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Viewpoint
The Battalion Wednesday
Texas A&M University April 12, 1978
Keep us informed
President Carter is expected to make the combatting of inflation the
No.l priority of his administration.
The declining value of the dollar and the sluggish performance of the
economy during the first quarter of 1978 will give point to whatever rec
ommendations the president may make. He has already begun to “jaw
bone” the steel industry to justify its price increases, and federal em
ployees may be asked to take smaller pay raises than they had expected.
However, the president should tell all Americans plainly and in ad
vance what he intends to do if the appeal to example and voluntarism fail.
San Jose Mercury
Tax experts pass the buck
By IRA R. ALLEN
WASHINGTON (UPI) — That unpleas
ant April rite, paying income taxes, is ac
companied this election year by a new
catchphrase on Capitol Hill.
“The tax burden” seems to be the latest
topic for magazine and newspaper analyses
and political debate— that is, the question
of which class of taxpayers is shouldering
the heaviest load of those ugly taxes.
Depending on which set of claims is put
forward and which class one belongs to,
the answer seems perfectly obvious — you
are paying more than your share while the
other guy is getting all the breaks.
The genesis of the current debate came
in the 1976 presidential campaign when
Jimmy Carter said he would tax most heav
ily those with higher than the median in
come, apparently without realizing he was
talking about everyone earning more than
about $14,000 a year. The Republicans
jumped all over him for that, recognizing
that people earning $14,000 a year don’t
feel wealthy, even though logic dictates
half their fellow Americans were worse off.
Since his election, Carter has backed
new Social Security and oil taxes and
called for income tax reform so that most of
those earning less that $30,000 a year
would pay less.
Washington Window
The Republican position, backed by
statistics from the IRS itself, is that the
lower and middle income groups have had
their share of taxation increased in recent
years, while the extremely rich and ex
tremely poor get off lighter.
According to Republican congressional
staffer Paul Craig Roberts writing in the
March issue of Harper’s, IRS statistics for
1975 show the top half in income — those
at about $9,000 a year or more — pay al
most 93 percent of the income taxes. The
top 10 percent, those with adjusted gross
income of $23,420 or more pay half. Con
versely, those earning over $59,338 pay
18.7 percent of all income taxes and the
lowest 25 percent of income earners pay
only 0.4 of 1 percent of the total.
Carter’s “tax reform” with its aim of clos
ing loopholes and ending certain deduc
tions, Roberts says, hits the middle in
come group harder than the rich and is
another indication of “runaway greed in
Washington.”
But a recent report based on figures
from the Treasury Department and the
Brookings Institution, a liberal think tank,
shows that the middle income family earn
ing between $10,000 and $12,000 a year
pays the lowest percentage of income —
about 30 percent — for all taxes combined:
federal, state, local, income, property and
sales. All the other groups, richer or
poorer, pay a higher percentage of in
come.
The reason middle class people pay so
great a share of taxes, goes the liberal
anaylsis, is simply because there are so
many more of them.
The real villain, according to critics of
both the current system and Carter’s tax
proposals, is inflation. As people earn
more money, they get pushed into higher
tax brackets, although their higher in
comes don’t give them any more wealth
because prices are rising at the same time.
Everything thus stays the same except the
taxes.
In some cases in this debate, opponents
are tossing statistical apples and oranges at
each other. But in any event, it does seem
clear the system is working as intended —
taxing those with higher incomes at higher
rates. At the same time, inflation -
caused “bracket creep” is leaving people
worse off than they were at lower incomes
and feeling abused by the tax system.
And the real problem for politicians as
they face re-election is convincing people
struggling to raise a family on $15,000 or
$20,000 that — statistically, at least —
they are rich.
Letters to the editor
j:|! 'l^.M UA C.|«.
Friday gets renamed
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by almost everybody
Editor:
As avid child molesters, we would like
to take this opportunity to thank the
people of TAMU, Bryan-College Station,
and the nation for making Clothes Day
(April 11) such a resounding success.
Sponsored by the National Child
Molesters’ Task Force, Clothes Day was a
national effort to promote molester aware
ness.
