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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 1979)
Viewpoint Sorralion The Battalion Texas A&M University Tuesday February 13, 1979 Slouch By Jim Earle INC ON THE GRASS WOULD BE IF OIL WAS DISCOV ERED UNDER THE MSC?” New seniority system- reform and subvert By ARNOLD SAWISLAK United Press International WASHINGTON — What goes on in this town sometimes defies description in the tepid prose of contemporary journalism. Only the rhetorical fashion of a time gone by seems adequate to explain some things. Example. The House of Representatives changed its rules to permit committee members to elect their own chairmen in stead of giving the chairmanship automati cally to the most senior member of the committee. This was supposed to provide a check on committee chairmen who abused their authority and ignored the wishes of committee members. But this year a liberal junior member upset a moderate senior member for a sub committee membership. It turned out that a number of the junior member’s votes came from colleagues for whom he raised campaign funds last fall. This new wrinkle in the fabric of congres sional reform seemed to require more than a routine explanation. Finding a proper commentator was easy. So with with trepi dation and apologies to Finley Peter Dunne, we will try to move back in time to a saloon in Chicago, where a lone customer and a bartender are discussing the events of the day. ($) 50 new ways to leave your lover By DICK WEST WASHINGTON — Mr. Marvin, meet Mr. Simon. The party of the first part is Lee Marvin, famous actor who has been sued by his ex-mistress for half of the property he ac quired while they were living together. According to testimony at the celebrated trial in Los Angeles, Marvin occasionally asked his attorney, “How do I get rid of this broad?” The party of the second part is Paul Si mon, famous singer and composer whose many hits include a song called “There Where will it all end? In the Supreme Court, most likely. Meanwhile, if Paul Simon is as sharp as I think he is, he will record a sequel to “There Must Be 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover.” Rattling his newspaper, Mr. Hennessy announced: “The House iv Raypresenta- tives has rayformed itself. ” Mr. Dooley took the news with remark able calm: “You don’t say so, Mr. Hinnissy. Is it thimselves that is telling us that?” “No. ‘tis the Washington correspondent of the Traybune that says so. He says they have given up the seenjority system that has bred so many tyrants and are going to ilict committee cheermen by the same dimmycratic system of majority rule as dieted them to Congress.” “Well, I hope they ain’t relying on the dimmycratic system in this ward,” Mr. Dooley said withn a flick of his bar rag. “We got the most pure of seenjority systems — the candy date that can vote the oldest ghosts wins the iliction.” Hennessy went back to his paper. Soon he looked up again: “Oh, but there is a hitch, Mr. Dooley. The rayform is being soob-verted, the Washington corre spondent says. Members of the committees are ousting the wrong men — committee cheermen who niver did a thing to offend good taste and the dimmycratic processes. ” “Why are they doin’ that, Hinnissy?” “Well, it seems one of the rayforming raypresentatives, a young fella with not much senjority but an itch to raise his own estate in the world, went out and raised a pot of money from his friends of a like dis position for rayforming Congress wicked ways. “Thin he distributed the proceeds to his fella committee members fer campaign purposes. Thim that got re-ilicted naturally began to see the advantages of rayform over seenjority. So when their bennyfactor the rayforming raypresentative ran for cheer- man, they rayformed the incoombent, who the Washington correspondent says has both seenjority and merit but not much to offer in the way of campaign funds.” “So there ye are, Hinnissy,” said Mr. Dooley. “Where am I?” said Hennessy with a puzzled look. “Why man, ye’re at the thrishold of two defynitions ... of rayform and of soob- version of rayform.” “And them are?” “Rayform is fixing something that ain’t working the way you want it to. Soob- version of rayform is fixing something you don’t think is broke.” I don’t mean merely updating the lyrics with such lines as “Just jump aboard ship. Flip” or “Just take to your feet, Pete.” I’m talking about a whole new song, which also should be a big hit and which would be called “There Must Be 50 Ways To Sue Your Lover.” Talk with Dr. Miller P.E. system backward Humor Some of the lines would virtually write themselves. For instance, the obligatory reference to the Marvin trial could be: “Make him post bail, Michelle.” Mvxst Be 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover.” One line in the song advises, “Just turn in the key, Lee.” I don’t know whether Lee Marvin was familiar with those lyrics or how he finally left his lover, Michelle Triola Marvin. But obviously the procedure he followed wasn’t as simple as Simon made it sound. Indeed, Simon to the contrary, the Mar vin case may be a threat to every Lee who turns in his key, to every Gus who hops on a bus, to every Jack who slips out the back, to every Roy who doesn’t try to be coy and to every Stan who gets a new plan. Already, a woman named Penelope McCall has filed a $1 million, Marvin-type suit against rock star Peter Frampton, and Kayatana Harrison is suing comedian Flip Wilson for a like amount on similar grounds. If Simon needs any additional help in doing for jilted ladies what he already has done for their exiting paramours, here are a few other suggested lyrics: ite Just litigate, Kate.” Make it into a case, Grace.” Prefer a large claim, Marne.” Have your lawyer appeal, Lucille.” Get a bank garnishee, Marie.” Put him under arrest, Bess.” Get a lien on his home, Joan.” File a couple of pleas, Louise.” Give the jury your charge, Marg. ” Throw his tail into jail, Raquel.” Ask the judge to arraign, Elaine.” Grab his estate by escheat, Marguer- Editor: We would like to express our complete disgust with the P.E. department’s back ward registration system. Is this a true reflection of their logic? Why has the P.E. department not followed the other departments’ registration procedure? Would it nof be possible to offer the specific P.E. courses in the catalogue and have your selection printed along with the other courses on your schedule? This would eliminate long lines encountered when picking up additional P.E. registration cards and save the students as well as the P.E. staff unnecessary spent time required by the present system. No wonder T-sips are under the illusion that AGGIES do everything backwards! —^Jonathan Stuart, ’81 Mohan Manohar, ’81 File a writ of error, Sarah.” Go to court for a decree, Valorie.” ‘Try a writ of certiorari, Rosemary.” In other words, put their backs to the wall, Paul. Letters to the Editor New parking ‘solution’ Editor: I would like to offer one final suggestion as a solution to the “MSC Grass Question. ” Self-admittedly, this is a tasteless suggestion. But it could possibly offer relief to another growing problem. How about making the area around the MSC into park ing space? I know ... tasteless. —Mary Robinson, ’80 So I hope that if Eric Dickerson gets a copy of Monday’s Battalion, he will realize that there is one and only one person at A&M unwilling to welcome him and be blessed with his presence. — Chris Lawless, ’82 Dear Mr. Stuart and Mr. Manohar: Your letter addresses a problem that has long been recognized by the people who work with registration for physical education activity courses. At present, even though the procedure is somewhat cumbersome, we feel that in the long run, it saves students more time and trouble than it causes them to spend. According to Dr. Landiss, head of the Department of Health and Physical Educa tion, the present procedure of registration is followed in order to reduce the number of add and drop requests that would result if computer registration proce dures were followed. As you know, when an add and drop request is made by a student the use of the computer system frequently changes the student’s entire schedule. This fact, coupled with the extreme popularity of some activities, presents a problem of major proportions in changing students’ schedules. For example, in the scuba activity we have in excess of 300 more students who wish to register for this activity than the facilities can accommodate. If all of these students preregistered for this activity, it would mean that more than 300 students’ schedules would be rejected because the section had been filled and they would then have to proceed through the drop and add process. This is just one activity out of many; the same condition would be true for a number of other courses which would produce an exceptionally large number of changes in students’ programs. It is for these reasons primarily that the registration procedures in the Depart ment of Health and Physical Education are done manually after students have completed their basic class schedule. In this fashion the Department of Health and Physical Education reduces significantly the number of changes that would have to be made in the schedules in basic academic programs. I can assure you that the faculty in the Department of Health and Physical Education would be just as eager as you are to simplify the registration procedures and to reduce the waiting in line. This procedure is constantly under review and, upon completion of the new faeflities now under construction, we will re-evaluate our registration process in an attempt to alleviate some of the problems. —Jarvis E. Miller President, Texas A&M Fay no heed, Eric Editor: Two days before the SWC signing date, a Texas A&M “supporter” speaks his mind in the Battalion (Feb. 12) in an effort to get attention and, in effect, hampers A&M’s chances at signing perhaps the nation’s most highly sought high school running back. I’m referring to poorly-informed Mike Carroll’s letter concerning the pre decessor to Earl Campbell and Billy Sims on the list of Heisman Trophy winners from the great state of Texas. Mr. Dickerson was open-minded enough to carefully evaluate USC, Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and A&M, and made what he thought was the right deci sion in choosing A&M. After visiting A&M at his own expense, Dickerson decided that the “friendly” atmosphere and the academic program best fit his needs. Hope fully he did not read Carroll’s letter, for if we lose one of the best prospects in years because of one letter, our “hellacious” football team will have to find another way to compete with Houston, Texas, SMU, Baylor, and Tech. As for the validity of Dickerson’s blue- chip status, I think his credentials speak for themselves. Mosley, Dickey, Dickerson, and the high-schooler from Texarkana would make for a Ueetei-tiiaii-tieel offensive enreat. Thotz By Doug Graham Bert... we Aggies are Supposed -fo as rr>a*y as possJLJe., Vou ca *-v \ai at-rhy as as tonaioy services a: we Or-OVi die -rhem Top of the News CAMPUS Th :01 By Rl' Silver Taps will he held tonight lUniversi fen 282 Silver Taps is scheduled tonight for Pamela Jean Forest, a ^ freshman physical education major from Midland. She was Saturday in an automobile accident in Bastrop. Funeral services® set for this afternoon in Midland. ice Sept Ited fro n the own LOCAL Area problems to he discussed iryt or j By RE' Community leaders and the staff of KAMU, Texas A&M Univer sity’s public and educational broadcasting facility, will meet next week to discuss issues and problems of significance to the peopled! Bryan-College Station and the Brazos Valley. More than 400 commu nity leaders have been invited by letter to attend any of four special meetings planned for 7:30 p.m. next Monday through Feb. 22 in Studio A of the Joe Hiram Moore Communications Center on the campus. Anyone interested in attending the meetings should phone the station for more information. ■School Superintendent search continues In a special session Monday night, A&M Consolidated School Board trustees continued their search for a superintendent to replace Fred Hopson, whose contract was terminated Nov. 20. Trustee Bruce Robeck said the board “wouldn’t be at a decision point until we have sufficient background.’ He indicated long-distance telephone calls would be needed to supply this information and instructed board members to keep a record of all expenses “to assess the cost of the program. ” No further meetings of this screening committee are im mediately planned. The board terminated Hopson’s contract citing “disagreements concerning educational policy and policy implemen tations.” His renegotiated contract will expire on June 30. I ■ception, "use, pi'i lachers d iRouse [ idlers pi [pendeiil mday. _Accordir E ite Teat yan is oi xas who Ige for b |d. This f percei tools it’s But "Bi jfpersonn : inforn ephone :Gown i STATE Cuevas granted murder retrial ceive i te-guan Rouse s; rrect al Jury selection in the capital murder retrial of Ignacio Cuevas, ac cused in the 1974 slaying of a prison librarian, opened Monday Cuevas, 46, was convicted and sentenced to death in April 1975, for the murder of Julia Standley. Opposing lawyers agreed theconcepto! “criminal responsibility would be important because evidence in the inmates 1975 trial showed he did not fire the shot that killed the hostage librarian. Evidence in the first trial showed Standley was killed by bullets from inmate Rudolfo Dominguez’s gun, but the law provided Cuevas could be held criminally responsible for participat ing in the breakout effort. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled District Judge Miron A. Love erred during jury selection at thefint trial. Gunman shot by Denton police An unidentified gunman who abducted a female North Texas State University officer and shot her twice in the leg as she tried to escape was shot to death early Monday by Denton police. Two police vehi cles attempted to set up a roadblock and the suspect wrecked his car attempting to evade it. After the wreck, the suspect began shootingat the officers and police returned the fire, killing the man. Authorities said security officer Barabara Miller was treated and released from a local hospital. NATION Funds for solar station needed Has loci '1 North I2-8570 A top National Aeronautics and Space Administration official has urged Congress to provide additional funding to continue studiesofa proposed space orbital solar energy transmitting station. As pro posed, the solar space station would involve a large Earth-orbiting satellite that would collect the sun’s rays and then beam them to Earth by microwave for conversion into electrical current. Commit tee members also heard testimony that the nation’s $6.5 billion spare shuttle program is almost on schedule and that landing of the first orbital shuttle craft will be at NASA’s Northrup Strip on the southern New Mexico missile range. !f55( Recruiting practices questioned House Majority Leader Jim Wright has requested a House sub committee investigation into Army recruiting practices in Fort Worth and throughout the country. The recruiters said that in an effort to meet enlistment quotas for the all-volunteer Army, some recruiters have given answers to questions on service qualification tests. The) also charged that some recruiters have asked prosecutors and judges to drop or reduce charges against potential recruits so they can enlist. > WORLD Queen to be treated like a man 10 Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip left a snowy London Monday, aboard a special Concorde flight for Kuwait, the first stop on their 18-day tour of Arab oil states on the Persian Gulf. After Kuwait, the royal couple will fly to Bahrain where the queen plans to look at some of the finest Arab race horses in the Middle East. From there, the queen will fly east to Riyadh where she will be the first British monarch and the first woman sovereign to visit the Islamic Saudi kingdom. The Saudis, who do not believe in the equality of women, are expected to circumvent tradition by treating the queen and her four ladies-in-waiting as “honorary men.” The Battalion LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are subject to being cut to that length or less if longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit such letters and does not guarantee to publish any letter. Each letter must be signed, show the address of the writer and list a telephone number for verification. Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor, The Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas 77843. Represented nationally by National Educational Adver tising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. P C MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Kim 0 Managing Editor LixW ^ Assistant Managing Editor .Andy"i^ Sports Editor DavidW d City Editor Scott Pei*^ ^ Campus Editor Ste'< The Battalion is published Monday through Friday from September through May except during exam and holiday periods and the summer, when it is published on Tuesday through Thursday. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per school year; $35.00 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. Address: The Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas 77843. United Press International is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it. Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. Second-Class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. News Editors Debbie PJ* ^ Beth Calhoun Staff Writers Karen Rogers • Patterson, Sean Petty, ^ i? [ O c Blake, Dillard Stone, Bragg, Lyle Lovett Cartoonist Dougfc' O Photo Editor Lee Roy Leschpe Photographer LynnB Focus section editor Gan'' 1 Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or of the writer of the article and are not necessarily those of the University administration or the Board of Regents. The Battalion is a iwii-prcf) supporting enterprise operated by as a university and community neiai Editorial policy is determined by the