Page 2
Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Wednesday
October 26 9 1977
Carter’s troubles exaggerated — for now
By DAVID S. BRODER
WASHINGTON — It is a rare privilege
for a beat-up veteran of the Potomac bat
tles to be able to view Washington with
the eyes of a stranger. Coming back to this
city after fovir weeks in Asia — most of it
without any news from home — is about as
close as one can come to getting a fresh
eyed perspective on its problems.
If one is to believe the conventional
wisdom of this city, the past month has
been an almost unmitigated disaster for
Jimmy Carter. “The thing is in shambles,”
one is told, not just by the ever-present
critics of the administration, but by mem
bers of the White House staff as well.
If you ask what has gone wrong, you
hear a recital that ranges from the mis
managed Lance affair to the bungled battle
over the energy bill and the quick-switch
Middle East diplomacy, which has alien
ated the American Jewish community
without brining the elusive peace agree
ment visibly closer.
The same people who talked last sum
mer as if Jimmy Carter could walk on
water now are just as convinced he is
drowning.
Maybe. But to the returned traveler,
who has not lived through the past
month’s misadventures, it looks like a
classic case of over reaction.
Objectively, it is hard to see why there
should be so much hand-wringing. Yes,
the President lost a loyal friend and aide in
Bert Lance’s forced resignation. But he
also ended a running story that was stead
ily depleting the administration’s moral
credit.
Yes, the tactics used to end the Senate
filibuster on the energy bill were unneces
sarily crude. But both Republicans and
Democrats on Capitol Hill predict that the
final bill which will emerge from confer
ence next month is likely to contain
enough of what the President recom
mended to justify a claim of success.
As for the Middle Eastern peace effort,
which was never more than an outside bet
for complete success, there still seems, as
this is written, at least a 50-50 chance that
the administration can nudge the reluctant
parties into talks at Geneva.
Then, why the hangdog looks and
gloomy forebodings at the White House
itself? Mainly beacuse these problems —
whether temporary or long-term — have
confirmed what many of the insiders al
ready knew about the serious, unresolved
shortcomings of Carter’s approach to his
job.
The ctiticisms being shouted now are no
different than those catalogued in this
space last June. Then, I attempted to
summarize the serious concerns of several
people I was able to describe only as “im
portant friends and well-wishers of the
President and frequent visitors to the
White House.”
Those same problems now have been
recognized by many who work in the
White House every day. They include:
Carter’s failure to sort out his priorities
and make them clear, even to his close
associates; his inability to match his day-
to-day tactics to his broad, philosophical
principles of government; his unwilling
ness to delegate sufficient decision-making
* WELL ,LET'S SEE... SECONP AHV 114 .... LOOKS UKE.
authority so that he can spend his time
leading the government, rather than try
ing to administer it on an hour-by-hour
basis, and his refusal to name an overall
staff coordinator with a sure feel for both
political realities and policy substance.
One reason for discouragement on the
White House staff is that the public, which
last June was quite beguiled by Carter, has
begun to discover that these shortcomings
in Carter’s approach to his job doom many
of his promises to failure.
The second reason for gloom is that
there is as yet no firm indication — only a
few presidential hints — that Carter him
self is concerned enough about the situa
tion to rethink his concept of the job and to
reconstruct his White House staff accord
ingly.
Gas price controls not answer
By PETER D. HUDDLESTON
Editor’s note: The following commentary
is in response to an editorial from the
Wheeling, West Virginia “Intelligencer”
which the Battalion carried Oct. 20, 1977.
That editorial bemoaned a Senate deci
sion to remove price controls on natural
gas, suggesting that maintaining controls
while allowing prices to rise would be a
better compromise.
In reference to the article, “Gas Com
promise Best” there are several ideas set
forth which seem to be a less than Ameri
can approach.
The article states, “ . . .something which
has life and death consequences for con
sumers should not be without controls.”
This statement is clearly in opposition to
the rules of supply and demand no matter
what the commodity might be. It has been
known for many years that the world’s re
serves of natural gas ( and oil) are not keep
ing pace with our growing rate of con
sumption. Also, the energy companies, in
an effort to supply energy to the American
Letters to the editor
people, have begun to drill in areas of
marginal economic operation.
