Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Wednesday
May 3, 1978
The Battalion endorsements
John Hill is best choice for Texas
“The nation blessed above all nations is she in whom the civic
genius of the people does the saving da.y by day, by acts without
external picturesqueness; by speaking, writing, voting reason
ably; ... by the people knowing true men when they see them,
and preferring them as leaders to rabid partisans or empty
quacks.”
— William James, 1897
This is an important election year for Texans. We are living in a time of rapid
economic and governmental change and that change is being felt no where
more than in this state. The leaders Texas voters choose this year may well
make or break this state.
And there is no more crucial race this year than that for the governor’s
mansion. Following the precedent of past elections, the Democratic primary
this Saturday between present Gov. Briscoe and Attorney General John Hill
will probably determine the state’s next governor.
Our choice has to be Mr. Hill. He has racked up an impressive record as an
aggressive, consumer-minded, charismatic attorney general. He has made
the attorney general’s office a potent consumer protection arm of the state
government, more so than at any time in the past. Particularly in the area of
state and national energy leadership. Hill has made a firm commitment to
actively defend the state’s gas and oil resources.
Governor Briscoe’s leadership has been notably lacking in defense of those
resources. The governor has failed to assert the state’s position nationally as a
major oil and gas-producing state. He likewise failed last year to exert the
leadership that could have helped the State Legislature solve several major
state problems, notably funding for primary and secondary education.
There is another consideration. Dolph Briscoe has been governor for six
years. Re-electing him to another four-year term leaves the state’s leadership
in the hands of one man for a dangerously long time. Texas does not need a
10-year governor.
Former Gov. Preston Smith is also running in the Democratic primary but
his role is more that of a “spoiler,” depriving either Briscoe or Hill of a
frist-round primary win without a run-off.
John Hill is the best choice for Texas.
In the Republican primary for governor, our choice is attorney Ray Hutchi
son over millionaire oil drilling contractor Bill Clements.
Hutchison has a thorough knowledge of state government both through his
four years as a state legislator from Dallas and from his term as state Republi
can Party chairman. Clements served as an under-secretary for the U.S.
Defense Department during the Nixon and Ford administrations, which gives
him plenty of experience in dealing with the national bureaucracy. But he has
been away from Texas too long.
Any Republican candidate will have a severe challenge to even slightly
threaten the Democratic candidate for governor in November.
Such is not the case in the Democratic race for state attorney general. Price
Daniel Jr., former Speaker of the Texas House, and Mark White, present
secretary of state, are playing a game of name recognition in their battle to
replace John Hill.
The name to remember is Price Daniel Jr. Daniel’s career both in the State
House and as its Speaker are outstanding. He sponsored numerous pieces of
progress state legislation, not the least of which was the Texas Open Meetings
Law.
The state treasurer’s race is another “name game.” Present treasurer War
ren G. Harding was appointed by Briscoe to serve out the unexpired term of
former treasurer Jesse James, who died in office. Harding is being challenged
by Harry Ledbetter, a financial analyst from Austin.
Experience for Congress
Jesse James remained in office for many years because of his famous, or
infamous, name. Harding should not be elected for the same reason. He has
had an opportunity to show how he would revise the state’s fiscal operations,
which for many years have allowed millions of dollars to be lost in interest not
earned on state funds kept in checking accounts instead of savings accounts.
Harding has switched some funds to interest-bearing accounts, but mostly
under the pressure of the campaign.
Brazos Valley residents will be voting on primary races for two congres
sional positions: John Tower’s Senate seat and the 6th Congressional Dis-
trict seat that Olin Teague will be vacating.
to choose Tower’s November opponent is a closely
fought race between.two-term congressman Bob Krueger and former Insur
ance Board chairman Joe Christie. Both men are qualified candidates, both
would make capable senators and both would be worthy opponents to the
“Litde Giant.”
But our support goes to Bob Krueger based on his service as congressman.
Krueger went to Washington in 1975 as a political neophyte, but immediately
established himself as a hard-working, serious representative. His deter
mined sponsorhsip of a bill to deregulate natural gas prices earned him the
title “Most Effective Freshman Congressman.” He deserves a chance to be
the “most effective freshman senator.”
