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.
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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.