Page 2
Viewpoint
The Battalion Monday
Texas A&M University October 10, 1977
Tibet mixture of oldwith Chinese new
By DAVID BRODER
LHASA, TIBET — And now, as the say
ing goes, for something completely differ
ent. An American political reporter, who
has been accustomed to think of Slab
Fork. VV. Va., as an exotic dateline, is
likely to go berserk when offered a chance
to write from “the roof of the world. ”
Do not expect this scribbler to resist
temptation. Tibet is a wonderful place to
visit and, after a stay limited to three days,
the temptation is strong to say you would
not mind living here, the mountains are
magnificent. The weather in this 12,800-
foot-high valley is so mild that you can
shed your early morning sweater well be
fore noon. The air is so pure and the sun so
bright that in two days you have a deep
tan.
Beyond that, there is the priceless art
produced in the court of the Dalai Lamas
and preserved by the Communist masters
of today's Tibet — a richness of color, fab
ric, tapestry, frieze, fresco and gold be
yond description. Unfortunately, you can
not just call up your travel agent and say,
“Book me on the next tour to Tibet.
Lowell Thomas, the world traveler who
is a member of this party, was “the last
American out in 1949, two years before
the Chinese moved in and made Tibet an
“autonomous region” ruled from Peking.
Last year, the door was opened for the first
time to a party headed by James Schle-
singer. This group is headed by George
Bush, the former head of the U. S. Liaison
Office in Peking.
For reasons best known to themselves,
the Chinese have built an airstrip serving
Lhasa more than 50 miles northwest of the
city. You alight from the Ilyushin aircraft
that has brought you from Chengtu, and
head off on a two-hour drive that provides
an indelible introduction to this hidden
land.
Beneath the brilliant blue sky and the
distant snow-capped mountains, the dom
inant color of the landscape is brown. Bare
cliffs rise from one thousand to five
thousand feet from the valley floor. Giant
boulders spill from their sides.
The land is rocky and barren, with
clumps of brush, like the high country of
Western Montana or Wyoming. But there
is plenty of water in the valley floor, with
rivers collecting the streams that flow
down from the mountains. Along the
riverbanks grow willows, their green and
gold providing a needed touch of color.
The road is dirt-bumpy and muddy. At
points it is pinned between the cliffs and
the river in a series of hairpin turns.
Where a washout has occurred, the
passengers climb out, while the Bushes’
Red Flag limousine and the smaller Shang
hai sedans for the others are maneuvered
to safety. At other places, the valley
broadens, and fields of cabbages and bar
ley, orchards and grazing land line both
sides of the road.
The first signs of life are rude hab
itations — stone and mud, with thatched
roofs and stone fireplaces in the fields.
Then you see the Tibetan peasants, dark
faced men and women with bright teeth.
You share the road with yaks and cattle,
sheep and goats, donkeys, small Tibetan
ponies with red pom-poms in their bri
dles, and ugly bristle-haired pigs.
A solemn-faced boy, riding bareback on
his pony, does not acknowlege you. But
another lad, barely nine, staggering under
a heavy load of straw, turns and waves.
Women, with bright bandanas on their
dark hair, triangular brown wicker baskets
loaded on their backs, smile a greeting.
It is a scene from a storybook, and you
long to stop for a photograph. But the con
voy — military jeeps fore and aft — does
not slow its pace. Along the way, there are
signs of the change the Chinese have
brought since they ended the rule of the
god-king who resisted all technology, even
a simple wheeled cart.
A telephone line parallels the road.
There are two tractors in the field, a new
bridge across the river, compounds for
Chinese migrants, with concrete barracks
and tin roofs that shine in the sun.
As you near Lhasa, the dirt turns into
cobblestones, then pavement. You pass a
cement plant, make a curve, and there is
the Potola — the Dalai Lama’s hilltop
palace, dating from the 7th Century.
Across its brown facade is stretched a
red banner, exhorting the workers to
greater efforts in the spirit of Chairmen
Mao and Hua. It is a fitting symbol of the
ancient theocracy and the new Communist
state that coexist so uneasily in this exotic-
corner of the world.
