Viewpoint
The Battalion Tuesday
Texas A&M University May 9, 1978
Senate keeping eye on ‘Big Brother’
Swiftly advancing technology has put at the dis
posal of government incredibly effective tech
niques for invading the privacy of American citi
zens. When such power, unchecked, is available,
it will be abused.
Over the past 40 years, various government
agencies have brought under surveillance vast
numbers of citizens.
Abuses of this power, revealed by congressional
investigating committees, have been so extensive
that it has become obvious that restraints must be
imposed on the activities of intelligence agencies.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that judicial
approval for search and surveillance is necessary in
domestic-security cases, but it has not decided
whether the requirement applies to investigations
of foreign intelligence.
In a significant action, the Senate has voted to
extend the requirement to the foreign
intelligence-gathering field. The legislation would
require the federal government to get a court
order before electronically bugging or wiretapping
anybody. Proof would have to be offered of poten
tial criminal conduct, although less evidence
would be necessary in the case of foreign powers
and foreign officials than would be required in the
case of an American citizen.
The bill would authorize the chief justice to
name seven U.S. district judges to consider sur
veillance warrants for foreign-intelligence pur
poses, and the applications would have to be made
by the attorney general with the approval of the
President.
The Senate bill, supported by President Carter,
would not hamper intelligence operations; it
would protect American citizens from the reckless
invasion of their privacy under the elastic term
“national security,” which, without judicial
safeguards, is prone to abuse by overzealous offi
cials.
Los Angeles Times
Yard sale re-runs
By DICK WEST
United Press International
WASHINGTON — You know it’s spring in
the suburbs when you see the first “Yard
Sale” sign.
Now, in early May, such notices are spr
outing up like crabgrass in my neighbor
hood. Regardless of where the national
economic indicators point, this summer
promises to be a banner season for yard
sales.
Apparently, this cast off commerce is be
coming the subdivision equivalent of the
primitive villagers whose economy is based
on taking in each other’s laundry.
Just last summer I saw the same off-puce
velveteen hassock at three successive yard
sales.
The Lighter Side
Repeats like that reinforce the suspicion
that about half the people you see at yard
sales are there hoping to pick up a few
bargains for their own yard sales.
So let the buyer beware, if not careful,
one is likely to purchase an item that has
not spept the requisite 36 weeks in the
owner’s attic and thus does'n6t qualify as a
genuine castoff.
That very thing happened to me last
weekend when my neighbor, Elrood
Bangleshake, had his first yard sale of 1978.
I really didn’t have any pressing need for
a life-size ceramic stork that is balanced on
one foot and has an iron ring in the tail to
which you can hitch a horse.
But Bangleshake had asked me to come
over and help him print the price tags and I
knew his feelings would be hurt if I didn’t
buy something.
Although lacking utilitarian virtues, the
stork was more esthetic than the other
schlock he had decided he could bear to
part with.
I was not until I got it home and turned it
upside down to study the possibility of
using the extended leg as a hat rack that I
noticed the label on the underside.
It read: “Yard Sales, Inc. — Rampant,
W.Va. — Fine Pseudo-castoffs Since
1973.”
The next day I bearded Bangleshake by
his compost pile.
“Where did you get that stork?” I de
manded.
Bangleshake blanched. “Wh-wh-why do
you ask?” he stammered. “Is something
wrong with it?”
I fixed him with a steely glare. “Will you
sign a statement certifying that it is a bona
fide castoff?” I challenged.
Bangleshake reddened. Globules of
perspiration popped out on his forehead.
“Okay, you’ve got me,” he finally confes
sed. “I ordered the stork out of a yard sale
catalog. I was afraid my own castoffs we
ren’t gimcracky enough, so I sent off for a
few items to make the sale look more realis
tic. ”
Things have come to a pretty pass when
it takes imitation castoffs to produce an aura
of authenticity.
The next thing we know there’s going to
be a yard sale black market.
Letters to the editor
There are still old-fashioned Aggies
Editor:
I must say that I had begun to think the
last vestiges of the University that I had
know as a freshman had disappeared. It had
begun to seem that the only real difference
between A&M and the university at Austin
was the name. I am here to say that I was
very pleasantly proven wrong last Friday.
I was transporting a load of furniture,
from College Station to Houston when my
load was blown from the back of my Ford
ranchero.
In my feverish attempt to reload my scat
tered belongings, two young men from the
Corps of Cadets stopped to aid me.
If its old-fashioned to feel gratitude and
pride in these two cadets, then please
count me to be old-fashioned. The new face
of A&M has a lot to gain from the old tradi
tion of mutual aid and a spirit of comradery
exemplified by these men. It made me a
little prouder to wear my ring.
