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The Battalion Monday
Texas A&M University February 20, 1978
H-H bill deceitful
The Carter Administration is strongly urging Congress to pass the
Humphrey-Hawkins “full employment” bill as a tribute to the late Sen.
Hubert Humphrey, who deserves something better.
Although the Minnesota liberal’s name remains on the measure, it has
been amended into a phony, toothless and yet potentially dangerous bit of
legislation that does Humphrey no honor.
When drafted in 1974, it was a radical command to the administration to
drive down the unemployment rate to 3 percent and to provide a job on a
public payroll to anyone who said he wanted work but could not find it.
Since the bill would have turned us rapidly into a nation of bankrupt
leafrakers, it was killed in 1975. Then it was riddled with loopholes but still
failed in 1977. Finally it was weakened enough for President Carter to
endorse it. And now his economic adviser, Charles Schultze, who blanched
at the inflationary threat in the original bill, is pressing the present version
on Congress.
Today’s Humphrey-Hawkins sets a goal of 4 percent unemployment
within five years. But at the same time it insists on “restraint of inflation ”,
“adequate productivity growth”, “high rates of capital formation”, and “the
well-being of the people”.
To be honest, it also should have called for the legalization of marijuana,
because any law that promises all the conflicting benefits of Humphrey-
Hawkins is a pipe dream.
The bill sets up no machinery to lead us to its full-employment, low-
inflation utopia. It is deceitful in holding out to disadvantaged groups flim
flam legislation instead of real help in getting jobs.
Scripps-Howard Newspapers
Slouch by Jim Earle
“AS BEST I CAN TELL, I THINK ANY TIME NOW I’D OPEN UP, IF
I WERE YOU!”
Going overboard on distinction
By DICK WEST
United Press International
WASHINGTON — The first live broad
casts of a U.S. Senate debate not only are
providing many Americans with every
thing they always wanted to know about
the Panama Canal treaties.
The Lighter Side
The airwaves also are serving as an in
troduction to a quaint tribal custom known
as senatorial courtesy.
Each day’s debate generally begins
when the distinguished senator who hap
pens to get stuck with the job of presiding
recognizes the distinguished senator from
Letters to the editor
Editor’s note: Due to the large amount
of mail received on Sports Editor Paul
Arnett’s Feb. 15 column, letters on other
issues have been backlogged. To print
these letters and purge the Arnett issue,
today’s letters section has been expanded.
Editor:
Who does Paul Arnett think he is put
ting the headline “A&M lacks class above
such a meaningless article on such a trivial
subject as the fact that A&M has a military
band and male yell leaders? That’s the way
it is here at A&M. Paul can go try to talk
the band into dressing up as clowns and
playing kazoos like Rice or the yell leaders
into donning skirts and makeup but I don’t
think you’ll get too far.
If Arnett wants to see girls dancing
around instead of the terribly boring Aggie
basketball games on Saturday nights, I
suggest that he just drive to Houston or
Dallas and hang out in some sleazy strip
joint where he might get some thrills.
As for the Aggie band, if WW2 marches
turn him off that much he is welcome to
borrow my “Mitch Miller’s Greatest Hits”
album. As to his journalistic capabilities,
every day we are subjected to articles that
criticize some aspect of Aggie sports (it
can’t be all that bad), seemingly written
only as a showcase for Arnett’s supposedly
witty, satirical style that he probably
hopes will land him a newspaper job when
he graduates.
Arnett should quit using our paper sol
ely as a steppingstone for his future, if he
still has one, and give us some good solid
sportswriting, or go jump in the lake.
— Steve Puckett, ‘78
Against "class’
Editor:
This letter is in response to Paul Arnett’s
article of Wednesday, Feb 15, concerning
A&M ’s “lack of class. Paul, if A&M lacks
class,” why do you attend school here?
Aren’t you ashamed to go to a school that, in
your opinion, “lacks class? I’m sure if you
want a liberal schools dancing girls, rah-
rah-rah-sis-boom-bah cheerleaders, and if
basketball halftime entertainment is so
necessary for you, t.u. would be more than
happy to add you to its enrollment.
A&M IS a conservative school. Most
people come here because they like it that
way and want it to remain that way.
By the way, most Aggies feel that A&M
has a LOT of class. Perhaps you should
examine your attitude and be prouder of
what A&M IS, instead of knocking her for
what she isn’t and, hopefully, never will be.
