Viewpoint
The Battalion Friday
Texas A&M University January 27, 1978
A war older than
intervention
Is it possible for people to forget how to live in peace? That seems to be the
case with the Vietnamese and Cambodian Communists.
What started as border disputes between the two Southeast Asian countries
late last year has become full-scale war. Although reports vary widely, de
pending on which side is providing the information, it is clear that thousands
of soldiers and civilians have died on both sides. Most recently Cambodia’s
national radio charged that several divisions of Communist Vietnamese armed
with American artillery and tanks captured during the Vietnam War have
launched attacks into eastern and northeastern Cambodia.
Much has been made of this “new” war as the first open conflict between
communist countries. It would be easy to label this as the newest war-by
proxy between Communist China and Russia, especially since Vietnam re
ceives most of its military aid from the Soviets and Cambodia gets military
backing from the Red Chinese. The Russians even issued an official condem
nation charging China with provoking the conflict.
But the simple fact is, Cambodians, Vietnamese and their ancestors were
fighting and killing each other while Europe was still in the Dark Ages. Before
the birth of Christ, Moi and Thai tribesmen in what was until recently North
Vietnam were haggling over land with the Chams of Champa (later South
Vietnam) and the Khmers of Cambodia.
Vietnam launched attacks on Champa and Cambodia on a regular basis from
the 11th century until all of Southeast Asia was subjugated into a colony by
France in 1883. As soon as France left Vietnam in 1954 the old foes went back
to battling over what territory belonged to who. American aid and then troops
in South Vietnam changed the form but not the meaning of that war, for
people who had been fighting for 1,000 years.
So this “new” conflict is nothing new at all. It’s still the Moi and Thai
tribesman against the Kmers, fighting over things much more basic than
FIGHTINC?
ideologies. Cambodian Radio reported that the Vietnamese forces that first
attacked the rice-producing border regions of Cambodia brought with them
rice-harvesting machines.
When you get right down to it, communist ideologies adopted in the last 40
years just don t mean as much as the tribal idologies of 20 centuries and the
insistent ideology of an empty belly. l R £
Carter’s promises make his life tough
By HELEN THOMAS
United Press International
WASHINGTON — President Carter is
learning the hard way — that campaign
promises are easier said than fulfilled.
He also is learning that a president walks
a tight rope in Washington, where he has
stumbled a few times.
In the case of former budget director
Bert Lance, Carter was the last to realize
that his Georgia friend’s days in the admin
istration were numbered. It seems that
nearly everyone else, at least Washington
insiders, quickly read the handwriting on
the wall. But Carter and his top aides
thought that they could tough it out.
Once the media and congressional spot
light turned on the past financial activities
of Lance, it became clear that the Georgia
banker would not survive the revelations or
the scrutiny.
Still the chief executive was loath to turn
away from his longtime friend and in some
ways, benefactor.
But is what Carter who set up the code of
ethics, and drew the strong line against
conflicts of interest. Others merely used his
criteria to stress the discrepancies between
the words and the deeds.
Washington Window
Carter also has faced some rude awaken
ings and editorial chidings over his han
dling of the firing of U.S. Attorney David
Marston of Philadelphia.
The Justice Department has cleared Car
ter of any obstruction of justice in the firing
after he made a statement saying that he
did not become aware of Marston s investi
gation of Rep. Joshua Eilberg, D-Pa., until
Jan. 12. During a news conference on that
day, he- revealed that he had accepted a
telephone call from Eilberg who asked him
to “expedite” Marston s replacement.
Sources have revealed that Rep. Daniel
Flood, D-Pa., also is under investigation
for alleged financial irregularities involving
a Philadelphia hospital.
Under the circumstances, Carter has got
to be aksing himself why he was not in
formed of investigations involving mem
bers of Congress. Attorney Griffin Bell,
who also won a clear bill of health in the
department inquiry, said he did not know
of the investigation of Eilberg.
Bell has indicated that he feels responsi
ble for his lack of knowledge and failure to
keep Carter better informed. In addition,
the president’s pledge to make Justice De
partment appointments essentially on
merit has come back to haunt Carter as
vintage politics comes into play.
