Viewpoint The Battalion Texas A&M University Thursday February 2, 1978 Jim Lindsey: rich with friends Newspaper people spend most of their lives writing about other people. Very seldom does anyone write about them. But this is such a time for one newspaperman. Jim Lindsey retired Wednesday after 15 years as director of information for Texas A&M University. During those years, Mr. Lindsey has endeared himself to Battalion staffs as a frequent ally, occasional opponent and constant friend. But Texas A&M is only the last stop in his long and varied career. Mr. Lindsey has crammed several lifetimes of Texas newspaper work, education and politics into the last 40 years. He spent over 20 years on Texas newspapers, including 10 years as managing editor of the Midland Reporter- Telegram after stints as managing editor of the San Angelo Standard-Times and assistant managing editor of the San Antonio Express-News. Mr. Lindsey spent seven years on the board of regents of his alma mater, Texas Tech University. He resigned from that board in 1962 when he became Texas A&M’s director of information. Gen. Earl Rudder, president of Texas A&M from 1959 to 1970, asked Mr. Lindsey to become the University’s information director. Mr. Lindsey had served as information officer under Rudder in the Army Reserve’s 90th Division. A lietenant colonel in the reserve, Mr. Lindsey fought in World War II as an enlisted man. A life-time observer of Texas politics, Mr. Lindsey was a member of the State Finance Committee from 1969 until then-Governor Preston Smith appointed him to the State Banking Board in 1971. He remained on that state bank-chartering board until 1976. Not devoting all his time to public service, he has served on state committees of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. But a list of jobs-filled and posts-held can’t give you an appreciation of the man. You see, Mr. Lindsey loves people. All people really, but young people especially. He admitted the other day that his greatest regret about leaving Texas A&M will be not spending as much of each day with students as he has in the past. He often claimed that being around young people has kept him younger than the 63 years he is. In fact more often he’s been the one keeping us young. Kwiii He’s saved many a day for beleaguered students by walking up, extending a handshake with one hand while holding in the other hand one of the big Cuban cigars he always carries and less often smokes, and offering some sage one- liner. Mr. Lindsey says he is retiring. But relocating would be a better word — relocating to Austin where he can start another career in education or politics or information or whatever else strikes his fancy. “Friends are the most valuable possession, ” Mr. Lindsey has advised many times. If so, you’re a rich man, Jim Lindsey. L.R.L. The Record tells more than you think By DAVID S. BRODER WASHINGTON — Congress is hack — and not a moment too soon. Into the gray chill of a Washington winter, it brings the excitement and energy for which it is rightly renowned. And, more to the point, in a capital starved for entertainment, it brings the brightest and liveliest publica tion in the land: the Congressional Re cord. There are those, truth to tell, who find reading the Record dull. Dullards they are. Where else can you find two prayers and several bits of poetry every day? Comity between the House and Senate conceals a healthy competition, as all readers of the Record know, and the chap lains of the respective bodies are not im mune to dueling each other for the larger share of the Lord’s aid. On opening day, the Senate’s Edward L.R. Elson, D.D., bid God to “Bind to gether the President, the members of Congress and all others in authority over us.’” Given the deadlocks of the first ses sion, that seeiped an ambitious order. But the House chaplain, Edward G. Latch, D.D., L.H.D. (who has one less middle initial but one more degree than his Senate counterpart), struck the true chord of legislative lyricism when he asked for “faith, hope and love which will make us more than a match for the mood of these moving moments. Scarcely had the Record’s readers ab sorbed that (not altogether clear) senti ment than they found Sen. Jennings Ran- dolph (D-W.Va.), who came to Congress with the New Deal, applying to the Muse for help in solving the farm problem. The scene that Randolph depicts would warm yourdjeart on a chilly night. Three farmers from Georgia — part of the army of militant farmers seeking higher price sup ports — “just stopped by my office,” he said. Being hospitable, he treated them to reminiscences of his own boyhood, when he herded lambs and cattle “over winding, dusty roads to the railroad loading pens. “As I talked with the visitors, Randolph said later, on the Senate floor, “I asked if they would forgive me if I recited a few lines