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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 1978)
Viewpoint The Battalion Tuesday Texas A&M University February 21, 1978 America and strike freeze together Brace yourself, America. You walked into the hospital like so many others before you with a minor cut on the head. A few stitches quickly administered would have done nicely. But while you waited with a blood-soaked cloth to the wound, the doctors debated among themselves whether stitches, Band-Aids or a kiss on the hurt would save the day. Now they turn back to check on you and see that the situation has far passed the stitches stage. You’ve lost a lot of blood and it’s a battle for life, itself. Mine workers and the industry sat down 78 days ago to settle a walkout involving some 160,000 mine workers. That’s the American way. But the coal strike passed the point of merely being the subject of management stubbornness weeks ago. While negotiators have continued to battle out their personal grievances, an entire nation has been slowly crippled. President Carter has refused to use Taft-Hartley Act strike-breaking pow ers to put mine workers back to work and heat back into American homes. Apparently worried about the many campaign promises he’s broken in his term of office. Carter’s afraid to commandeer this critical situation. Instead he continues to issue gutless threats to a stonewalled bargaining table. Meanwhile, America sees its workers layed off, its lights dimmed and its breath inside the home in the dead of winter. America’s lifeblood, it seems, is a tool of business and politics. The time to act has passed. There’s no way the country will escape the very harsh results of negotiators’ stubbornness and Jimmy “I believe in free collective bargaining” Carter’s political unwillingness. Even if the strike ends today, it will take about a month to put rank-and-file miners back to work and another month to put America back into coal operation. There is but a couple of months’ coal supply left in the country. The ripple effects of strike-produced unemployment, high prices and nagging coal shortages will continue to plague the country for some time. Carter has gone to Congress to work out a strike solution. The Congress ponders, the negotiators fume and threaten violence, and the president takes a garden hose to a forest fire. Mines remain quiet. And America, wrapping up in another blanket, braces herself. J.A. Carter finds Mideast mediation tough iweep liwttwwr Em wi* By HELEN THOMAS United Press International WASHINGTON — President Carter is discovering that the role of mediator is dif ficult and frustrating, especially in the case of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Washington Window Since he came into office a year ago, Carter has made Mideast peace a major goal. And he seems to believe that despite the stops and starts the movement is for ward. In deciding to go to the mat with Israeli leaders over the establishment of settle ments in occupied Arab territory, Carter has taken a calculated risk. The stiffening U.S. position has upset Israel and led to credibility challenges on both sides. The president has reasserted a long- held position — that settlements in oc- cupied territory are ^lliffted tional law. The administration also con- States as a mediator. tends that Carter had a commitment from Israeli leaders last fall that they would not found any new settlements during the year while the search for peace is under full sail. Israeli leaders argue that the settle ments are legal and that no such commit ment was given to Carter. Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin has accused Carter of “taking sides” and both he and Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan have The Arabs also have questioned Carter for his positions on a Palestinian homeland and his public rejection of the Palestine Liberation Organization. “Carter is with us Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday,” an Arab diplomat said. “But on the other days, he is with the Is raelis.” The visit of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat can be viewed either way. Carter and Sadat undoubtedly understand each r jU5r !" other. But Sadat obviously did not get all that he had hoped for, and the administra tion did as much as it could to tone down his public relations effort with the Ameri can public. Despite disillusionment on both sides, a White House aide asks, “Who else can mediate but the United States?” Never theless, in vying for his support, both the Arabs and Israelis are saying in effect, “If you are not with me, you are against me. An interesting sidelight is the fact that when Sadat went to Israel to dramatize his desire for a peaceful reconciliation of the 30-year conflict, the Egyptians, Israelis and all the pundits were saying that Carter had been sidelined, that Sadat’s diploma tic leapfrog had wiped out the U.S. role. But that soon turned out to be a prema ture judgment, and both sides urged the United States to take an active role when it appeared that they could only go so for alone. Carter’s decision to send a repre sentative to the political talks strengthened the hand of both Sadat and Begin to negotiate. In an interview with a group of visiting editors last week, Carter revealed some of his own personal feelings about the role of a mediator. “We have benefited greatly as a nation in seeing some progress made in the Mid dle East, particularly with the new direct negotiations between Egypt and Israel,” Carter said. “It is very discouraging and frustrating thing to be the intermediary or the mes senger boy between a group of leaders in the Middle East who won’t even speak to each other,” he added. “And when you carry a message from one to the other, the one who receives it doesn’t like it and blames the adverse message partially on the messenger. “Then when the reply gets