Few presidents have had their feet held
to the fire as much as Carter when it comes
to campaign promises. Perhaps it was be
cause he offered a brave new world that the
judgments are more severe and there is less
tolerance for his failures.
Little by little, Carter is beginning to see
that the reasons some of his predecessors
did not say to members of Congress, “Call
me anytime,” is the fact that they might just
do that.
And when the calls which Carter so
openly solicited come through, they often
are pleadings for special interests.
Carter also is being criticized for not
being assertive enough with Congress.
Some critics believe he is not willing to
stick his neck out to get his programs
through, including the energy package
which still is a top priority.
On that score, few expect him to change
his style or to go into a hard sell. But there
is little doubt that he is learning a lot about
the pitfalls to avoid as president.
Tetters to the editor
Readers’ beefs: boredom, basketball, bye-byes
Editor:
What could be more boring than a Texas
Aggie basketball game? A lazy afternoon
fishing in the rain at Lake Sommerville?
Or how about a dull (Paul Arnett: “No Fish
tale to tell. The Batt, Wed., Jan. 25) first
hand account of such a venture?
Just face it, Paul, you bore us. So what if
a lot of people would’ve picked A&M to
lose to t.u.? There are still a good many of
us who get excited anytime the Ags play.
It’s sort of like reading your column in the
Batt: We know it’ll be boring, but we
endure it, nevertheless. Where else can
one read a second-rate mish-mash consist
ing of fish tales, visions of tea-sips and
Mayberry R.F.D., all topped off by an
entirely over-used quote from Gone With
the Wind?
But you claim that your “poor percent
age” is the result of your recent trials and
tribulations: An unreliable car, a girlfriend
“moving on to bigger and better things”
(Nowhere to go but up), your enthusiasm
for sports writing in a “one-out-of-ten-
from-the-field” slump. Come on, Paul,
let’s be realistic. Isn’t 10 percent just a
little bit bragadocious?
Maybe you should try the “Aggie ap
proach” to your sports “writing.”Try giving
the Ags as much time as you gave the fish
before you “check it in.”
My letter writing was interrupted by
the jangling of the phone.
“Whatcha doin’?” An old friend inquired.
“Trying to get enthused about Paul Ar
nett’s sportswriting,” I replied.
Art Maxwell II, ‘81
Bye, Shelby
Editor:
I’m sure many readers will wonder
where I get off writing this letter because I
admit I don’t know anything about coach
ing a basketball team. No, my name isn’t
Shelby Metcalf, although it is becoming
very apparent that Shelby and I have
something in common. He just won’t
admit it. '
So far this season, Shelby has
entertained us with numerous innova
tions. The hocus-pocus substitution, the
disappearing line-up and the “non-
disciplinary” disciplinary action, to name
but a few. Rumor has it that he is consider
ing substituting fans (preferably Aggies) at
random to increase student participation
and, perhaps, interest in the game. This
could be the beginning of a new tradition
— “The Sixth Man!
All speculation aside, I think it’s time to* *
pin the tail on the donkey. Wednesday
night’s game with TCU was, in a word,
definitive. It was simply a situation where
the team with the most talent and depth in
the SWC squared off with the weakest
team in the SWC (nation?) and fought it
out for last place in the conference. Well,
Metcalf worked his magic once more
and succeeded where others might have
failed. . . He wrested last place from the
tenacious grip of the formidable Horned
Frogs.
I think it’s time for Mr. Metcalf to dis
appear so we can get a coach who knows
how to elicit response from his players
and, more importantly, one who knows
which end of the SWC standings is up.
We’ve got the most talent, so why is it we
don’t have a coach who is equal to the situ
ation at hand?
— Will Harte
Graduate Student Finance
Bye, Robert
Editor:
I am writing in regard to the Batt s arti
cle on Robert Harvey. I feel he should be
forced to resign from office. Although he
was good at picking out loopholes in the
regulations, he is in total violation of the
“intent” of the rules.
He took the job knowing the qualifica
tions and responsibilities required. It is no
excuse to imply that the duties of office
were the reason for his grades. There are
many people here who hold offices, have
jobs, and other responsibilities who man
age to make the grades.
Texas A&M supposedly has standards
and to have a Student Body President with
below a 2.0 can not be tolerated. Besides,
if he really can’t do both he needs to get
with the education and forget the office.