— Julia Humphries, ‘79
Against "class’
Editor:
In regard to Paul Arnett’s article about
A&M not having enough class. In my opin
ion what A&M lacks in class it makes up in
originality and tradition. Maybe originality
is the wrong word but let s face it no other
West Virginia, Robert Byrd, also known as
the distinguished majority leader.
Whereupon Byrd graciously yields the
floor to whoever the day's first distin
guished speaker might be.
It doesn t take much of this for even the
most casual listener to get the idea — U.S.
senators are utterly, thoroughly, over
whelmingly distinguished.
It should not be inferred, however,
there is anything distinctive about being
senatorially distinguished. The term is
all-pervasive, applicable to the high and
the low, the great and the near-great alike.
The distinguished minority leader,
Howard Baker of Tennessee, made that
point nicely when he referred to "the col
loquy between the distinguished majority
leader and the equally distinguished
senator from Nevada.
Indiscriminate differentation — that’s
the Senate way.
university has quite the unique system of
yells, spirit and student participation as
the Aggies. What you are suggesting is the
same thing every other school does, Pious-
ton, t.u., etc.
Now don’t misunderstand me, I like
pretty women with as few clothes on as
possible as much as the next guy, but I like
our Aggie tradition also. Besides, what you
propose you obviously want to carry into
other sports as well, and I for one don t
want those idiot-sounding loud speaker
type yell leader and cheer leader combina
tions yelling at me in Kyle F’ield. I would
rather the yell leaders invoke me to yell
for my team and show my spirit.
Listen, Paul, I’m all for progress and
everything but let s not progress ourselves
into a t.u. If you want that then by all
means, go there and remember there are
other young Aggies yet to experience the
thrill of our uniqueness. So let’s preserve
it for those yet to come, not change it for
those of us leaving.
— James L. Hime, ’79
Against ‘class’
Editor:
My name is Chet Churchill and I am .a
senior at A&M Consolidated High School
and I hope to attend A&M next year. Each
school has its problems and one of A&M’s
is Paul Arnett, your sports editor. I used to
read his column until the “A&M lacks
class ’ episode.
Everyone is entitled their opinion, that
includes Mr. Arnett. But it’s pretty bad
that the sports editor for the school’s
newspaper to have about as much spirit as
a teasip. The foundations of A&M, the
Corps of Cadets and the Fightin Aggie
Band, is a vital focal point of the Univer
sity. Let Mr. Arnett go to Austin & Hous
ton to see his “20th century, well-done
halftime shows’ . . . I’ll be in G. Rollie
White during halftime and listen to that
18th century Wabash Cannonball and
Jambalaya any ol night.
— Chet Churchill
For "class’
Editor:
We only have one question for Michael
Murphy, ‘81. Just how big was the void
between your ears when you wrote your
letter to the editor in the Batt on Thurs
day? — Russell Allen, ‘78
Del Holman, ‘79
For "class’
Editor:
I was pleasantly surprised to see the ar
ticle by Paul Arnett in the Batt this week.
Mr. Arnett is obviously aware of the fact,
as are many students here, that so many
archaic traditions don’t make TAMU as
much unique as they make it a mockery.
The vehement opposition to changes, such
as with the “band and cheerleaders, is so
intense and inbred that many sectors of
this University will always be twenty years
behind the times.
Granted, not all modernistic transfor
mations are for the better, but reveling in
As a rule of thumb, senatorial courtesy
demands that all senators hold all of the
other senators in high regard.
In some cases, however, it is a
minimum high regard. And by informal
agreement, the minimum adjective of high
regard is “distinguished. Which may ex
plain why it is used so much.
Although distinguishedness is the better
part of senatorial courtesy, other adjec
tives are thrown in occasionally for a
change of pace.
Twice during one day of canal debate
Byrd referred to colleagues as “able. And
listeners also may be treated to variations
on the theme.
Beyond that, anyone who listens long
enough and attentively enough eventually
will be rewarded with that rare gem of
senatorial civility — a genuine improvisa
tion.
Sen. Clifford Case, R-N.J., came forth
’ on to other
antiquated traditions and clinging to age-
old beliefs lead only to stagnation. Thank
you, Mr. Arnett for helping to guide
TAMU into the twentieth century with
your article. I and many others appreciate
your journalistic frankness.
— Larry Webb
For "class’
Editor:
I would like to say a few words on Mr.
