Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 26, 1977)
age Page 2 THE BATTALION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1977 51 •T) Vlai . itil) o s I'ex OC Jil « C\A jipl ind ip-t seju is eh? tal: AA tio sit in< E> toi he pi G Ai o* ei Ah t\ it k Opinion/Commentary/Letters Europe facing minority problems By WOLFGANG WAGNER HANNOVER, West Germany — We here in Western Europe like to think that we, in contrast to Ameri cans, have no minority problems. But in fact we do — and the prob lems could become worse. Our minorities are the Greeks, Turks, Yugoslavs, Spaniards, Ital ians and other southern Europeans as well as North Africans who were invited to emigrate north to perform the kinds of jobs that Germans, British, French, Swiss and Scan dinavians, with their more middle- class inclinations, refuse to handle. They became ditch-diggers, gar bage collectors, coal miners, street cleaners, waiters and the like. Most of them learned only enough of our languages to take orders. These emigrants were politely termed “guest workers” when they first arrived, since they were des perately needed during the labor shortages that developed in West ern Europe’s industrial countries during the boom years of the 1960s. With the recession, however, they have become a burden. Many have lost their jobs, but cannot re turn to their native lands, where unemployment is even more criti cal. Those who accept welfare bene fits, to which they are entitled, sometimes provoke the enmity of local taxpayers. Those who continue at menial jobs often incur the re sentment of the local jobless. Thus we are beginning to under stand, to some degree at least, the sort of tensions that exist in parts of the United States, where the plight of underprivileged minorities is acute. This situation could become ag gravated in the future with the ex tension of European integration, which provides for the free move ment of peoples across borders. For unlimited numbers of emigrants from the poor areas of the continent could flow without restrictions to the richer industrial cities of the north. So Western Europe may eventu ally resemble the United States in the sense that urban ghettos could develop on a broad scale. Unlike U.S. ghettos, which are mostly populated by black Americans, ours would be filled with foreigners. The different countries of West ern Europe are trying to cope with these problems in different ways. But getting rid of the alien workers is not easy, especially when they were welcomed with such fanfare at the start. Switzerland, which once had the highest proportion of emigrants in Europe, has been slowly pushing them out under drastic laws that make life difficult for all foreigners. In Britain, where unemployment is serious, alien workers mainly come from Commonwealth countries in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean, and their presence has recently sparked race riots. All the British have done until now has been to limit fresh emigration. West Germany, whose economy continues to be relatively vigorous, has been a paradise for southern Europeans. But unemployment here is also growing, particularly among teenagers, and the hope is that the ranks of the foreign workers will thin out over time. That, how ever, is only a hope. The negotiations over full Greek membership in the Community may drag on, but they are likely to be successful. When that happens, there will be no barrier to Greek emigration, and their influx into West Germany, Britain and the other northern nations is bound to be heavy. The Turkish case is even more significant. Turkey, which has a soaring birth rate, is extremely poor. Its population, now 50 mil lion, will probably double by the end of the century. To vast numbers of Turks, therefore. Western Europe’s industrial cities look like Eldorado. Turkey, like Greece, is already an associate member of the European Community. Under a special agreement, the free movement of Turks into other nations of the Community will be achieved “step-by-step” over a ten-year period. After that, no restrictions will remain. With all this, then, we seem to be approaching something akin to the United States of Europe — which may have more of the headaches than the advantages of the United States of America. Wagner is editor of the Han- noversche Allgemeine Zeitung, the Hannover daily. lone. 'I Carter’s ‘tough’ image eroded slightly Slouch by Jim Earle ‘FRANKLY, I NEVER CARED FOR COFFEE, BUT AT THESE PRICES, I FIGURED THERE MUST BE SOME THING TO IT THAT I WAS MISSING!’’ WASHINGTON — For Jimmy Car ter, the visible scars of the Sorensen affair had healed even before he stood on the inaugural platform to take his oath as President. But in side the Capitol Building, it has contributed to a view of Carter which contains the seeds of serious future problems. That view, in plain terms, is that Carter can be muscled without risk. It is an opinion that most of Carter’s intimates think is dead-wrong. As the new President once said, “Most people, when they get to know me, have decided that I’m tougher than is originally apparent.” But politics is as much a matter of appearance as reality. And for now. Carter is laboring under the hand icap of the spreading belief that he can be easily pressured. It did not begin that way. He came out of the election with the reputation of a tough, disciplined, even dangerous, campaigner and political infighter. By standing up to pressure from a variety of interest groups in the choice of his Cabinet, Many thanks to library staff Battalion Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the request. Address: The Battalion, Room 216, Reed editor or of the writer of the article and are not neces- McDonald Building, College Station, Texas 77843. sarily those of the University administration or the United Press International is entitled exclusively to Board of Repents. The Battalion is a non-profit, self- the use for reproduction of all news dispatches cred- supportinp enter,,rise operated by students as a uni- ited