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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 7, 1977)
The Battalion Texas A&M University Viewpoint Monday November 7, 1977 Carter energy program has hidden flaw Bv DAVID S. BRODER WASHINGTON—The best cos tume award at one Washington Hal loween party went to the fellow who opened up some more seams and tore some new holes in an old suit and came as the Carter Energy Plan. This is late* in a session of Con gress, a sight gag like* that can seem funny. The wearer w as an old Democrat who knows that many of the impor tant parts of the Carter plan are in far le\ss trouble than the press ac counts of the last tw o wet»ks would suggest. He’s also a fellow who has defended most of the plan from the * start and who has no doubt that there* is a worlel e*ne*rgy crisis. What we* had, in short, was a de- feetor who still takes the energy crisis seriously' but who is beginning to have trouble eloing the same with the* administration s efforts to eleal with it. Anel for those who cared, he hael an interesting explanatiem of his urge* to ele-fect. "It seems "fliST a 7 T,ilf Tleli^eerTr)^^ streamline the licensing process for nuclear power plants has been cir culating in town for senne weeks. It is now in its fourth draft, and is scheduled to be taken up in hear ings ne*.\t wt*e*k bv Sen. Gary Hart (D-Colo.) There is some ejuestion whether the bill ge*ts to the heart of the prob lem. People who w'ant many more nuclear power plants-and, obvi ously, not all supporters of the Car tel - program do-tend to doubt that construction delays can be cut down simply by changing the licensing process. Slow deliveries of parts, er ratic demand, high construction costs and high interest rates are also part of the problem. Licensing delays are serious, but people at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, who deal with licens ing every day, say the new process might only cut six months out of a lead-time for nuclear plants that now averages about 12 years. A much more puzzling aspect of the bill is that it blunders headlong into a delicately negotiated agree ment between the states and W ash ington about how and where to build power plants, refineries and other energy-related facilities along the U.S. coastline. The last page of the draft hill proposes to amend the Coastal Zone Management Act, which sets the terms of federal-state decisions on coastal energy facilities in 31 Sea board and Great Lake states. Neither the act nor its regulations are matters of front-page news, but that does not mean they are unim portant. The basic premise of the coastal act is that beaches and wet lands and estuaries are national re sources that can be destroyed for generations if developers are care less about where they put their con dominiums and harbor facilities and power plants. The coastal act creates a partner ship arrangement between Wash ington and the states for these deci sions. There are giants from Wash ington to the states to help them zone their coastlines, to select sites for development and to protect areas that should be preserved. Once the federal government ap proves a state’s zoning plan, it also binds itself to abide by its terms in any development involving federal money or licenses. That’s where the energy problem enters. Under the present law, the Secre- tary of Commerce can grant an ex ception to the state zoning law for a federal project only if it is found to be in the national interest or necessary for “national security. Now “national interest is a slippery concept. It means one thing to an oil company trying to bring a pipeline ashore in California, and it means something else to an environmental protection agency. But, so far, the negotiations between the states and the Commerce Department have been civil and muted and have not done violence to federal-state regu lations. But the administration draft hill would change all of this by giving Secretary of Energy James Schlesinger sole authority to decide whether a state plan should be ac cepted or rejected. He-not Com merce s Juanita Kreps-would review all proposed coastal plans, compare their provisions with his blueprint for the national energy blitz and, presumably, send them back if they threatened to interfere with any part of his department s program. During his campaign. President Carter seemed to understand quite clearly that the mood of the people was resentful of Washington’s in stinct for dictatorial bureaucracy. But now, the energy plan is all- important to him and Schlesinger. Certainly, it is important. But to the people who live there or earn their living there, so is a beach in upper Michigan or port in lower Florida. Those conflicts deserve to be negotiated-not ruled on arbitrar ily by the bureaucrats in the energy agency. That, said the party guest, is the abstract problem with the draft bill. The concrete problem is this: The drafter and protectors of the Coastal Zone Act are Sens. Warren G. Magnuson (D-Wash.) and Ernest F. Hollings (D-S.C.) Neither is the kind of fellow Carter needs to be picking a fight with at this moment. Not if he’s smart. It was enough to make a good Democrat go tear holes in his suit. MLE TVfc tetOJE NEGOTIATION 1 ? CONTINUE. A CRACK TEAM of INTERNAToNAC TROuetESNOOTE^ ARRIVED ON THE SCENE. (c) 1977, Washington Post New life — animal, mineral or political? By DICK WEST Ini ted Press Intel national WASHINGTON — Scientists almost always have trouble making their work understandable to laymen. The problem is that most research now adays is so esoteric it can t be reduced to terms a layman can fully comprehend. thus far, if you don’t count sex change op erations. I found the story so fascinating I read part of it aloud. I quoted one of the scien tists as saying the organism came out of the primordial ooze, produces methane gas and thrives on simple, inorganic chemi