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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1978)
The Battalion Monday Texas A&M University May 1, 1978 Carter is too We’ve been growing steadily more astounded by the kind words President Carter, the aposde of human rights, has been showering on the rulers of repressive lands. The latest case in point came during the visit to the White House of Nicolae Ceausecu, president. Communist Party boss, and every thing else of Romania. Of himself and his guest. Carter said, “We believe in enhancing humah rights.” Huh? No Ceausecu deserves credit for asserting Romania’s foreign-policy independence from the Soviet Union. But the only reason Moscow let him get away with it is that he runs perhaps the tightest police state in Eastern Europe. During an earlier visit by President Tito of Yugoslavia, Carter declared, “He’s a man who believes in human rights.” Tito also deserves respect for wrenching Yugoslavia from the Kremlin’s grasp, but he’s no civil rights fen. A Yugoslav who writes or says anything opposed to the Tito line generally winds up in jail. Carter also has a high opinion of the Shah of Iran, who rules like an absolute monarch with the help of a vast secret-police apparatus. Speaking of himself and the Shah, Carter said, “We emphasize guaranteeing our citizens the fullest economic and political human rights.” Certainly there is a place for politeness when chiefs of state meet. But when Carter fullsomely praises dictators he cheapens and undermines his own campaign for human rights. He should not let his taste for flattery lead him to turn truth on its head. Scripps-Howard Newspapers eager to praise Sometime no vote is the best vote By ROLAND LINDSEY UPI Capitol Reporter AUSTIN — While candidates in most statewide political campaigns are encouraging voter participation in the May 6 election, at least one former officeholder has suggested Texans not vote in appellate judge contests unless they know the can didates. The races for Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals, traditionally the most low key of the statewide cam paigns, are haunted this year by memories of the 1976 election in which Donald B. Yarbrough’s name familiarity enabled him to defeat a highly respected Civil Appeals Court judge for a place on the Supreme Court. WITHIN SIX MONTHS Yarbrough was forced to resign, and since his resigna tion has voluntarily surrendered his license to practice law and faces a five-year prison sentence for lying to a Travis County grand jury investigating forgery al legations against him. Judges on the state’s high courts say Yarbrough was elected because his name wa$,-similar to that of other well known TexAs politicians — forttier governor can didate Don. Yarborough and former U.S. Sep. Ralph W. Yarborough. They do not want voters in 1978 to choose another judge on the basis of a familiar sounding name. Judge T.C. Chadick, appointed to the Supreme Court by Gov. Dolph Briscoe to succeed Judge Thomas Reavley, called on newspaper editors to help inform voters about the judicial campaigns. Politics “We all remember only too well what' happened two years ago in the Supreme Court race because of an uninformed pub lic,’’ Chadick said. “This year once again we are faced with the problem of familiarizing the voter with the candidates in judicial races. With all the political ac tion going on this year, our obscure court races are getting lost in the shuffle.” Reavley, at a news conference at which 10 of the 11 living retired Supreme Court justices endorsed Chadick, suggested the news media encourage voters to skip over judicial races on the ballot if they had no real basis for choosing between the candi dates. Chadick is opposed in his campaign by Robert M. Campbell of Wacb. Neither has campaigned aggressively, although Chadick won strong support of the state’s attorneys in the State Bar poll of its mem bers. IN THE SECOND Supreme Court Letters to the editor The right to review Editor: Th e review of the group “Morning” vUiich was published April 24, 1978 and written by Doug Graham contained sev eral errors. I would appreciate it if you would be so kind as to print the following corrections: 1) In the picture that was published, the third person from the right was James “Jimbo” Issacks, not John Issacks. 2) The fiddler’s name was Bud Luedke, not Bob. 3) Jimmy not only made it to the semi finals in the American Song Festival twice, he won the American Song Festival twice — in 1975 and again in 1978. In the future the Basement would ap preciate it if you send someone to review a concert in the Basement that you send a responsible journalist who, if he feels that he must, write a negative review, at least he will keep his facts straight. Your help is appreciated in setting the record straight! —Sandra Morrow Asst. Chairman, Basement Editor’s note: The Battalion regrets in correctly identifying James Issacks and Bud Luedke. Jimmy Donahue himself gave the Bat talion the information on the American Song Festival. He was the one who said he had reached the semi-finals in that con test. You might be interested in reading the “Letters to the editor” section of Friday’s Battalion, which contains comments from at least one Battalion reader who agrees with Mr. Graham. A review is written as the critic’s personal evaluation of all ele ments of a performance. It is his right and his responsibility to both criticize and praise where due. That is what Graham did in this case. Prof will be missed Editor: The Liberal Arts Department at Texas A&M is losing its Russian professor at the end of this semester. For what ever reason he is leaving, it should be noted that he will be missed by his students. There is little doubt that, if time permit ted, every one of his students would have signed this letter. If you have ever taken a foreign language here you will appreciate this statement; it could