Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Tuesday
December 6, 1977
Rhodesians pave way for peace
It may be only a new delaying tactic, but the
announcement by Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian
Smith that he is willing to accept the principle of
one-man, one-vote provides a basis for hoping
that a peaceful transistion to black power is possi
ble.
The Smith announcement undercuts the latest
British-American plan for Rhodesia that calls
upon him to “surrender” power to Britain to
make way for black majority rule.
The growing differences among the more radi
cal nationalist factions outside Rhodesia and the
five African states supporting them in their guer
rilla war apparently encouraged Smith to endorse
majority rule as a way to get domestic nationalist
leaders to the conference table.
The Smith gesture was not made without res
ervations. He said he will seek guarantees for an
impartial judiciary and special representation for
minority groups.
What role the British and American govern
ments may play in the Rhodesian negotiations is
unclear. The British-American plan calls for free
elections within six months of the time Smith sur
renders to the British and prior to the advent of
the country’s independence under black-majority
rule before the end of 1978.
Hundreds of white Rhodesians have already
abandoned hope for a peaceful transition to black
rule and have emigrated to safer lands. The guer
rilla war has taken a heavy toll among both white
and black Rhodesians, but until now Smith has
held fast to a system of qualified suffrage in which
the white minority could exercise its control.
If Smith is serious about entering into negotia
tions with relatively moderate black leaders in
Rhodesia, the embattled country may be able to
find a way out of its dilemma without undergoing
a bloody revolution. Americans surely will join
Smith in hoping he can “get this one off the
ground.”
Dallas Times Herald
No man a hero to his speechwriter
President suffering
‘writer’s dyspepsia’
v By DAVID S. BRODER
WASHINGTON — So far as is known,
the medical texts carry no entry for the
disease called Speechwriters’ Dyspepesia
or Ghost Gout. But judging from some re
cent case studies, it might be a timely
topic for a National Institutes of Health
grant.
Here, for example,is the view of one
speechwriter: “The most significant and
evident fault in the White House is the
lack of coordination and planning. One
conclusion towers above all others: No one
is really running the place. No significant
planning is under way and no goals are
evident, except solving immediate prob
lems on a hit-and-run basis.
And here is another: “There is a growing
popular perception of presidential incom
petence. The efficient engineer...appears
to be disorganized and disoriented - in
command but not necessarily in control.”
The first quoted paragraph was from the
journal of John J. Casserly, writing in 1975
about the White House under Jerry Ford,
where he worked as a speechwriter. The
second is a commentary on the presidency
of Jimmy Carter by Robert Shrum, who
served briefly as a speechwriter in the
Carter campaign.
Reading Shrum’s article, “Another
Bummer President?,” in the current issue
of New Times magazine and Casserly’s
newly published Colorado Associated
University Press book, “The Ford White
House: The Diary of a Speechwriter, ” you
are forced to one of two conclusions.
Either the presidency is inherently not
as logical and orderly an office as
speechwriters would like, or Jimmy Carter
is making many of the same mistakes that
undermined his predecessor’s political
standing.
The first possiblility should not be dis
missed. Casserly and Shrum are both es
sentially journalists of notably independent
judgment; neither is an organization man.
Shrum survived for months in the chaos of
the 1972 George McGovern campaign,
but could not abide what he considered
Carter’s equivocations and lingered only
long enough to make a splash by resigning.
Casserly lasted 15 months in the Ford
White House, but his journal makes it
clear that it was a disillusioning experience
almost from the start.
What both were seeking, in vain, in the
presidents for whom and of whom they
write, was a clear sense of purpose and
direction. Casserly never quite got over
the shock of being told to write a speech
for the president without any clue as to
what substantive message Ford wanted to
convey. Shrum complains that “Carter
never developed a coherent theme” on his
most recent cross-country speaking trip
and, instead, delivered what he says one
reporter called extemporaneous “gib
berish.
