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age Page 2 THE BATTALION THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1977 V Opinion/Commentary/Letters fTc frith 3*S. VI ar ^abi o s Cex OC Jil e f ;A jipl' md ip-t! SCjU is ..t chft I tab A& tioi sit) me Ex ' ] tor he pk ic( Ck Ar og er k:h Ur it! kl ci it U A 'P a Strauss’ act will be a hard one to follow “I’d hate,” said Robert S. Strauss, “to be the guy who’s got to follow my act.” That comment - so characteristic of Strauss in both its accuracy and its beguiling immodesty - could well have served as the grace note on the chorus of praise that will waft the retiring Democratic national chair man out of office the day after Jimmy Carter’s inauguration. It could have, that is, had not Strauss appropriated for himself the best line anyone could have applied to him. But that is typical. During his four-year run, whenever Strauss was not occupied by charming, whipping or hoodwinking the Dem ocrats into a semblance of unity, he was haranguing anyone who would listen about what a helluva fella this Democratic chairman really is. His self-praise and self-promotion would have been outrageous had not his performance somehow man aged, time after time, to surpass even Strauss’ descriptions. He served a shorter time than several other chairmen, and he will not be linked in history to the victory of Jimmy Carter in quite the intimate way that Jim Farley was linked to FDR or John M. Bailey to John Kennedy. Strauss was not an original Carter man, and Carter does not let him forget it. But no Democratic chairman has ever done a better job of nursing his party back from brutal defeat to top-to-bottom victory than Strauss has done. And that is something he can tell his grandchildren without bragging. The numbers are clear enough. From the day in December, 1972, when Strauss won his narrow victory for the chairmanship, until today, Democrats have made a net gain of 48 House members, seven senators, six governors and one president. As Strauss turns over his gavel to former Gov. Kenneth M. Curtis of Maine - Carter’s choice to head the national committee - Democrats have been given an extraordinary grant of public responsibility in the David S. Broder for being shortsighted, selfish and insufferable, his eyes danced with delight at their absurdity. He loved to tell how he had played on their own emotions to outmaneuver them. mid-term campaign committee - a nonexistent job, or at best, an empty title, Strauss thought - “and the next thing I knew, he’s running a presidential campaign right out of the national committee.” cities, the states and the national government. But a recitation of the numbers does not begin to do justice to the skills that Strauss employed in his main work - circumventing the im pulse of the Democrats’ warring tribes to murder each other before election day. What he did, for most of the last four years, was to make himself the target for the factional animosity that had destroyed the Democrats in convention hall in 1968 and 1972. “I’m running the show,” he told labor, the blacks, the women, the Wallaceites, the mayors, the gover nors and the Congress. “If you’ve got any quarrel, bring it to me.” They did just that - usually com ing at Strauss on the dead-run, with bayonets fixed. In the mental pic ture I have of him, probably a com posite of many real scenes, he is standing in a hotel corridor, his curly hair on end, his eyes red- rimmed and staring. A delegation of angry women’s-rights reformers led by Bella Abzug is bearing down on him from one direction. He wheels about, only to face a pack of florid faced unionists, with Al Barkan at their head. Strauss is trapped and a brawl is certain. But at the last possible moment, he ducks into a room, with both mobs in hot pursuit. Two min utes later, the reporters get inside, and find Strauss is serving drinks to everyone with one hand while hold ing Bella and Al, tenderly but firmly, around the throat, with the other. He thrived on crisis, and even as he reviled his intraparty tormentors In fact, he loved everything about the game of politics - even when he was its victim. He told and retold, with genuine delight, the story of how this obscure Georgia governor came to him with this innocent- sorinding request to be named chairman of the Democrats’ 1974 Bob In an age of antipolitics, Strauss reveled in being un ashamedly a politician. And he spoke up for politicians - even when they were Republicans. He went to bat for his friend George Bush, when some Democratic senators ar gued that Bush was disqualified to head the CIA because