One must realize that Americans have
thrived on our own economic system 200
years, we have survived times of prosper-
Readers’ Forum
ity and poverty yet we still have the high
est standard living and lowest energy costs
in the world.
The article quotes President Carter as
saying what we need is “legislation that
provides adequate production incentives
while protecting the interests of American
consumers.” Do we really need some
one to watch out for us?
It seems that Americans have always
been quick to speak their mind and force
fully assert their opinion. If we decide that
we are being ripped off by the gas com
panies there are two alternatives which
may be taken. The first only requires that
we cease to use so much energy — a
household temperature of 60° is not un
bearable when faced with an exorbitant
gas bill — infact the average temperature
of homes in England is about 62°.
The other alternative is to use an alter
nate energy source such as coal, nuclear
power or solar power. If such steps are
taken, gas companies will certainly keep
their product competitive in the energy
markets.
We must not depend on government
control to curb energy costs unless we are
also ready for government intervention in
all phases of our economy. All that is re
quired is that we show the same strength
of character that Americans have shown
for the past 200 years to help get through
this energy crisis.
Peter Huddleston is a sophomore petro
leum engineering major. This commentary
contains his opinions and not necessarily
those of this newspaper.
A...HEHHEH ..passing situation...EH.FEUAG?"
These concerns about the fundamental
direction of events are not misplaced. But,
ironically, some of those who see the basic
problem quite clearly are still helping the
President camouflage it behind the au
tumn offensive for “victory” on the energy
and Middle Eastern fronts. Somehow be
has convinced himself that if he can just
“win” the energy bill he wants and get a
Geneval conference started before
Christmas, everything will be all right.
It won’t. The fact of the matter is that in
the remaining weeks of 1977, about all the
President can reasonably hope to do is sal
vage whatever is salvageable from an
agenda that was ill-considered in con
ception and far too ambitious in scope.
But by pressing as hard as he is just now
on both the energy and Middle Eastern
fronts, he risks damaging even that salvage
operation.
The time for reconstruction — for sig
naling a new and more coherent approach
to governing — will not come before next
January at the earliest. Then, in the Se
nate of the Union message and in his own
first budget. Carter will have a real oppor
tunity to show he has got his priorities
straight.
If he does that, the gloom of October
will seem as exaggerated as it probably is.
And if he doesn’t — well, he still has three
years to reelection.
(c) 1977, The Washington Post Com
pany
V
Correction
A letter in yesterday’s Battalion
was inadvertently published without
its author’s name. The letter, “Was
O’Hair thrown to the Christians?”
was written by Tommy Peacock. The
Battalion regrets the error.
Library coin changing policy needs revision
The last good Aggie
Editor:
This is inresponse to C. Bradford’s letter
that appeared in the Thursday, Oct. 20
edition of the Battalion. It’s bad enough
that “occasionally, the change machine
runs out of coins, or gets too full of bills”
but that after you discover this fact you
have to go stand in line and wait who
knows how long and only during the day!
What about at night? What about
weekends?
What if you didn’t “plan to copy mate
rial and suddenly found an article you
wanted copied and didn’t have the
change? Are you supposed to bring your
own Xerox machine? Or maybe just tear
the article out?
Maybe with the tremendous loss of ma
terial the library might consider it benefi
cial and more economical to let the circula
tion desk or some other personnel handle
the change matters on weekends and
nights, patrons would then be satisfied and
then we wouldn’t spend so much money
on replacements and could spend the ex
cess on developing collections, and enlarg
ing our assets.
—Darlene Maliawco
Former library employee
Floors dangerous
Editor:
The finished concrete floors in the new
Agronomy & Entomology building are
made to shine like glass and bust your
. (fill in the word yourself).
I can’t believe they actually polish this
stuff, as if it weren’t already slick enough.
It’s discouraging to walk for ten minutes
and then discover you haven’t moved.
Seriously, these floors are very danger
ous. I am surprised that someone hasn’t
really hurt themselves by slipping down. I
Slouch
by Jim Earle
have come close many times and have
seen others do so. I guess I’m gonna have
to shed my leather soled boots and get a
pair of spiderman shoes so I can get
around without embarrassing myself. As it
is now, I must take tiny little steps and
hang on to the wall. Have you ever tried
hanging on to a wall?
