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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 15, 1971)
Listen up Bike rider wants equipment back Editor: Until today, I had great faith in the idea that “An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal, nor does he tolerate those that do.” How ever, today the pump on my bi cycle was stolen either during class or during lunch. Not only that, but the lens on the rear light was stolen, also. Due to the nature of their attachment to the bike, they could not have fallen off, so they must have been stolen. If whoever took the pump (I’m not worried about the lens) has any common decency, I would like the pump returned to me. Brian Ehni ’74 ★ ★ ★ Editor: In the last week or so, the Batt has been filled with articles concerning the dismissal of ex coach Gene Stallings. They have ranged from several columns by a pro-Stallings sports editor to letters-to-the-editor by alumni and students. The majority of these people have said that the firing of Stall ings was untastefully handled by the Board of Directors, which is probably true. However, to say that by firing Stallings we have “moved toward an impersonal mediocre status from which we may never recover” (Listen Up, Dec. 7th) just because Gene Stall ings is a loyal Aggie is being totally unrealistic. Granted, hav ing an Aggie as A&M’s football coach is nice to have, but when Prisoners return from China PHILADELPHIA, Pa. <A>) _ An energetic young woman, show ing few signs of her ordeal, and an Army civilian employe express ed wonderment Tuesday at U.S. technological advances during their imprisonment by the Chi nese Communists. “Have you put any men on the moon yet?” Mary Ann Har- bert asked during the 27-hour, 10,000-mile flight that brought her and Richard G. Fecteau to the United States following their release Monday in Hong Kong by the Chinese Reds. “I told her yes, we had put six men on the moon,” said Col. Leonard W. Johnson Jr., com mander of the 9th Aeromedical Evacuation Group at Clark Air Base in the Philippines. Johnson, who accompanied them half-way around the world, said Miss Harbert told him “I really don’t know, I hadn’t heard about it. Many people in China don’t know that. The last thing we knew about space was that Rus sia had something circling the moon. The two Americans checked in to the Valley Forge Military Hos pital, about 20 miles northwest of here, then fell exhausted into their first sleep in freedom. “I feel great,” said Miss Har bert, 25, who came home in time for a Christmastime birthday cel ebration. She had been held nearly four years following capture on a yacht off the mainland in 1968. “It was a fine trip and I’m glad to be home,” she said. Fecteau, of Lynn, Mass., said he was “very happy” after alight ing from a helicopter on the grounds of the hospital. Then he remained silent over his long or deal. Fecteau spent 19 years in prison, mostly in solitary. Doctors delayed a physical ex amination until Wednesday. They said the two were tired but were “in good physical condition.” Over the Pacific, after leaving Honolulu where the plane crew bought her an orchid, Miss Har bert placed a telephone call to her parents. Until the Chinese announce ment of her release, her par ents, Mr. and Mrs. Gene Har bert of Palo Alto, Calif., had thought she was dead. Johnson said it was not known how long the pair would remain at the hospital but that “Miss Harbert probably would be re leased first.” “Fecteau will stay some time,” Johnson said of the 43-year-old Army civilian employe who along with John T. Downey, 41, of New Britain, Conn., were aboard a plane shot down on a flight from Japan to Korea in 1952, during the Korean War. The Chinese said the two were on a mission for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. The United States denied the accusations. Fecteau’s divorced wife, Mar garet Fecteau, however, said at her home in Lynn that “the Chi nese haven’t been lying.” Miss Harbert, a slight, attrac tive woman who celebrates her 26th birthday two days after Christmas, was captured while sailing in Chinese waters north of Hong Kong on April 21, 1968. The Chinese announced in re leasing Miss Harbert that her yachting companion, Gerald Ross McLaughlin, committed suicide on March 7, 1969. this same person can only man age one winning season in seven years, I think we must begin to look forward instead of dwelling in the past. Gene Stallings is gone, and with him the hearts of many alumni who have felt that A&M will never lose a game if an Aggie is at the helm. We haven’t “turned pur backs on a part of A&M” but instead we have moved forward in realizing that A&M can and does occasionally lose football games. Let’s get behind the new coach, whether he be an Aggie or not, and give him the support that he and the football team fully deserve. James Peters ★ ★ ★ Editor: We wish to express our sincere gratitude to the young ladies of Omega Phi Alpha for their ren ditions of Christmas merriment Sunday night, Dec. 12. It was a pleasure to find that they could set aside time in their schedule of studies to carol our dorm. We sincerely wish Omega Phi Alpha, as well as all Aggies, a merry Christmas and the happiest of New Year. Faron W. Evans ’75 THE BATTALION Page 2 College Station, Texas Wednesday, December 15,197i Read Classifieds Hail) Books the lasting gift. The World’s Most Readable Bible — Now In One Volume! The Living Bible Only $9.95 Paraphrased Also The Last Whole Earth Catalogue Century Book Store Manor East Mall — Villa Maria Rd. Phone 823-5723 l (f oc nth rate Presid innou The use 0 jraph and lies. Ins cilitiei scient orient searcl indica Jr., ra Sea A& Peace CADET SLOUCH by Jim Earle In