The ultimate weapon: The nothing bomb
United Press International
WASHINGTON — President Carter’s
optimistic report on the prospects for
another Soviet-American arms agreement
leaves many people wondering what will
happen to the neutron bomb.
Some military strategists believe de
ployment of the new enhanced-radiation
weapon will increase the chances of all-out
nuclear war.
But others see it as leading to total nur
clear impotence. ; .Y.L “ i+ “ ‘
Humor
A leading exponent of the later view is
Commodore Claus von Frigate (ret.),
former commander of the Tidal Basin
paddleboat fleet and now a private military
consultant and analyst.
Asked what the results might be if neu-
Iron bombs were excluded from a new
weapons pact, von Frigate posed some
questions of his own.
F irst you must ask yourself why con
ventional nuclear warheads have never
been used on the battlefield.
The answer is that they are too destruc
tive. They not only annihilate the enemy’s
military forces; they demolish everything
and everybody in sight.
“Now ask yourself what advantage the
neutron bomb has over conventional nu
clear weapons.
“The answer is that while it may kill as
many people as other warheads, it doesn’t
cause as much blast and heat damage to
buildings.
“Then ask yourself whether the Russian
army, when confronted with this im
provement in nuclear weaponry, js going
to be content with sending telegrams of
congratulations to the Pentagon?
“Obviously not. You know and I know
that the Soviets are going to go all out to
perfect a further refinement.
“So ask yourself what the next logical
step would be. And the answer is a
warhead that not only causes less property
damage but also kills fewer people.”
The commodore paused to see if I was
catching his drift. Then, syllogisms,
awash, he proceeded with his own
analysis.
“There is strong opposition to our
bomb, mainly because killing people with
neutron rays sounds kind of barbaric. But
the Russians avoid that rap by building a
bomb only half as deadly.
“Do we stand idly by with our bomb in
abeyance while the Russians deploy
theirs? Not in a million years we don’t.
“We send our weaponeers back to the
drawing board with instructions to design
a nuclear bomb that doesn’t kill anybody.
It just makes a loud noise that deafens the
enemy.”
I clapped my hands in jingoistic glee.
“I’d like to see the Russians try to top
that ” I chortled.
makes people deaf, the Russians will
counter with one that is silent as well as
non-lethal.
I said, “ Is that what you call your ulti
mate weapon?”
Not quite,” von Frigate replied. “This
arms race won’t end until it reaches the
point where gettting hit with a nuclear
warhead makes you feel better.”
They will, dear boy. As soon as we start
testine a non-lethal nuclear warhead that
Top of the News
Campus
Student senate hearing set
lelel
Student Senate will be conducting a public hearing on an injunc
tion against the existence of the position of comptroller, tonight at 7
in the MSC council conference room.
Waco buses available
Seats are available on charter buses to Waco for the Texas A&M-
Baylor football game Oct. 10. Two or more buses will depart parking
lot 60 near Rudder Tower at 12:30 p.m. on game day. They return
immediately after the 4 p.m. game, according to Brazos County A&M
Club President Malon Southerland. Bus seats will cost $8.25 each,
with persons providing their own game tickets. Buses are expected to
arrive at Baylor Stadium in time for persons to walk to nearby re
staurants, but Brazos Aggies suggest carrying a sack lunch. Refresh
ments will be available on the buses. Reservations should be made at
the Association of Former Students offices in the MSC, or by mailing
a check to the club. Box 4, College Station, 77840.
Unite
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Congressman to speak
Former Republican congressman Charles Mosher of Oberlin, Ohio
will deliver two addresses at Texas A&M University today and tomor
row. Mosher, now executive director of the U.S. House of Represen
tatives’ Science and Technology Committee, was invited to the cam-
pins to talk to the Professional Development Seminar of the Doctorof
Engineering Program and the engagement was expanded to a two-
part program, the first of which is open to the public. His address is
entitled “Congress Gropes for Better Information” and will be pres
ented at 8 p.m. tonight in room 102 of Zachry Engineering Center. It
will be continued Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m. in room 342.