Jesse E. Reeves, ‘79
Help given
Editor:
Has the true “Spirit of Aggieland” man
aged to elude the great majority of us here
at Texas A&M? This is the fastest growing
and the largest land grant university in the
United States. Nationally we are highly
respected academically as well as ath
letically. There is not another place exactly
like this anywhere else in the world.
Yet, even though any of these reasons
could justify my thinking that A&M is #1,
none of them capture the spirit. It’s not
how loud you yell or who can drink ttie
most beer; rather the fellowship among
the people, giving without expectation of
reward.
To answer my opening question, I say,
hell no! The five of us that got to see the
last half of the t.u. vs. A&M game Monday
would like to say thanks to Ms. Miller of
the Athletic Dept. When admittance was
limited due to a fire ordinance on those of
us fortunate enough to have a 7:00 class or
other business, she took time out from the
game to hunt down tickets to unused fac
ulty seats. That’s what the “Spirit of Aggie
land” is all about, fellowship.
Tom Wilson, Management
It’s cold anyway
Editor:
In regard to the algorithm made by
Stephen Shiner and Eunice Mahler com
paring the ranking of Panama’s Human
Rights with the temperature.
Rights with the temperature. (Batt. Jan. 24,
1978). I have just one short comment.
When told the temperature is zero de
grees outside wear a coat because no mat
ter what scale you use, it’s still cold out
side. —Spencer S. Shawhan, ‘81
Useless stolen goods
Editor:
Like Mr. Thompson’s letter in Wednes
day’s Batt my remarks are also aimed at
a “Good Ag.”
Sometifhe last weekend my walkie-
talkie was stolen from my room. This talkie
is an amateur radio 2 meter FM trans
ceiver. It is not a C.B. It’s actually com
pletely worthless to anybody but me or
another amateur operator (Hams). Even if
you had another one just like it you
couldn’t talk to it; It does not receive on
the same frequency that it transmits on. It
can only be used with another radio called
a repeater. The Trustees of the only repea
ter in the area know of my missing radio,
as do most hams. Any of these people will
instantly recognize someone using a stolen
radio since hams, like C.B.ers, have our
own language.
I have also notified the University
Police, C.S. Police and all local pawn
shops and C.B. dealers.
So face it, “Good Ag,” it’s worthless to
you. You can’t use it and you can’t sell it.
It’s no good to anyone but me. So please
let me have it back. If it’s returned
willingly I will take no action against you.
The rest of you Aggies keep an eye and
an ear open for it. It’s 14 inches tall with a
two inch flexible rubber antenna on the
top. It’s in a black plastic case and has a
white touch tone pad (like a push-button
telephone) on the front. I would greatly
appreciate any help in retrieving my radio.
Mike Wilson, ‘80
Slouch
by Jim Earle
‘THE IDEA OF GRINDING STRAY DOGS INTO DOG
FOOD IS AN INTERESTING CONCEPT, BUT GRIND
ING PEOPLE INTO DOG FOOD WOULD PROBABLY
BE AN EASIER CONCEPT TO SELL!”
of the
Campus
Battalion lowers ad rates
Recognized student organizations will be allowed to pay the lowest
rate for Battalion advertising beginning Feb. 1, communications de
partment chairman Bob Rogers said Thursday. Advertising rates will
be $2 per column inch for most advertisers, but $1.50 for those who
have bought 750 inches in one month, said director of student publi
cations Don Johnson. Student organizations will be allowed the lower
rate because of a new policy. “Were going to consider them adminis
tratively as one group,” Rogers said. Johnson said that only groups
affiliated with the Memorial Student Center were allowed the lower
rate previbusly.
State
Torres federal court trial begins
A policeman involved in arresting Joe Campos Torres last year
testified Thursday he could not watch as fellow officers abused the
Mexican-American for insolence following a barroom complaint. "It
wasn’t what you policemen are supposed to do,” said Carless Elliott,
who was a rookie when Torres, 23, was arrested in May. Elliott was
among the first witnesses at the federal court trial of four fired
policemen charged with violating Torres’ civil rights in his beating
and subsequent drowning. Elliott, who first reported the incident,
testified that Torres resisted arrest on a drunk complaint at the Club
21 on May 5. The officers took him to a secluded spot on the bayou
and beat him, it was testified. Elliott said he was not sure how Torres
went into the bayou because he had returned to his patrol car and was
trying not to watch. Torres’ body was found in Buffalo Bayou May 8.
