Page 2
THE BATTALION
FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 1977
German view of nuclear proliferation
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By WOLFGANG WAGNER
BONN, WEST GERMANY —
When Vice President Walter
Mondale visited here recently, he
sought to persuade Chancellor
Helmut Schmidt to defer a West
German deal to provide Brazil with
the facilities to generate nuclear
energy. Secretary of State Cyrus
Vance has repeated that appeal, and
so have editorials in the leading
American newspapers.
All these effortrs are consistent
with President Carter’s policy to
curb nuclear proliferation. But they
seem to have created the impres
sion in the United States and
elsewhere that the West German
government is irresponsibly trying
to help Brazil to build an atomic ar
senal.
This issue could poison relations
between the United States and
West Germany, which are vital to
the stability of the Atlantic alliance.
West Germany and Brazil
reached an agreement in June 1975
to cooperate in the peaceful use of
nuclear power. Under the contract,
which amounts to $5 billion. West
Germany will furnish Brazil with
eight nuclear reactors as well as in
stallations for the enrichment of
uranium and to reprocess fuel. In
exchange, Brazil is committed to de
liver uranium ore to West Ger
many.
The government here was acutely
aware of the security problems in
volved in the agreement. Thus it in
sisted that Brazil, which has not
signed the Nuclear Non-Prolifera
tion Treaty, nevertheless vow to
adhere to its principles, which in
clude a pledge not to develop
atomic weapons.
The accord required as well that
Brazil agree to inspections by ex
perts of the International Atomic
Energy Agency, a United Nations
body. In addition, the West Ger
man government communicated the
contents of the agreement to the
Ford administration ten weeks be
fore it was signed. Not only did the
United States voice no objections,
but the American delegate to the
International Atomic Energy
Agency, who must have checked
with Washington, voted approval of
the deal.
Finally, the West German gov
ernment submitted the accord to
the scrutiny of the Nuclear
Suppliers Conference, a group of
atomic exporting nations organized
by the United States in order to
close the loopholes in existing con
trols. The group gave the contract
its okay.
After taking all these steps. West
Germany felt confident that the
Brazil agreement would encounter
no further difficulties. Con
sequently, both the public and the
government here Vvere surprised
and chagrined when the U. S. news
media began to criticize the accord.
At first. West Germans antici
pated that the American press at
tacks would fade away. But then
Jimmy Carter was elected, and it
became clear that the incoming ad
ministration would seek to block the
Brazil deal, at least partially.
This is, of course, what hap
pened. During Mondale’s talk with
Schmidt, the agreement was the
most critical question discussed as
the Vice President urged the Chan
cellor to postpone fulfillment of the
contract until modifications of the
accord could be worked out. The
United States is particularly wary of
plans to sell Brazil plants to enrich
and reprocess uranium, from which
plutonium can be produced to man
ufacture bombs.
West German opinion initially
believed that U. S. opposition
stemmed from the fact that Ameri
can firms failed in their attempts to
sell nuclear installations to Brazil in
1974. But this view has largely dis
appeared with the realization here
that President Carter is genuinely
hostile to nuclear proliferation and
considers the Brazil deal to be
dangerous.
The West German government,
however, does not share Carter’s
concern. If the Brazilians merely
wanted to construct bombs, gov
ernment spokesmen here point out,
they could have achieved that goal
more cheaply by building a few
small reactors and hiring foreign
physicists prepared to do the job for
a price.