State
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The murder trial of Fort Worth millionaire T. Cullen Davis
entered its eighth week today in Amarillo. Prosecutors, despite
vigorous defense objections, were permitted Saturday to recreate two
1976 deposition hearings in which a teenager named the defendantas
the man who shot her boyfriend. Prosecutor Joe Shannon Jr. assumed
the role of Beverly Bass, 19, as he sat in the witness chair and read
portions of her October and December explanations of the August,
1976 assault on Gus Gavrel Jr., 22. Prosecutors said they were offer
ing portions of the sworn statements not previously introduced into
evidence to rehabilitate the teenager’s testimony before the jury.
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Siamese twins critical
Ferra Hope, the infant surgically separated from her Siamese twin
Oct. 1, was in extremely critical condition” Sunday at the University
of Arkansas Medical Center in Little Rock. Ferra Hope developed
sever pneumonia and kidney failure Saturday, a hospital spokeswo
man said. She was in critical condition for several days after the
operation but her condition improved last week and she was removed
horn the critical list Friday. The infant was separated from her twin,
with whom she shared a torso and conjoined hearts. Her twin died
during the operation. Ferra Hope is the first infant to survived sueh
an operation for more than six hours.
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Letters to the editor
President’s inauguration deserved more students
Editor:
The inauguration of a new president at
Texas A&M University is a rare event. I
consider myself lucky to have witnessed
President Miller’s inauguration ceremony
this Tuesday. Never before have I seen a
ceremony with as much pomp and celeb
rity for one person.
The one thing that this ceremony
lacked; however, was attendence of the
university students. Where were all the
“Aggies” who had been given the day off
just so they could come and show respect
for their own president? With a population
of thirty thousand students, G. Rollie
White Coliseum should have been over
flowing. Instead, only a small crowd of
8,500 attended the event. Those “Aggies”
who were given a holiday on Tuesday
could have spent two hours of that day
showing their respect and dedication for
the next president.
A&M will not settle for anything but the
best; the best educators, the best stu
dents, and the best president. The spirit of
A&M is only as great as the students.
What happened to that spirit during a
ceremony as important as the inauguration
of our university’s new president. After
all, how would you feel if you were inau
gurated as the eighteenth president of
A&M, and less than 40 per cent of the
student body attended the ceremonies?
—fish Elkins,‘81
Editor’s note: The situation is nothing
new. Aggies have never needed an excuse
to take a holiday and when they’re given
the day off, you can expect plenty of stu
dents to either leave town or disappear
for the day. The committee which
planned the inauguration had emphasized
student participation. But the way to get
students to attend such ceremonies is not
to give them the whole day to find some
thing else to do. Whether “enough”
students attended the inauguration is
academic — but if 40 per cent did at
tend, as you suggested, that’s very good
student attendance.
No angels here
Editor:
We’re just three Aggies sitting in Dud
ley’s Draw sipping on longnecks and con
templating A&M. We re snuff-dipping,
bicycle riding, crude and generally un
couth Ags who are perturbed about recent
letter in this space blaming one faction of
A&M for all the problems (real or
imagined) that exist here. Each day, al
most without fail, at least one letter will
slander, malign, cast aspersions on, and
generally blame one group of students.
We’ve read about the indifference of bike
riders on campus, tobacco and snuff
enjoyers, the Greeks, the Poles, the
Blacks, the Whites, and the kitchen sink.
Frankly, Ags, we re damn tired of it.
