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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 16, 1977)
Page 2 Viewpoint Top of the The Battalion Friday Texas A&M University September 16, 1977 The Senator Humphreyism (hum-free-is-m) n. after Sen. Hubert Horatio Humphrey, 1911 - an eternal and unflagging optimist, strengthened by disappointment and undarkened even by the cer tainty of the approaching sunset. There is yet no such entry in today’s dictionaries — but save a place for it. The bright, unbounded optimism of this remarkable man is indeed a classic example of an indestructible spirit, a spirit like a hardy summer rose that blossoms and blossoms even as the days grow shorter. The essence was captured so tenderly in the news photo of the senator’s return to his home in Wavely, Minn. There he was, pale and gaunt, the familiar smile creasing his drawn face, walking into the outstretched arms of his beloved Muriel. There he was, looking weak and haggard but walking without assistance. And there he was, 15 days after surgery had revealed an inoperable cancer, saying with typical Humphrey ebullience, “I feel better than anyone has a right to.” Sacramento Bee Some never learn Well. So much for the theory that putting a fellow in jail straightens out his head. Asked if he would break into Democratic Headquarters at the Watergate again, G. Gordon Liddy, released from prison last week after serving 52 months for having masterminded the first break-in, said he would. Liddy, who seems to have read a lot of books, sprinkled his sparse com ments with Latin phrases, references to grand opera, and self-appraisals that suggested he was acting out a life story written by an old pulp magazine writer. If a President asked him to commit a crime again, Liddy said he would reply, “Fiat voluntas tua. ” That’s genuine Latin, folks. It means “Thy will be done.’ Understandable when a religious person says it about God — but, in this country at least, a bit scary when said of the President or any other elected official. Considering what the other Watergate malefactors got, Liddy s sentence was extremely severe. He took it stoically, and you’ve got to admire him for that. President Carter did right in cutting his sentence. “I submit to you that I did not break,” Liddy said proudly. But we’d submit to you that such men are dangerous in our free system. We re not sorry he’s out of jail — but we’d sure be worried if he ever got into a position of power again. The Atlanta Constitution Slouch by Jim Earle I’ve been expecting you to get out th’ volleyball everyday which makes me wonder if this is physics and not physical education! IRS adds color The Internal Revenue Service says next year’s income tax forms will be easier on the eyes and brain, with a soothing pastel color scheme and simplified arrangement. Perhaps, but IRS says something like that about every year, and only a rank optimist would get his hopes up. At least IRS puts a little variety into the annual headache by changing the forms every year. The Houston Chronicle Campus Th >' s Miller appoints two assistants it d< Pring/e s?' mk rim Dowling Texas A6cM University Pres ident Jarvis E. Miller has ap pointed Glenn Dowling anil Steve Pringle assistants to the president. Both men assisted Dr. Miller when he was dim- tor of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station (TAES), the position he held prior to being named president ofTem A&.M Aug. I. lime ncio liter ain State JI1W Ipli I llr < noo Tl Ibst id. ten Wiley College officials indicted . The president and two former officials of VY'iley College in Mar- shall, Tex. were named in a 10-count indictment this week foral-1 ledgedly embezzling more than $250,000 in federal education funds I Named were Robert E. Hayes, Sr., president of the school I since 1971, Bhagwan S. Gupta, vice president for administra I tion and fiscal affairs and George W. Merchant, a former chid ao | countant and business manager who is now budget director at Bishop ( Allege in Dallas. The indictment said the three conspired toemher- I i zle, steal and convert to their own use and the use of others $255,91 E < in federal education funds from September 1972 to June, 1975. Hit I ! three also provided "false, fictitious and fraudulent statements and I ‘ representations to agencies of the federal government, the indirt- I < ment said. Each count of the indictment curries a possible penaltyd I ' $10,(XX) and five years in prison or both. I t Oil reserve stored in salt domes [ 1 I c A Federal Energy Administration official s;ud yesterday the got- I i eminent may begin pumping oil into the Bryan Mound salt domes [ v near Freeport, Tex., during the first week of October as part of the I program to establish a strategic crude oil reserve. Thomas E. Noel | 1 assistant administrator for management and administration of the [ 1 FEA, said some caverns in the Bryan Mound salt domes are ready It I begin receiving oil, and others are in the final stages of testing and I v preparation by the FEA. The strategic reserve project is a $20hillioi I ' plan to store up to 1 billion barrels of crude for use in the eventofi 1 national emergency such as a war or an embargo on oil imports. The Bryan Mound s;dt domes have a capacity of about 60 million barreM E ' crude', Noel said. The government is already storing oil in the West I Hackberrv salt caverns near Cameron, La. I * Nation Japanese execs do business differently 'Put it on the expense account’ By ATSUKO CHIBA International Writers Service jl ' ; •; TOKYO — Step into a quiet bar here any evening and you are 1 likely to witness a curious sight. A Japanese executive garbed in a gray suit is talking with a colleague as three or four bar girls flank them, pouring their drinks and even popping tasty morsels into their mouths, like mothers feeding babies. And when the executive leaves, usually before midnight, there is no need for him to pay the check. His favorite bar girl has been keeping track. At the end of the month, she will present his company with a bill, which will be duly deducted from his expense account. The size of his ex pense account is, of course, commensurate with his rank in the firm. This practice tells a good deal about the way business is done in Japan. Much of it is conducted informally, with corporation entertainment allowances covering the costs. And bar girls, who are neither tra ditional geishas nor modern prostitutes, play the important part of hostess — a role usually reserved for executive wives in other countries. The bars at which these transactions occur are specialized spots. Some cater to senior executives, while others are fre quented by middle-level managers. Most bear a distinct occupational flavor in the sense that they are used exclusively by literary figures, entertainers, civil servants and other professions. What they all share in common is that they are a preferable alternative to offices as places of business. Naturally, they are made more attractive by the presence of girls. Every company — and every depart ment in every company—has a budget for entertainment that is allocated among the firm’s officials according to their status. Many executives can therefore write off all their lunches, dinners, drinks and weekend golf matches on their expense accounts. One businessman recently re vealed to me that his entertainment allow ance is three times the size of his salary. Altogether, the statistics indicate, the annual sum spent by Japanese corpora tions on executive entertainment inns to nearly $8 billion — or some $2 billion more than the country’s defense expendi tures. The system stems in part from the old- fashioned Japanese practice of men meet ing for political and business discussions in geisha houses. Under this practice, the se riousness of the evening would be relieved by the geishas, who were skilled entertainers. This custom has faded away, but corpo rations cling , to the idea of generous cnlcrtaiiimeut allowances for reasons that suit contemporary convenience. For one thing, it is cheaper for com panies to give executives lavish expense accounts rather than higher wages, since retirement pensions are calibrated to salaries and can thus be kept low, In addition, entertainment allowances are exempt from taxes within certain limits, and under Japan’s rigorous fiscal structure, an executive would rather have a large tax-free expense account than a high salary that would be chewed up by the government. The system is basically inequitable, however, since it excludes clerks, re searchers and other employees who do not conduct outside company business. Also excluded are executive wives as well as professional women, who would not be welcomed by the bar girls. Most of the bar girls are either divorcees or unwed mothers, and some of the larger nightclubs provide round-the-clock nurse ries for their children. Many earn as much as $200 per day from a basic salary aug mented by commissions on the customer bills they collect. Their incomes are often higher than those of the executives they entertain. Not all of these girls are social outcasts. I know one who is currently studying English literature at college and plans to continue the job after graduation. She is especially popular with Japanese execu tives who entertain foreign clients. Many bar girls, whatever their personal lives, are witty and well-educated. They read newspapers and magazines, and at tend plays and concerts, in order to be able to converse with their clients. In this respect they are ahead of Japanese house wives, who are