The Battalion
Opinion expressed in The Battalion are those of the 'he >.s e for reproduction of all news dispatches cred
itor or of the writer of the article and are not neces- f 4 ' ,0 “ K ‘^ ts re P r ^ uc,,0 '> ° f "‘her matter
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Board of Regents. The Battalion is a non-profit, self- a 10n ’ exas - \f EMBER
supporting enterprise operated by students as a uni- a • •
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determined by the editor ^ Southwest Journahsm Congress
LETTERS POUCY Manning Editor . ..... . .^^nes^tken
Utters to the editor should not exceed 300 words Associate Managing Editor Rusty Cawley
and are subject to beinfi cut to that length or less if Assistant Managing Editor Mary Hesalroad
longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit Features Editor John W.Tynes
such letters and does not guarantee to publish any News Editor Debby Krenek
letter. Each letter must be signed, show the address of News Assistant Carol Meyer
the writer and list a telephone number for verification. Photography Director Kevin Venner
Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor, Sports Editor Paul Amett
The Battalion, Boom 216, Reed McDonald Building, Copy Editor Steve Reis
College Station, Texas 77843. Reporters Paul McGrath, Lynn
Represented nationally by National Educational Rossi, Lee Roy Leschper Jr., Jan Bailey, Darrell Lan-
Advertising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago ford
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Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 Mike Willy
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subject to 5% sales tax, Advertising rates furnished on nwn, Joe Arredondo, Tom Dawsey, Dr. Gary Halter,
request. Address: The Battalion, Room 216, Reed Dr. John W Hanna, Dr. Clinton A. Phillips, Jerri
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United Press International is entitled exclusively to Cooper.
A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME . . .
PEACE CORPS/VISTA
IS COMING
ON CAMPUS:
Mar. 28, 29 & 30
INFORMATION TABLE:
Student Center
Some may boast of prowess bold.
Of the school they think so grand,
But there’s a spirit can ne’er be told.
It’s the spirit of Aggieland . . .
Texas A&M/1876-1976
Changes have taken place in education and
educational institutions in Texas during the
past 100 years, and perhaps, these changes are
best demonstrated in the changes that have
taken place at Texas A&M University. The
state's oldest public institution of higher
learning, Texas A&M celebrated its centennial
during 1976 and KDFW-TV went to see the
results of a century of progress. We believe
that you --just as we were -- will be surprised
by this unusual school. Aggies and non-Aggies
alike will enjoy this update on the university
where school spirit is practically part of the
curriculum.
SATURDAY,
10:00 P.M.
MARCH 12, 1977
KDFW/TV
The United States has never as
serted flatly that the West German
agreement would make Brazil a
member of the nuclear club. In
conversations with the government
here, however, American officials
have expressed the fear that the
Brazilian regime is unstable and
that its successors could violate the
safeguards imposed by the contract.
Underlying these differences be
tween the United States and West
Germany is a fundamental question
— whether industrialized nations
should export nuclear technology to
developing countries.
In the opinion of the West Ger
mans, this cannot be avoided. As
they see it, the U. S. notion that key
nuclear installations be “interna
tionalized” is simply an abstract
concept that lacks practical applica
tion .
Meanwhile, the West German
government is facing time pressur
es. The delivery of equipment to
Brazil is due to begin in a few years,
but the contract has to be divided
up among West German com
panies, and there are thousand of
technicians awaiting the signal to
start work. The government here
cannot easily disband the project.
Yet West Germany’s links to the
United States are crucial, and they
cannot be easily abandoned either.
Hence a dilemma that is not as sim
ple as it is so often made out to be
by official American spokesmen or
by American editorial writers.
Wagner, the editor of the Hannover
Allgemeine Zeitung, writes on polit
ical issues in West Germany.
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Armed forces s tandards needed
Editor:
In reference to Mark Rankin’s ar
ticle in Wednesday’s paper, I am
forced to agree that the encroaching
failure of the volunteer army may
indeed be due to mismanagement.
Rankin pointed out that the draft
is comparable to taxation, but that
an inequity of the taxation was the
lack of drafting weapons systems or
food stuffs.
He seemed to overlook the obvi
ous. The services do indeed use dol
lars and cents to buy the above
mentioned goods.
But where does the hard cash
come from? The defense
budget—more precisely, each tax
payer’s pocket. Too content to
create sparkling analogies, Rankin
could not see the proverbial forest
for the trees.
He then proffered solutions to the
shrinking number of enlisted Army
personnel. Referring to a RAND
study (whose credibility cannot be
proven, anyway) that suggests
downward modifications to physical
and mental standards.
