Viewpoint
The Battalion Wednesday
Texas A&M University November 30, 1977
Who says Aggies
Togetherness is returning to Aggieland.
Leave it to the Texas A&M athletic department to bring Aggies closer
together while giving them more of that most precious of commodities —
Aggie football tickets.
It seems the athletic department had planned for some time to replace the
fiberglass stadium seats in Kyle Field with new aluminum ones after this
football season. And some fertile mind in that department made a earth-
shattering discovery. Aggies are getting thinner!
The old-fashioned 18-inch-wide Aggie is disappearing and being replaced
by a trimmer 16-inch model. So the old 18-inch football seats are going
too, to be replaced by new 16-inch aluminum ones. What could be
simpler?
But here’s the punch line: By shaving two inches off each bleacher seat in
Kyle Field the athletic department will have 5,276 more seats to sell at very
reasonable prices. But in this age of scarce football tickets, there aren’t many
Aggies who wouldn’t surrender two inches for a chance at better seats in
Kyle Field or any seats in Kyle Field.
“Squeeze, Army!” could take on a whole new meaning. L.R.L.
Rusty Cawley
Sorry ma’am, but for your size seat you’ll have to buy two tickets.”
Sifting through
election year junk mail
A city editor doesn’t need a calendar to
tell him election time is near. He just
checks his mailbox.
There, burying an occasional city coun
cil agenda or a
school district
press release,
lays the bulk of
his mail: political
junk mail.
Though the primaries aren’t until May,
political candidates started their various
campaigns last summer. And with winter
approaching, they aren’t about to let
themselves to be left out in the cold.
Most of the mail is coming from candi
dates for the 6th District seat in the U.S.
House of Representatives, presently held
by Rep. Olin Teague.
Illness and age have taken their toll on
Teague. He probably will not seek the
post for the first time in 30 years. There
are several who want to replace him.
The prime candidates are Don McNiel,
an Alvarado rancher; Ron Godbey, a Dal
las television weatherman; Chet Edwards,
a former Teague aide; and Phil Gramm, a
Texas A&M professor of economics.
McNiel is the rookie, the only one of the
four without political experience. He
visited College Station in October, seek
ing support from Texas A&M students.
He campaigns as “a fresh new face for
Congress,” his billboards broadcasting the
slogan all over town. His tactic is to go
straight to the public, cutting the press out
as middle man.
Godbey has been somewhat invisibile in
our area, focusing his campiagn at the
northern end of the district where he is
known as a newscaster but he is no rookie.
He opposed Teague in the 1976 Demo
cratic primary, receiving 46 per cent of the
vote.
Chet Edwards is touring the state with
what he calls a “go to work” campaign. He
puts in 8-hour-days pumping gas, sacking
groceries, busing tables and constructing
homes. He wants to be identified with the
common man. He, like McNiel and
Gramm, also wants to be known as
Teague’s choice for the job.
Phil Gramm has chosen a different
route, addressing every issue he can find.
This month he officially protested health
plan guidelines set by the Department of
Health, Education and Welfare.
Incidently, so did Teague.
Four different approaches to the same
race, but each concerned with the same
end, getting at much publicity as possible.
Common sense.
The votes go to whoever can get his
name on the biggest billboards, in the
brightest lights and on the most car bum
pers.
Names stick in the minds. Issues don’t.
Still, there’s a certain officiality that
goes with getting your name in the paper
or on the tube, an air no advertising cam
paign can lend.
That’s why I’m getting so much mail.
City Editor Rusty Cawley writes a weekly
commentary on local affairs, government
and politics.
Applying Newton to congressional politics
By ARNOLD SAWISLAK
United Press International
WASHINGTON — Newton’s First Law
of Motion, which tells us that a moving
body keeps moving unless something gets
in its way, has a political corollary.
The parallel axiom in politics is that in
cumbent elected officials tend to remain in
office unless something happens to change
Washington Window
the conditions under which they were
elected.