The 6th Congressional District horse-race is certain to produce a run-off
election between two of the three top Democratic contenders: Texas A&M
economics professor Phil Gramm, former Teague aide Chet Edwards, and
former TV weatherman-present attorney Ron Godbey.
Chet Edwards has emphasized again and again during his campaign that his
constituents are his first concern and for that reason he receives our endorse
ment. While on Teague’s staff, Edwards worked almost exclusively in solving
problems for the congressman’s constituents. Though only 26, his three years
of experience in working the Washington bureaucracy to the benefit of district
residents will serve him in good stead. He has asked constituents what they
want in Washington, and not told them what they need, as have some other
candidates in the race.
In the Republican primary Wes Mowery is the only serious candidate.
Opponent Carl Krohn, a disabled Marine Corps veteran, has based almost his
entire campaign on the issue of increasing national defense spending. How
ever, Mowery will have a tough time defeating a Democratic opponent in
November because of the Fort Worth farmer’s blistering attacks on Teague
during the 1976 election.
It is obvious the state’s fiscal policies need revision. Harding has had an
opportunity to do so and has not. Ledbetter seems committed to doing more.
Therefore, Harry Ledbetter receives our endorsement for state treasurer.
The Democratic race for state agriculture commissioner pits appointed
commissioner Reagan Brown against Rep. Jo£ Hubehakj qhairrnan ^of the^
House Agriculture Committee, and Don Sewell,. part-tMfflfi. JajhngT froyh.,
Nocona.
Joe Hubenak receives our endorsement for the agriculture commissioner
post based on his experience on the Legislature’s agriculture committee and
on his record as an aggressive, vocal member of the Legislature. Commis
sioner Brown has played too low-key a role on recent farmer protests both in
the state and nationally.
Two of the State Railroad Commission’s three seats will be filled this year
and incumbent commissioners Mack Wallace and John Poerner seem the best
choices in those races.
Two seats on the state Supreme Court are up for election this year and both
are shrouded by the spector of the 1976 election, when Don Yarbrough was
elected to the court and then left it under indictment. The Yarbrough incident
well illustrates the danger of voters casting ballots for familiar names when
they know nothing about the man behind the name. Our recommendation is
that voters vote for Supreme Court candidates only if they are well aware of
each candidate’s qualifications.
Keep local incumbents
State ‘name games’
All the state executive offices are up for election this year, although few are
drawing races as heated as that for the governorship.
Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby has built that office into a virtually impregnable
fortress. Only a full-scale miracle would dislodge him from that post.
In addition to state-level races, several local government positions are up
for election. In these elections the Battalion’s endorsements depended heav
ily upon the candidate’s past experience in government.
For Brazos County Judge, our endorsement goes to former Bryan mayor
Lloyd Joyce. Present County attorney John Barron, appointed to that post last
year, has proven qualified in that position and deserves re-election.
Likewise, in the district attorney race, present district attorney Roland
Searcy has proven to be an aggressive and effective prosecutor during his five
years in that post. We recommend that voters keep him in that office.
The Battalion declines to endorse a candidate in the race for district judge
between present county judge Bill Vance and former county and district
attorney Tom McDonald Jr. It has become impossible to see either candidate
for all the mud that has been slung in this race.
Letters to the editor
Gas turns Utay Hall into no man’s land
Editor:
We would like to make a correction to
the article in the May 2 Battalion concern
ing the Utay Hall tear gas incident
Monday. The reporter failed to mention
the fact that many members of the fourth
floor suffered from extreme cases of pains
in the ass as a result of this awesome dis
play of military prowess administered by
some CT playing army (no doubt in prepa
ration for an all-out Russian invasion from
Snook!).
Isn’t it comforting to know that we have
all of these fine, upstanding, and espe
cially responsible “G.I. Joes” protecting us
from the Halls of Utay to the shores of
Lake Somerville. God bless the Military
Academies. —Utay Fourth Floor
Kyle Sears James Sessions
Andy Oxford Roy H. Caldwell
for four years I have learned and had actu
ally believed that members of this elite
corps represented good moral character,
pride, and a high level of sportsmanship.