— Charles Harper, ’77
GPR is obsolete
Editor:
Our fast approaching final exams again
bring us to the realization that we “have
to make the grade” in order to continue
our education. I feel that when so much
depends on grades, (especially for those
of us trying to get in Vet school, Med
school, etc.) our system of a “Grade
Point Ratio” is so inadequate.
Where is our incentive for studying for
finals with any vigor, except what we ob
tain from our own self pride? I person
ally have two finals that I could make a
60 and a 62 respectively, and still come
out with an “A” in the course. A score of
around 30 would get me a “B” in those
same courses. Sure the GPR system
gives a “Buffer system” to those who
“blow” the final, but if that is the case
why not make finals optional?
Presently, two students can receive
the same GPR, even though their num
erical averages are significantly different
(up to about nine points). Is that fair,
especially if they are competing to get
into one of the above schools?
The GPR system may even out for the
whole, but I am not a “whole” and it
doesn’t even out for me and you, the in
dividual. Anyway, what is so wrong or
difficult about a numerical system? For
instance, take an average of 88 for a
three hour course. According to the
numerical system, 3 hours multiplied by
87 grade points equals 261. Two hundred
sixty-one divided by three equals a num
erical average of 87. Simple, especially
since computers do it anyway.
A numerical system would not just
benefit “A” students, but all students in
that it would give their “real” average,
not some approximate, within 10 point
average. A&M could at least adopt a
plus-minus system, such as the one
Baylor recently adopted.
— David Cardwell
Not ‘little children
Editor:
This letter is written in response to Dave
Rich’s letter of May 3 regarding the inci
dent with Squadron 2. At the outset, we
would sincerely like to apologize for the
confrontation with Mr. Rich, but feel cer
tain facts have been deleted which warrant
discussion.
Mr. Rich’s semi-final softball game was
held on Field 3, which is next to Jersey
Street. The area in which our freshmen
were hitting fungo shots was 375 to 400 feet
away from home plate, immediately adja
cent to the fenced-in construction area.
The ball was easily hit over the right
fielder’s head and rolled into this area.
When this happened, the manager of our
team clearly shouted for our players to get
out of the way, which they promptly did.
When Mr. Rich reached the ball, with no
interference whatsoever, the base runner
was rounding third base, easily reaching
home plate.
In addition, may we point out that had
there been any question whatsoever to the
validity of the play, the umpire would have
held the runner at second or third base. We
wonder why Mr. Rich had not mentioned
our presence to the umpire earlier as we
had been there approximately 30 minutes
prior to the incident.
We further understand that when there
are playoff games in progress tempers flare
and anxiety raised which normally would
not. Hence, we shall assume this to be the
case regarding this incident.
The sad thing here is that an entire outfit
has been degraded, and been called “little
children,” “frustrated individuals,” etc.,
for an incident blown completely out of
proportion by Mr. Rich.
Yes, wearing the Corps of Cadets uni
form does mean something to us because
we realize we are constantly put on display
for our actions; we hardly think that the
incident occurred with a civilian dorm that
a letter to the editor would follow calling
the entire dorm “little children.”
We do not condone the verbal arguing
and shouting which Mr. Rich alleges took
place and can only do our best to see that
nothing of this nature ever occurs again.
Please accept our apologies, for we sin
cerely regret the incident ever occurring.
— Dale E. Laine, Jr. ’78
Commanding Officer
Squadron 2
Editor s note: This letter was accom
panied by 36 other signatures.
People matter most
Editor:
I have witnessed the recent conflict bet
ween the Corps of Cadets and the residents
of Utay hall as a neutral observer. The let
ter to the editor in the May 5 Battalion from
several high-ranking corps members refer
red to an invasion of Communist troops in
Western Europe.
As I see it, the No. 1 priority of the
military is not the defense of such an attack,
but the prevention. The outbreak of war in
Western Europe would mean failure for all
concerned. Everybody loses.
Uniforms, flags and patriotism are great
if we don’t let them get out of hand and
forget that it is the people themselves that
are most important. How can you keep
peace with the Russians a half a world away
if you can’t even keep peace with fellow
Aggies in Utay? If this is indicative of our
future military leaders, you and me is in a
mess o’ trouble.
— David A. Kyle, ’79
There is a reward
Editor:
Friday, April 28, I misplaced a gold
Cross pen and pencil with Gulf insignias
on the pocket clips. These were given to
me last year with a scholarship and mean a
great deal to me. If anyone has found them
or knows someone who has, please call me
at 845-1875. There is a reward.