back, there is always an allegation that the United States didn’t do its best to get a favorable answer,” Carter said. “So, it has been a very constructive thing just to get negotiations begun.” The last whizz, shudder, bang By DICK WEST United Press International WASHINGTON — The Pasta V-4 that I’ve been driving to and from repair shops these past seven years failed to respond the other morning when I went out to the carport to give it its daily jump-start. The Lighter Side Stifling panic, I grabbed my copy of “What To Do Until the Tow Truck Ar rives.” Remain calm, it advised. Lift the hood to allow freer circulation and try to make it more comfortable by letting some of the air out of the tires. I followed the tow truck to the garage in a borrowed car. By the time I got there the Letters to the editor Park near Editor: There has been an idea discussed lately that I feel may be of interest to other stu dents, staff, and faculty. This idea has to do with the recreational areas in the north-east corner of the campus. This area is used presently for polo, soccer, softball and hitting golf balls. Obviously, this is a frequented area of recreation. What I would like to see is this area developed into a recreation and park area. I do not mean take away any playing area what so ever, but in the areas surrounding these playing fields furnish more trees and-or shrubs and benches. I believe that this would not only increase the beauty of the area but would also function as a place of outdoor leisure for Aggies. — Carl Nielson, ’79 Letters important Editor: To Chris Lewis: Concerninn; vnur ented in Ui«. m. wapa*/. I’d just like to ask you one question; what kind of a god do you think you are? In your ruthless treatment of letters to the editor, you decline the rights of all people to ex press an opinion. You may have thought that your letter was, in itself, a joke, however, as I under stand, the letters to the editor column is generally a pretty serious matter. To cut service manager was already filling out a coroner’s report. “Dead on arrival, he wrote. Some time later I got the post-mortem. “You’ll be relieved to know it was no thing serious,” the service manager said. “The cause of death was a minor condition known as herniated glove compartment. “What happens is that internal pres sure, usually caused by excess of road maps, ruptures the walls of the glove com partment, releasing Kleenex tissues into the fresh air vent. I said, “If that’s a minor condition, how come the car was pronounced beyond re pair.” “That’s the way it is with some of these little foreign cars,” he explained. “Once the glove compartment goes, they’re finished. I decided to take advantage of the pre-Washington Birthday sales to shop around for a replacement. In seven years I had forgotten how warm and friendly and solicitious of your welfare used car salesmen are. “Hi,” he greeted me. “Honest Sid Lemonpusher at your service. Don’t tell me; let me guess. You’re looking for an inexpensive luxury model that gets good gas mileage without sacrificing roominess and roadability, right?” “How could you tell? I exlaimed, deeply impressed by his prescience. “I can see it in your eyes, he replied. He led me onto the lot. “This here is your basic one-owner trade-in. It was driven less than a year by a retired missionary who only used it to attend weekly vespers. Any questions before we crank it up?” “Yeah. I notice it’s got a door in the rear. Is that what you call a hatchback? “Sort of. Technically, it’s known as a nimble seat. “And these things along the sides?” “They’re called running boards. They make it easier to get in and out.” Although, according to Honest Sid, the car had appreciated in value in the time it had been on the lot, he generously agreed to let me have it for the original sticker price. “The sticker is stuck on there so tight I can’t get it off to change the figures, he said. Once I got the car home I could ap preciate that adhesion. For when I finally soaked the sticker loose, the door fell off. polo grounds for change of scenery down the integrity of a fellow student through your own ignorance just goes to show how little class you have. I would consider, if I were you, being a little more considerate of my fellow stu dents. After all, we are inherently given freedom of expression, and for you to laugh at someone who provides their hard-worked thoughts for the considera tion of the whole student body, is for you to laugh at the constitution of the United States. Maybe if I could shed a little light for you, it might be easier. John Stuart Mill once declared; “Though the silenced opin ion be an error, it may, and very com monly does, contain a portion of the truth; and since the general or prevailing opinion on any subject is rarely or never the whole truth, it is only by the collision of adverse opinions that the remainder of the truth has any chance of being supplied.” — George R. Gagnon, ’80 ISJn-ly Editor: Re: Glenda Schultz’s letter on Emerson, Lake and Palmer... Having seen many concerts at A&M, I don’t blame performers one bit for not wanting to play here. After all, who wants to have their $50,000 Yamaha synthesizer made into a target for Frisbee practice? And G. Rollie was designed for basketball, not Bach. However, it may be that our “reputation” for being “independent has a tendency to cause people like ELP to shy away for us, but I surely hope not. — Paul Schreiber, ’79 Thanks for drive Editor: In regards to Ray Daniel’s letter, I would just like to publicly thank him for having me drive 150 miles to another school to see Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Even though the crowd was estimated at 3,000, they were able to sign the act with out fear of spending too much money. Also, sorry we couldn’t take you along Ray, but a lot of others wanted to go along too and there wasn t any room. — Stacy Holt, ’79 Top of the News Campus Spring Awards