The student body of A&M displayed
overwhelming support for our cause, as
thousands of Aggies were seen wearing
clothes Thursday. We were especially
pleased to have gained the support of the
A&M faculty, who went out of their way to
wear clothes, even at the risk of personal
harm from a handful of bigots who oppose
our cause. Rumor has it that the president
and other top-ranking administrators of
the University wore clothes on Thursday,
although we cannot verify these reports.
It is high time that child molesters come
out of the closet and be recognized as
human beings, with human feelings and
human flaws. With the enthusiastic par
ticipation of the TAMU community on
Clothes Day, we feel that child molesters
everywhere have taken a significant step
toward equality for all.
—Davis Clenn Caldwell, ’80
Walter Brian McDonnell, ’79
Jerry Don Norton, ’81
Slouch
Zippers up
Editor:
In response to the ad entitled DID YOU
KNOW printed in Monday’s Battalion, we
feel that a demonstration for the newly
founded National Heterosexual Task
Force is also in order for this Friday.
Therefore we propose that all “straights”
support our cause by wearing blue jeans
with zippers up to distinguish us from the
other group.
—Larry W. Hilscher, ’79
Raymond J. Dunn, ’78
Necro Day
Editor:
I want to congratulate you on your lib
eral editing of the Battalion on Monday.
The advertisement concerning “Gay Blue
Jean Day” on Friday is a major accom
plishment that will go down in the annals
of newspaper publications. As a charter
member of the ANA (American Nec
rophiliac Association), your publication
holds a warm place in my heart. I feel that
necrophiliacs will come out of their
morgues across the country and show their
colors.
Now that significant minorities such as
the “Gays” are making such a great impact
on today’s society. I would like to inform
by Jim Earle
all necrophiliacs that Friday, April 14 also
happens to be the “National Necrophilia
Day“. Necros across the country will be
wearing white T-shirts and corduroys. If
you are a necro or a supporter of our be
liefs get out and let it be known. So that
we too may gain an important spot in the
history of our great nation.
—Louis Bonno, ’80
Try polka dots
Editor:
In reference to the National Gay Task
Force ad printed in Monday’s Battalion:
Wearing blue jeans this Friday as “a
national effort to promote gay awareness”
seems to defeat its purpose since practi
cally everyone wears blue jeans any and
every day of the week. If the National
Gay Task Force wants to promote gay
awareness, why don’t they try a Purple
With Pink Polka Dots Pants Day instead.
I am not suggesting gay persons and/or
gay supporters wear “funny” clothes, but
I think the National Gay Task Force
should pick a more appropriate and
noticeable article of clothing to demon
strate their support.
—Anne Marsden, ’81
Try pink tights
Editor:
In response to the advertisement in the
Batt Monday suggesting that TAMU stu
dents wear blue jeans in a national effort to
show their support for Gay Rights, we
deem it necessary as non-gays to reveal
the true motive behind the appeal. Be
cause the wardrobe of many students at
Texas A&M consists entirely of blue
jeans, this request is actually an attempt
by homo-, by-, and or transexuals to
coerce heterosexuals into attending class
wearing no pants at all. We feel a more
appropriate request would be for all gays
to wear pink tights with a zodiac necklace
around their neck. This would be more
synonymous with the gay sub-culture.
We, personally would feel somewhat ill at
ease attending class with nothing on but
our boxers, while a few gays stand around
and stare.
—Brian Reese, ’79
Editor’s note: This letter was accom
panied with 67 other signatures.
Straight man
Editor:
As I was thumbing through The Battal
ion today I noticed an advertisement stat
ing that Friday, April 14 is to be specified
as “Blue Jean Day“. As I understand wear
ing blue jeans on Friday is supposed to
symbolize your support of gay rights.
I found all this rather amusing as it
seems that most people wear jeans every
day. Are the people who do not support
gay rights supposed to attend school wear
ing something that is out of their ordinary
attire?
It would seem to me that the people
who organized this special day have little
faith in their people or they would have
chosen something more out of the ordi-
nary. It is kind of like saying that everyone
who supports gay rights should wear
shoes.