Ship with explosives still missing
Rescue planes Thursday stepped up search missions off the Texas
coast for a missing 492-foot Liberan freighter carrying 6,00 pounds of
explosives. The freighter Eva Maria reported in an SOS message it
was sinking following an explosion in a cargo hold. Several hours after
the message, a fishing vessel reported spotting debris about 130 miles
south of the freighter’s last reported position. “A search plane had
been diverted from the original search area to check it out,” said
Coast Guard spokesman Bob Baeton. “They’re searching and re
searching the same area, there’s nothing at all. The fact that we
haven’t sighted anything could mean the ship has sunk or it could
mean that she gave us the wrong position and we re looking in the
wrong area.”
Nation
Ohio in “statewide emergency
A blizzard packing winds of 75 miles an hour battered Ohio to “a
standstill early today. Gov. James A. Rhodes declared a “statewide
emergency,” hundreds of motorists were stranded and thousands of
Ohioans were left without heat or electricity because of power out
ages. Rhodes said he declared the emergency to enable him to ac
tivate the Ohio National Guard throughout the state — if needed —
instead of issuing individual orders. “The entire state of Ohio is at a
standstill,” the Ohio Highway Patrol said in Columbus. Snowmobiles
and four-wheeled vehicles were used to rescue the stranded
motorists and also to remove people from homes that had lost their
heat.
Braniff on Dallas-London route
President Carter signed a controversial order Thursday giving
Braniff International a new Dallas-London air route, letting two other
airlines have their first trans-Atlantic routes and naming 13 U.S.
cities as gateways to Europe. Under the terms of the order, the
changes in the international flight patterns can go into effect im
mediately. Braniff, in a victory over Pan American World Airways,
will be allowed to link Dallas-Fort Worth Airport with London. The
airline is expected to start its London flights in early March. The Civil
Seronautics Board chose Pan Am for the Dallas-London route in
October, based on economic factors, but Carter reversed the CAB on
foreign policy grounds and gave the route to Braniff.
World
First Russian flu case confirmed
The first incidence of Russian flu in the United States has been
confirmed in Cheyenne, Wyo. and the virus is expected to surface
elsewhere soon, a team of doctors reported Thursday. “This vims
probably has been seeding throughout the country,” said Dr. Robert
B. Craven of the Center for Disease Control, Atlanta, Ga. “I suspect
there will be outbreaks in other parts of the country in the next
couple of weeks. ” He predicted high incidence reports will be made
by schools, colleges and some military bases where people live in
close quarters. Dr. Timm A. Edell of the Colorado Department of
Health said Colorado schools last week reported absenteeism be
tween 30-40 percent. Tests are pending in Colorado, but the Russian
flu is believed to be the villian, Dr. Edell said. It is unlikely a massive
vaccine program will be undertaken because of limits on production
capabilities, but traditionally, Dr. Craven said, such efforts have
been aimed at the high-risk 65 years-and-over category.
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Weather
Considerable late night and early morning cloudiness. Partly
cloudy and cool today and Saturday. High today mid-50's,
low tonight upper-30’s. High tomorrow mid-50’s. Winds from
the south-east at 6-13 mph. Cloudy and warmer Monday
with a chance of rain. Sunny and cold on Tuesday.
The Battalion
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Y
MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Editor Jamie
Managing Editor Mary Alice Wocoi
Sports Editor PauL^l
News Editors Marie Homeyer, Caning
Assistant Managing Editor Glenna"|
City Editor Karen
Campus Editor Kiml!*
Reporters Liz New!in,Dl
Boggan, Mark Patterson, Lee Roy Leschper JrJi
m
Photographers Susan Webb, Ken Henf
Cartoonist Doug Grill
Student Publications Board: Bob G. Rogers, CbT
Joe Arredondo: Dr. Gary Halter, Dr. John W. M
Robert Harvey: Dr. Charles McCandlcss: Dr. CliTj
Phillips: Rebel Rice. Director of Student PiilMI
Donald C. Johnson.