Maybe I’ve exaggerated a little but not
much! There must be some solution to this
problem. I’m sure the University does not
want to spend any more money on this
building for something like carpeting; so I
won’t ask for that. But perhaps there is
some sort of rubber base substance that
can be mopped on the floor to prevent
someone from not only injuring their ego,
but their tail end as well.
—Bobby Lane
Traffic again
Editor:
During the past month, the traffic prob
lem on campus has seemed to be the popu
lar subject for letters to the editor. These
letters accused pedestrians, drivers, and
bicyclists of carelessness, discourtesy, and
general wrongdoings, but the problem has
continued to grow.
I have been accused of being a speed
demon while driving through campus. By
way of retort, I could name incidents in
which bicyclists fail to stop at intersections
or persons step into a street without look
ing both ways, but that is not my point.
Instead of accusations, may I suggest
cooperation between driver, bicyclist, and
pedestrian? If all Aggies work together,
maybe we can alleviate the traffic prob
lem, or at least its attendant antagonisms.
—Bill White ’79
One mans poison. . .
Editor:
I was very much pleased with the op
portunity to hear the Philharmonia Hun-
garica and I must take issue with your
comments that the orchestra played some
of the pieces “darkly and hesitantly” and
that one piece “sagged sadly and became
morbid in some spots.”
Whether these references were to the
compostitions or to the quality of the per
formance, I am not sure. Considering how
complex music can be, how can we be so
certain that both the music and the per
formance were not possibly a reflection of
some deeper emotions that these persons
who have been displaced from their home
lands must have.
—Curtis McKallip
Editor:
For days now, I have followed the “run
ning feud” in the Battalion about who is or
isn’t a good Ag. It has been enjoyable to
read the responses. However, the con
troversy has hit too close to home and I
must protest.
In regards to “Byron the Good Aggie’s”
letter (Oct. 20), I realize that he wasn’t
serious about left-handers not being true
Aggies and that they don’t even belong on
the A&M campus. I happen to be left-
handed and I also happen to consider my
self a Good Aggie, (e.g. - I go to Silver
Taps, I survive midnight yell practises, I
stand at all A&M football games, the rear
bumper of my car is held on by Aggie
stickers and I even make it to class most of
the time.) Except for not being in the
Corps, I can see no other way that I am not
a true Aggie.
Even though this letter is written with
out malice, I do resent being called a
“mutant, being told that I’m a two per cen
ter and that I should go to that junior col
lege in Austin.
Come on, Byron, give us lefties a break.
Do you realize just how much ability and
agility is required to be a left-hander on
tbis campus? Almost every class I have has
a tiny right handed desk. In order to get
lecture notes and look at the T.A. at the
same time, left-handers have to twist
nearly 90 degrees to be able to write any
thing fairly legible and still be able to see
the T.A.
Speaking for myself, I don’t want official
recognition for being left-handed. I’d just
like a little consideration. I chose Texas
A&M University because of the traditions,
the quality of the education and because,
years from now, I want to be able to tell
people that I graduated from the best darn
University in the United States of
America! I am a Left-handed True Aggie
and proud of it.
In conclusion, I would like to say that
anybody who puts out the effort to be a
part of this school and respects the tra
ditions of A&M is a Good Aggie.
—Donna Wilson ’80
Editor’s note: Now that everyone has had
their say on what’s a “good Aggie, we say
ENOUGH. There will be no more “good
Aggie” letters to the editor published by
this editorial director.
Top of the News
Campus
Women may apply for aid
Women doing graduate work at Texas A&M University may now
apply for fellowships financed hy the American Association of Univer-
sity Women. The deadline for filing applications in Washington i s
Dec. 15 Interested women should contact the local Educational
Foundation Programs chairman, Mary Evelyn Tielking, at 846-6673
for details concerning eligibility requirements and guidelines.