which I had learned as a boy in the schools of the hill country of West Virginia. In my mind s eye, I can see the three farmers — bulky men in their work jackets perched on the edges of their chairs in the imposing Senate office, their American Agriculture Movement strike caps bal anced on their knees. As the senator — with his heavy jowls and rumbling voice, this powerful man who communed with Roosevelt and now dispenses public works projects and sen timent — pauses briefly, they eye each other nervously, not knowing what to say. Whatever they expected when they came to lobby the Senate for higher parity, they did not expect a poetry recital. “They did not say yes or no," Randolph said, “so I began like this, and I will just give you the lines now: The doctor heals and the lawyer pleads And the miner follows precious leads But this or that, what ere befall. The farmer feeds them all.’ It is a weighty thought: “The farmer feeds them all. Randolph does not tell the Record reader what the farmers said when he had reminded them of that fact. I imagine them pushing back their chairs rather hastily, and moving rather quickly down the hall, still exchanging puzzled glances. On another page, the Record reader finds a handy checklist of allowable income tax deductions for the elderly, from ab dominal supports to X-rays, considerately compiled by Sen. Ed Muskie of Maine. And, once again, a few pages later, for those with short memories, the same list is entered by Sen. Frank Church of Idaho. Reading the Record you get a good idea of what former presidential candidates do with their time. The House, on its opening afternoon, plunged directly into debate on the impor tant constitutional question of game war dens right to search hunters cars without a warrant. Contrary to the myth of con gressional indecision, the House voted in less than an hour and resolved the ques tion by giving them that power — with cer tain limitations. That night, the President of the United States came before Congress and declared that, working together, “we can move mountains. None of us who reads the Congressional Record doubts that for a moment. Letters to the editor A&M spring break doesn't follow form Editor: We are wondering why Texas A&M s spring break is not scheduled at the same time as all of the other major universities in Texas that we know of, such as Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, Southwest Texas State, and Texas. We all have friends at these schools and it is sad to think that we will not be able to see any of them over our misscheduled spring break. We can understand trying to divide the semester evenly into two eight-week periods, but it does not seem like it would be outrageous to divide the semester into a nine-and a seven-week period like all the other schools. This would not only allow A&M students to see their friends from other schools, it would also allow everyone an opportunity to spend the Easter holi days with their families. Someone must realize that Good Friday is a world recog nized Christian holiday. We all like for A&M to stand out and be recognized but this is one time when A&M should be like the other schools and have spring break at a practical time. Hav ing spring break the week before Easter would also allow students, faculty, and staff to observe a very important Christian holiday — something Texas A&M seems to have forgotten. —J e b Wait, ‘80 Brad Freels, ‘81 John Vanderhider, ‘81 David Whiteside, ‘80 Steven Barre, ‘79 James Dreslar, ‘80 James Michael Vanderhider, ‘81 Craig Lester, ‘80 David Teague, graduate student CE Tommy Ruddock, ‘79 Editor’s note: A spokesman in the regis trar’s office confirmed that Texas A&M’s spring break is scheduled solely to fall after midterm exams, rather than a week after exams and a week into the second half of the semester. Deposits ungodly by Jim Earle Editor: As a resident of College Station, I am totally disgusted with the cost of living. I am referring to utilities, phone, and gas. Before you can receive any of these serv ices, you must first put down a deposit. The electric company has you put down a $70 deposit, General Telephone Co. charges a $80 deposit, and Lone Star Gas Co. charges about a $30 deposit. In addi tion to the deposits, these companies also bill you service charges for installation and service. After we pay these deposits and service charges, who can afford to pay their ungodly bills? —Pat Fry, ‘80 other newspaper for other religious sects are being distributed as far as I can see. I am a Christian and I don't like the image “Today's Student feeds others about my religion. By its comment on poli tics “Today’s Student equates Chris tianity with right wing conservatism. I feel a state school such as ours should not con done nor permit the authorized distribu tion of religious materials on the campus. —Glynn