There is nowhere that this is more evi
dent than in the Congress. Senators and
House members who choose to seek re-
election usually make it, barring some
economic, social or political upheaval.
There were 18 new senators on hand for
the opening of the 1977 session of Con
gress, but nine of them were replacing
senators who did not seek re-election. In
the House, 64 freshmen were sworn in,
but 51 of them came from districts where
the incumbent was not running.
Many reasons can be given for the high
percentage of incumbent survival in poli
tics. One of the major factors is voter rec
ognition, which comes from media atten
tion. Another is the very human tendency
to support a proven winner rather than
take a chance on an unknown challenger.
It is this element that almost always
guarantees incumbent elected officials
ample contributions to finance re-election
campaigns. Every recent study indicates
that below the presidency, incumbents
almost always have more money at their
disposal than challengers, whatever their
politics.
Incumbents often can get re-elected
without spending a lot of money, but chal
lengers seldom can knock off incumbents
without heavy spending.
That may be why there is such strong
politicians to swallow a strong does of what
looks like sure poison to them.
IWW0N[)ra6l£«*f!.
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thish shtuff coulp
REALLY be harmful
TO OUK. HEALPHTH
opposition to public financing of House
and Senate campaigns in a Congress that
imposed the same arrangement on presi
dential candidates in 1976.
Public financing means challengers
would have as much money for their cam
paigns as incumbents, thereby eliminating
one of the major advantages that accounts
for the high percentage of re-elections.
That is the kind of “lifeboat issue” — to
borrow a phrase from Rep. Barbara
Mikulski — that can override other con
siderations that might seem on the surface
to be important.
Thus the fact that both President Carter
and Speaker Thomas O’Neill favor public
financing of congressional campaigns does
not mean it has a good chance of passing in
the House, even with its two-thirds Dem
ocratic majority. In this case, party loyalty
— fragile enough in Congress — falls be
fore political self-preservation.
Common Cause, which has had remark
able success in pushing congressional re
forms, still believes public financing can
be passed. It intends to push the issue in
the 1978 session of Congress, believing
that public financing will pass if legislation
can be brought to the floor and members
forced to vote on it in the open.
If that is correct, it will constitute a re
markable feat: persuading a large group of
Letters to the editor
Is somebody using tradition as an excuse?
Editor:
We think the action of the Corps before
the game was a show of poor sportsman
ship! We think it would have been only
minimal courtesy to allow the Texas fans to
show their support for their team by show
ing the state flag.
The cry of “It’s tradition!” is the refuge
of those who cannot provide an adequate
reason to support their stance. In this in
stance even that is not a valid reason! A
few years ago the Texas fans showed the
flag with no disturbance.
It seems to us that this diplay of intoler
ance and infelxibility is indeed a poor re
flection of a great school like A&M
— Robert M. Holdar,
Tom Steckel
View from Austin
Editor:
Re: a battle that has been fought and lost
before.
Texas A&M University has long at
tempted to promote respect and
enthusiasm for their many well-worn tra
ditions, which is all well and good except
when they blatantly refuse the respect and
acknowledge the traditions of their fellow
schools.
A prime example of this was experi
enced by all at last Saturday’s football
game. The Corps refused to allow the
Texas flag to be carried onto the field (one
of OUR traditions). I realize that it is an
Aggie tradition not to let anyone on the field
before the players, but how do they ac
count for the hoards of people meandering
around the turf that afternoon, including
Miss U.S. A.?
I have attended several football games
at Kyle Field, and this refusal to allow
their opponents to perform their pre-game
traditions has been a problem present at
every game. The Corps, drawing their
swords (albiet in their sheaths) and block
ing the fans and flag, make for a great deal
of anger and bad feeling even before the
game begins!