be made about few of the others. —Olin L. Hartin Slouch by Jim Earle J 4uvrvrA 1/ N \ ap* it-jo \ I |\ \ EMLLt “I TOLD HIM TO LET GO! I’M AFRAID HE’LL RUIN MY KITE! race, District Judge Franklin Spears of San Antonio was the overwhelming choice in the Bar poll over O’Neal Bacon of Newton, who said at the outset of he did not plan to campaign outside his home area. The two are competing for the Democratic nomina tion to the seat being vacated by Judge Price Daniel’s retirement. There are two contested races for places on the Court of Criminal Appeals, and those races have attracted more attention than the Supreme Court contests. Judge Jim Vollers, elevated to the court when it was expanded from five to nine members in January, is being challenged by Sam Houston Clinton of Austin. Judge W.C. Davis of Bryan, appointed to the court by the governor, faces a strong chal lenge from Marvin O. Teague of Houston. Teague was a narrow winner over Davis in the Bar poll, which in most judicial races — with the exception of Yarbrough’s 1976 campaign — has been a fairly accu rate indicator of the election outcome. Voller has chided Clinton about his name, and repeatedly urged voters to pick the judge on the basis of qualifications rather than on name. “ALTHOUGH MY PARENTS did not name me for a Texas h&ro, I feel that I have the experience and qualifications to continue to better serve the people of this state on the Court of Criminal Appeals,” he said. “I merely ask that every voter in the state look to qualifications for which a name stands and not merely a name.” Codes of conduct leave judicial candi dates little room for campaigning, other than to stress qualifications. Vollers cites his experience as a commissioner for the Criminal Appeals Court, while Clinton says his varied trial experience could bring a new viewpoint to the court. “I don’t know my opponent’s philoso phy,” Vollers said. “I assume our judicial philosophies are poles apart.” Clinton, who participated in the appeal of Jack Ruby’s conviction for the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald, has frequently repre sented the Texas Civil Liberties Union in civil rights cases. Teague has practiced law for 16 years, most of it involving criminal cases. “The long and short of it is that on the appellate level, I’ve had more experience in criminal cases,” he said. Davis was a district judge in Bryan be fore being appointed to the court by Bris coe in January. Supreme Court Judges Joe R. Greenhill, Sam D. Johnson and Charles Barrow and Criminal Appeals Court Judge Wendell A. Odom are unopposed in the Democratic primary and in the general election in November. Through the nose By DICK WEST United Press International WASHINGTON — The world’s popula tion is growing at a rate that in another few decades could have us all elbowing each other into the sea. Meanwhile, all known birth control methods have proved either too drastic, hazardous, unreliable, cumbersome, ex pensive, inopportune, incomprehensible or downright ludicrous. The Lighter Side But cheer up, folks! There may be a ray of hope shining through the de- mographical gloom. A few days ago, the government ap proved a new type of insect spray for use on pink bollworms. It doens’t poison the little devils; it sexually frustrates them. What you do is treat a cotton field with an artificial female bollworm sex scent. The males become too excited and con fused to find a mate. Well, I asked myself as I read this item, if that system prevents reproduction of pink bollworms, why wouldn’t it be effec tive for human beings? You would need a different kind of scent, of course. Human males likely wouldn’t be turned on by the pink bollworm olfactory stimulant. But if you found an aroma they would respond to, the principle would be the same. I phoned Sen. William Proxmire, D-Wis., to see if he would help me get a federal grant for research in this field. He never returned my call, so I under took an experiment on my own. What I did was invite four neighbor hood couples — the Deadwrights, the Tortbakers, the Wallbeats and the Gol- dangs — to my place for cocktails. Shortly before their arrival, I opened a bottle of heavily musked French perfume and set it under the furnace fan so that the scent would be circulated throughout the house. The results were highly promising, al though I wouldn’t recommend it for one of your parties. Even before he had finished his second glass of amaretto and cream, the perfume started making Wally Tortbaker excited and confused. His excitement was apparent in the way he kept cornering Sylvia in the kitchen and trying to peer down her blouse, which was somewhat low cut. His confusion was apparent in the fact that Sylvia is married to Gadsworth Gol- dang. Poor Wally apparently had her con fused with his own mate, whose name is Lobelia. By the time he had inhaled the scent through three drinks, Tortbaker’s excited confusion had compounded itself with Mil lie Deadwright and Theda Wallbeat. Other details of the experiment are con tained in a separate report, which I am jpreparing for my federal grant application. Meanwhile, I’m trying to find out whether confused and excited male bollworms also put lampshades on their heads and sing “Down By The Old Mill Stream.” Top of the News ^ Campus Police chief Luther returns Texas A&M University Police Chief O.L. Luther, who has been on sick leave since March 3, returned to College Station last week. Tom Parsons, University Police director of security and traffic, said Luther received treatment as an outpatient at Houston Methodist Hospital. Parsons did not know whether Luther will resume his duties as police chief. Luther’s wife said Friday that she and her husband were op timistic that he would return to work State Tornado hits airport A tornado ripped the roof from an airport hangar at Oak Grove Airport in Tarrant County Sunday night. Tornadoes were also spotted