to it - Ri « h,s ol reproduction of all other matter versify and community newspaper. Editorial policy is herein reserved Second-Class postage paid at College determined by the editor. Station, Texas. Vfp'VfRp’U LETTERS POLICY Texas Pre«A,Sdatk>n Utters to the editor should not exceed 300 words Southwest Journalism Confess and are subject to bcinp cut to that lenpth or less if longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit Editor Jerry Needham, such letters and does not guarantee to publish any Managing Editor James Aitken, letter. Each letter must be signed, show the address of '' iil K nm ents Editor Rusty Cawley. the writer and list a telephone number for verification. eatures Editor Lisa Junod) Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor. News Ed,tor Debt) V Krenek The Battalion. Room 216. Reed McDonald Building. N y ws Ass 'stant Carol Meyer College Station. Texas 77843 Photography Director Kevin Venner „ , . , Sports Editor Paul Arnett; Represented nationally by National Educational Copy E di tor Steve Kejs Advertising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago Reporters ' Carolyn Blosser, Debbie and Los Angeles. Killough, George Maselli, Paul McGrath, Lynn Rossi, Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 John Tynes per school year; $35.00 per full year. All subscriptions Asst. Photo Editors Tracie Nordheim, subject to 5% sales tax. Advertising rates furnished on Mike Willy Well give yon a snow job you’re gonna like. Ski Continentals Colorado. Tired of the same old scene? Relax and think snow. Colorado snow. Continental can get you there on a wide-bodied DC-10 or spacious wide-look 727. Then ski your way through Colorado with one of our great ski packages. Here’s a sample: Breckenridge $144-5 days/4 nights Accommodations at Der Steiremark,a skierized Avis rental car, 3 days of lift tickets, plus meeting service at the airport. Vail $264-8 days/7 nights Accom modations at Vail’s Holiday Inn, a skierized Avis rental car, 3 days of lift tickets, plus meeting service at the airport. Don’t forget to ask about how you can save even more with our special discount airfares. For more information on Conti nental’s ski package, call your Travel Agent or Continental Airlines. Prices per person double occupancy: lax. airfare and gas for rental car are extra. Drivers must be 21 or over. We really move our tail for you. CONTINENTAL AIRLINES David S. Broder he strengthened the view that he would not be easy to push around. But politicians were surprised when Carter did not protest some rather blatant “pal-ship” in his Cabinet members’ choices of their own subordinates. They blinked at the apparent ease with which Senate Finance Committee Chair man Russell B. Long (D-La.) sold Carter on making a veteran Long aide the chief tax policy official in the Treasury. They were surprised when Carter allowed a brief flurry of adverse publicity — unsupported by any of ficial charges — to reverse his inten tion to name his own close aide, Greg Schneiders, as White House appointments secretary. Ironically, even the successful meeting in Plains early this month to frame the economic stimulus package contributed to a belief by some Congressional leaders that Carter was malleable. Carter himself expressed delight, both privately and publicly, that broad agreement was reached with the House and Senate Democrats on the terms of his tax cut-public works proposal. But several Congressional leaders told colleagues they had a different impression — that Carter was ready to accede with remarkable haste to whatever suggestions they made, notably a doubling of the public works authorization from $2 billion to $4 billion. “I was surprised it was so easy,” said one leading House Democrat, who expected much more probing analysis of the expensive public works package by the new Presi dent. It was in this context that the quick coup against Theodore C. Sorensen’s nomination to head the CIA was viewed on Capitol Hill as another measure of Carter’s un willingness or inability to use his muscle. It was not until 96 hours before Sorensen’s confirmation hearing that the Carter administration got its first warning from allies in the Senate that Sorensen might be in trouble. Vice-President Walter F. Mondale intervened immediately, but Carter himself hesitated until only 48 hours remained. He is known to have made calls to only three supposedly friendly senators, and, apparently discour aged by their cool reaction, pushed no further. On the morning of Sorensen’s scheduled hearing, Mondale con tinued to mount a public defei the nomination on the NBC' Show. An hour later, Hamiltoi dan, Carter’s top assistant, tol same NBC interviewers, "Itii sible” Sorensen might withdre as, in fact, he did twohoursli Carter’s own passivity in tk of this rebuff, like his quicWti ^Valt I of Schneiders, has created a pression the new Preside!)! have to correct. Stu dis He faces an assertive Conj well aware of its own powen ready to push them as far asl lows. In the space of 24 week, Sens. Alan Cranstoi Calif.) and Abraham A. Eil L . (D-Conn.) both found occasi state publicly, for Carter’s be that Congress is not ‘‘going!! over and play dead.” coupo Tlu At this early stage, Carter prisingly, is in need of malas same speech about the Presii stude predt Editor: During six years of struggling painfully toward a Ph.D. in English, I haunted our library. At the same time the library was expanding and modernizing at a rate that must have been painful to con trol. You’d think a painful struggle amid painful change would trigger conflicts. But not so. I have never known staff members of any other organization so cheerfully and genuinely helpful at every turn. Their consistent efficiency kept me marveling — and progressing in my research. Often I would simply be standing with a puzzled look when I couldn’t find what I needed, a library worker would approach, and presto, he or she would guide me out of my puz zlement. Half the time I didn’t even have to ask for the help