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Viewpoint The Battalion Wednesday Texas A&M University February 15, 1978 McCarthyism relived “I have in my hand a list of card-carrying communists!” In the 1950s, Senator Joseph McCarthy almost destroyed the country with those words. Communism was a pertinent issue, but McCarthy’s list was a fake used only to drive home damnipg accusations that drove thousands of innocent Americans from their professions and robbed them of their reputa tions. Some of those McCarthy named might have been communists, but the senator had no proof. For those keeping up with the minimum grade requirement fiasco in student government these past few weeks, the method of McCarthyism is somewhat familiar. There is a pertinent issue before student government — that of determin ing minimum grade requirements for student government officers. But the senate, rather than working out this problem, has instead decided to wave it before the student body, expecting to convince the students that this is proof that various student government officers are unfit for office. The senate’s vote for resignations instead of an answer to the actual prob lem is deplorable. And like the aftermath of McCarthyism, the results of the senate’s actions are saddening. Those forced to resign may not be fit for office. But there has been no proof. And what’s worse, throughout these ugly proceedings, the original prob lem has not been touched. Let’s hope that with a new slate of officers the McCarthyism in student * U»KS LIKE WE PICKEP A 6COP WEEK. TO VIAIT YCVR WIHE . ' government has burned itself out. Perhaps reason, instead of hysteria, will prevail and the senate will accomplish what should have been done weeks ago. JA- Kay Jones: rookie in the Sixth By JIM CRAWLEY This year’s Sixth Congressional District primary race won’t be the first time a woman has run against a field of men in recent years. Six years ago Sissy Farenthold surprised the Democrats, the Republicans and Politics nearly everyone else in the state by run ning a reasonably close second behind Dolph Briscoe in the Democratic guber natorial primary. This year, Kay Jones, wife of a Fort Worth restauranteur, is the only woman in the Democratic primary for this district. Beyond the fact that both Jones and Farenthold are women the similarities are few and far between. Farenthold is a firebrand liberal. As a feminist leader she is in the national politi cal limelight, although her highest state office was that of a state legislator. Faren thold is a political veteran, who on occa sion has the slyness of a fox or the brutality of a political prizefighter with a grudge. Kay Jones, an unknown (among political circles) until she announced her candidacy in December, is a middle-roader. A moderate out to help the middle-income family cope with the government. She also calls herself the “alternative candidate ’. She believes her candidacy will give voters an alternative to the conservative and lib eral candidates. Kay Jones is a political novice. She has never run for an elective office and at times appears to be uncertain on the stands she takes on the issues. She reminds everyone that she isn t a politician and that she doesn’t have a lot of political ambition. “I’ve noticed many in Congress have been put there by the big-monied inter ests and they usually speak for those inter ests and not for the people, Jones said. “I would like to turn that around, to speak for the people, not for one or two special interest groups.” But even in this age of anti- Washingtonism, where a candidate with ties to the Capitol is often frowned on, a politician is still best suited to run a cam paign and be elected. Without experience or supporters with experience, the fledg ling candidate is hard-pressed in the world of politics. Jones is also quoted in her news releases to be against “big spending campaigns '. That’s great. Except it’s a political un reality. In a large congressional district, such as the Sixth, and without an ineum- bant running, candidates will be spending large sums of money just to get their names known to the electorate. While all candidates will bemoan big campaign expenditures, each will be spending thousands of dollars to present their views on the issues to the public. More thousands will be spent by suppor ters for their favorite candidate. Attacking big-money campaigns is good political rhetoric, but a candidate has to be careful not to believe her own spiel. Political campaigning isn t free and advertising doesn’t grow on trees. Besides money, Jones is going to need backers. People. Lots of people. Jones says she is backed by a broad- based group of people that want an alter native to the other candidates. But, her list of backers include people that are at best political enemies to each other with no grounds of mutual support. Jones lists part of the George Wallace faction, who are notoriously ultra-conservative, as sup port. Then she tells everyone that she can appeal to the liberals in the district, too. The only question is how thin can a candi date spread oneself without diluting the political base. Apparently, Jones’ support is thin in the region. She has no campaign