cals. Therefore, whenever there is an impor tant scientific development, we laymen tend to relate it to something in our own experience, and usually the analogy self- destructs. At the breakfast table the other morning I came across a piece in the paper about the team of University of Illinois re searchers who reported the discovery of a new form of life on earth. It was the third life form to be identified The Tighter Side “That s not new,” my teenage son com mented. "It sounds like Uncle Albert to me. I acknowledged the similarity but pointed out that “this organism is so small you need a microscope to see it. My son was not convinced. “Maybe Uncle Albert is an overweight version of it,” he suggested. My son had never before exhibited much interest in science, or any other academic subject for that matter, so I was reluctant to dampen his newly awakened intellectual curiosity. “Let’s leave your Uncle Albert out of this,’ I said. “However, scientists say there may be still other forms of life that haven t been found yet. Perhaps one of the m will turn out to be a relative — on your mother’s side, of course. ’ Later on, I was talking with a colleague, a political reporter, about the discovery. He said he was wondering if the third life form might have been the nucleus of one of the third party movements that had sprung up from time to time. "Some of those third party movements never developed beyond the microscopic stage, he said. “It could be that nobodv noticed this one at all. I said, “I have read several accounts of the discovery and saw nothing to indicate the third life form was ever a political or ganism. What gave you that impression?” “Three things," he said. “First off, the* organisms are called archaebacteria or methanogens. That sounds suspiciously like the name of a third party movement. “Number two, the organisms exist in muddy places, such as the bottom of San Francisco Bay. I hardly need add that mud and politics go together like apple pie and motherhood. “But the real tipoff is that business about tl le third life form thriving where there is no oxygen. That’s exactly the kind of atmosphere you get in a smoke-filled room. Tetters to the editor Bakke Editor: 1 would like to comment on the Bakke case which is presentb making the major headlines around the country. Mr. Bakke is ver\ willing to point out that he is superior (grade-wise! to the six teen minorities selected for the class of must pay for past discrimination 1 ..,1 i i.i i, i i i . i . CTs not just dumb one hundred at the UC medical school at Davis. Also he is very willing to point out that he is a victim of reverse discrimina tion. Mr. Bakke must realize that minorities have been discriminated against for mam , many years, especially in the academic Slouch by Jim Earle world. It has been only in recent y ears that minorities have ov ercome many of the tra ditional, raseist views that have infested our “land of the free. Something must be done to make up for the injustices pre- v iously imposed upon minorities, and spe cial minority educational programs pres ent in many schools are a way in which minorities are given compensation for years of wrong-doing! As for Mr. Bakke,why must he make such a fuss about the sixteen spots out of one hundred unavailable to him? He should look at the 84 spots out of one hundred which were available to him: I might add, 84 spots, one of which Mr. Bakke was not able to secure regardless of the color of his skin! —George Rooney Aggie postal service Editor: People are always complaining about someone or something they dislike. You read about it every day*. We are all quick to condemn. We should find something positive in our fellow Ags. I recently lost a couple of letters while walking across campus to mail them at the MSG. They were already addressed and stamped. Although their written contents were not important they contained some iireplaceable items that I feared were forever lost. I was relieved to find out several days later that each letter had reached its desti nation. I owe this to some considerate Ag. I thank whoever went out of his way to mail less than fifty* cents of paper when he could just as easily have torn them up, opened them to read or just leave them lying on the ground. Bryan Grimes Editor: Since starting college at Texas A&M, many “non-regs have said to me “CT’s are just plain dumb. That’s why they are in the Corps. I have to honestly say that I did believe this until two weeks ago. I was walking through the Quad when 1 saw three women carrying another woman out of one of the dorms. She was having a serious asthma attack and could hardly breathe. Before I could even react to this situation, a cadet ran to the women to as sist them. While helping carry the woman, he tried to calm her down and told her to “take nice, slow, deep breaths. After the woman was put in a waiting car to take her to the hospital, the cadet walked off as if nothing had happened. I have come to realize that the Corps is not a bunch of non-intellectual misfits of college, but a proud group of men who care about others and do not expect any praise in return. Dirk D. Hughes, ’81 A reformed Aggie! Keep off the cement New household word T CAN’T UNDERSTAND IT—NO ONE TAKES ME SERIOUSLY ANY MORE!” Editor: One used to hear household names like George Carlin, Billy Carter or Richard Nixon. But now it’s David Kotara. He’s really* shaking them up. Way to go David! —Michael Fred Editor: As a freshman here at Texas A&M I have grown to honor its traditions and to take pride in being an Aggie. That is why I was disturbed so much by the fact that some Aggies do not seem to take pride in their campus. Some Aggie or Aggies de cided to walk the entire length of a new sidewalk in Spence Park while it was wet and proceeded to carve their names in it as childish expression of love. Aggies with the respect this university deserves should know better than