East Pakistan there is a war raging. The nation that has suffered hurricanes, oppression, starvation and disease is now going through the throes of a civil war and a war with a neighboring country. In the morning’s mail there came a letter from Captain Jack E. Danel. It was a Christmas card saying on the outside of “Season’s Greetings from South Vietnam.” The inside said “We’re still here, what are you doing about it?” There was also a newspaper photo of a many bandoliered man sitting on some olive-drab machine and staring at the camera. Somewhere in the highlands of New Guinea a nude black man climbs a watch tower. He watches for his neighbors, the enemy. If they and the weather decree it, he and they will meet on the crest of a small hill and fight. They will launch spears and arrows until either the rain starts or somebody dies. And thus it is in the world Wednesday, Dec. 15, 1971. And thus it has been and seemingly always will be. Thus it is that nobody seems to care anymore. It little matters that Christmas is only ten days away, Hannuka only slightly farther, and other days and celebrations too numerous to mention. It little matters because the affairs of the world must go on. It little matters that in a moist and green jungle a man falls screaming to the ground. The world does not note to any great extent that thousands died today in Pakistan and that thousands more will die. Nor does anybody^ except the villagers and perhaps a curious and saddened anthropologist, note that a child was killed in the highlands of New Guinea because a death was demanded for revenge. Since no one seems to care anymore, it might mean that this all means nothing. It might mean that the dying, the pain and the suffering are all just happening and must be accepted as the way of things. It might mean that. Then, again, it might mean that mankind has taken leave of what little reason he has left and has seen fit to ignore it all. That he will not let anything such as another person dying affect him. After all, it is all far away. The latter, if there is any truth in this mess, is probably correct. It is far away. But what of it? A man is dead, but nobody cares. A thousand are dead, but nobody cares. A million are dead but nobody cares. There is little to say about it. But to borrow from Christian tradition, and those of all other religions, we must say one thing, thousands of years old but still needed to be known and worked for by man, including you. Peace on earth, good will toward men. Hey kids .... Santa is coming with free gifts for everyone 10 years old and under. Santa heard that there was going to be a big special Christmas dinner, December 19, 11:00 - 2 00, at the MSC Cafeteria. Santa didn’t want to miss it and neither will you. Why not tell Mom and Dad to bring the whole family for a real Christmas treat. Now listen, tell Mom to give Santa’s helpers a call and let them know that you are coming, so that they can tell Santa to load plenty of gifts on his sleigh when he leaves the North Pole. His special number is 845-2941. FOR BEST RESULTS ‘Remember that big push you were going to make to bring grades up? It’s about time to start it!” TRY BATTALION CLASSIFIED Cbe Battalion Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the student zurilers ozily. The Battalion is a non-tax- supported, non-profit, self-supporting educational enter prise edited and operated by students as a university and community newspaper. The Battalion, a student published in College Station, Texas, daily except Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and holiday periods, September through d once a week during summer school. newspaper at Texas A&M, is Texas, daily except Saturdi May, and LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor must be typed, double-spaced, and no more than 300 words in length. They must be signed, although the writer’s name will be withheld by arrangement with the editor. Address correspondence to Listen Up, The Battalion, Room 217, Services Building, College Station, Texas 778-13. MEMBER The Associated Press, Texas Press Association The Associated Collegiate Press Mail subscriptions are $3.50 per semester; $6 per school year. All subscriptions subject to 5% ng rate furnished on request. Address: The Battalion, Boom 217, Services Building, College Station, Texas 77843. Mail subscriptions year; $6.50 per full j sales tax. Advertising The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatchs credited to it otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous not Members of the Student Publications Board are: Jim Lindsey, chairman ; H. F. Filers, College of Liberal Arts ; of republication of all other ey, chairman ; rt. r . Fliers, F. S. White, College of Engineering ; Dr. Asa B. Childers, Jr., College of Veterinary Medicine ; Dr. W. F of Agriculture; and Layne Kruse, student. Colleg pub matter herein are also reserved. Second-Class postage paid at College Station, Texas. cine ; W. E. Tedrick, College Servic Franc Represented nationally by National Educational Advertising Inc., New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and San EDITOR HAYDEN WHITSETT Managing Editor Doug Dilley News Editor Sue Davis Sports Editor John Curylo Assistant Sports Editor Bill Henry STUDENT WRAP A&M students get your Christmas packages wrapped FREE in Room 102, YMCA Bldg. But hurry, wrapping only lasts till December 17. Buy your gifts early and wrap with us. STUDENT Y ASSOCIATION SEE YOU AT THE MSC 'WHEN YOU ftUvel CALL ON US FOR ... member f! 846-3773 VISIT OUR NEW OFFICE . . . MSC, BEVERLEY Bit ALEV IIN1YERS1TV TRAVEL. .»v.» PEANUTS By Charles M. Schulz Thi house South AT One i ready Cami eroui Cain 822-6 NI NISI spar Only k