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Viewpoint
The Battalion Wednesday
Texas A&M University August 17, 1977
Trial by press
David Berkowitz pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges he is the “Son of
Sam” killer who gunned down 20-year-old Stacy Moskowitz last week in New
York.
But probably half the people in America have already convicted and con
demned him, assured of his guilt by the shoddy journalism national news
papers and television are practicing in covering the case.
Mass murders are always sensational cases, especially when stretched
over a year, as this one has been. But when supposedly objective press
becomes caught up in the fervor of the policeman that’s “got his man”, our
svstem of justice greatly suffers.
When NBC Nightly News devotes 22 of the 30 minutes in one evening’s
newscast to the case, including profiles and examinations of Berkowitz’s
personality, only the most skeptical of viewers would not believe he’s guilty.
When newspapers throughout the country stop calling Berkowitz “the sus
pect” and start calling him the “Son of Sam”, that old rule of “innocent until
proven guilty” goes right out the window.
If Berkowitz is the “Son of Sam” killer, he deserves the worst punishment
our system of justice can deliver. But he also deserves the same fair trial our
Constitution guarantees every American. The members of the press, as
defenders of freedom, need to remember that. L.R.L.
Meteor lighting way in Madisonville
Top of the
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News
Local
Animal control center established
The nation’s first Animal Control Information Center will begin
operation at Texas A&M University in January. The center wilHe
funded by a $15,000 grant from the Coordinating Board of the Texas
College and University System with additional funding from the Texas
Engineering Experiment Station. For a small user’s fee, the center
will provide information about various aspects of animal control. It is
being established in cooperation with the Texas A&M College o(
Veterinary Medicine, the Engineering Extension Service and (lie
Sterling C. Evans Library.
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Seminar on aging set
The last of four workshops for elderly Texans and those who serve
them convenes at Texas A&M University Aug. 20 to discuss the
retirement years. The seminar, conducted by Texas A&M psycholo
gists, is concerned with teaching older persons to improve the quality
of life after retirement.
State
Briscoe wants deregulation
Gov. Dolph Briscoe, chairman of the Southern Governors Confer
ence, plans to push for adoption of a resolution to deregulate natural
gas prices at the organization’s meeting Aug. 27-31. Briscoe said recent
declines in the price of natural gas in Texas prove the system of supply
and demand will work if government regulations do not interfere.
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Crime in small towns is becoming more and
more a problem in Texas. But one nearby com
munity is taking steps to fight its own crime wave,
thanks in great part to the prodding of the town’s
weekly newspaper.
Madisonville, 38 miles northeast of Bryan, has
suffered from increasing vandalism and burglaries
in recent months. City officials have said ineffi
cient city police and population growth too rapid
for the town’s own good contributed to the crime
wave.
The Madisonville city council decided last
week to appoint a new city police chief in an at
tempt to bolster the city police force’s effective
ness. The Madison County sheriffs department
has also increased efforts to control vandalism,
and the young people that they say cause most of
it, within Madisonville.
Small town newspapers often take neutral pos
itions on community problems such as Madison-
ville’s crime wave. But the Madisonville Meteor
has been in the forefront pushing for solutions to
the problem.
Meteor Publisher Sam Logan has editorialized
repeatedly for constructive solutions to at least
the youth vandalism problem, suggesting that the
town’s young people don’t have enough to keep
them out of trouble. But this last week, with the
city council’s decision to appoint a new police
chief, Logan decided it was time for the paper to
take stronger action as well.
Logan changed a long-standing policy that the
paper would report the names of only individuals
charged with felonies. In the future the paper will
report the names of individuals charged with
misdemeanors as well as felonies, on the theory
that people about to get into mischief may have
second thoughts if they know getting caught
means letting the whole town know. In a small
town that can be very strong persuasion.
That change in policy may not solve Madison-
ville’s problems. But it’s a step in the right direc
tion, both for the Meteor and small town news
papers in general. We applaud Mr. Logan for
his courage and determination to improve the
town he serves. L.R.L.
Canal treaty true test for Carter, GOP
" THAT'5 MY FINAL OFFER—TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT. "
By DAVID S. BRODER
WASHINGTON — Alexander Hamil
ton, writing in the Federalist Papers,
called the treaty provision of the Constitu
tion “one of the best digested and most
unexceptionable parts” of the entire
document.
And yet, a century later, Secretary of
State John Hay wrote bitterly against the
requirement that treaties be ratified by
two-thirds of the Senate before taking ef
fect.
“A treaty of peace,” he wrote, “in any
normal state of things, ought to be ratified
with unanimity in 24 hours. They wasted
six weeks in wrangling over this one (with
Spain), and ratified it with one vote to
spare. We have five of six matters now
demanding settlement. I can settle them
all honorably and advantageously to our
own side; and I am assured by leading
men in the Senate that not one of these
treaties, if negotiated, will pass the Se
nate. I should have a majority in every
case, but a malcontent third would cer
tainly dish every one of them. To such
monstrous shape has the original mistake
of the Constitution grown in the evolution
of our politics.”