he had once been Republican national chairman. And it was not just sentiment when Strauss told Gerald Ford and a roomful of journalists, on the eve of the presidential campaign, that he was grateful as a Democrat to the Republican president who had proved that all politicians are not crooks. It is impossible to improve on Bob Strauss’ estimate of himself. But one can echo it. He will, in truth, be a tough act to follow. (c) 1977 Washington Post Help wanted The Battalion is now accepting applications for a number of paid and voluntary positions. Openings include feature and general assign ment reporters, illustrators and political cartoonists, and editorial assistant. Interested persons may call Jerry Needham or Jamie Aitken at the Battalion, 845-2611, or come by the Battalion office, Rm. 216, Reed- McDonald Bldg. Italy’s future still unpredictable; Communists not yet in power EDG STUDENTS! News Office Supply is your complete store for ‘RidtjjwayZ fine EDG supplies by • drafting equipment • full template selection • diazo prints • illustrating & mounting board • special project photo-reproduction services yriifo office 108 COLLEGE MAIN MLvYu supply 846-2522 “The department store for business needs since 1935” By MARIO DEAGLIO TURIN—When they went to the polls last spring, Italians were told that the legislative election would “clarify” the confused situation then nagging Italy. But nothing of the kind has occurred, and Italy is once again proving to be a land whose only predictable feature is its un predictability. It seemed on the eve of the elec tion that the Christian Democrats, who had governed since the end of World War II, might be ousted by the Communists. This prospect provoked cries of alarm, especially from Secretary of State Henry Kis singer and other U.S. officials, who foresaw the imminent loss of a key American Ally in Western Europe. But even though the Communists won considerable support, they are still far from power. And the Chris tian Democrats continue to exercise authority despite their lack of a majority in parliament. Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti, moreover, is displaying unusual dynamism as he strives to deal with the country’s grave economic prob lems. The paradox of his position, however, is that he may run into more trouble from enemies inside his own Christian Democratic party than from his Communist adver- WELCOME BACK AGGIES When you get settled in, come by and see us about your banking needs — we’ve been serving Aggies for over 30 years. NATIONAL A BA NIC ON THE SIDE OF TEXAS A&M" 71 1 UNIVERSITY DR MEMBER FDIC 846-8751 Drive-In & Walk Up Windows Open Mon -Fn 7 30 am 6pm During the election campaign, the Communists indicated that they would either enter into a coalition with the Christian Democrats or remain in opposition. They have done neither. The Communist leader, Enrico Berlinguer, realized that joining the government would saddle him with a share of responsibility for resolv ing the economic crisis. At the same time, he recognized that challeng ing the government would aggra vate conditions and perhaps spark rightwing violence. So, to the disappointment of many of his followers accustomed to the rhetoric of class warfare, Berlin guer reached a tacit accord with Andreotti. The Communists would back the government’s programs. In exchange, the Christian Democrats would concede to Communist con trol of certain legislative jobs, in cluding the post of parliamentary speaker. Under this arrangement, An dreotti has been able to push through a number of austerity mea sures as part of his effort to curb public expentitures by more than $500 million. He has raised the rates for electricity, telephone serv ice and railroad fares, thereby re ducing government subsidies to those utilities. He has also elimi nated several holidays in order to increase production. Surprisingly enough, these mea sures have impressed generally un disciplined Italians with the se riousness of their difficulties. More significantly, Andreotti is trying to Thanks Aggies — for again giving Or Army Lou your business. If you still need some books or a calculator, come to Lou He’s got a complete line of used books and calculators. Loupot’s Bookstore Northgate-Across From the Post Office Positions Now Available APPLICATIONS FOR MSG PRESIDENT, OFFICERS, AND COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN ARE NOW BEING TAKEN IN THE MSC STUDENT PROGRAMS OFFICE, RM. 216 OF THE MSC. ANYONE MAY APPLY. PRESIDENTIAL APPLICATIONS - OFFICER APPLICATIONS - CHAIRMEN APPLICATIONS - DEADLINES JAN. 24 FEB. 4 FEB. 18 step into the