rarely taken out or have guests in their homes, and have con sequently become recluses. Bar girls are not necessarily pretty or sexy. Their job is to serve as a hostess, furnishing the competitive executive with an atmosphere in which he can relax or conduct business in a relaxed fashion. Many dream of saving enough money to open their own bars. Ultimately, the money for this way of life is provided by the Japanese taxpayer, who indirectly bears the burden of the de ductible expense account. But it is a way of life that is not going to be reformed until the fiscal structure is changed, and that is far off. (Ms. Chiba writes on social issues from Japan) Letters to the editor Grody jokes are part of yell practice Editor: I’ve been a student here at A&M for three years now, and at every Midnite Yell Practice I’ve been to, there has also been beer, booze, and drunks. And aftrer every Midnite Yell, sure as clockwork, some of fended little goody two-shoes decides it’s high time to reform all us immoral Aggies. Shame on us. We drink, we lust, and we laugh at dirty jokes. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that Kyle Field is no place for alcohol — I drink mine before I go — but don't deny me a good joke! Laughter is as important a part of the spirit that makes up the 12th Man as our more serious songs and yells. It’s obvi ous that Miss Vanater is worried about dirty jokes, sexual desire, poor taste, and about our whole moral fibre here at A&M; but Miss Vanater also seems to have a few mistaken beliefs. She stated in her letter that jokes should be inspirational or motivational, and insinuated that dirty jokes provoke lust (doubtless it’s her Victorian fervor clouding her brain). Jokes are neither motivational, nor in spirational, but pre-intended to make people laugh. I found the “dumb Ag gie/camel joke amusing. The man’s sexual habits wasn’t the point — the fact that he was just another dumb Aggie was. Perhaps it wasn’t the classiest thing I’ve ever heard (I doubt we ll be hearing it in any inau gural addresses anytime soon.), but, quite frankly, I’ve never heard of a funny, high class, tasteful joke. Miss Vanater s insinuation that the jokes inspired lust is pure rubbish. I think it a pretty good bet that those Aggies with those gorgeous dates didn’t require a joke to get their procreative instincts going, and that a good number did not just go home and make popcorn. Miss Vanater sounds like the kind of person who would vote for salt peter in the mashed potatoes. I, for one, don’t need her. —John L. Graves ’79 Fees discriminate Editor: I am still quite confused about the Legget renovation proposition, the logic of taxing non-Legget residents seems highly unreasonable. A cost is always followed by a benefit, and of course Legget is recieving all the goodies while the other non- airconditioned dorms suffer the peeling paint, rotten carpet, and totally sub standard living conditions. The lower cost of these University owned slum dwellings is the major reason for occupying such halls as Walton, Puryear, Hart, and the “Hotard Hilton”. Money is quite scarce for the students who five here, otherwise fighting mosquitoes, roaches, rats, and the blistering heat could be avoided by moving to a more expensive dorm. The University cited the outrageous in crease in the building use fee as being necessary to “supply new buildings and renovate old structures at A&M.” Why can’t the $100 increase a semester in this fee be applied to the Legget fund? The income from traffic ticket money alone could also pay off Legget, and still have cash left over in the K. K. kitty! The rais ing of fees for those living in the other infested sweatboxes is discriminatory and unjustified, we are the ones who can afford it least! —Lloyd Andrews A Hotard resident ’78 Venders no help Editor: The venders and distributors of soft drinks, candy, and other concessions on campus need refresher courses in basic business, economics and distribution theory. They don’t seem to realize that the product must be available at the point of sale (machine) at the time the consumer demands it (24 hours a day) and in a form the consumer desires if all possible sales are to be made. I am writing specifically about the vend ing machines in the Academic Building, although the machines in almost all major buildings on campus are in the same con dition. By one o’clock each afternoon at least one half of the products in all the machines except the cigarette and canned drink machines are gone. It becomes im possible to get the bottled soft drinks or candy of your choice. Often the remaining products are either unpopular brands or are smashed, mutilated or stale items. Things are pretty bad when supposedly profit maximizing, competitive companies begin to perform in the way we