This reporter has heard descriptions of
the speechwriting process in the Carter
Nweef*'*'
White House that sound every bit as fran
tic, incoherent and irrational as the picture
that Casserly draws of the Ford White
House.
It is hard for an outsider to judge the
fairness or the significance of such com
plaints. One thing does seem clear, how
ever: Neither Ford in his time nor Carter
today gives the process of public com
munication as much attention as their
speechwriters think it deserves.
Casserly was critical of Ford for making
too many speeches as president, and re
sisting any effort to make those speeches
either substantive or eloquent. Shrum
says Carter is making too few speeches,
and is failing to inspire or inform in those
he does make.
It may be just my own prejudice as a
writer of words, but I think that on this
point, at least, Casserly and Shrum have
touched on something important. Leader
ship from the Oval Office is largely depen
dent on the mobilization of public opinion.
Ford was rarely able to be a persuasive
advocate for himself or his policies, and,
on the record thus far in his presidency,
one would have to say that Carter is show
ing a similiar weakness.
Both speechwriters argue that the fail
ure in rhetoric reflects a more basic failure
to define political and policy goals. That
conclusion may be more questionable, but
the similarity of the criticisms is striking.
It was said, in a different era, that no man
is a hero to his valet. Maybe no president
is a hero to his speechwriter.
(c) 1977, The Washington Post Com
pany
Letters to the editor
Quarterback Walker shouldn’t feel humiliated
Senior friends pay
Editor:
I was very sorry to see that David
Walker felt humiliated after the Houston
game. I believe David is a fine quarter
back and I don’t take anything away from
him after his slow start Saturday.
It is he who has made the Aggie offen
sive click the last year and a half. He has a
fine record and should be proud of it, as all
of us should be. Considering the fine ef
forts he has given us in the past, I feel
Walker deserves to start the USC game. If
the offensive is sluggish again, maybe a
change will prove necessary. But as long as
Walker can do the job, and I feel he can,
he deserves the chance to play.
I think all Aggies appreciate Walker’s
past efforts. Our offensive has consistently
put points on the board this year. It’s our
defense which came up short.
Good luck David — Beat the hell out of
USC.
—Bob Rogerson
gies would be 7 and 4.
Coach Bellard finally began to see.
He replaced him with Mosley — The
Aggies are 8 and 3.
We love Coach Bellard, God bless his
soul.
Please play Mosley at quarterback in the
Bluebonnet Bowl.
Not trying to do your job — You are the
boss.
Go ahead and play Walker — The Ag
gies will have another loss.
-55 Years an Aggie Fan
(name withheld on request)
Good & bad days
Some love him...
Editor:
Some comments you made which were
printed in Monday’s Battalion inspired me
to write this letter. Frankly, I’m shocked
at your attitude concerning Saturday’s
game.
So you took a hit and weren’t moving as
quick as you usually do. That’s under
standable. Mosley had a lucky day. But
then, what did he have to lose? Even if he
performed poorly, people could accept
that from a freshman. There wasn’t near as
much pressure on Mosley as there was on
you.
And what do you mean people are
“blaming” you for the entire season? If
they aren’t already, they should be con
gratulating you! We have had a very good,
winning season. I doubt very seriously
that Mosley could have done as well as you
if he were quarterbacking all the time,
especially in the tougher games. Re
member, it wasn’t Mosley that got us in
vited to the Bluebonnet Bowl.
But what’s this B.S. about “playing my
last down as an Aggie? You have one more
game to win for us — A Bowl game, on TV
again — in which you can redeem your
self. But David, you have to get your at
titude straight first. You, as well as every
other Ag, ought to be proud of everything
you have done for us and especially proud
to be an Aggie. To be rather trite, it’s no
use crying over spilt milk. Look to the fu
ture — show us what you can do in the
Bluebonnet Bowl!
—Name withheld on request
Editor:
After reading Mark Patterson’s article in
Monday’s Batt, this is probably one of
many letters expressing thoughts about
David Walker’s post-game statements.