We’ve missed a couple of Silver Taps due
to pending examinations (all of them
passed), we’ve skipped Thursday night
yell practice to go to Lake view on occa
sion, and we missed President Miller’s in
auguration because we were too hung over
to get out of bed. We’re almost certain that
if some of the Aggies who are so concerned
about Aggie spirit had seen us, there
would have been one hellatious letter to
this celebrated paragon of intellect (the
Batt) concerning our activities. And these
Aggies have every right to do so. We’re
not here to point fingers, to blame this
clique or that organization for all the “di-
gusting” things occuring here, i.e. lack of
spirit and consideration, but we would like
it understood that even though we’re Ag
gies, we’re still human. Even though as a
student body we are unique, and our uni
versity is widely accepted as being the
best thing this side of heaven, individu
ally, we are not angels by a long shot. We
all have our share of shortcomings. We’re
not perfect, and few of us ever claimed to
be. Please, Ags, don’t expect us to be. We
as Aggies have seen things here we don’t
agree with, and we’ve seen people do
things we think they shouldn’t, but part of
being an Aggie, we believe, is understand
ing that people are different, they have
different goals, different beliefs, and dif
ferent ideologies.
As Aggies, we should accept and toler
ate these differences, not accuse them of
being the root of all that is detrimental to
Aggie spirit. Nor should we accuse all
those who believe in different things than
we do as being two-percenters. Re
member that A&M is a united body, prob
ably the largest in the world. Let’s try and
keep it that way.
Well, Ags, we spent over $8 on beer and
nachos in the process of drafting this let
ter, and we hope you appreciate it. At
least tolerate our right to believe it.
—Jeff Mulkey ‘79
Brian Euwer ‘79
Tom Beecroft ‘81
Not all Ags lonely
Editor:
I read “Dear Mom: Your black Aggie is
lonely,” and felt sad for someone I didn’t
know.
I’m comfortable here at A&M.
—Kerry Falls
Slouch
by Jim Earle
“OF COURSE THERE’S ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY THAT
YOU’RE JUST NOT CUT OUT TO BE A TOBACCO CHEWER!”
Ships line up, strike continues
Several ships were line lined up along docks waiting to be unloaded
at the nation’s second largest port Sunday in New Orleans, as loca
dock workers continued their general strike. Harbor police reported
no picket lines Sunday, but dock foremen said no one had shown up
for work. The longshoremen, defying the wishes of local and nation®
union, voted Saturday to continue a general strike against the Port 0 *
New Orleans. General strike supporters said the selective strike
strategy was unworkable in New Orleans because container ships
account for a smaller percentage of port traffic than in New York.
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roq ^m 6r t0n ? 0 " 0w - Hi gh today mid-80s, low tonight, low
60s, tomorrow’s high mid-70s.
The Battalion
Opinion, expressed in The- Battalion are those- of the
eehtor or of the , enter of the article and are no, ntc-Lri,,,
those of the University administration or the Board of He
gents. The Battalion is a non-profit -o-ir . -r™-
enterprise operated by students as a univc-riti/an'’,
inanity neuspaper. Editorial police, is determLddjZ-
letters policy
U tters to the editor should not exceed inn i
subject to being cut to that length Jl^Tum“ r, C
editorial staff reserves the- right to edit such JttersTnd dvs
not guarantee to publish any letter Each ,
rigned. shou the address of the writer atd £ at T
number for verification.
Address correspondence to Letters it. c i,
Angeles. ^ aiul Los
nisht-d on request. Address: Tire Battalion- B*|
Reed Me Donald Building, College Station. Trsax
United Press International is entitled lwluM |j| j,
Use for reproduction of all news dispatches on
Rights ol reproduction of all other matter In' 111 ".,
Second-Class postage paid at College Station.
MEMBER
Texas Press Association
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Editorial Director Da' Roy la
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News Editors Marie Honieyrr- C
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Reporters
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fen* *55
kT-t r
Wednesdays ami Fridays. 1 n t,on Mondays,
Mail subscriptions are 75 1 ^„.
Photographer
Cartoonist
,'llltl
Student Publications Board: Boh C.. /
Joe Anedondo. Dr. Cam, Holler. Or. J""" ( #||l ,
Bo/n-rt Harvey; Or. Charles McCandless; l>r .
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Oonaltl C. Johnson. Prodnrtion Coordimb'' 1
Sherman
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