Echerd, ‘81 Cancel subscription Editor’s note: “Today’s Student” was given campus circulation approval last semester by the University Concessions Committee, a committee of students and faculty who review such requests as pub lications distribution. A representative for the Texas A&M chapter of Crusade for Christ went before the committee to gain its approval. In the same way, any student who feels there is reason for the publication not to be distributed on cam pus may attend the concessions commit tee meeting to voice his complaint. The meetings are scheduled every Wednesday at 1:45 p.m. in Rm. 103, YMCA Bldg. -z-yr “IT’S NICE OF YOU FELLAS TO STOP BY TO CHAT ABOUT THAT HOT CHECK, BUT TH’ GUY BY THAT NAME IS ON TH’ FACULTY!” Editor: My letter concerns non-school news papers like “Today’s Student currently being distributed on campus. I would like to know what standards a publication must meet before it may be distributed. Also who decides which newspapers are ac ceptable and which are not? “Today’s Student claims in one adver tisement to be “A&M’s newest approved newspaper. If “Today’s Student can be approved, what cannot? Today’s student is a slanted, biased and opionated pro- Christian publication. Any weekly issue under scrutiny will bear me out. Under the guise of objective reporting, it rarely (if ever) fails to end a story with a play for Jesus. This to me smacks of propaganda. Furthermore, there is no “letters to the editor” section where dissenters can re ceive equal time. (Another campus news paper, “Texas Forum,” has such a column. It also gives a slanted and conservative ap proach to journalism but the “letters” col umn makes Texas Forum a little more ob jective than “Today’s Student".) Finally, I would ask how to repeal an offensive newspaper’s campus distribution rights. I also feel it is noteable that no Corrections In “Women need to speak up,” a story which appeared in Wednes day’s Battalion, a word was inad- vertly deleted from a quote from Vicki Young. Young, vice president for student services said, “I have found no evidence that women are being deterred on Texas A&M’s campus.” Michelle Scudder’s story reported that Young “found evi dence that... ” A story in Tuesday’s Battalion also did not contain essential informa tion. In “Four student officials is sued subpoenas” by Liz Newlin, the following sentences were deleted: Student Senator Joe Young could not be reached for comment on his subpoena. Austin Sterling who graduated magna cum laude in 1976, did not sign the waiver as “an act of defiance.” Both said they posted above a 2.0 GPR last semes ter. The Battalion regrets the errors.^ Top of the News Bo State Medical coverage denied A Texas insurance company has denied that its major medical cov erage applies to a woman who went into a coma before giving birth American National Insurance Co. of Galveston has denied an applica tion filed by Ricky Goforth five days before his pregant teen-age wife lapsed into a coma. Laurie Goforth, 18, suffered a cardiac arrest at the couple’s Borger home Dec. 17. She was transferred to an Amarillo hospital and gave birth Jan. 8 without regaining consciousness. The couple had made an application for major medical coverage Dec. 12 and received a conditional receipt from the company for payment of the first month’s premium. But the firm decided Jan. 26 not to issue the health policy. The not the* I the Alei (cate cl n main tie | Bee-ai * such as Rers, t relative ■Parks, s I general said the tising tl The ggnmei iieir be and the 25 cent “We iercenl Execution by injection legal There is nothing unconstitutional about executing condemned criminals with lethal drug injections instead of the electric chair, the Court of Criminal Appeals in Austin ruled Wednesday. The court rejected two challenges to the new death penalty procedure by attor neys for Kenneth Granviel and Billy Joe Battie of Ft. Worth. Gran- viel and Battie sought to escape the death penalty, complaining the drug injections would be cruel and unusual punishment. Presiding Judge John Onion said the fact that the injection method is new and innovative does not make it cruel and unusual. Officers buy stolen goods Porno law unconstitutional Nation Skylab may fall to earth Space agency officials plan to adjust the orbit of Skylab to prevent the 200,000-pound craft from plummeting to earth. A National Aeronautics and Space Administration spokesman in Houston said Tuesday that officials estimate, at the present rate of orbit decay, Skylab would fall to earth by late 1979 or early 1980 if no adjustment was made. The adjustment to Skylab s orbit will be one of the early Space Shuttle missions. Skylab is not radioactive, but officials said it probably would not burn completely if it fell from orbit. Unvented gas heaters banned World Brezhnev and Castro meet Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev met in Moscow Wednesday with Cuban Defense Minister Raul Castro to discuss “international affairs of interest to both countries. The official Tass news agency said Soviet Defense Minister Dmitri Ustinov also took part. The meeting with Brezhnev came at a time when Cuba is expanding its interests in Africa, particularly on the Horn, where it is assisting the Ethiopians in battles against the Somalis and Eritrean secessionists in the north. Sources in Washington have said there are as many as 26,000 Cuban soldiers in Africa, with about 2,000 of them serving as “military advis ers” in Ethiopia. Weather Continued cloudiness through Friday with a gradual warming trend. High today upper-40’s, low tonight upper-30’s. High today low-50’s. Winds from the Northeast at 10-18 mph. Twenty percent chance of rain today, 30 percent tonight and 20 percent tomorrow. Cloudy with rain on Saturday. Decreas ing cloudiness & warmer on Sunday. The Battalion i still che Park jlookm. that th< percen tent. Stud Undercover officers operating out of a warehouse near downtown Ft. Worth purchased more than $1.5 million worth of stolen property in the past six months, recording most of the transactions on closed circuit television. Officers began arresting the more than 100 people named in felony indictments because of the undercover operation. More than 50 of the people named in the 182 sealed indictments had been arrested by Tuesday night. Police chief A. J. Brown said the undercover project was designed “to apprehend career criminals and to develop information on persons dealing in stolen goods.” Among the buys officers made were a $30,000 Rolls Royce for $350, a 1977 automobile for $500 and a $6,000 speedboat for $600. A federal judge has ruled that Texas’ new child pornography law is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Jack Roberts made the niling Tuesday in Austin in a case involving Jay Battershell of Amarillo, owner of a combination adult motion picture theater and bookstore. Last year state officials closed the theater-bookstore and seized its property and assets, purportedly to collect delinquent corporate franchise taxes Roberts said the state’s child pornography statute w;is “hurriedly enacted” and agreed with Battershell’s contention that the law violated his constitutional rights because it is too broad and does not require films to be termed “obscene.” The U.S. Consumer Product Saftey Commission will propose a ban today on the manufacture of unvented gas heaters. The commission said the heaters have caused 60 deaths, mostly in the South and Southwest, since 1973. Unvented heaters depend on normal air flows to remove their combustion waste. If a room is not well ventilated, carbon monoxide can build to deadly levels. A spokesman said most of the victims were elderly or low income persons, since the heaters are relatively inexpensive to purchase and operate. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or of the writer of the article and are not necessarily those of the Vniversity administration or the Board of Re gents. The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting enterprise operated by students as a university and com munity newspaper. Editorial policy is determined by the editor. Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas United Press International is entitled exclusively Ini! use for reproduction of all news dispatches eredihil 1°* Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein Second-Class postage paid at College Station, IN ,|Stl LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are subject to being cut to that length or less if longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit such letters and does not guarantee to publish any letter. Each letter must be signed, show the address of the writer and list a telephone number for verification. Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor, The Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building. College Station, Texas 77643. Represented national]) by National Educational Adver tising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. The Battalion is published Monday through Frida) from September through May except during exam and holiday periods and the summer, when it is published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday s. MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Jjimk'Ailli' Managing Editor Man Alice Woodli® Sports Editor Paul Am? News Editors Marie Homcycr, Carol M.75 per semester; $33.25 per school year; $35.00 per full year. Advertising rates fur nished on request. Address. The Battalion. Room 21b, Student Publications Board: Boh C. Rogers. Cluiirmi Joe Anedondo: Dr. Cary Halter. Dr. John H IIiiiiik Robert Harvey: Dr. ('harles McCantllcss: Dr. C/inion Phillips: Rebel Rice. Director of Student Donald C. Johnson. dc