Local
City Council agenda set
The College Station City Council will meet Oct. 27 at 7 p.m.to/
hold a public hearing on rezoning three tracts on the northeast corner
of Live Oak St. and Texas Ave. The council also will consider ap
proval of final plans for the police station and a warehouse, reconsider
authorization of the mayor to vote on steering committee items on
urban transportation and discuss the Capital Improvements Program.
Davis Airlines sold to Rio
Rio Aii-ways of Killeen has bought Davis Airlines ofBryan-College
Station. Guy A. Davis, founder, owner and president of Davis, will
become vice president sales and planning for Rio. All of Davis’ em
ployees will be offered employment with Rio. The acquisition of
Davis by Rio must be approved by the Texas Aeronautics Commis
sion.
State
Let’s keep Christ in Christmas
More than 2,000 Goose Creek Independent School District resi
dents in Baytown packed a school board meeting Monday to support
keeping Christ in the system’s Christmas this year. The district
superintendent prohibited the use of the name of Jesus Christ after a
federal court suit was filed on behalf of a Jewish mother who com-
plained of school prayers and Bible readings in violation of the Con
stitution. Because of complaints about the system’s ban, the hoard
met to study the matter.
Hill says Hughes was a Texan
Harris County Probate Judge Pat Gregory forbade lawyers from
publicly discussing evidence in the Howard Hughes estate case
scheduled for trial Nov 14. This trial will determine whether Hughes
legally was a Texas resident when he died. Texas Attorney General
John Hill intends to prove Hughes was a Texan when he died and,
therefore, his estate taxes must be paid to the State of Texas. Hughes
relatives and estate administrators contend he was a resident of
Nevada.
Nation
Tucker accused of funds misuse
Frank Tucker, district attorney who prosecuted singer Claudine
Longet, said Tuesday he learned of his own criminal indictment for
misuse of public funds while watching television. The grand jury
accused Tucker of misusing funds from Garfield and Pitkin counties
in Colorado, two of the three counties in his 9th Judicial District.
Tucker said there is no tnrth to any of the accusations.
Puerto Ricans take over statue
An unarmed group of Puerto Rican nationalists Tuesday took over
the Statue of Liberty, ousting hundreds of tourists and a movie crew.
The demonstrators demanded that they be allowed to hold a news
conference, but police barred reporters from going to the island. I he
group said they represented the New York Committee to Free the
Five and the Supporters of the Puerto Rican Independence Move
ment. (The Puerto Rican Five was a group of terrorists who shot five
U.S. Congressman in 1954.
College freshman kills family
Michael Swihart, 18, was charged Tuesday with the murder ol his
parents and two brothers. Swihart is a freshman at Miami University
in Oxford, Ohio. Brunswick, Ohio, Police Chief said Swihart admit
ted killing his family. They were beaten with a baseball bat and then
burned beyond recognition when Swihart set fire to their home.
World
Kaddam escapes assassination
A gunman killed a United Arab Emirates cabinet member Tuesday
in an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate the Syrian foreign minister
at Abu Dhabe airport. The assassin seized seven hostages and forced
them into a plane on the airfield before surrendering to police about
90 minutes later. Syrian Foreign Minister Abdel Halim Kaddam es
caped injury, but this was the second attempt on his life in less than a
year.
Sadat wants Israeli withdrawal
President Anwar Sadat says Egypt will cut Israel down to size
unless it withdraws from all occupied Arab lands and accepts Palesti-
, nic ! n i C r^ r J lan , ' , rhe comments were in a speech delivered on Sadat s
behalf Monday by State Minister Hamed Mahmoud at a rally in Suez
CHy. \\ estern observers said they believed the speech was aimed at
m 1 } 8 P ressure on th e United States and Israel to accelerate the
Middle East peace contacts.
German leaders protected
r™? 6 mac je exte nsive security arrangements to protect top West
Germany political and business leaders Tuesday at the funeral of
industrialist Hanns-Martin Schleyer. He had been shot three times in
* hea “ by his kidnapers, members of the Baader-Meinhof terrorist
feaders ^ S rou P vowed to avenge the deaths of their imprisoned
W6 (it hat*
Fair and mild today and tomorrow with light and variable
winds. High today mid 80’s. Low tonight mid 50’s. No P re
cipitation.
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