Arnett’s latest article — and the replies.
What I don’t understand is this “Texas
A&M love it or leave it attitude we all too
frequently seem to project.
I am proud to be an Aggie and don t like
to hear unjust criticism. I chose this school
to broaden my views as well as my educa
tion. But after reading those responses in
the Batt, I harbor serious doubts about the
ability of some of my fellow Ags of listen
ing to anything but A&M you are perfect
and should never change.
I think the word usage of Mr. Arnett
was lacking in finesse if he were truly seri
ous. If not serious then a very poor piece
of satire, but still and all I got a good laugh
out of some of his suggestions. I figure if
we can have the Diamond Darlings why
not the Gollie Rollie Dollies?
— R. Taylor, ‘80
For drill team
Editor:
This is in response to Paul Arnett’s Feb.
15 article. I disagree with his remarks
about the “military look and the music
our band plays, but he is right about one
thing — the half time show. The idea of a
drill team performing is great. It would
give women a way of supporting our team
besides just joining in on the yells.
No one objects to the Diamond Darl
ings. Why should a drill team bother any
one? I see no threat in 10 or 12 women
performing a routine for the crowd’s
entertainment.
As for arguments that a drill squad
would make A&M “just like everyone
else”, there’s no way! Our school is so
unique that it would take a lot more than
half-time performers to make A&M just
another college. I support A&M’s tra
ditions 100 percent and I wouldn’t change
any of them, but there’s nothing wrong
with starting a new tradition.
— Sandi Walker, ‘80
For dorm cooking
Editor:
Ms. Cornelison s article on illegal cook
ing in the dorms failed to mention a few of
the better advantages for not being on the
board plan. The most important being that
the food the dining halls for the 7-day plan
costs about twice as much as it would nor
mally cost. Another is that you can eat at
any time you please in the convenience of
your own room and that you can eat just
about anything you please, a long as you
have the means for preparation.
Dr. Powell says that cooking attracts ants
and roaches. Now this may be true, but
speaking from experience, the people in
with a bona fide original during an ex
change with Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.
Quoth Case:
“If I understand it correctly, the senator
and I are very fond of each other and re
gard each other highly as individuals. We
would not lift a finger not only not to harm
each other, but we would defend each
other to the death against the panoplies
that people from the outside might at
tempt to visit upon us.
It is not yet apparent whether broad
casting the canal debate actually will
provoke radio owners into panoplizing
themselves. In time, however, outsiders
will come to appreciate the following
truism:
If a legislative body has 100 members,
and if 100 members of the legislative bod)
are distinguished, people will need some
other way of telling them apart.
issues
my dorm have just as much trouble with
insects regardless of whether they are on
the board plan or not. Fire is not really a
hazard, either. Most students are fairly
safety conscious and very few people (if any
at all) do any deep-fat frying or use open
flame cooking devices in their rooms. Even
if there was a major fire, the structural
damage woidd be minimal to most dorms
because they are made of concrete and
brick. There is also the possibility of buying
a little protection, namely fire insurance.
Legalize dormitory cooking!
— Blaine Kinnebrew, ‘78
For Town Hall
Editor:
Regarding Glenda Shultz letter on
Thursday, Feb. 16: In the last year, Town
Hall has never written a letter to The Bat
talion, nor has anyone been authorized to
do so on its behalf. As always, anyone in
terested in discussing the concert business
at A&M is welcome to contact me at the
Student Programs Office, MSC 216.
— Ray Daniels
Town Hall Chairman, ‘77-‘78
For analysis
Editor:
I agree that the Batt owes no apology to
Robert Harvey, Vicki Young, or anyone
else, for the Feb. 14 article concerning the
election of the next student body presi
dent. On the contrary, I thought the arti
cle was a rather astute political analysis.
Liz Newlin obviously did her homework
before writing the article, and the result
was an interesting and informative expla
nation of one aspect of the controversy that
student government is currently involved
in. Keep it up, Liz — most of us need all
the analysis of student government we can
get.
—Paul Mueller, ’78
For letters
Editor:
Having just read today’s rebuttals I want
to express my appreciation to all who write
to the editor. Folks, your letters almost
always give me a laugh or two.
My thanks to all the strategy and rules
experts who enlighten me concerning our
athletics. Thanks are also extended to the
short-sighted people with traditionitis who
believe traditions have existed and will
exist forever and ever, AMEN.