headquarters in the southern half of the district, few political insiders had heard of her before this winter and she admits her weakness in Brazos County. “I think at this time, my weak areas are in three counties: Limestone, Robertson and Brazos counties, admits Jones. And unless Jones support changes within the next few weeks, odds are that she won t be in the June run-off or the November general elections. Pyramids tripped up by red tape By DICK WEST United Press International WASHINGTON — Some research projects that are otherwise soundly con ceived may pursue the wrong objectives. Such a flaw is evident in the basic con cept that has prompted a Japanese univer sity to undertake the erection of a new 36- foot pyramid in Egypt. The university wants to test theories of how the original pyramids were built some 4,500 years ago. A more relevant test, I submit, would be a project to determine whether the pyramids could have been built under conditions that exist today. Let’s use as a case in point the Great Pyramid erected at Giza as a tomb for the late King Khufu. It took 400,000 peasants 20 years to complete the structure, which included Letters to the editor two million stone blocks each weighing more than two tons. Okay. If current conditions were made retroactive, the first step in Khufu s The Lighter Side entombment would have been the prepa ration of an environmental impact state ment. A number of questions would need an swering, such as: would a stone polyhed ron with a polygonal base and triangular faces meeting in a common vertex 481 feet in the air pose a menace to aviation? Or, suiting the question to the times, was there a danger that Ra, the Eyptian sun god, might snag the top of the pyramid with the wheels of his fiery chariot? And what of the ibis and 6ther birds na tive to the area? Were they in danger of colliding with the pyramid the way Ameri can birds keep banging into the Empire State Building? If ecological questions could be an swered to the satisfaction of environmentalists, work might com mence. But ere the first layer of stones could be placed it might be discovered that the 13-acre site was the sole breeding ground of the Egyptian sand flea. Construction would then be halted pending a study to determine whether the fleas could be trained to breed in another part of the desert. Once work resumed, the premises un doubtedly would be visited by inspectors from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Equally undoubtedly, the OS HA agents would compile a long list of violations, in cluding: — Failure to provide safety nets to catch any workmen who might get dizzy from the height and fall off backward. — Failure to provide railings to protect workers from crocodiles and hip- popotumuses as they rafted the stone blocks across the Nile. Now comes the Giza zoning commission with, a ruling that entombment of mum mified remains in that portion of the des ert would violate Sec. 8, Pgh. 13 of the Sahara building code. By the time the camel drivers hauling provisions to the site went on strike, my guess is that the pyramid builders would have said “the hell with it and had King Khufu cremated. Student senate vote was not unanimous Editor: Please allow me to express my feelings over this current crisis in student govern ment. As a senator, I have tried to look at this situation as objectively as possible, but it has been difficult because the people involved are my friends. Furthermore, when I see two fine people unfairly repre sented, slandered and hounded out of of fice, you can understand why I feel as I do. I was raised to believe that we have laws to base justice on. But when those laws are ambiguous it is up to society to change them before someone gets hurt. As I told the senate, our laws concerning the grades of our elected officials are unclear and therefore should not be used as a basis for resignation. Last week s vote of 26-24 in favor of Robert Harvey’s and Vicki Young’s resignations was the most unfair repre sentation of student input I have ever seen. Maybe the outcome would have Slouch been different if only half of those senators absent had been present and voting. There is no victory in this at all, only a deep sense of shame that we could not prevent this from happening. Robert and Vicki, I want you to know that I admire and respect you that much more for your unselfish decision. Your concern that “the show must go on” is an indication of your maturity and sacrifice. Above all, thank you for your dedication to your jobs... no one can find fault with your accomplishments in that area. — Gail Jolly, ’80 Matter of opinion Editor: In reference to the article of Feb. 14, in which the vice presidents of the student by Jim Earle senate were reviewed as possible candi dates for the office of student body presi dent, we feel that this is one of the worst possibly timed articles that the Battalion has published in quite some time. We feel as though the Battalion slan dered some of the vice presidents and definitely prejudiced the entire issue be fore it had been brought in front of the senate. This article also assumed that the stu dent senate had already accepted the res ignations of both Robert Harvey