— Bill Schas
Top of the News
Campus
Student receives finance awards
Mark A. Janak received the 1978 undergraduate award from the
Houston Society of Financial Analysts April 26. Janak, who graduated
cum laude from Texas A&M University Saturday with a BBA in Fi
nance, received a $500 award. Janak was given the award for his paper,
“A Security Analysis of the El Paso Company.” He plans to work
towards an MBA in Finance at Texas A&M. Janak has also received this
spring’s Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award, given every
year by the Texas A&M Finance Department.
Nation
Amtrack’s future questionable
Transportation Secretary Brock Adams recommended Monday that
almost one-fourth of the Amtrak passenger train network be discon
tinued in 1979-80, an economy move he acknowledged is a “political
hot potato.” In a study ordered by Congress, Adams recommended
dropping seven long-distance trains and some shorter segments.
Adams said if the 27,000-mile Amtrak system is allowed to continue as
is, its federal operating subsidy will rise to $1 billion by 1984. Strong
congressional opposition can be expected from Rep. Albert Gore Jr.,
D-Tenn., who immediately announced he would take steps to save
Chicago-Florida service.
Fate of Hughes' millions nears
Attorneys for both supporters and opponents of the so-called
Mormon will rested their cases Monday, clearing the way for final
arguments next week in Las Vegas in the legal battle to decide the fete
of Howard Hughes’ millions. The arguments were expected to be
lengthy and courtroom observers speculated that the six-man, two-
women jury could receive the case by the end of next week. Attorneys
for both sides will meet Thursday to discuss legal instructions that will
be given to the jury by District Court Judge Keith Hayes.
World
Begin opposes warplane sale
Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin reiterated his opposition to
President Carter’s proposed package sale of warplanes to Israel, Egypt
and Saudi Arabia Sunday, saying the aircraft should go to his nation
alone. In an interview on NBC-TV’s “Meet The Press” Sunday, Begin
reiterated his objection to Carter’s proposed $4.8 billion package sale
of jets. Begin said the sale of jets to Saudi Arabia, which is toreceiveBO
fighters, posed a “great danger to our national defense. ” Begin joined
hundred of thousands of New Yorkers at a Fifth Avenue parade Sunday
honoring the 30th anniversary of the Jewish state.
Search goes on for Red Brigades
Police sealed off all roads into and out of Genoa Monday in their
search for the Red Brigades kidnappers of Aldo Moro, who told his wife
in a farewell letter, “They are going to kill me shortly.” Rome police
said 26 arrests made during the weekend brought them no closer to
finding the former premier, kidnapped March 16 and sentenced to
death “by a people’s court” in April. An Italian newspaper reported
Monday the Red Brigades gang has compiled two lists of potential
victims for their terrorist attacks, complete with photographs and
addresses. The paper said a police raid April 18 on a Rome apartment
used by the gang as a hideout had uncovered the two lists of prominent
industrialists, journalists and politicians.
SWAPO recalls delegation
The South West African Peoples Organization Monday abruptly
called off a meeting with Western members of the U.N. Security
Council and ordered its delegation home in protest over South Africa’s
invasion of Angola. The move was seen as a crippling blow to the hopes
of the five — United States, Canada, Britian, France and West Ger
many — for a plan that would set up elections and establish, under
U.N. protection, an independent state of Namibia in South West
Africa. SWAPO, a black guerrila organization, is regarded by most of
the 49 members of the United Nations as the “legitimate representa
tive” of the people of Namibia. SWAPO said Monday that, because of
the “grave situation” created by the air and ground invasion of Angola
by the “fascist troops’ of South Africa; its central committee “has
decided to urgently recall SWAPO’s negotiating delegation.”
OPEC oil price holds steady
Two key officials of the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries say
oil prices will not be raised for the rest of 1978 despite pressure from
some OPEC members. Ali Jaida of Qatar, OPEC’s secretary general,
and Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Sheik Ahmed Zaki Yamani said that
there are no plans to replace the U.S. dollar as the world’s oil-pricing
unit because of the dollar’s recent recovery on the world currency
markets. At the close of a two-day informal conference of 13 OPEC oil
ministers Sunday in Taif, Saudi Arabia, Jaida told reporters there
would be “no price increase for the rest of the year” from the current
$12.70 a barrel.
Weather
Clear to partly cloudy skies today and Wednesday with warm
afternoons and mild nights. High today mid-80s, low tonight
low 60s. High tomorrow mid-80s. Variable winds at 10-15
mph.
The Battalion
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the
editor or of the writer of the article and are not necessarily
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munity newspaper. Editorial policy is determined by the
editor.
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Editor KiniTlJ
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Sports Editor ..•••• Bav^
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