deadline set The Spring Awards Scholarships deadline is March 1. Application forms for spring awards mav be obtained from the Student Financial Office, YMCA Building, room 310. Applications will not be ac cepted after 5 p.m. on the deadline date, said R. M. Logan, director secretary, scholarship committee. The open ed v Microtext check-out changes The Microtext Department of the University Library has an nounced a new circulation policy for microfiche readers. Under graduate students may check out microfiche for two weeks while graduate students and facility can check them out for one month. The portable microfiche readers can be checked out for one week. Graduate students and faculty may renew these materials by tele phone, unless a hold has been placed on them by another library patron. State Eleven die in two blazes consol ^ typew ivate Two multi-fatality blazes over the weekend in Houston and Keene, Texas, killed 11, authorities said Monday. A pet goat apparently kicked over a back porch electric heater which started a house fire in Houston, where a mother and four of her children were killed. The family kept three baby goats on their back porch and the heater to keep them warm, said Shirley Johnson of the Harris County fire { marshall s office. Cause of the second fire, which killed three adults “ and three children in Keene, has yet to be determined. > Burned victim lifted to U.S. A 3-year-old girl from the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific who was seriously burned while playing with matches was successfully airlifted from Honolulu to Brooke Army Medical Center in San An tonio Monday for treatment. The girl, Nani Nagel, was in critical condition with second and third degree burns on 40 percent oilier body. Doctors placed Nani's chances of survival at “50-50." Nation Florida holds sex slayer suspect Set Idea :ers a; for lo' tempt she is Florida authorities may try Theodore Bundy for car theft and burglary before surrendering him to other states for questioning about the sex slay ings of 36 young women since 1969. The strategy, J said one source, is to keep Bundy in the state in hopes of eventually finding enough evidence to charge him with the Jan. 15 murders of] two Florida State University students. Final decision on the matter would be up to Governor Reubin Askew, should Colorado or three j other states seeking Bundy demand extradition. i ■ Z*. i r5 Carter seeks coal strike advice In Washington Monday, President Carter set aside collective bar gaining for the moment and sought the advice of key congressmen on how to end the record 78-day strike by 160,()()() coal miners. At the same time, one independent coal company reached a tentative set tlement of its contract with the United Mine Workers, apparently the first crack in the record walkout. Labor Secretary Ray Marshall and Carter told lawmakers what administration officials indicated were three options they could take: There could be orders for the minerstoj work under the Taft-Hartley Act, which UMW President Arnold Miller warned would provoke bloodshed at the mines. They could begin submitting the soft coal industry and UMW to binding arbitra tion, or there could be a federal takeover of the mines, during which the government would set "fair wage and profit lev els while tlir bargaining continues. Congress would hav e to approve either bfthe last two options. Egyptian commandoes home An Egyptian airplane flew home from Nicosia, Cyprus Monday with some of the Egyptian commandoes killed and wounded in an Entebbe-like hostage rescue raid that turned into a bloody airport battle with Cypriot troops. Cypriot Defense Minister Christodoulos Veniamin put the Egyptian casualty toll at 15 dead and two missing, 16 injured and 41 captured. Cause of such actions began with the weekend terror on Saturday by two Palestinian gunmen who assassi nated one of President Anwar Sadat s closest friends. The Palestinians th en commandered a Cyprus DC-8 jetliner with 80 hostages. They later freed all but 16. Cypriot officials blamed the 50-minute rocket, machine gun and mortar battle on the 75 or more Egyptians and said they tried to stage the raid in violation of Cypriot sovereignty just as the Palestinians were about to surrender to the Cypriots. Cyprus has agreed to let those who were captured or surrendered, go home as soon as they get transportation. The Egyptian version, said, their commandoes carried out the mission skillfully and bravely. As a result the two terrorists surrendered and all hostages were released safely Weather Clear & cold today and tonight. Fair and warmer on Wed nesday. High today low 50s. Low tonight mid 20s. High to morrow upper 50s. Winds from the north at 15-20 mph. Chill factor this morning 5 degrees above 0. The Battalion Opinions expressed in The Battalion are 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, self-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 Battalio i 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. Address: The Battalion, Room 216, Heed McDonald Building, College Station, Texa.''.^ United Press International is entitled exelusMjjjl use for reproduction of all news dispatclu’s wdiM! Rights of reproduction of all other matter herfiim’^' Second-Class postage paid at College Station, IX MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest JournaMsm Congre c s Editor Managing Editor Man Alice WmJ Sports Editor Pj"h News Editors Marie Homeyer. Urd'* Assistant Managing Editor ... CleinB*** City Editoi Kiin^ Campus Editor Kiw 1 ' Reporters . t .... Li/. Nowlin. l);i\i(IW Mark Patterson, Lee Hoy Lesdiperjr Welch. Scott Perkins. Andy Paige Beasley. Bolt k* Photographers Susan Webb. Km I' Cartoonist Doiipf" Student Publications Board: Bob C». Ritftft*. fk' J(te Arredondo: Dr. (•ary Haller. Dr. John W. I Robert Harvey. Dr Charles M('Candida:,Dr (h* Phillips. Rebel Rice. Director of Student hlh* Donald C. Johnson.