Unfortunately this was proven to be un
true when the Squadron 2 softball team
decided that a good place to hold a prac
tice was the outfield of our semi-final in
tramural playoff game. I just could not be
lieve they were hitting fringo shots into
our outfield while our game was in prog-
Happy reader
dent, analyzed 30,000 people, and in less
than a handful of words has offered his pro
fessional opinion of you.
Bobby Jenkins
Matthew R. Burns
Keith Chapman
Bruce Walker
Ray Duke
David Hennington
Randy Ratterru
Jim Reid
Mike Love
Johnny Howell
During our game a ball was hit towards
right field and I was forced to weave my
way through Squadron 2 to chase after it.
Getting in my way was bad enough, but
for two of them to stand there and have a
shouting match with me immediately af
terward was unreal. Maybe they thought it
was the “Macho” thing to do considering
their entire squadron was close behind.
Editor:
You know, I really enjoy reading my
copy of The Battalion. Being away from
the campus, I can keep up with most ev
erything happening on and off campus.
The majority of the articles are well writ
ten, informative and interesting. I’d be
willing to bet that I could discuss the ac
tivities around campus with many of the
present students.
But Aggies, I bet you don’t realize that
just 100 miles away down at t.u. there re
sides a genius. After all, listen to what he
has done. With just one year of school as a
psychology major, he has taken one inci-
In case you missed it, I am referring to
our dear Mr. Neal Pfieffer’s letter in the
April 21 edition. In defense of what I know
Texas A&M is, I would like to politely ask
“Dr.” Pfieffer to keep his nose out of our
newspaper. I’m sure he could find plenty
of fallacies on his own campus to analyze. I
feel sure that the majority of Texas A&M
students do not need or want your ?!!??!!
opinion.
My choice for my education was Texas
A&M. I am deeply indebted to the powers
that be that you chose to go to t.u.
—Joseph H. duMenil, ’75
‘A damn shame’
Editor:
I am writing this letter to register my
disappointment and disgust with Squad
ron 2 of the famed Fighting Texas Aggie
Corps of Cadets. Having attended A&M
Please don’t get me wrong; I am not try
ing to bad mouth the entire Corps or all of
Squadron 2 for that matter. I will always
respect and admire the real men of the
Aggie Corps, but I think its a damn shame
that several frustrated individuals can re
flect so poorly on such a fine organization.
I hope the little children of Squadron 2
grow up fast and start making their uni
forms mean something.
—Dave Rich, ’78
Readers’ Forum
Guest viewpoints, in addi
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are welcome. All pieces sub
mitted to Readers’ forum
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Top of the News
Campus
‘State of University’ message
“State of the University” messages and presentation of 16 awards of
$1,000 each for distinguished achievement will highlight Texas A&M
University’s annual faculty and staff meeting at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in
Rudder Auditorium. President Jarvis Miller and Vice President for
Academic Afifiars J.M. Prescott will share the speaking honors. The
Association of Former Students will present $1,000 checks, com
memorative watches and plaques to 14 faculty and staff members.
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To honor retiring professors
Texas A&M University will honor 10 retiring faculty members at a
reception and dinner tonight. They represent 235 years of service to
the University. Honored will be L. Edward Stark, professor of
enigneering design graphics, Dean R. Lee, associate professor of
chemistry, Harrison Hierth, professor of English and John G.
McNeely, professor of agricultural economics. Also honored will be
Richard H. Ballinger, professor of English, Donald S. Moore, as
sociate professor of agricultural economics, Alfred E. Cronk, profes
sor and head of aerospace engineering, Johannes van Overbeek, pro
fessor of biology, Herman Kleerekoper, professor of biology and
George Carter, distinguished professor of geography.
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Man admits to arranging murder
A former security guard has pleaded guilty to offering a profesional
killer $6,000 to kill a policeman for a share of his life insurance pro
ceeds. Howard James Bordeau, 22, Monday admitted to soliciting the
captial murder of Arthur L. Swearingen, 40. State District Judge J.D.
