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Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
May 18, 1977
Wednesday
Incumbents coming out ahead again
By DAVID S. BRODER
WASHINGTON — The issue of public
financing of political campaigns is with us
again, this time in the form of legislation to
provide a taxpayer subsidy for House and
Senate candidates. The legislation is
backed by President Carter and impress
ive numbers of both Democrats and Re
publicans in Congress. It probably has a
50-50 chance of passage.
Nonetheless, the bills are controversial
— and deservedly so. As a principle, the
idea of tax-supported campaigns is simple
and appealing. Once that principle is
translated into legislation, tailored to meet
the self-protective instincts of the incum
bents who must pass it, it acquires am
biguities that must cause the most serious
reservations.
Take, for example, the leading piece of
House legislation in this field: the biparti
san bill sponsored by Reps. Morris K.
Udall (D-Ariz.) and John B. Anderson (R-
111.). It would provide up to $50,000 in
federal matching money for small private
contributions to major party candidates for
the House and also to those independents
who could raise enough “seed money” on
their own to show they had significant
support.
The idea of the matching grants is to
make it easier for congressional candidates
to finance their campaigns with small con
tributions, thus theoretically lessening
their dependence on “special interest
money.”
But to make the bill palatable to the in
cumbents, Udall and Anderson have im
posed two major restrictions that must
trouble a disinterested observer of the
political process. They have eliminated
primaries from the coverage of the bill.
And they have imposed a spending ceiling
for the general election.
As Udall readily concedes, extending
the subsidy offer to congressional
primaries as he and others would like to
do, would doom the bill to defeat. The
reason is simple: Relatively few House
members are seriously challenged in the
general election, but all of them dread the
possibility of a primary fight within their
own party.
The number of marginal (or closely con
tested) districts has been declining since
the mid-1960s, as incumbents exploit their
increasing resources to secure their seats.
In 1976, only 37 of the 435 House seats
were won by less than a 55-to-45 percent
margin.
There is little risk for most incumbents
in voting themselves and their opponents
a modest subsidy of taxpayer funds for the
general election campaign. But primaries
are another question. At best, they tend to
be nasty and divisive; at worst, they pose
real peril for the veteran Washington
politician who faces an ambitious young
state legislator or mayor of his own party.
As further bait to their colleagues, they
have written in a proviso that no candidate
who accepts the public subsidy in the gen
eral election campaign would be allowed
to spend more than $150,000 on the race.
That is an interesting figure. It was not
based on any measurement of the actual
cost of a successful House campaign
against an incumbent.
But the $150,000 spending limit can be
— and must be — measured against the
almost $1 million worth of staff salaries,
office, travel and communications ex
penses the members of the House have
voted themselves for every two-year term.
This is not to argue that the million-
dollar congressman is an unnecessarily ex
pensive luxury. It is not even to argue that
the costs of his office are really a
taxpayer-provided political slush fund.
But it is obvious to anyone that the
million-dollar congressman gains a great
campaign advantage from the publicity
and services those public funds finance.
For him to then vote himself and his po
tential opponent a $50,000 tax subsidy for
the campaign is hardly an act of generosity
or altruism.
In fact, most incumbents would con
sider it a bargain if, for $50,000 of tax sub
sidy, they could guarantee that their op
ponents could not spend more than
$150,000 in an effort to beat them. That is
just about the best job-insurance policy
any incumbent could buy.
But Udall insists that a spending limita
tion must be part of the public finance bill
if it is to pass the House. And that raises a
question of fundamental principle. It is
one thing to say that incumbents have the
right to set their own salaries and expense
allowances. But should those same in
cumbents have the right to decide how
much their opponents may spend against
them in the next election?
(c) 1977, The Washington Post Company
Lindy memories not so memorable
By DICK WEST
United Press International
WASHINGTON — Memories of
Lindbergh:
I was in knee pants when Lindbergh
flew across the Atlantic 50 years ago this
week. That is about all I can remember
about it.
Later, when Lindbergh was in Texas on
The lighter side
a cross-country tour, he was said to have
flown right over Merkel, my home town. I
do not know whether that was true.
The people in Merkel liked to identify
themselves with big events and may sim
ply have assumed something that didn’t
happen.
I do know that Lindbergh landed at
Abilene, 17 miles down the road. My
father took me over to see him.
As we were nearing the airport, there
was a plane circling around and I told my
father I’ll bet that’s him. My father said
no, Lindbergh wasn’t due yet and anyone
who could fly nonstop from New York to
Paris could surely get to Abilene at the
right time.
In the paper the next day it said that
Lindbergh had indeed arrived early and
had spent some time circling over the city.
So much for parental infallibility.
Lindbergh appeared on a platform with
the mayor of Abilene. I do not remember
how he looked. I don’t remember how the
mayor looked either. I don’t even re
member how I looked.
The only thing I remember is that the
mayor gave Lindbergh the key to the city.
That impressed me, for I was under the
impression that the key would open any
door in Abilene and that Lindbergh could
just walk in and take anything he wanted.