I am not interested in assigning blame
for the events of last Saturday, but
shouldn’t it be a major intent of all of our
SWC schools to promote and respect the
traditions of each other, as well as our
own? If A&M wants their opponents to re
spect their traditions, and be awed by
their spirit, perhaps a reciprocal amount of
respect is in order. Would it be too pre
sumptuous of me, a mere Teasip, to
suggest a re-evaluation of one or two Aggie
traditions for the betterment of the Con
ference and the promotion of more fellow
ship among the Universities?
— Mary Lins
Austin, Texas
A non-complaint
Editor:
In view of all the negative comments I
have listened to since Saturday’s game, I
feel that someone needs to voice something
other than complaints.
Maybe the Bonfire did topple within fif
teen minutes of being lit, but unless a per
son put in as much time and effort into
building it as the Red-pots did, don’t com
plain. I feel that they did the best they
could, and people should give them the
credit they deserve. Granted, we were out-
scored in the game, but I think the football
team deserves a round of applause for their
spirit, determination, and second effort
throughout the entire game.
I am also proud of the Twelfth Man, and
was moved when I saw almost the entire
student section still filled after the game for
the yell-practice. Ags, you still have that
certian spirit found nowhere but at Texas
A&M University, and all I can say is just,
BEAT THE HELL OUT OF COUGAR
HIGH!
— Bob Hilmo, ’78
Thanks to Bellard
Coach Emory Bellard:
This is an open letter to congratulate
you. Your staff, and team on one fine, ex
citing football season. It’s also an apology
for all the two percenters and critics out
there. If anyone should be apologizing, it
should be these ‘ Saturday afternoon
“coaches, ” but I doubt they have the cour
age to do so. They pay their $8 for a ticket
and then think they have the right to be an
assistant coach.
I was raised to respect a person in a par
ticular position because he has achieved
such position by knowing more about the
job than I do. I, for one among the “true
Ags,” have enjoyed watching the Aggies
this season. You already have established a
winning season and have two more games
to play to improve on it. I personally sat
through a bunch of 2-9 and 3-7 seasons to
complain about losing only three games. I
also realize that those three games were to>
teams ranked 3rd, 8th, and 1st when we
played them. They achieved those rank
ings by being good football teams. And
those three teams are playing in the big
three bowl games. That is some pretty
tough opposition to out score.
The team has nothing to be ashamed of
or feel bad about in my opinion. They have
represented A&M to the best of their abil
ity and I’m still proud to be an Aggie. You
have produced one of the most exciting
teams at A&M in some time. Some people
complain of our offense and yet the team
only needs a mere 31 yards rushing to be
come the best rushing team in history! Mr.
Dickey will probably pick that up in one
carry on his way to a 1000 yard season.
This will be the first time in SWC history
for a team to have to 1000 yard rushers.
Not even t.u. can boast of such an accom
plishment! And not since 1940-42 has
A&M appeared in three consecutive bowl
games. Just more evidence of what a great
job Coach Bellard has done for A&M.
Congratulations once again and beat the
hell out of Cougar High and U.S. C.
— Larry T. Lawson, ’73
Animals abused
Editor:
“After they’ve boosted all the rest.
They will come and join the best.”
The best—
A group of Ags repeatedly tormenting a
helpless bird on Kyle Field.
A yell “leader” needlessly throwing an
already frightened armadillo to the
ground.
Saturday’s horse laugh most certainly
goes to these Ags who found it necessary
to abuse helpless animals in order to dis
play their “spirit.”
— Pam and Gary Karnavas
Treatment sickening
Editor:
At the football game on Saturday last,
the chicken in the orange vest, which for
some reason could not fly, was a pathetic
sight when tossed in the air (by some
members of the Corp of Texas A&M) only
to thud repeatedly to the ground.
To many compassionate persons this
was a sickening and an inhumane treat
ment of any living thing.
The Aggie school spirit in many ways is
admirable but not this so-called humor ex
hibited at the A&M-Texas game, Satur
day, November 27, 1977 at Kyle Field.