I needed. This is a public letter of gratitude. —Bill Harrison, ’76 British control guns by requiring licenses and reason for ownership t> T TT^W^T rr TST ITT7VT , _ _ By RUDOLF KLEIN LONDON — We here in Britain are astonished and often baffled by the controversy over gun controls in the United States. For our own reg ulations have proved so effective for more than a half-century that we cannot quite understand why the issue should still be the subject of debate elsewhere. This is not to suggest that laws that function in one society will necessarily work in another. Yet, as we observe the ravages caused by the proliferation of weapons in the United States, we cannot help but believe that Americans ought to share the basic premise of our gun legislation — that violence is di rectly attributable to the availability of firearms. British law on the matter is pre dicated on the simple principle that possession of a weapon is a privilege rather than a right. Licenses^ are granted by the police, who register all guns, and it is up to applicants to justify their motives for ownership rather than an obligation of the au thorities to explain their reasons for refusal. Applicants for a weapon of any kind must first fill in a three-page form, which requires among other things the guarantee that the gun will be stored out of the reach of burglars. The applicant must also produce evidence that he has never been convicted of a criminal offense or suffered from mental disorder. The Proud Bird with the Golden Tail Readers’ forum Guest viewpoints, in addition to Letters to the Editor, are welcome. All pieces submitted to Readers’ forum should be: • Typed triple space • Limited to 60 characters per line • Limited to 100 lines Submit articles to Reed McDonald 217, College Station, Texas, 77843. Author’s name and phone number must accompany all submissions. He can be denied a license as well if he has a record of alcoholism or even heavy drinking. Next, the applicant will be inter viewed by a police officer, who is also likely to conduct an investiga tion among the would-be gun own er’s neighbors and friends in order to collect information on his back ground. Any “character defect” can prompt a rejection of his request for a license. Finally, the applicant must per suade the police that his possession of a weapon is necessary, and this is not easy. Gun collectors and mem bers of approved rifle clubs are gen erally given approval, on condition that their weapons are kept in se- SENIORS & GRADUATE STUDENTS Feb. 11 Is The Final Day To Have Your 1977 Aggieland Yearbook Photos Taken Junior Photos Begin Feb. 14 university studio cure places. But self-defense or the protection of property are not re garded as adequate reasons for permits. Given these restrictions, it is not surprising that in all Britain, with a population of 50 million, only 250,000 licenses for pistols and rifles have been issued. Contrast this with the United States, which is esti mated to have 90 million guns of various sorts at large. It should be pointed out that the rules governing the possession of shotguns here are less stringent than those controlling other weapons, largely because the politi cal parties have been reluctant to put restraints on hunters. About 800,000 shotgun licenses have been issued since 1968, when a new law requiring the registration of these firearms was passed. No system, however rigorous, can prevent the illegal ownership of weapons, and the police are hesitant to crack down too strongly on the illicit possession of guns through house searches or other measures that might violate civil liberties. From time to time, though, the government announces amnesties under which illegal weapons can be surrendered without penalty, and the diminishing yield from this pro cedure indicates that the pool of un licensed guns is gradually drying up. In 1946, for example, 76,000 guns were turned in, primarily by soldiers, who had brought them home as souvenirs from World War II. In 1968, an amnesty brought in 25,000 weapons. on Gre yams angin A sp an. 2 ; lew mg dent ( The offers prese Univt Th< discoi being Bo< sle F and ( butio also 1 En Me arly ecen 'mpl( M &V-7 Si DO YOU LIKE MEETING PEOPLE FROM FAR AWAY AND HELPING THEM? SCONA-Student Conference On National Affairs Has A Deal For You! Sign up to be a SCONA host or hostess thru Friday, Jan. 28 in the SCONA Cubicle of the Student Pro grams Office in the MSC for an interview. Interviews will be held Monday, Jan. 31 —Wed nesday, Feb. 2. But between amnesties, then no compunctions on the parto the A government about enforcini law. Some 6,000 people a ye charged with firearms offenses, ally for possessing unlicensed guns. Most of these violate! rural types who are not yet tomed to the regulations reij registration of weapons that no licenses until only a less ago. With all this, however, tern cannot altogether stop nals from obtaining wea] even though the number ofc here in which guns are® miniscule compared to the l States. Crimes involving firearms age about 1,700 per year ! than 40 of these offenses res deaths. In more than half of cases, the weapons used are air guns, and the category al eludes imitation pistols emplo holdups. Rare as these incidents are worry the British, because quency of crimes involvingwe has doubled over the past 4 This means, in my view, tl spect for the law may bes eroding under the pressure of change that is breaking doe old-fashioned middle class' that were once so solid in Bn But these values are tively firm, and they account! success of gun controls heif Britain is strikingly peacefn because it can effectively!) weapons. It can outlaw weapf fectively because its citizens that protection of the soc# more important than the defe' individuals. Klein, a senior fellow at Lo* Center for Studies in Social! writes on social issues in Bril Li Is it tow NOW OPEN UNIVERSITY CLEANERS #1 WEST BYPASS & SOUTHWOOD (Next to Doux Chene Apts.) Dry Cleaning • Alterations • Laundf Serving South College Station Ge- anc Loi f!