Humiliated; yes, possibly. Walker
wasn’t playing as effectively as in the past
so he was replaced by Mosley. Everyone
fault, I wouldn’t begin to count how many
times I’ve heard people at the last several
games say “Turn the page Bellard.” The
quarterback does what Bellard tells him to
do. Therefore, many people including my
self blame the coach’s conservatism for the
somewhat disappointing season and not
you or anybody else on the team. After all,
Mr. Walker, you do what you’ve been
instructed to do.
I sincerely hope Mr. Walker has
changed his views about the statement, “I
think I’ve played my last down as an Ag
gie. ” The Ags have one more big game to
go and they will need the “Sweet Re
venge” we deserve. In my opinion, any
one with the attitude as expressed by the
above statement has no place on any team,
especially one which is going to beat the
ever livin’, ever lastin’ hell out of U.S.C.
—Douglas T. Gates, ‘78
Editor:
In response to the article about the dis
tribution of football tickets and who they
are going to. Well juniors, it pays to have
friends that are seniors.
—A.J. Post, ‘81
Abortion murder
Editor:
The result of the recent Women’s Con
ference held in Houston is the subject of
my letter. How can people be so selfish
and uncaring? Anyone in favor of abortion
is in favor of murder — so what’s left?
Gagers need fans
has their good days and bad days and
Saturday wasn’t one of Walker’s good
ones, while it was one of Mosley’s.
Maybe Mr. Walker forgot how
humiliated David Shipman may have been
last year when he was pulled and replaced
by Walker in not one game, but two
(Houston and Texas Tech).
Mosley’s play warrants praise, not
statements like “they pulled me for a
freshman.” We all must swallow our pride
at times, like last week, so concede Mr.
Walker, that Mike Mosley was more effec
tive than you on this particular Saturday.
As far as blaming the entire season on
you, Mr. Walker, and that it was all your
Editor:
I would like to express my surprise at
the attendance for Texas A&M basketball
games. Through the first three games,
there has been an average of slightly over
4,000 people per game. We are supposed
to be a spirited, sports-minded school of
30,000.
I can’t figure it out. First of all, these
games are free to all students. Secondly,
the Southwest Conference is a rapidly de
veloping force. Third, Shelby Metcalfs
Aggies play a very exciting brand of bas
ketball. In case you have not noticed, they
are undefeated.
Last, but not least, they are your team
representing your school. So get out and
back the Aggie cagers. You don’t know
what you’re missing.
—Name withheld on request
What’s happened to the medical profes
sion’s hypocratic oath? I thought doctors
were supposed to save lives, not take
them. Anyone who would take a tiny
baby’s life before he even has a chance to
breathe has to be a murderer.
My Catholic faith has a lot to do with my
feelings. But it seems to me that any
human being, no matter what religion, if
any, knows that a baby is alive from the
moment of his conception. And no one
should have the right to take that life from
him.
To Mrs. Madalyn Murray O’Hair who
says that “.. .women (should) have freedom
of choice: What if your mother had de
cided she wanted her “freedom?” Where
would you be now?”
—Becky Adamietz
Band stands taller
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Editor:
David Walker is good, this we all know.
Had he stayed in Saturday — The Ag-
Editor:
With the close of regular season foot
ball, I join with thousands of other Aggies
in praise of our excellent football team.
With the same good Ags, I offer equal
praise to the band. Every time some other
school brings out their pretty dancing boys
with two-bit cotton balls pasted on their
heads, I watch their flag-toting, baton
twirling neophytes prance about on Kyle
Field and there is a knowing smile on my
face. When the men of the Fightin’ Texas
Aggie Band step onto the field, there is a
yell in my throat and a tear in my eye.
I am just a single Aggie standing in Kyle
Field', but along with every other Aggie
present, I stand a little taller, knowing we
will not be humiliated at halftime by
sequined ballerinas tooting the theme
from Star Wars.