— Lee Beck
Top of the Neviisfai
State
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Robinson sues publisher
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Oilman Ash Robinson has sued the paperback and magazine nnh
fishers of “Blood and Money” for $20 million in federal court f
allegedly libeling him. The action filed Monday in Houston was
most identical to the one Robinson, 79, filed against the author Sent
15. The book told the purported story of the deaths of Joan Robins^
Hill and her husband Dr. John R. Hill, who was shot at his hom 11
while awaiting trial for his first wife’s alleged murder.
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Children must go
The mistress of Texas millionaire T. Cullen Davis must give up her
two children — at least temporarily — “while she pursues her own
happiness and her affair,” said a divorce court judge. Judge Joe Edi-
son issued a temporary restraining order Monday prohibiting Karen
Joyce Master from taking her two sons “around or near Cullen
Davis.” The action came from a request by Master’s estranged hus
band who had custody of the children while Davis, 44, and Mrs
Master, 29, were on a weekend skiing in Aspen, Colo.
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Briscoe's tax campaign misleading
Former Texas Republican chairman Ray Hutchison, calling Gov.
Dolph Briscoe’s no-new-tax campaign theme incredibly misleading,
announced Tuesday he will seek the GOP nomination for governor.
Hutchison read his prepared announcement at news conferences in
Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio, emphasizing his conten
tion that state government had grown too big and was getting out of
control. He is the second Republican in the race. Former deputy
secretary of defense William Clements of Dallas is the other.
Nation
FBI nominee says no
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Alabama federal judge Frank Johnson said Tuesday he will ask Pres
ident Carter to withdraw his nomination as FBI director because of
health reasons, Attorney General Griffin Bell announced. Bell held a
news conference after talking long distance with Johnson, who
underwent successful surgery Aug. 26 for a ballooned abdominal ar
tery. Bell said he would not make any decision for at least two weeks
on what to do about another successor to FBI Director Clarence
Kelly, who retires Jan. 1.
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Lost college students found
Fourteen Montreal college students, two days over-due on a hike
in the mountains of northern Vermont, Tuesday were located safe
and sound. “All appears well,’ Don Hall, director of student activities
at Dawson College said in Montreal. They were spotted on the east
side of Jay Peak, near a cabin. Hall said a helicopter pilot indicated
the students were attempting to walk out of the bushland along the
3,800-foot mountain. A ground search team later met the students,
aged 16-20, and led by experienced hiker, Jamey Burwash, 19. The
students had left Montreal at 8:30 a. m. Friday and were scheduled to
emerge from a section of Long Trail at 4 p.m. Sunday.
Won
Hughes ‘Mormon will' on trial
There is plenty of evidence, including analysis of the ink, proving
that the “Mormon will” is the authentic last testament of Howard
Hughes, the jury was told Monday on the opening day of testimony in
the trial to determine the fate of Hughes’ fortune. The documents
bizarre form and strange history may be part of the proof, attorney
Harold Rhoden argues, saying his case would fink Hughes’ eccentric
conduct and the strange “will”. Hughes was suffering from mental
instability caused by uremic poisoning that brings on symptoms seen
both in Hughes’ life and the “will” he said. Rhoden, charged with
proving the document is authentic, occupied the first day of tes
timony with his opening statement and was expected to continue with
the jury out of court, on the admissibility of expected testimony.
Dockworkers to accept contract
Striking dockworkers have voted overwhelmingly to accept new
three-year contracts with East and Gulf coast shippers, International
Longshoremen’s Association President Thomas W. Gleason an
nounced Tuesday. The settlement, which contains job security
provisions and wage increases, ended a two-month-old strike agains
containerized and automated shipping cargoes.
Weather
Decreasing cloudiness Wednesday becoming cloudy to
partly cloudy th is even ing. Fair ton ight and tomorrow. Warmer
afternoons and cool nights. High both days near 60. Low
tonight mid 30s. Southwesterly winds 10 mph.
The Battalion
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RoOffl
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