But my father said the key wouldn’t
really open anything. He said it was
merely symbolic.
At that age I was very literal-minded
and had trouble understanding sym
bolism. I still do. Which may be wby I
have trouble understanding the Carter
administration.
That same summer my father took me to
an air show in Sweetwater and we both
“went up for the first time in our lives.
We flew in a Ryan, which was the type of
plane that Lindbergh flew.
I remember the other passengers
exclaiming that we were up so high the
cars down below looked like ants. I
thought they looked like little cars. My
literal-mindedness again.
My sister’s boy friend also treated me to
a plane ride but it was in a different type of
plane.
The biggest Lindbergh buff in Merkel
was Warren Higgins, who ran a black
smith shop. There were a lot of Higginses
around Merkel. Charlie “Chock” Higgins
ran a garage and several others had farms
out near Stith.
Inspired by his hero, Warren Higgins
started building his own airplane in the
back of the blacksmith shop. I do not know
whether he ever finished it.
Someone once told me that he stopped
work on it when he discovered it would be
too big to taxi through the door. But that
may have been only a variation of the old
boat-in-the-basement joke.
Anyway, Lindbergh had a major impact
on my life. I just wish I could remember
more about him.
Tetters to the editor
Income should set foreign student’s bill
Students do care
Editor:
I’m a foreign student in the Graduate
School at Texas A&M and have been read
ing about the Moore Bill and his clan (Bill
856 and Bill 2162). If it is the purpose of
these Bills to eliminate international stu
dents from attending public universities in
Texas, then the sponsors of this legislation
should not take the cowardly way out and
beat around the bush but should come
right out and say so. However, if they are
trying to equate the international stu
dents’ tuition with out-of-state student
fees, they may have a point. Although stu
dents from other states come here by
choice, as they no doubt have equal or
better schools in their own home states,
they are prepared to pay out-of-state tui
tion just as students from Texas do when
they attend out-of-state universities. On
the other hand, most students from other
nations come here to get a better educa
tion than what they could get in their own
country, particularly at the graduate level.
As for paying $40 per semester hour, this
is still a bargain when you compare it to
fees in other state universities.
The people in Austin should attempt to
classify the international students accord
ing to their source of income. For exam
ple, students on government scholarships
(his own or U.S. Government) should pay
the $40 since its not costing the student
anything and those that are paying their
own expenses must provide a financial
statement that is verified by their gov
ernment to indicate their ability to pay.
Those that can afford it should be treated
as out-ofstate students and those who can
barely afford the essentials should be al
lowed to pay the minimum ($14 per
semester). This practice is followed by at
least one university that I know. I strongly
believe that if a family can afford to send
their children, especially undergraduates,
abroad, they are in a position to pay the
tuition bills, after all “if you want to dance
pay the fiddler.”
Editor:
I take exception to the article written by
Mr. Paul Arnett in the Wednesday, May
11, 1977, Battalion. The article, entitled
“Kashmere diio still waiting” stated that
the “NCAA, coaches and fans of Aggieland
are more interested in the fate of a sport
than they are in the fate of two men.”
I suggest that had Mr. Arnett taken the
time to establish a factual basis for his arti
cle, he would not have included the
TAMU coaches and fans in the above alle
gation. To the contrary, I believe he
would have noted, as I have noted, a very
deep concern by a substantial majority of
the fans and all of the coaches.
I agree that the Southwest Conference
(SWC) and National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA) appeared to show lit
tle concern for the individual rights of
Godine and Williams, and I agree that
many Aggie fans believed that Godine,
Williams and the University were the
target of politically motivated accusations.
However, I strongly resent the implica
tions that we lacked concern for the two
athletes involved. I further believe Mr.
Arnett owes us all an apology. Further I
suggest that in the future if he can not
stick to factual reporting that he confine
his personal opinions to the editorial sec
tion where they more appropriately be
long.
—Bob Garrett
Editor’s note: As sports editor of The Bat
talion for the last year Paul Arnett has
had time to draw his own conclusions on
the response of Aggie fans to the
Godine-Williams affair. He presented
those conclusions as his own opinion in an
opinion column. That’s why it was not on
the editorial page.
s
Top of the News
Campus
Researchers look at energy plan
More than 200 Texas A&M University researchers are preparing
written analyses of President Carter’s national energy plan and its
impact on Texas. Their work comes at the request of Governor Dolph
Briscoe. University President Jack K. Williams said Texas A&M’s
variety of personnel plus its research facilities put it in a position to
make a meaningful assessment of the plan.
TT1 employe selected
Dr. Mark Edwards of the Texas Transportation Institute will work
for a year with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in
Washington, D.C. His work will deal with human factors in avoiding
accidents and conserving energy. Edwards has been with the insti
tute since 1969.
