probably an isolated case until I read an article in USA Today about California’s identical problem.

In the Oct. 24 issues of the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today, there were front-page articles about how Wal-Mart has hired illegal immigrants to clean their stores. It was a coincidence to read Virgil Sprague’s letter Oct. 26 in the Journal-World about the excellent employment opportunities offered by the Wal-Mart stores and the Oct. 24 news articles in three nationwide newspapers.

The Sprague letter congratulated Wal-Mart for its program to hire 250 to 300 people in its supercenter. Apparently, he feels Wal-Mart is helping solve our unemployment problems. However, he is also ignoring the immigration problems laid out by three large national newspapers.

After reading this story in several national newspapers, I am convinced that allowing another Wal-Mart to be built in Lawrence will only add to this problem.

Lester C. Marsh,

Lawrence