have come to expect of regulated industries. —Cletus B. Bayer Kansas City declared disaster President Carter has declared Kansas City, Mo. a disaster ami making immediate federal aid available for the victims of flash Hood ing which killed more than 20 persons and caused damages expected to total billions of dollars. Police found three more bodies WednS day, raising the death toll to 22 from Monday night s deluge, (.'alters declaration makes flood victims eligible for immediate federal ;i flousing for the homeless, grants, low-interest loans for Inusinesiw and special unemployment compensation for workers who lost their! jobs because of the flood. Along with requests from Kansas Gov. Robert Bennett and Missouri Gov. Joseph P. Teasdale, Sen. Thomas F. Eagleton, D-Mo., wrote Carter that the flood-related properl}; damage “is likely to run into the billions of dollars. An Amelia Insurance Association spokesman said very few damaged businesses, were insured. Powell accused of dirty tricks Republicans say White House Press Secretary Jody Powell "dumb in spreading an erroneous rumor about a GOP senator. Pn« ell acknowledged he "tipped” a Chicago newspaper to a rumor tlrat Percy accepted free plane rides and other favors from a corporation and a bank-information which later proved wrong. Percy is the mill ing Republican on the Senate panel looking into allegations surround ing budget director Bert Lance. Powell, a Lance defender, report edly was peeved with Percy’s aggressive conduct in the prok House Republican Whip Robert Michel accused Powell of "sneab and distasteful conduct and said, “The ivory-pure Carter Whitr House has been caught in dirty tricks. Powell, facing a barrage if questions from White House reporters, said he talked with the Presi dent about the matter and “pointed out to him that I had described my actions as being innappropriate, regrettable and dumb. Hr added, "As is so often his habit, he seemed to accept my analysis the situation without question. World Ethiopia ‘proves* Somalia in war FI Ethiopia has shown a group of foreign reporters what it said is priHifl that Somali tanks and armored vehicles are taking part in the bloixlv “dust war” in the Ogaden desert. The journalists visited the city id r Dire Dawa this week where fighting was reported up until four cbm | ago. Army Maj. Tadesse Takle Hai Many showed reporters sevend Somali vehicles, including nine Soviet-made T55 tanks, be said were captured or damaged when Ethiopian forces repulsed a Somali tail attack Aug. 16-17. He also showed reporters other captured vehicles with Somali army license plates, including three types of truck equipped with rocket launchers. Somalia has consistently denied its forces are directly involved in the Ogaden fighting, which it says is waged by guerrillas of the Western Somalia Liberation Front. Weather Partly cloudy and hot today and Saturday. High both days mic- 90s, low tonight low 70s. Winds from the southeast 8 to 14 mph The Battalion Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or of the writer of the article and arc not necessarily those of the University administration or the Board of He- f'ents. The Battalion is a non-profit y self-supportinf' enterj)rise operated by students as a university and com munity newspaper. Editorial policy is determined by the editor. LETTERS POUCY letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are subject to Ifcinf' 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 Vinification. Address correspondence to letters to the Editor, The Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Budding, College Station, Texas 77843. Represented nationally by National lulucutional Adver tising Services, Inc., New York City', Chicago and Los Angeles. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday from Septeinljer through May except during exam and holiday periods and the summer, when it is published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Mail subscriptions are 810.75 per school year; $35. (X) per lull year. AdvcrtisitiK 1 nished on request. Address: The BatluliwiV Heed McDonald Building, College Station.Tri? United Press international is entitlrti use for reproduction of all news dispatdu’snv£ Rights of reproduction of all other mutter hon** Second-Class postage paid at College Station.U MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congrcsi Editor jo* Managing Editor MaryAlkv" 1 Editorial Director lee Roy W Spots Editor P* News Editors Marie Homeyer.C# 1 Reporters Rusty Speights, Glcnna W hitley. Danvll lanfimlW Photographer Student Publications Board: Boh C. flojyrvl" Joe Airedondo; Dr. Cary Halter. Dr. Johu Robert Han ey; Dr. Charles MeCaiulless.Dr.^ Phillips; Rebel Rice. Director of Shnlcnl Donald C. Johnson. Production CoonliiMthrJ Sherman V k /