Guyon delayed sentencing, but Bordeau could receive life imprison
ment. Police said Wayne Simms told them Bordeau offered him a
contract to kill Swearingen and with Simms’ cooperation investigators
arranged tape recordings of conversations about the deal. With police
help, officers said Simms met Bordeau and showed him “proof' of the
murder, a badge, name tag and blood-stained shirt with two bullet
holes in it. Bordeau was arrested upon receipt of the “proof, police
said.
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Seven fires in Chelsea section
At least 10 persons were injured in a series of fires in the Chelsea
section of Atlantic City, N.J., Tuesday including some who jumped
into a bay to escape the flames. Several policemen jumped into the
water to rescue adults and children who leaped from the windows of a
two-story townhouse at the Bay Colony Condominiums along the
shoreline. Firemen counted fires, believed to be the work of ar
sonists, in at least seven buildings and three grassy areas. They were
questioning two suspects and looking for a third described as a man in
his 20s. The list of people treated for smoke inhalation and water
exposure at Atlantic City Medical Center included four policemen, a
fireman and five residents, including two children aged 2 and 5. The
first fire was reported at 4:50 a.m. and all the blazes were brought
under control by 7 a.m. The buildings involved included several
homes and apartment house, a bake shop, a Chinese restaurant and a
(^pctqr’.s office, a)l within a four-block area<
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Auto theft ring broken
Mississippi authorities say they have broken a four-state auto theft
ring with the arrest of three men and the recovery of eight stolen
luxury cars valued at $80,000. One of the men arrested was identified
as Charlie Thornton, 38, of Jackson. Two Texas men, who were not
identified, were arrested during the weekend in Houston and are
expected to be extradited to Mississippi. Jackson Police Capt. Gary
McGee said the arrest was based on information from Attorney Gen
eral A.F. Summer’s office that Thornton would be bringing a stolen
1978 Lincoln Continental to Jackson from the Gulf Coast. Surveil
lance by invesigators resulted in the recovery of the car and the
arrest.
World
Sadat orders cabinet shakeup
President Anwar Sadat Tuesday ordered a cabinet shakeup and
parliamentary reform to shore up Egypt’s home front and renewed
his readiness to resume talks with Israel if it changes its negotiation
position. Addressing a labor rally in observance of May Day, Sadat
also reaffirmed his confidence in President Carter as a go-between in
Middle East peacemaking, ending a Cairo diplomatic furor over re
marks attributed to the American leader. Declaring himself in favor
of Arab solidarity, shattered by hardline opposition to his peace mis
sion to Jerusalem last November, Sadat offered to resume diplomatic
relations with Syria, Libya, Algeria, Iraq and South Yemen. But he
qualified the offer with a demand that these countries, with which
Egypt broke off diplomatic relations in December, stop abusive at
tacks on Egypt for its peace iniative.
French U.N. troops fighting
French U.N. troops opened fire on a band of Palestinian guerrillas
trying to infiltrate past their lines in southern Lebanon early today,
killing one and wounding two, a French spokesman said. The firefight
between French U.N. troops and Palestinian guerrillas — the second
such incident in two days — occurred near the town of Bazouriyeh,
inland from the southwest port of Tyre.
Weather
Mostly cloudy, windy and cool with showers throughout the
area today. Showers ending tonight becoming partly cloudy
and mild. High today mid-60s, low tonight upper 40s. High
tomorrow low 70s. Winds from the north at 15-25 mph di
minishing tonight. 60% chance of rain today decreasing to
20% tonight.
The Rattalion
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.
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Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Editor Kim T)^
Managing Editor Karen Rtf’
Sports Editor David B#
News Editors Carolyn Blosser, Debbie ft# 5
City Editor Gary
Campus Editor Liz
Assistant Campus Editor Andy Willie
Editorial Director Lee Roy Leschpff
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Andrea Vails, Michelle Scudder, Sean
Photographers Susan Webb, Be^
Cartoonist
Student Publications Board: Bob G. Rogers,
Joe Arredondo, Dr. Gary Halter, Dr. Charles McCa^
Dr. Clinton A. Phillips, Rebel Rice. Director ojSttld
Publications: Donald C. Johnson.