and Vicki Young. We feel that this also biased the meeting. In conclusion, we feel that an apology is in order. — Wayne Morrison, ’79, Susan Price,’77, Nancy Bunch, ’ 80, Geri Campbell, ’78 Editor’s note: The Battalion feels no apol ogy is in order. One of the services we try to give our readers is insight to compli cated matters, and the political state of student government is certainly a compli cated matter. The only information many readers receive about their student gov ernment comes from the Battalion. We feel they have a right to know what is de veloping behind the scenes as well as what transpires in the senate chamber. What if? Editor: In response to Vicki Wharton’s letter concerning capital punishment, I would like to share some ideas with her and with anyone else who advocates the banning of the death penalty. I admit that I am not one to preach on the rightness or wrong ness of the death penalty — I m not even sure what is right and what is wrong — but I have some views that might make some people stop and think. Vicki, put yourself about 15 or so years in the future. You’re a pretty young housewife, are happily married, your hus band is a success, and you have a beautiful 9-year-old girl. She’s the pride of your family, and Vicki, she has the confidence. intelligence, and the potential to really be someone outstanding, except that one day the police come to your house with some terribly painful news — your daughter has been hurt and is in the hospital. You rush to the hospital and see your daughter lying unconscious on the stretcher, a pool of blood outlining her abdomen. Your daugh ter has been the victim of a perverted rapist who obtains his thrills by assaulting young girls and then leaving them uncon- cious to keep his identity unknown. I know that this is a painfully ugly pic ture, but Vicki, the horrible fact is that this man was a convicted murderer and rapist who received the life sentence, but was released on parole after 10 years. You may say, “That’s too far out. It could never happen to me,” but it is not too far out at all, because it happens every day. I really don’t see how you could allow your daugh ter on the streets knowing that if she is the victim of a repeat-rapist, she will have to bear the searing pain and the utter humili ation that invariably accompanies child rape. As our judicial system stands now, a life sentence is not an assurance that these criminals will be displaced from our soci ety. And I agree with you, it hurts me to think of taking a man’s life for some crime he committed, but if it comes to a choice between his life and the safety or life of my own family, then there s no way I can tol erate his presence in society. — Vic Vines, ’80 Pinky pleased Editor: We wish to thank everyone for making Pinky Wilson’s birthday a happy one. We also wish to thank the Battalion for the story printed on the front page of Monday’s paper. Our grandfather has been very sick and there just hasn’t been much to cheer him up. We are sure that the cards that were sent have made his birthday a very happy one. — his grandchildren Deborah, Scott and Dana Walterscheid “HOW WAS YOUR VALENTINE’S DAY? Campus College sets open house All prospective and interested students are invited to the Texas A&M University College of Medicine Open House Feb. 21, in room 215 Animal Industries Building, with the program heginning at 7:30 p.m. A tour of the College of Medicine will be given. :ausi State Murder suspect called ‘sane m A psychiatrist testified Monday that Van Ballew, a Garland attor ney, is sane and dangerous. Ballew is on trial for the stabbing and beating death of his teenage daughter. “In my opinion, Ballew is sane,” testified prosecution witness Dr. John Holbrook. Asked ifBal- lew might commit violent crime in the future, the psychiatrist said, “In my opinion, yes, he would.” Ballew, 44, is accused of using a pistol and bed slats to club his daughter, Julie Ann, 17, in her bed room last July 27. She also was stabbled several times in the chest with a butcher knife. Ballew has pleaded innocent by reason of insan ity. Holbrook said videotapes made in municipal court during at tempts to arraign Ballew showed the lawyer was coherent "once you cut through the emotional outbursts. Explosives found in home areas Tb etc ibou Sb hat ex s tair od Re finis Joy ood Fi tart 976 or’s las i in ract “S As many as 56 highly explosive military projectiles may still be scattered throughout residential areas near Lackland Air Force Base, police said Tuesday. The police bomb sciuad issued the warning after another of the 3 Vi-inch long, bullet-shaped projectiles was found Monday night near Adams Elementary School in West Bexar County. Robert R. Ellis of the bomb squad said 81 of the air-to-air missiles were stolen in a 1974 burglary of a civilian firm that was doing re search for the Air Force. The explosives have been found on lawns and in vacant fields in subdivisions north of Lackland since last Wed nesday. “There were 81 of these explosives taken in the burglary, ’ Ellis said. “So far, 25 have been accounted for. He warned the projectiles were extremely dangerous and should not be handled, Nation Siamese twins separated nn : he ] Tl