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Putting religion into college
Laughing and shouting House members tentatively approved a bill
yesterday requiring college students to take a course in religion be
fore they could receive bachelor degrees. “It’s time to get religion
back into our colleges,” said Rep. Brad Wright, R-Houston. “This is
where we determine who is a good Christian or Jew and who’s not.”
The religion clause was added to a bill requiring college students to
take six hours in free market economics. The bill requires one more
House vote before going to the Senate.
Egg farm may hatch suit
A district attorney in Lubbock may sue a local egg farm which has
become a breeding ground for swarms of pesky flies with a taste for
human flesh. The flies are reported to have attacked farm hands,
tractor drivers and picnickers. The attorney, Alton Griffin said he
would force the owner of the egg farm to comply with a law prohibit
ing excessive fly-breeding.
Judge has new neighbors
Texas legislators unhappy with U.S. District Judge William Wayne
Justice’s order to establish halfway houses for juvenile deliquents
voted yesterday to place one of the houses on a lot next to the judge’s
home in Tyler. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Emmett Whitehead,
D-Rusk, said it will give the judge “fair and equal treatment to what
he has dished out to the hard-working. God-fearing people of this
state. “ The judge made the order following a suit in 1973. Whitehead
sponsored a similar bill in 1975 which passed the House, but died in
the Senate.
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“Ten dumbest” also ten angriest
House members singled out as “the 10 Dumbest” in an informal
poll criticized the capitol press corps in speeches last night. Some
suggested the reporters involved in the articles should be expelled
from the House. “Somebody must take a stand against journalism
that is unfit for Mr. Peepers bookstore,” said Rep. Clay Smothers,
D-Dallas, one of those ridiculed in the poll. “We cannot continue to
sit idly by while the leadership of this House is also called slime.”
Speaker Bill Clayton said the matter would be taken to the House
Administration Committee.
Nation
Longefs term over, troubles not
Claudine Longet will end her one month jail term at 8 tonight for
the slaying of her love. But her legal problems concerning last year’s
shooting may not be over. The parents of pro skier Vladmir “Spider”
Sabich filed a $1.3 million damage suit in Denver against the
French-born singer Monday. They allege the shooting of their son
was with “malice, insult and a wanton and reckless disregard of his
rights.” Longet was convicted in January of a misdemeanor homicide
charge in the case.
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Was scandal witness silenced?
A potential witness in the alleged South Korean bribery scandal in
Congress was found murdered two days after he was asked to testify,
a member of the House Ethics Committee said yesterday. The con
gressman, asking not to be identified, said it “would be only cir
cumstantial” to suggest Alexi Goodarzi, 36, was slain to prevent his
testimony. But, he said, Goodarzi was “very afraid” to go before the
committee. Goodarzi, a worker in the Rotunda restaurant on Capitol
Hill, was found dead Thursday. He was shot twice in the head.
Sixers take Rockets, 112-109
The Philadelphia 76ers staved off a final minute rally by the Hous
ton Rockets to enter the NBA championship series by beating the
Rockets 112-109 last night. Julius Erving led the Sixers with 34
points. The best of seven championship series with the Portland Trail
Blazers begins Sunday in Philadelphia.
“Fuzz busters” may get busted
A bill outlawing devices which can detect radar used by police
enforcing speed limits was delayed in a Louisiana Senate committee
yesterday. Lt. Kenny Wagner of the state police wants to fine mer
chants selling “fuzz busters” and to confiscate the units when found in
private cars. The units can detect microwave radio signals emitted
from police radar and warn drivers of a speed trap. But an assistant
executive counsel said the “fuzz busters” serve other purposes be
sides evading speed laws. The counsel, Mike Baer, said he owns a
unit and can detect a police radar two miles away, but claims “I just
want to know where the police are in case I need one.”
The Battalion
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 administra
tion or the Board of Regents. The Battalion is a
non-profit, self-supporting enterprise operated hy
students as a university and community news
paper. Editorial policy is determined hy 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.
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Chicago and Los Angeles.
The Battalion is published Tuesday through
Friday from September through May except dur
ing exam and holiday periods and the summer,
when it is published weekly.
Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester;
subscriptions subject to 5% sales tax, Advertising
rates furnished on request. Address: The Battal
ion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, Col
lege Station, Texas 77843.
United Press International is entitled exclu
sively to the use for reproduction of all news dis
patches credited to it. Rights of reproduction of
all other matter herein reserved. Second-Class
postage paid at College Station, Texas.
MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Editor Lee Roy Leschper Jr
News Editor Marie Homeyer
City Editor Rusty Cawlev
Campus Editor Glenna Whitley
Sports Editor Paul McGrath
Photo Editor . Jim Crawley
Reporters Toumonava Mullins
Julie Speights, LaDonna Young
Student Publications Board: Bob G. Rogen<
Chairman; Joe Arredondo; Tom Dawsey; Dr
Gary Halter; Dr. John W. Hanna; Dr. Charte
McCandlcss; Dr. Clinton A. Phillips; Jerri Wed
Director of Student Publications: GaelL. Cooper
r
— M. E. Scandarani