Student Government Circus provides its
share of amusement, too. With all the
hoop-la about GPR requirements I imagine
SG is proud to be doing something. Then
again sometimes a level-headed exception
will write in with praise or criticism well
supported (e,g. Becky Matthew’s criticism
of Robert Harvey ’s resignation or the letter
reminding Ags new and old not to boo re
ferees like some mindless wounded ani
mals. )
All of these together make this column a
real treat. I gleefully await tomorrow’s Bat
talion.
— Chris Lewis, ‘78
Top of the News
Campus
Silver Taps tonight
Silver Taps will be conducted in front of the Academic Building
tonight at 10:30 p.m. in memory of Conrad Paul Schweichler, whose
death occured Feb. 13, 1978.
State
Pharmacist wants rebate system
An Austin pharmacist says the state welfare agency could signifi
cantly reduce the costs of a program that helps pay for prescription
drugs for the needy. Frank Dannelley said the welfare agency,
through its Vendor Drug Program, in effect pays millions of dollars
more per year for recipient’s drugs than the Board of Control, which
buys drugs for state institutions such as state hospitals. The agency
could lower its costs by several million dollars annually by instituting
a rebate system from prescription drug manufacturers, Dannelly said
Saturday.
He recommended the department compute the monthly difference
between its drug prices and the prices paid by the Board of Conrol
and make the manufacturers “cough up the difference because it’s all
going to the state of Texas.
It is
Heart patient "stable’
Isolated in a sterile room in Houston and surrounded by medical
specialits and technicians, a 21-year-old heart transplant patient was
reported in “stable condition late Sunday. A spokesman for the
Texas Heart Institute said the young man, who has not been iden
tified at his parents’ request, “is in stable condition. Physicians re
main pleased but cautious. He continued to talk today and be respon
sive to commands.’ The young man received the first complete heart
transplant surgeiy performed at St. Luke’s Hospital in eight years.
He was reported in improved condition Saturday after two major
heart operations in five days. He briefly talked with his father Satur
day.
'Lozano died of neck injury
A noted pathologist said late Sunday a neck injury probably killed
Larry Ortega Lozano, who died last month in the Ector County jail in
Houston. Harris County Medical Examiner Dr. Joesph Hachimczyk
said he has been reviewing the findings of two earlier autopsies into
the death of Lozano. Numerous Mexician-American groups alleged
Lozano was beaten to death by police. State and federal law enforce
ment agencies are investigating. He said another autopsy miglit be
needed if the two earlier autopsies did not reveal enough information
on which to base a satisfactory conclusion about the death.
"Leaky lines — potential danger
Antiquated and leaky natural gas lines that provide fuel for many
small towns across the state are potential castrophes, Texas Railroad
commission records show. “It’s a miracle that we haven’t had a major
disaster yet,’ said Joe Piotrowski Jr., director of the commission’s gas
utilities division. Piotrowski said none of the city-owned gas systems
inspected by his staff thus far meet state and federal safety standards.
He said his staff was just beginning to evaluate the more than 1,500
public and private pipeline networks in Texas. Until last year, when
the state appropriated funds for additional safety engineers, pipeline
inspections were haphazard and usually a result of complaints, Piot-
rowksi said. Indicative of the problem however, was a 1977 survey
that showed 123 billion cubic feet of natural gas was lost or unac
counted for in Texas in 1975. The survey led to a commission rule that
financially penalzes utilities — no more than five percent of lost gas
can be included in rate computations.
Green seeks intervention
A lawyer for District Attorney Bill Green in Palestine said he will
seek federal court intervention of the disbarment ruling against
Green issued by State District Judge Donald Carroll. The State Bar
of Texas succeeded in having Green barred from practicing law, and
thus considered unqualified to remain as district attorney on grounds
of public misconduct. Green was convicted of public lewdness after
he was arrested in a peep show for performing oral sex with another
man. The misdemeanor conviction is being appealed. Green has said
he was at the site to research pornography. Carroll, who granted a
motion by state bar representatives for a directed verdict, excused
the 11-member jury hearing the case and issued the disbarment rul
ing Wednesday.
Weather
Fair and cold today, tonight, and Tuesday. High today low
50s, low tonight mid-20s. High tomorrow mid-40s. Winds at
5-10 mph, becoming northerly and increasing during the
night.
The Battalion
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munity newspaper. Editorial policy is determined by the
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