Those opposing views, both cited in
Kenneth N. Waltz’s book, “foreign Policy
and Democratic Politics, ” have fresh cur
rency as the nation prepares for the Senate
struggle over the newly negotiated treaty
settling the future of the Panama Canal.
It is a struggle which will not only re
vive one of the great and continuing ques
tions about our form of government — the
capacity of a representative Republic to
frame sensible, long-term foreign policies
— but will also test the leadership of Pres
ident Carter and the opposition Republi
can party.
In the long history of the United States,
fewer than a dozen treaties have been
voted down by the Senate. Yet there is no
assurance that this treaty, which arranges
for the gradual transfer of control of the
canal to Panama by the end of the century
while safeguarding American security
interests there, will get the required two-
thirds majority in the Senate.
Administration officials say there are
now fewer than 60 assured votes (of the 67
needed for ratification). And conservative
groups claim that at least 39 senators (five
more than the minimum number needed
to upset ratification) have at one time or
another opposed substantial concessions
by the United States.
At this early stage of the proceedings —
with the legal language not yet drafted —
three aspects of the coming struggle are
particularly interesting.
For the President, ratification is an acid
test of his ability to function in the interna
tional arena. Should he fail to win Senate
approval for the Panama treaty, his ability
to negotiate successfully with the Soviets
on arms control, and with other countries
on economic and trade issues, would be
severely endangered. It is almost literally
a fight that Carter cannot afford to lose.
But it is also a significant test for the
Republican party leadership. Sen. How
ard H. Baker, Jr. (R-Tenn.) and his GOP
colleagues have done well on the domestic
issues, in collaboration with the conserva
tive Democrats. They scared Carter off
the tax rebate and beat him on campaign
reforms and labor law changes. But they
take on a much heavier responsibility if
they choose to pit the conservative coali
tion against the President for ultimate con
trol of foreign policy — particularly on the
Panamanian question.
It was the view of past Republican ad
ministrations — no less than this Demo
cratic administration — that future good
relations in this hemisphere require the
United States to acknowledge the end of
the imperialist era which our unilateral
control of the Panama Canal symbolizes.
Such a treaty might well have been con
cluded by Gerald Ford, were it not for the
political threat he faced from Ronald Rea
gan last year.
Ford and Reagan are likely to split on
the new treaty, with the former President
backing his successor’s action and Reagan
continuing to play the nationalistic pride
that opposes any concessions. It will be up
to Baker and the other Senate Republican
leaders to avert an open schism — if they
can — within their party on this issue.
Finally, the Panama treaty ratification
will test the thesis — grown so fashionable
among American liberals in the period of
Vietnam and CIA revelations — that the
Congress is a better, wiser, more farsight
ed custodian of the nation’s foreign policy
than the Chief Executive. Most of our his
tory, from the “warhawks” of the 1820s to
the isolationists of the 1930s, says that the
sis is a dubious proposition at best. But the
Panama treaty will let us judge anew
whether Hamilton or Hay was right.
© 1977, The Washington Post Company
Tetters to the editor
Congressman defends palm oil citrus bill
Editor:
A recent David Broder column (Battal
ion July 27, 1977) was critical of an
amendment I offered to a recent foreign
aid bill authorizing funds for international
lending institutions.
The amendment prohibited the use of
American foreign aid dollars going to the
Asian Development Bank, the World
Bank, the Inter-American Development
Bank, and other international lending in
stitutions to underwrite loans for the
production of palm oil, citrus, or sugar.
Apparently drawing from criticism of
fered by Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan
of New York, Mr. Broder was concerned
that the amendment was included in the
same section of the bill as the human-
rights language.
Quite simply, my amendment and the
human-rights language were both restric
tions on how the money could be spent.
So, for the sake of organizational logic,
both provisions were included in the same
section of the bill as were all other restric
tions and limitations on the use of those
funds.
Also, of concern to me were the insinua
tions that my amendment was “protec
tionist” or, as was charged, that it “slam
med shut the door to competition ”. Quite
to the contrary, the amendment was de
signed to give fair competition a chance.
The reason this action was necessary is
beacuse foreign countries are taking these
loans, underwritten mostly with American
money, and using them to gain an unfair
competitive advantage over American
production.
While I welcome these countries to the
free market of international competition, I
oppose the unfair advantage many of these
nations enjoy over American produces be
cause of the incredibly low interest rates
charged by these international lending in
stitutions.
For instance, the World Bank charges
three-quarters of a percent on 50-year
loans, the Inter-American Development
Bank asks only 1-3 percent for loans of
16-40 years, and the Asian Development
Bank has 2.5-3 percent interest on 24-30
year loans.
Loans of such generosity are unheard of
for American producers.
The importance of this unfair foreign
advantage is underscored by the fact that
the United States has been setting record
trade deficits almost every month this
year.
The villain behind our deteriorating
balance of trade is our continued depen
dence on foreign oil; the major weapon we
have to offset this trade imbalance are our
agricultural exports.
For the sake of example, soybeans and
soy-products account for 20 percent of all
American agricultural exports, but now
many of our former markets are being
closed to us because of the advantage
these low interest loans are giving palm
oil, a competitor to soy-oil.