I have not read the RAND study
referred to in his argument for re
laxed standards; but it would seem
to be common sense that relaxing
those standards is not an answer.
What good is an army that is physi
cally unable to survive in combat?
if a man cannot do a minimum
number of pull-ups, sit-ups, etc., it
would appear he may be incapable
of withstanding certain rigors with
which he may be faced.
What good is a soldier incapable
of fighting?
As far as relaxing mental
standards for enlisted men, the
problem seems obvious.
Some may have the mistaken im
pression that enlisted soldiers are
mere automatons with no need for
thought capacity other than taking
orders. Untrue.
Granted, he must take orders in
many cases be de-individualized in
order to function as part of a larger
unit. But he must also have some
mental ability. He must have the
common sense necessary for survi
val and for societal function.
Hopefully Rankin does not pro
pose allowing mentally and physi
cally deficient persons into an or
ganization whose sole purpose is his
defense.
I for one would not want emascu
lated morons attempting to defend
me.
—Steven E.
Reis
DALLAS / FT. WORTH
West campus
traffic control
Editor:
Time does not seem to have im
proved the parking situation at
A&M, so I have accepted the park
ing conditions as they are. How
ever, it does seem that University
or city officials would be able to do
something about traffic congestion.
Specifically, where the west side of
the campus adjoins Wellborn Road.
The heavy flow of traffic on
Wellborn Road makes it seemingly
impossible at times to either enter
or leave the campus. It is not un
common to wait 10 minutes and
longer to enter the campus, and the
situation is dangerous.
Vehicles are darting in front of
oncoming traffic, rushing at every
opening in the flow, trying to mus
cle their way through. Evidently,
people are willing to risk life and
limb to secure one of the few park
ing spaces available. Almost every
morning, I witness close calls and
near-accidents.
It would seem that administrative
authorities would be sufficiently
aware of the dangers created in this
location to be concerned. Con
cerned enough about the well-being
of the people who must use these
streets to take some action to regu
late this traffic.
I do not feel that this is expecting
too much. Other streets have traffic
regulating devices. What makes this
one different?
— Marvin Isaacks, ’78
Abortions are
‘absurd’ idea
Editor:
The very idea that abortions
should be allowed to reduce the
\
Professional
Wedding Photography
Traditionals - Mistys - Casuals
because this day is too special to trust to just anybody.
university studio
115 college main
846-8019
APPLICATIONS FOR EDITOR
+
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The Battalion, Summer 1977
The Battalion, Fall 1977
The Aggieland, Academic year
1977-78
, The Student Publications Board is accepting applications for
Summer and Fall editorships of The Battalion and for 1977-78 editor
ships of the Aggieland.
Application forms may be obtained at the Student Publications
office, 216 Reed McDonald Building, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday.
Completed application forms should be returned to Bob G. Rogers,
chairman, Student Publications Board, 301 Reed McDonald.
Deadline for submission of applications Is 5 p.m. Tuesday, March
22.
The Battalion summer editor will serve from May 16 through Au
gust 24, 1977.
The Battalion Fall Semester editor will serve from April 18, 1977,
through Dec. 4, 1977 (with the exception of the summer term.)
The Aggieland editor will serve for the academic year 1977-78.
Qualifications for editor of The Battalion are: 2.0 overall and major
GPR at the time of taking office and during the term of office. At least
one year of experience In a responsible editorial position on the Bat
talion or comparable student newspaper OR at least one year of edito
rial experience on a commercial newspaper OR at least 12 hours of
journalism including Journalism 203 and 204 (Reporting and Editing I
and II) or equivalent The 12 hours must include completion of or
enrollment in Journalism 402 (Law) or equivalent.
Qualifications for editor of the Aggieland are: 2.0 overall and major
GPR at the time of taking office and during the term of office. At least
one year In a responsible staff position on the Aggieland or equivalent
yearbook experience elsewhere.
number of unwanted children is ab
surd.
