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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 1978)
Viewpoint The Battalion Texas A&M University Thursday March 2^ 1978 Campus The great presidential backout The keepers of the White House mansion could be ripping apart the Oval Office’s mahogony desk and still you can bet the president would remain the paper tiger in the coal dispute. It’s nearing the point where half a month’s coal is left in supply to heat and light the nation. Thousands are out of work, directly or indirectly ousted by the coal strike. The economy is in desparate straits and millions are fighting one of the fiercest winters on record. Jimmy Carter pulls on a sweater, makes idle threats and retreats behind the patriotic maxim, “leave just compensation to free collective bargaining.” Meanwhile, who compensates the freezing families, unemployed laborers and queezed breadwinners? Carter has placed the country in economic jeopardy in bowing to union and industry when it was obvious weeks ago that neither would budge on contract demands. His refusal to invoke the Taft-Hartley Act in the face of extreme national hardships and a huffing-and-puffing union is a sad and somewhat frightening commentary on a president under pressure. God help us if OPEC or the Reds request invasion rights. J.A. What hassle lurks in Senate wings? By IRA ALLEN United Press International WASHINGTON — With the Panama Canal debate finally under way, a domes tic issue of equal fervence is waiting almost unnoticed in the on-deck circle. What the administration calls its “labor reform bill may be called up for action after the canal debate, and its opponents are promising a filibuster. Judging from the early stidency of its opponents, that debate could be the nightcap of a ran corous springtime doubleheader. Senate Democratic leader Robert Byrd will decide when the bill is called up, and last week he said he had given it little thought. “We have a full platter ahead of us,” he said, referring to the canal treaties, the still-stalled energy legislation and other bills that are out of committee. If the threat of a filibuster is clear, Byrd may not call it up at all. The bill was designed as a reaction to the obstinacy of some companies — nota bly the J.P. Stevens textile firm — in complying with labor laws requiring them to recognize unions if the employees want them and to begin collective bargaining. Washington Window Its conservative opponents see it as no thing less than “intimidation by union bos ses to force thousands of small companies to unionize. The bill, already passed by the House, sailed through the Senate Human Re source Committee three weeks ago with the understanding that its opponents woidd offer their crippling amendments on the Senate floor. At that time, the committee did take up one key amendment — to increase from 21 to 30 days the length of time a company has in which to hold an election among employees to determine if a union should come in. The amendment was sponsored by Sen. Thomas Eagleton, D-Mo., who said it was a compromise in the spirit of preserving “peace and harmony. After it passed by an 8-7 vote over the objections of committee chairman Harri son Williams, D-N.J., Eagleton remarked with some foresight: "That ain’t much peace and harmony. Besides the early election provision — there is no time limit under current law — the Senate version would penalize em ployers by making tham shell out one and one halftimes back pay for employees they unjustly fire for union activities and would bar them for a set time from getting fed eral contracts if they continue to v iolate the law. The chief opponent of the bill. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, didn t fight the bill in committee, realizing the futility of going against a panel composed predominantly of pro-labor liberals. At a news conference recently, Hatch sounded as if the filibuster had already started. The intense, unsmiling freshman launched into full-blown debate rhetoric in answer to simple questions. "If this bill passes it will change labor- management relations and turn it upside down, he said. "It will change a bill which ahs been a remedial statute for 43 years into a punitive statute and add clearly to the size of the bureaucracy and will do no thing more than force unionization all across this country. "The only people who are benefited by this legislation are the union bosses who control this country. Some of his choicest epithets for the bill were “reprehensible, "obnoxious and, his favorite, "push-button unionism shrouded in the name of reform. Strong stuff from someone who says he was raised in a union family, spent 10 years in an AFL-CIO union as a latherer and who “personallv believes in unionism. But it sounded as if he was only begin ning. A short month long on aggravations By DICK WEST United Press International WASINGTON — You’ve heard Randy Newman’s song about "Short People?” Well, that’s the way I feel about biif short ' month. . _ ,, .