near Cleburne, Star, Goldthwaite, Perrytonand Booker. A spokesman for the Fort Worth police department said the first reports indicated structural damage at the airport. No injuries were immediately re ported. the tornado occured during severe thunderstorms and light ning over wide sections of North Central Texas while the area was included in a tornado watch. The National Weather Service also re ported that radar indicated a possible tornado five miles southeast of Goldthwaite, moving northeast at 25 mph. A pilot also spotted a tornado in the same area. A spokeswoman for the sheriff s office at Goldthwaite, however, said there were no immediate reports of dam age. Nation General retires after criticism Maj. Gen. John K. Singlaub has agreed to retire from the Armyasa result of his second public criticism of President Carter’s defense decisions, an Army spokesman said Friday. Brig. Gen. Robert Sol omon told reporters that the recommendation was made by Singlaub’s immediate commander, Gen. Frederick Croesen, after Singlaub met early Friday morning with Army Secretary Clifford Alexander and Gen. Roger Bernard Rogers, Army chief of staff. Singlaub agreed to the recommendation and will file retirement papers although the exact date has not been determined, Solomon said. Singlaub met with Alexander and Rogers to discuss his statements made in a question- and-answer session following a lecture at Georgia Tech University. He had criticized the administration’s positions on strategic arms limita tion talks, the B1 bomber and the neutron warhead. He also said the administration has a different world “perspective” and is not as strong on military readiness as earlier administrations. Two sentenced to death 200 protest nuclear power World U.S., Israel begin new talks In an attempt to get the stalled Middle East negotiations rolling, the United States and Israel are studying a new series of proposals for the future of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The ideas were put forward in some seven hours of talks between Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan and U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance. U.S. officials said the West Bank discussion is closely linked with other issues in dispute, including Israel withdrawal from occupied territories and the Palestine Search for premier continues Police hunting for kidnapped former Premier Aldo Moro sealed off the city of Genoa at dawn Friday and started a massive search of homes, railroad stations and ships in Italy’s largest port. Police did not say what prompted the search, their second major operation in Genoa since Red Brigades guerrillas abducted Moro and gunned down his five bodyguards in a March 6 Rome ambush. The Red Brigades re cently announced they would “execute” the 61-year-old statesman unless three jailed terrorists were freed. The government flatly re jected the demand. Genoa has for years been a major stronghold of the Red Brigades, an ultra-left wing gang that uses killings, kidnappings and bombings in an attempt to trigger civil war and force the pro government Communists to join them in the underground. Weather Mostly cloudy today with warm temperatures. High today low 80s, low tonight mid-60s. High tomorrow low 80s. Winds from the south at 10 mph, gusting to 20 mph. 30% chance of rain this afternoon increasing to 50% tonight. Two Oklahoma prison escapees, accused of six killings in three states in the last two weeks they were free, were convicted of capital murder of a town marshal and a park ranger Thursday and sentenced to death in the electric chair. After 47 minutes of deliberation the jury found Paul Ruiz and Earl Van Denton guilty and decided in less than one hour to recommend death by electrocution. limili About 200 demonstrators in Taft, La., many of them carrying signs and chanting “No nukes! No nukes!,” staged a three-hour protest against nuclear power Sunday at the site of a nuclear reactor under construction. The demonstration was held on the grounds of the Louisiana Power & Light’s Waterford III power plant, with their permission. The plant which is about 40 percent finished, is due for completion in 1980. Several demonstrators said the possibility of low- level radioactivity in the air from the power plant and the danger of a major explosion were reasons they opposed the plant. The Battalion Opinions expressedin 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 Regents. The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting enterprise oper ated by students as a university and community newspaper. 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. McDonald Building, College Station, Texas 77843 United Press International is entitled exclusively to^ use for reproduction of all news dispatches credit^to^ Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein restf* Second-Class postage paid at College Station, TX 77$ MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Represented nationally by National Educational Adver- , tising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. 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, 1 Wednesdays and Fridays. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per j school year; $35.00 per full year. Advertising rates furnished I on request. Address: The Battalion, Room 216, Reed Editor KirnTy# 1 Managing Editor Karen Sports Editor David Bog^ News Editors Carolyn Blosser, Debbie Pan 011 ' City Editor Gary Wdi Campus Editor Liz Ne^® Assistant Campus Editor Andy Wil!^ Editorial Director Lee Roy Leschper| : Photo Editor J. WagnerT)^ Staff Writers Mark Patterson, Paige Beask' Andrea Vails, Michelle Scudder, SeanPe^ Photographers Susan Webb, Ben ft Cartoonist Doug Grab Student Publications Board: Bob G. Rogers, Choimt 1 (Joe Arredondo, Dr. Gary Halter, Dr. Charles McCandfi Dr. Clinton A. Phillips, Rebel Rice. Director of Stui^ Publications: Donald C. Johnson.