msc circle Top of the Tower Texas A&M University Pleasant Dining — Great View SERVING LUNCHEON BUFFET 11:00 A.M. - 1:30 P.M. Each day except Saturday $2.50 DAILY $3.00 SUNDAY Serving soup i? sandwich 11:00 A.M. - 1:30 P.M. Monday - Friday $1.50 plus drink Available Evenings For Special University Banquets Department of Food Service Texas A&M University “Quality First” Battalion Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or of the writer of the article and are not neces sarily those of the University administration or the Board of Regents. The Battalion is a non-profit, self- supporting enterprise operated by students as a uni versity and community newspaper. Editorial policy is determined by the editor. 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 Advertising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. request. Address: The Battalion, McDonald Building, College Station, jA- United Press International is entilled^K^^ the use for reproduction of all news 4 jgrviCC ited to it. Rights of reproduction of herein reserved. Second-Class postage Station, Texas. pftlCS MEMBER jmplo} Texas Press Association )0SitiO Southwest Journalism GwpfiLogni 1 Edi,or ('■slew Managing Editor Jp , . Assignments Editor Features Editor JtUeSS News Editor , n t'ine Photography Director lfi|p _ Sports Editor oit, V Copy Editor lOUSe, Reporters . Carolyn Blosser, RiehaniG^^ Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per school year; $35.00 per full year. All subscriptions subject to 5% sales tax. Advertising rates furnished on Debbie Killough, Tammy Long, GeorgbJ McGrath, Carol Meyer, Lynn Rossi, les, John Tynes, Mary Alice Woodhainsgl Asst. Photo Editors Trn| There’s always room for one more WE'VE SAID THAT THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR ONE MORE UNTIL SOMETIMES THERE HASN’T BEEN!!! SO WE ARE STARTING AN EARLY SERVICE AT 9:15 A.M. IN ADDITION TO OUR 10:45 A.M. SERVICE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE WORSHIP CELEBRA TIONS AT 6 P.M. ALSO FOLLOWED BY A FELLOWSHIP SUPPER. is co suct b C0 Robert So just keep coming. We ll find room for you! UNIVERSITY LUTHERAN 315 N. Main — 846-6687 Hubert Beck, Pastor wUhe the perl CHAPBujed si hrarill Stephei impress the United States and other creditor nations so that Italy can continue to count on their financial help. The biggest problem for An dreotti is Italy’s double-digit infla tion and the impact it is having on his attempts to persuade labor to cooperate with his austerity drive by agreeing to alter the mechanism that automatically adjusts salaries to prices. Berlinguer has been assisting An dreotti by urging Communist-led labor unions to make sacrifices and accept lower wage hikes along with higher taxes and utility rates. The unions are also being urged to dis cuss with management the ways that they can both improve produc tivity. For many Christian Democrats, however, the idea of a coalition with the Communists is more frightening than the notion of economic disas ter. Both Andreotti and Berlinguer are betting on the possibility that political polarization can be averted by economic recovery. But they know that recovery depends on the success of the government’s auster ity programs and on foreign assis tance. The future, therefore, will be shaped by a combination of compli cated elements — plus, of course, the unpredictable factors that always make events in Italy so puzzling and fascinating. Deaglio writes for La Stampa, the daily news paper published in Turin. Our Solo ; “it u ^ems,” ;ncoun Midlan< contmfe with further savings Robes Gowns Loungewear Coin Jos laber, iWooch { conti ..ingelei Oflnonthly Beth >oard < Bn pan laid the 0 her fo n the F 3618 E. 29th Bryan's Only Intimate ApporelS* A&M AEROBICS CLUB Spring Adult Fitness Programs for Men and Wont REGISTER EARLY! Call Dr. George Jessup 845-6841 for registration and fee information Classes begin Monday, January 24 — Aerobics Activity Room (G. R. Annex 255) ELT “Noon Exercise Program for Women" — Mondaytlif Friday, 12:00-1:00 “Evening Program for Men and Women” — Me* through Thursday, 5:00-6:00 1 Ti LI C includ Ench includ CINEMA UNIVERSITY SQUARE SHOPPING CENTER 346-6714 & 846-llSLlOn / In search of Itoahs Brk The Greatest Discovery HELD OVER! of Our Time DAILY AT 7i30 & 9:35 SAT, SUN ALSO 1: 45,3 :40,5:35 aual ...... DAILY AT 7:20 & 9:45 SAT,SUN ALSO 2:45,5:00| SILVER STRERM^ GENE WILDER JILLCLAYBURGH RICHARD PRYCs* 0 “SILVER STREAK" g|bV\i NED*BEATTY • CLIFTON JAMES and PATRICK McGOOHAN as Roget Oeverwu . CINEMA ^ V - — w w NO PAS King Kon NO PASSESjli Ro Di\* ’INAL SHOWS THURS. 7:00,9:45