Siamese twins with a common heart and liver have be been suc cessfully separated by surgeons at a Salt Like City hospital, but they remained in critical condition Tuesday. Doctors Monday would not predict the chances of survival for the girls, born to an Idaho couple Feb. 2 in Logan, Utah. It was the second set of conjoined girls born in Utah in the past year. Hospital officials declined to release the names of the parents, saying the couple wished to maintain their privacy. Dr. Michael E. Matlak said the infants were joined at the chest and shared a common heart, liver and abdominal wall. The girls were separated during an 8 x fa. -hour operation Saturday by a team of specialists led by Matlak and Dr. Dale Johnson, both pediatric sur geons at Primary Children’s Hospital, which specializes in the treat ment of childhood heart diseases. Eire destroys historical site A fire that sent flames leaping 200 feet into the air Tuesday de stroyed a half-block of the Natchitoches La. district, including a building constructed 75 years ago. The fire, which caused no injuries, leveled thd’old Williams Building, a landmark built in 1903 that was under consideration for historical renovation. One adjacent structure was gutted. A third, the only buffer between the fire and the Church of the Immaculate Conception, was badly damaged by smoke and water. The church was not damaged. The blaze was confined to the midtown block of Second Street. Firemen from five neighboring communities in Natchitoches and Sabine Parishes were called to help extinguish the blaze. It finally was declared under control at about 6:30 a.m. Snow worst in more than decade The winter of 1978 has belted the nation’s midsection with the heaviest snows in more than a decade. Monday’s snowfall, the worst in 16 years in Kansas City, closed schools, offices and factories and stranded hundreds of travelers on highways and in airports. The storm swept across the Central Plains and the Missouri Ozarks, hut diminished in strength as it headed into the Ohio Valley and Middle Atlantic states. Although the National Weather Service pre dicted snow of four inches or more for New York, Philadelphia and Washington, it said blizzard-battered New England would escape the brunt of the system. World U.S. sells jets to Mideast In a major Mideast policy shift, the administration announced Tuesday the unprecedented sale of 50 jets fighters to Egypt. Saudi Arabia and Israel would also get jets in a Mideast package deal. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance said the sale of supersonic F-5Es to Egypt - the first sale of lethal U.S. weaponry to that Arab country- will not upset the balance of power in the Mideast. But it is sure to anger Israel although even more sophisticated F-15 and F-16 fighters would go to Israel and the Saudis unless Congress kills the deal. The three-way sale, announced at an afternoon State Department brief ing, would send Saudi Arabia 60 F-15s - 15 of them are training models. A total of 75 F-16s and 15 F-15s would go to Israel. Egyptian President Anwar Sadat personally asked President Carter for the jets. Carter’s decision follows refusal by Israel to give up what the State Department calls “illegal settlements in occupied Arab lands. Weather Cloudy and cool today and tonight with light rain and a chance of thundershowers. High today mid-50s, low tonight low 40s. High tomorrow mid-50s. Winds from the east at 10-15 mph, with 20 percent chance of rain today, 30 percent tonight and 20 percent tomorrow. The Battalion Opinions expressed in The Battalion arc those of the editor or of the writer of the article and are not necessarily those of the University administration or the Board of Re gents. The Battalion is a non-profit. seij-supporting enterprise operated by students as a university and com munity newspaper. Editorial policy is determined by the editor. 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 77843. Represented nationally by National Educational Adver tising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday from September through May except during exam and holiday periods and the summer, when it is published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per school year; $35.00 per full year. Advertising rates fur nished on request. Addres.8: The Battalion. Room 216. Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas United Press International is entitled exclusively I 1 ’ 1 * use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein Second-Class postage paid at College Station. TN MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest JournaMsm Congress Editor Jamii 1 W 1 Managing Editor Man Alia* Wixxfl'* Sports Editor Paul Am 1 News Editors Marie Homeyer. Cam! Ih r Assistant Managing Editor Gleiina "hi - City Editor Karen ft?’ Campus Editor KimTv* Reporters Li/ Nowlin. Hand N? Mark Patterson, Lee Ro\ Leschporjr Welch. Scott Perkins. Andy "'Ik 1 Paige Beasley . Bob A'W Photographers Susan Webh. Ken lln" Cartoonist DoiigCob Student Publications Board: Bob C Hogax.lhtw* Joe An edondo. Dr. Cary Halter. Dr. John Ho 1 Robert Harvey. Dr. Charles Met'andless: Hr ('huh Rehel Rice. Director of Student rnhlimlo Phillip: Donald ('. /ohnson.