I will wear my jeans on Friday just like I
do everyday but not for the purpose of
supporting gay rights. I do not support
things that I feel are perverted. So if any of
you gays out there had any guts you would
wear a T-shirt that says “I AM GAY” on it
or something more obvious. As for me I
will be wearing one that says “I AM
STRAIGHT.”
—Clay Bright, ’78
Thanks for info
Editor:
It seems that the Battalion is constantly
being criticized for the quality of its ads,
but we would like to be the first to com
pliment the Battalion Staff for presenting a
truly useful, informative ad. Had it not
been for your announcement in Monday’s
Batt from the National Gay Task Force
proclaiming Friday as Blue Jean Day,
there would be countless thousands of un
informed normal heterosexual Aggies
classified as supporters of a deviant lifes
tyle. Thank you.
—Matthew Bailey, ’81
Editor’s note: This letter was accom
panied with 10 other signatures.
Please return
Editor:
Having read The Battalion for about
eight months now, I chuckle every time I
see a “good” Ag vs. “bad” Ag letter. I have
always thought that name-calling was pre
tty cheap.
But I’m not writing this to call anyone a
name. I would just like to ask the “friend”
of mine who “borrowed” my dark blue
sweatshirt to at least tell me what he did
with the keys. I’d like the sweatshirt back;
but if you want it that bad, you can have it.
Just tell me where the keys are; I would
rather not have to go through the expen
sive process of replacing them.
You can reach me at 5-4577 in Dorm 4,
Room 402, Sunday through Thursday after
8 p.m. I hope you enjoy the sweatshirt, it
should keep you nice and warm over the
summer.
—Chuck Schmitt, ’81
Thanks, Moses
Editor:
We would like to congratulate the or
ganizers of Second Annual Moses Hall
Show for a job well done. The talented
performers with their various acts
provided for an entertaining Sunday after
noon. In our opinion, the show was a large
success.
—Members of the audience
“AFTER I FILLED OUT THIS TAX FORM, IT SAYS TO DIS
REGARD ALL OF TH’ PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS IF A PERSON
EARNED AS LITTLE AS I DID!”
Top of the
Campus
Herrod funeral services today
Funeral services for Eddie Paul Herrod, 23, of 2101 Stevens Dr.,
Bryan, will be held at 3 p.m. today in the Callaway-Jones Funeral
Home Chapel in College Station. Herrod, a water plant operatoral
Texas A&M University, died Monday afternoon near Calvert when a
boom he was riding came in contact with an electrical power line. He
was doing after-hours work with his father on a water well, and inves
tigators said he was accidentally electrocuted. Herrod was a graduate
of Bryan High school. Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Judy Herrod,
his son. Rusty and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Herrod, allot
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Free meal on for graduates
May and summer graduates of Texas A&M University have been
invited to have a free meal next week, compliments ol the Univer
sity’s Association of Former Students. The annual Senior Induction
Banquets will be on Monday and Tuesday nights at the Ramada Inn.
Tickets should be picked up between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. in Forsyth
Alumni Center in the Memorial Student Center. A student identin- j
cation card must be shown and tickets picked up by Friday. Class
agents will be elected at the banquets. Those interested in running
for class agents are expected to attend a 4 p.m. meeting Thursday in
Richard Weirus, the executive director’s office.
Preregistration date changed
Preregistration for the 1978 fall semester has been changed to April
24-28. Students currently enrolled at Texas A&M Univeristy can pick
up registration card packets at the offices of the heads of their major
departments. After a student’s course request card has been ap
proved, he should report to the Exhibit Hall of Rudder lower to
complete registration. No fees for the fall semester will be collected
at this time. A statment will be mailed to the students at their perma
nent mailing addresses by the Fiscal Department on, or about, July
15. Fees must be paid by mail to the Fiscal Department by
After fees have been paid, class schedules and fee receipts will be
mailed to the students’ at their permanent addresses.