In the next ten years over 500,000 acres
of American soybeans are expected to be
displaced by foreign palm oil. Based on
current production figures and prices, that
would be equivalent in price to 4.8 million
barrels of foreign oil.
Another problem, potentially more se
rious, involves the unhealthy aspects of
palm oil. Most consumers do not know that
the term “vegetable oil” widely used for
cooking and other purposes contains palm
oil. They also don’t know that palm oil has
an extremely high saturated fat content —
45 percent. That compares to 15 percent
for soybean oil, 18 percent for peanut oil
and 38 percent for animal fat. Considering
that medical experts have repeatedly
warned us to avoid excessive amounts of
saturated fats in our diets, I trust Mr.
Broder will not object to legislation I have
co-sponsored which will require products
which contain palm oil to be so labeled.
When Congress began contributing to
these international lending institutions it
was with the intention of helping under
developed nations build the agricultural
production necessary to meet the nutri-
Editor:
My sincere thanks to everyone —
Chancellor Jack K. Williams
Faculty, staff, students
Office of Continuing Education
Information Center
University Center staff
Student Corps of Cadets guides
University News Service
Campus Security
Food Services
Assoc, of Former Students
College Station Cemetery
tional needs of their own populations.
Now many of these nations have pro
gressed to the point that they are now
entering into world agricultural trade. I
congratulate them on that progress, but I
also say that is the point at which the
American taxpayer should no longer be
asked to underwrite the cost of their prod
uction.
So, Senator Moynihan not withstand
ing, I intend to continue the fight to end
this wasteful and counterproductive ex
penditure of American money. If the
World Bank wants to help a country be
come self-sufficient agriculturally, I am all
in favor of it. I do not even object to these
lending institutions helping developing
nations build export markets for their
products. But I do not think we should be
expected to subsidize our own demise.
W. Henson Moore
Member of Congress
Military personnel from Fort Hood and
Ellington Air Force Base
News media
— who helped to make the visit of the
Ranger Battalions Association of World
War II to Texas A&M so memorable.
Because of you, they say that the day spent
at Texas A&M was the highlight of their
stay in Texas for their bi-annual reunion.
I appreciate the cooperation of so many
people. I have always been proud of Texas
A&M, but never more so than now.
— Mrs. Earl Rudder
Mrs. Rudder says thanks
Welfare commisioner retires
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Texas Welfare Commissioner Raymond W. Vowell, 62, has an
nounced his decision to retire the post he has held since July
“The department is moving into a new era, one which can be expected
to bring about radical changes in programs serving people. I believe
the Board of Public Welfare should have the opportunity to select!
commissioner with more potential tenure than I can offer, toguidetk
department through the many changes ahead,” Vowell said.
Coors boycotted over ERA
The Texas Women’s I^olitical Caucus has voted unanimously to
boycott Coors beer because Coors was supporting the anti-ERAlobb'
group, Heritage Foundation, and had contributed $300,000 toil
Coors spokesman Bob Russo, said the women were in error regardk
Coors’ stand on the Equal Rights Amendment, but refused toelab
rate.
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Canal treaty criticized —
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Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards nas urged state legislatures to pass
resolutions opposing the Carter Administration’s plans to give up
control of the Panama Canal. He said Panama is unstable and leaning
toward communism, and that any turnover would threaten interna
tional commerce and security. There is nothing to stop a future
Panamanian regime from demanding yet another treaty 10 years from
now that would cost the United States millions of dollars more, Ed
wards said.
gets pie in the eye
odes was struck in the face with a crear
Governor
Ohio Gov. James A. Rhodes was struck in tlie tace with a cream pie
and seven demonstrators were arrested yesterday at the Ohio State
Fair. The piotestors were objecting to the construction of a gym
nasium complex at Kent State University. Rhodes was not injured in
the incident.
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Commando weapons seized
Agents from three federal agencies raided a Miami home and river
marina Monday, seizing three boats, a cannon and other weapons aid
apparently thwarting a commando raid on Cuba. Assistant U.S. Attor
ney R.J. Sanford said the confiscated items were to be used ina»
“imminent hit-and-run harassment raid somewhere on the Cuban
coast. ” A member of the Bay of Pigs Veterans Association was arrested
and charged with violating federal firearms export control laws.
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World
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Jews protest Nazis escape
Hundreds of Jews converged on Rome yesterday to protest the
escape of Italy’s most notorious Nazi war criminal. SS Col. Herbert
Kappler, 70, serving a life prison term for the World War II massacre
of 335 Italians, vanished Monday from the Rome military hospital
where he was being treated for terminal stomach cancer. Kappler,
weighing 106 pounds, was apparently stuffed into a large suitcase by
his wife and lugged out of the hospital.
Palestinian bomb injures Israelis
A bomb exploded on a bus near the Israeli farm town of Afula
yesterday, injuring eight passengers, police said. Palestinian guerrilla
forces claimed responsibility for the blast. The Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine had vowed earlier to step up its attacks on
civilian targets inside Israel in reaction to a government decision seen
as a step toward annexing occupied Arab land.
The Battalion
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editor or of the writer of the article and are not necessarily
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