to do this. We have a beautiful campus, and tacky markings such as these detract from that beauty. We would like to make the best impression possible on visitors to A&M. A&M’s traditions go beyond midnight yell practice and “Howdy. They include the pride that every Aggie should have for his campus. This campus is ours and we re the ones who have to take care of it. Tad Jarrett, ’81 Put in your two cents’ worth Vote in tomorrow s State constitutional election Top of the News Campus Swimming hours switched Evening swimming hours at Texas A&M University have been switched from the outdoors Cain Pool to the indoors Downs Natatorium, announced Dr. Carl Landiss, head of the Health and Physical Education Department. Noon to 1:30 p.m. lunchtime swim periods, at Cain Pool will not be disturbed. Recreational swimmers may now indulge at the indoor facilities on a schedule of 6 to 7 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays; 6 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Announcements arrive soon Texas A&M students who graduate in December may begin pick ing up graduation announcements Monday, Nov. 21. Orders placed earlier will be available in room 216A and B of the Memorial Student Center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Extra gradua tion announcements will go on sale Monday, Nov. 28. They will be sold on a first come, first served basis, according to Marilyn Abbateof the Student Finance Center staff. The extra announcements will be disbursed at the center, MSG 217. Local Polls open tomorrow Texas voters will consider seven amendments to the state’s con stitution Tuesday. Polls in Brazos County will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. A light voter turnout is expected. When absentee balloting closed Friday afternoon, 31 votes had been cast. Amendment one would expand the Court of Criminal Appeals to nine judges and allow the court to sit in panels of three. Amendment two would provide an additional $200 million in bonds for the Veteran’s Land Fund. Amendment three allows a judge to refuse bail to a defendant under prescribed circumstances. Amendment four would provide tax relief for cultural, historical or natural history resources. Amendment five gives the Legislature power to authorize farmer groups for assess ment to be used in marketing their products. Amendment six permits the Legislature to approved the use of electronic banking services by state and national banks. Amendment seven would change the name of the Judicial Qualifications Commission to the Commission on Judi cial Conduct, as well as broaden its power and membership. State Guy Lombardo dies Bandleader Guy Lombardo, whose “sweetest music this side of heaven” became a New Year’s Eve tradition, died Saturday in Hous ton of a lung ailment complicated by heart and kidney failure. He was 75. Lombardo s death was confirmed by Frank J. Weaver, a spokes man for Lombardo s physician. Dr. Michael E. Debakey*. Weaver said Lombardo died Saturday at 9:45 p.m. apparently from respira tory insufficiency*. Defense turns to Priscilla Nation Prisoners fear "no return Seven American prisoners trying desperately to go home under the Mexico-U.S. prisoner exchange treaty fear they will be left behind in Mexican jails because of inaction by the Mexican and American gov ernments, a spokesman for the prisoners said Sunday in Mexico City. Robert Lee Jackson, of San Diego and Felix Merendez Gourtier, serving their terms in Santa Marta Acatitla Prison, said efforts by the seven to withdraw appeals of their cases in Mexico’s Supreme Court have been unsuccessful. “We are afraid there will be only one group of exchanged prisoners and if we miss that December flight there will be no other, Merendez said. Weather Partly cloudy and mild today with southerly winds 7-14 mph. High today low 80s. Low tonight upper 50s. High tomorrow low 70s. 20 per cent chance of rain tonight increasing to 40 per cent tomorrow. The Battalion “Bink" with a I Sel Texas vc unstitutii and <>n< ertains t< is inten ort to agi want rams in rarket dc “No tar upport tl Sn recialist ' Ext< ram ev meirdin roduerr: roup. F ticer pa tat prod linds of < Under liral pr< birds vo irogram idual ec Two weeks into their case, defense lawyers for Fort Worth ini\- lionaire T. Cullen Davis have changed their approach in Amarillo, Texas. Having presented an alibi for their client — regarded as the wealthiest ever to stand trial for murder in Texas — defense attorneys have switched their target to Priscilla Davis, the defendant s es tranged wife and chief accuser in the shooting death of her 12-year- old daughter. Jurors have heard defense witnesses’ allegations ofdrug use ai id sex involving two generations of Fort Worth society and subculture. Prosecutors, however, prefer to describe the testimony as irrelevant, immaterial character assassinations. Opinions expressed in llu’ Battalion are those of the editor or oj the writer of the article and are not necessarih/ those of the University administration or the Board of Re gents. The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting enterprise operated by students as a university and eom- munity neivspaper. Editorial policy is determined by the editor. LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are subject to beiuf' cut to that length or less if longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit such letters and docs not guarantee to publish any letter. Each letter must In signed, show the address of the writer and list a telephom number for verification. Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor, The Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building. College Station, Texas 77H43. Rcpri-sfiited nationally by National Kducntional Adver- . Using Services. Ine., New York City. Chicago and Ia>s Angeles. nished on request. Address. 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