—Sam N. Beecroft, ’79
Top of the News 1
Local
Rape seminar to be held in C.S.
State
Official named in eagle shooting
A key government witness testified Monday he flew a helicopter
over the hills of Real County while hunters shot as many as 100
golden eagles with shotguns on three separate excursions between
1975 and 1977. Gerald Heintzelman, who was granted immunity, was
the first witness against Real County Commissioner Lanny Lein-
weber, 41, ranch foreman Norman Pape, 45, and Andrew Allen, 30, a
former government trapper and hunter from Uvalde. Heintzelman
said Allen and Pape killed several eagles on the flights, partly fi
nanced by the Real County Commissioners Court.
Nation
UMW strike — couldn't be averted
United Mine Workers President Arnold Miller said Monday his
union’s 130,000 members would strike at midnight, with no chance of
a last-minute settlement. Arriving at Monday’s negotiating session in
Washington, D.C., Miller said the situation was “not too good—
we re not getting any closer.” He said there was no chance a strike
could be averted. After bargaining Sunday over a number of crucial
non-wage issues, both sides arrived shortly before 10 a.m. and were
in joint sessions with chief federal mediator Wayne Horvitz through
out the day.
Antiviral drugs may be omen
Hughes' pen to get the ink test
Nation soon to face hard choices
The nation may have to make some hard choices in the next five
years as to which goals - full employment, a balanced budget or new
government programs - it wants most, the head of the Congressional
Budget Office said Monday. Alice Rivlin told the Congress’ Joint
Economic committee that only under the “most optimistic” economic
assumptions could all those goals be achieved at once. In order to
begin making such choices, she said. Congress should begin setting
federal budget targets several years ahead.
World
From paratrooper to emperor
Former French paratrooper Jean Bedel Bokassa was crowned em
peror of the Central African Empire in a $30 million extravaganza
Sunday, dazzling a country in which the average person earns $155 a
year. The coronation, during which Bokassa walked on rose petals
flown in from France, cost a fourth of the country’s earnings from all
exports. Some 2,000 guests attended a mammoth banquet ordered by
the 56-year-old Bokassa, crowned emperor in a sports stadium before
attending High Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral.
Weather
Fair and cool today and tomorrow with northerly winds
15-25 mph. High today upper 50s. Low tonight mid-30s.
High tomorrow upper 60s.
The Battalion
10
A rape seminar will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. The seminar,
sponsored by the Collge Station Police Department, will be at the
College Station City Hall in the City Council Chamber. Two films,
one on passive resistance and the other an interview with rape
victims, will be followed by a question and answer session. There is
no charge for the two-hour seminar.
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drugs to eliminate presently untreatable viral diseases, an editiorial
in this week’s edition of the Journal of the American Medical Associa
tion said. Journal Editor Dr. William R. Barclay said the two drugs
already developed show it’s possible to create medicines to destroy
viruses selectively - without damaging human tissue. “If we should
enjoy the same success in developing additional antiviral agents in
the future as we have in developing antibacterial agents in the past,
then we will have conquered most of the diseases that shorten the
normal life span,” Barclay said.
The authenticity of the Mormon will - allegedly written by Howard
Hughes - has boiled down to analysis of the ink in a cheap ballpoint
pen that experts say Hughes used in several memos shortly before his
death. Attorney Harold Rhoden earlier told the jurors in the Las
Vegas case that there is plenty of evidence proving the will is authen
tic. But the testimony by ink experts is the strongest proof, he said.
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MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Editor Jamie Aitte
Managing Editor Mary Alice Woodb^
Editorial Director Lee Roy Leschpff i
Sports Editor Paul An*'
News Editors Marie Homeyer, Carol
City Editor Rusty
Campus Editor . . .t kimh*
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Photographer Ken
Cartoonist DougCnk*-'
Student Publications Board: Bob G. Rogers, Chair#'
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Donald C. Johnson.
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