Has anyone heard that waiting
lists at adoption agencies are two
years long and longer? Has anyone
noticed the potential adoptive par
ents desperately fighting foreign red
tape to adopt overseas babies since
there are so few to be found here?
Has anyone noticed that since abor
tions began legally, the black mar
ket price for healthy young infants
has risen to the range of $2,000 to
$20,000?
Phil and Jerri, I’m sorry, but that
“unwanted song and dance doesn’t
hold water. It never did. Ask my
adopted friends. Ask unfertile
couples.
Robert Patlovany
Editor’s note: There may be a wait
ing list for newborn blue-eyed
blond children, but there certainly
is no waiting list for Black or
Chicano six-year-olds or mentally
or physically disabled children.
Fraternities becoming
part of A&M social life
By SCOTT PERKINS
Whether you are for them or
against them, fraternities have
grown to be a significant part of the
social life at Texas A&M University.
Since their emergence in force a
couple of years back, membership
has increased steadily. This corre
sponds with the growth in A&M’s
enrollment.
“Membership in a fraternity in
creases your realm of friends, both
in the fraternity and outside it. It
gives you the chance to know more
people,” said Earl Blankenship, a
senior and a member of the Sigma
Chi fraternity. With the increasing
size of the University, you have
more of a chance to meet more
people quickly, he added.
But the growth of the fraternities
has it’s problems also. Fraternities
have met with a good deal of opposi
tion from some groups on a
and that opposition is still pin
Robert Burke, a junior
member of Sigma Epsilon
nity, says he does receive
harassment “occasionally,nion
because more people have
about us.”
Bill White , a sophomore
member of Sigma Chi, said,
ally, the members of (hers
know seem to be moresympd
to us than the non-regs. We®
Kies.”
Blankenship added, "1
A&M to be an Aggie fir
joined the fraternity, not
way around.”
Blankenship also
charge that fraternities are In presen
THE T0IB6 VEST.... Jim Earle
BAT MASTER SON
WILLIAM BARCLAY MASTERS0N
(1853 -192 1) WAS BORN IN QUEBEC
AND MOVED TO ILLIN0I S IN
1865. BAT BEGAN HUNTING
BUFFALO IN 1874 IN KAN
SAS AND FQLL0WED THE
HERDS INTO TEXAS TO
THE ADOBE WALLS
TRADING POST. THE
HUNTERS QUARTERD
THERE WERE ATTACKED
BY 200 KI0WAS AND
C0MANCHES ON JULY
27, 1874. BAT AND 26
HUNTERS HELD OFF THE
ATTACKS FOR FIVE DAYS IN
THIS CELEBRATED BATTLE OF
ADOBE WALLS. BAT'S PER -
F0RMANCE DURING THI S
WAR WAS THE BEGINNING
OF HIS LEGENDARY REPU
TATION AS ONE OF THE
WEST'S MOST RESPEC-
FIGHTERS.
© feb e rr fa
“Lib
ae his
Mac
Ford 1
Party
up the unity of Aggie
”1 think it accents
fraternity encourages d
We go to yell practice an
games in groups, rather thn
or with a friend.” Oneoftlfjn 40
prominent banners at tht
football games was ours, he
11 has also been su^
be in a fraternity, you need
rich. Burke responded
"It probably is cheaper tliu
out every weekend. The die ruthor
for all the functions, which
special formal dances, miieii on sal
n Ver
the sororities, and intrand
intrafraternity athletics. He n the
that there was something si He be
usually every weekend
Does all this partying
grades? Blankenship said lb
improved bis by making him
his time more effectively
Though fraternities have
gained official administratiom
nition, none of the peoplespd us th
were worried about it, ani
agreed it may not be a
because the university mij
influence it's membership!]! [ram
tions and budget.
All agreed that even
problems involved, they
being “frat-rats”.
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dential
will sp
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1515.
Student Publications
Office
216 Reed McDonald Bldg.
Texas A&M Bookstore
University Bookstore
BATTALION CLASSIFIED!