* It’s got nasty little days and dismal little nights. The only thing it’s good for is dropping out of sight. It’s got treacherous little streets sending autos into spins. It’s got glassy little sidewalks that throw pedestrians. It’s got salty little slush pools turning fenders into rust. And jagged little pot holes making springs and axles bust. It’s got little airlines grounded from The Tighter Side East Orange to Pocatello. It’s got ghastly little heat bills that would bankrupt Roc- kefellow. It’s got tiny lethal flu germs breaking out in epidemics. And dreary Panama de bates that give a bad name to polemics. It’s got high priced little plumbers thaw ing frozen little pipes. It’s got frost- encrusted windshields that little wipers cannot wipe. It’s got coagulated traffice that moves like gelid grease. It’s got a Middle Eastern “Did you hear that, Uncle Fermus?” I called. “They aren’t going to have Connec ticut today.” “What about trombone practice?” Uncle Fermus asked. One Dolly Parton record and six com mercials later the radio said, “Here’s an update on the latest closings. Rhode Island has been shut down until further notice.” “Rhode Island has trouble staying open even in good weather,” Uncle Fermus snorted. The radio reported the latest non developments in the Mideast peace talks, the Panama Canal debates and the flu epidemic. Then it announced that Dela ware had been postponed until Friday. “February is even worse than I remem bered,” I said. “Thus far they’ve called off three snowmobile demonstrations, four drum and bugle corps rehearsals and two- thirds of New England.” stalemate that drags on without surcease. It’s got little power blackouts that everybody curses. It’s even got me cursing it with inane little verses. February, in short, has got no reason to live. All of its myriad miserable defects seemed to come to a head one morning this week when Uncle Fermus turned on the radio to find out if his weekly trom bone lessons were on or off. “This bulletin just in,” the radio said. “Connecticut has been cancelled due to February. We turned to another station. It said that Marine was being dismissed two hours early. About the only thing functioning nor mally this month is the TGIILP Club. In case you care to join, that stands for Thank God It Isn’t Leap Year. Letters to the editor A ‘bravo’ for campus cultural productions Editor: I am always saddened by the relatively few students who attend OPAS, pres entations by the Aggie Players, and other campus cultural programs, but I was filled with remorse at the handful of parents, faculty, and otherwise interested persons who, last Thursday, witnessed one of the finest performances ever by a campus group. The rest of you Ags will never know what you missed. The entire program was perfection, but I don t know when I’ve been so moved by music as when members from the brass section of the Aggie Concert Band formed two antiphonal choirs to accompany the University Symphonic Band in the Finale from the Symphony No. 1 by Kalinnikov, and joined them in The Stars and Stripes Forever for an encore. A standing “Bravo” and a rousing “Whoooah” for these fine groups. Who says we ain’t got no class. — Jim Metcalf, ’75, ’79 also played in the Buffalo Springfield) and will no doubt be here for another. Songs like “Love the One You re With," “Word Game,” and “Johnny’s Garden are unforgettable. Then there are the im mortal Crosby, Stills & Nash classics that he wrote; "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, “Wooden Ships,” "4 & 20,” and “Carry On, to name a very few. I believe that Mr. Ashfield is comparing Stills’ music to the sound CSN produced 10 years ago. That is unfair — because no one can reproduce that type of harmony or style. Stills’ music is his own — the words tell stories and deal with reality. Such as: ‘It takes two to be friends. It takes two to be lovers. You know you have it made When you have one the same as the other! Which is as close to the truth as you can possible get. — Nansi S. Vestal Slouch by Jim Earle Stills still good Ripped off Editor: I am writing this letter in regard to an article written by Bob Ashfield on Eric Clapton Wed. Feb. 17,1978. I believe Mr. Ashfield made a rash statement concerning Stephen Stills in his article. I believe he referred to Stills as an old guitar whiz turned sour...on his own. Mr. Ashfield should have researched his subject more soundly before printing such a statement. Stills has eight albums to his credit since going off on his own. In his first two albums he composed all selections. Stills’ talents can be equalled by few — he plays most any string instrument, all key boards in- elusing harpsicord, steel drum, percus sion, and moog synthesizer. He also con ducts, composes, arranges, and produces his own music. Stephen Stills’ music and lyrics have been around for more than a decade (he Editor: I agreed with the author of Feb. 28 “Reader s Forum” which criticized the holier-than-thou attitude of some Ags, that is, until my copy of The Battalion was rip ped off while I was in the MSC cafeteria by a black-haired, bearded man about 5'2.” (Yes, I saw you. I had just left my tray for a few seconds to refill my iced tea and was returning when you grabbed my paper.) I have to assume that this person realized I was going to come back to my seat because I left an untouched piece of chocolate pie with my tray. I’d be the last person to criticize a fellow Ag, but is that the Aggie Spirit? If you wanted a paper, why didn’t you just forfeit your place in line (a very small line at about 12:45, I might add) and go get one at the paper rack? I did! — Alan Pyeatt, ’81 GAMS AtAR 2 - 7# For some reason, he identifies with me!’ Volunteers needed for flu stui^ The Texas A&M University College of Medicine is asking for* foe tes dent volunteers for an influenza prevention study. About 600 sti dents are needed for the study which will last six to nine Participants can earn about $30. The use of the drugs amantadineaii rimantadine will be studied. Further information can be obtained ill meeting today from 3 to 5 p.m. and Friday from 10 to 11 am meetings are in Room 107 of the SLAB. State Ma Bell goes to Supreme Court Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., contending it is losing $350,000 a day because of a Public Utility Commission decision, Wednesday won the right to argue its appeal before the Texas Supreme Court in Austin. Bell contends the PUC acted improperly in January 19771)) permitting Bell a $57.8 million rate increase when the company lad requested a statewide increase of $300 million. Arguments on Bells appeal were scheduled for April 5. It will be the first time a case challenging the Utility Commission’s rate making policies has reached the Supreme Court since the regulatory agency took jurisdic tion over statewide utility rates in September 1976. General Tele phone Co. of the Southwest, Continental Telephone Co. oflexasand Entex, Inc., a gas utility, filed friend of the court briefs supporting Bell s arguments. tion s Sel n toln •ied te ; than ns m Borderline case of farmstrike Police in Hidalgo Wednesday fired tear gas into a group of 20(1 angry farmers blocking traffic on the International Bridge protesting the importation of agricultural products from Mexico into the United States. The protesters were routed from the center of the bridge where they had forced two Mexicans to abandon a truckload of wa termelons. Police officers implored the farmers to move from the bridge and allow a ,backlog of traffic to clear. When the farmers lingered on the bridge, the tear gas barrage began. An estimated 1,000 spectators gathered on both sides of the border until the fumes drifted into the crowds. As the farmers moved toward U.S. soil they were met by a line of state troopers standing shoulder to shoulder who ushered them into a fenced area. The farmers were then loaded aboard a bus, apparently to be transported to the Hidalgo Countyji The farmstrike participants were at the border to protest the import ing of crops gorwn in Mexico with the aid of pesticides such as M that are banned in the United States. Fire wi plant Tin n det [e are lontro Cooley s transplant patient dies A 21-year-old oil field worker who underwent transplant surgery I two weeks ago to receive a new heart died Wednesday at St. Lulresl Hospital in Houston. Hospital officials had repor ted earlier in the day! that although Kirk Martin of Bay City had seemed to he recovering,I his condition began deteriorating early in the day. Martin receivedjj heart and kidney from a 38-year-old suicide victim Feb. 14 by, a tea of Texas Heart Institute surgeonsTed by Dr. Denton A. Cooley was the first heart transplant Cooley had attempted in eight years Cooley had given up the procedure after 21 tries in 1968-69 because of difficulty in overcoming the body s natural rejection of foreign hearts. All 21 patients of the initial attempts at heart transplants died as a result of complications of the surgery or the rejection. Althougli results of the autopsy will not be released for several days, a hospital statement indicated the failure of the transplanted kidney led tol tin’s death. Nation For sale: one Superdome Gov. Edwin Edwards of Louisiana said negotiations to sell Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans to the Hyatt Managemeit Corp. were in the preliminary stages and no dollar figure for mammoth stadium has been mentioned. Edwards confirmedTuesib HMC executives were negotiating with the state to buy the $163) , million facility. Since its opening in 1975, the Superdome has oper p ated at a deficit averaging $5 million annually. Two killed in DC-10 fire Two persons were killed and 30 were injured Wednesday w Continental Airlines DC-10 with nearly 200 persons aboard bursting flames and skidded to a halt as it was leaving Los Angeles Intent) tional Airport. Continental said the plane was carrying W passengers and a crew of either nine or 10. Ambulances took die injured to several hospitals in the vicinity of the airport. The control tower said many of the passengers walked unaided from the planet? the terminal. A spokesman for the Department of Airports said tie fire started when the landing gear broke down after the tires hlewo and the plane skidded along the runway. The fire was extinguished seven minutes, the spokesman said. Weather Mostly cloudy today with a chance of showers. Clear and cooler tonight with a continuing possibility of rain. High today mid-60s, low tonight low 40s. High tomorrow low 50s. Winds from the southeast at 10-15 mpti. 30% chance of rain today, tonight and tomorrow. Cloudy and colder on Saturday with a continued possibility of showers. 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 newsfmper. Editorial policy is determined by the editor. LETTERS POUCY 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. Reed McDonald Building, College Station. Tr* United Press International is entitledrxchi^Jr use for reproduction of all news dispatc-ho Bights of reproduction of all other matter Second-Class postage paid at College Stalk#. Editor Managing Editor Sports Editor News Editors Assistant Managing Editor Cits Editor Campus Editor Ri*l>orters Mark PatteiM MEMBER Texas Press Assoeiation Southwest Journalism Congress J#** Man Alkr"^ . N Marie llimirUT. (W v Ck-HB®' bn- 1 * 1 > 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. Address: The Battalion. Boom 216, Photographei Cartoonist . . 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