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State
Houston assistant chief arrested
The Houston mayor and police chief Tuesday said the arrest of an
assistant chief on a federal obstruction of justice charge probably
won’t be the last criminal case to rock the scandal-plagued police
department. Mayor Jim McConn said they are attempting to elimi
nate “a handful of bad apples’ in the department. Assistant Chiel
Carrol M. Lynn was arrested Monday after allegedly taking $25,000
— with FBI agents listening on hidden microphones — and promis- m cerea
ing to “fix” a federal securities charge. He was freed Tuesday on j,jg fousi
$50,000 bond. Charges against Lynn follow the recent civil rights
conviction of three officers in the drowning of a Mexican-American
prisoner and the start of federal inquiries into two other deaths oi
suspects in police custody.
Nation
Nuclear warheads detonated I
The first of two nuclear warheads was detonated underground at
the Nevada Test Site Tuesday and scientists immediately prepared to
set off the second two hours later. Little ground motion was felt at the
control center 25 miles from ground zero when the first test, “Fon-
dutta,” was touched off at 7:30 a.m. Residents of Las Vegas, 110 miles
to the south, were unable to feel the blast. The Department of
Energy said there was no indication of radiation leak from “Fon-
dutta. Dust puffed into the air above ground zero when it was deto
nated but quickly settled back to earth.
Betty Ford has drug dependence
Betty Ford is a patient in the drug and alcoholism ward of a Navy
hospital in California because she “developed a dependence” on un
identified medication, the commanding officer of the hospital said.
Asked whether he was saying she was a drug addict, he replied, “No,
I m not.’ The former president’s wife, 60, said that over a period of
time she began over-medicating herself. She has been troubled by
arthritis and other painful ailments for some years. She entered the
Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Center of Long Beach Naval Hospi
tal Monday to overcome dependence. Former President Ford said
the hospitalization is not related in any way to his wife s cancer
surgery four years ago.
Volkswagen ‘goes American
Volkswagen is off and running as America’s fifth and newest car
producer. The first American-built Volkswagen Rabbits began rolling
off the assembly line Monday at a sparkling new plant in the south
western Pennsylvania foothills near Pittsburgh. Volkswagen opened
the plant in America to eliminate import expenses. Volkswagen
doesHot intend to cut the Rabbit’s $4,200 list price, but says prices
will be more competitive in the future as a result of the move. The
new corporation will build 50,000 Rabbits this year and 200,000
next year, surpassing American Motors Corp. as the nation’s No. 4
domestic carmaker.
Weather
Mostly cloudy and mild today with chance of thunder show
ers. Partly cloudy and cool tonight turning fair and warmer
tomorrow. High today mid-70s, low tonight mid-50s. High
tomorrow mid-70s. Winds from the south at 8-14 mph. 30%
chance of rain today.
The Battalion
or 0 nfiZ 0nSe t Xpr Tl d in Tt r Battalion are those of the editor
ttJuri.lT'r °!l he “ nd are nUt necessa ’dly those of
Ed,tonal policy is determined by the editor '
LETTERS POUCY
sJbilTtoV^ editor sho u ld r exceed 300 words and are
to , that htngth or less if longer. The
ZtV£raZ£ , ,0 edit s ^ h Otters and does
sienfTsZ P £ U * h 71 ^ Each tetter must be
signed, snow the address of the uyritor i- + , / i
number for verification l,St “ te,e » hone
DerioUs anH ' C pt dunn g exam and holiday
penoas ana the summer, when it ic j w j
Wednesdays and Fridays. P u M>shed on Mondays,
schooWear^vfon" 5 T„ $16 75 per se “r; *33.25 per
McDonald Building, College Station, Texas
United Press International is entitled exclusive') L
use for reproduction of all news dispatches credit a
Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein rt ^
Second-Class postage paid at College Station, 1 J
MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Editor • • • J a jj e j
Managing Editor Mary Alice Wo°
Sports Editor ^ ^
! News Editors Marie Homeyer, Caro*
! Assistant Managing Editor Glenna
City Editor K aren j-
I Campus Editor ;
I Reporters Liz Newlin, David 11
Mark Patterson, Lee Roy Leschper rv
Welch, Jim Crawley, Andy'^
Paige Beasley, Bob
| Photographers Susan Webb, David .
j Cartoonist Doug
Student Publications Board: Bob G. Rogers, Cj*
Joe Arredondo, Dt. Gary Halter, Dr. Charles
Dr. Clinton A. Phillips, Rel>el Rice. Director ol>