Viewpoint
The Battalion Tuesday
Texas A&M University July 25, 1978
Put money to work
Perhaps the most popular stand congressmen can take in light of the
“taxpayers’ revolt” is to vote against foreign aid expenditures. Public senti
ment today definitely seems to favor keeping our money at home.
There is no question that huge sums of foreign aid money did go down the
drain over the years. Nevertheless, this is no time to turn our backs com
pletely on the poorer developing countries.
It is from these countries that the United States now depends for 45
percent of its oil, 85 percent of its bauxite, 93 percent of its tin, 59 percent of
its zinc ore and 36 percent of its iron ore. Besides, U.S. trade with these
countries has become more significant than our exports to Japan and Europe.
Obviously what is needed is a reasonable approach to our foreign aid
expenditures so that American dollars are not wasted and that they are spent
where they will do the most good.
Parkersburg (W.Va.) Sentinel
Looking for missing middle-of-the-roaders
By DAV ID S. BRODER
SI. PAUL, MINN. — A man I know
who once worked in the White House, two
or three administrations ago, had a story
he liked to tell.
He had been a teacher and when his
former students came to see him, protest
ing, as students did then, whatever was
the current governmental outrage, he
would do his best to construct a rationali
zation for the policy that had upset them.
HE DID IT, he said, knowing that they
took his arguments simply as a demonstra
tion of bureaucratic or political loyalty.
But actually, he said, there was another
reason:
li I had told them the truth, that the
decision that upset them was really just
something that got by us until it was too
late to stop, they would have been ter
rified. Young people are prepared to deal
with malevolence; they’re not prepared to
deal with the idea that no one is in
charge.”
I have been reminded of this several
times in the last few weeks, as I have
heard some of the brightest young people
in American politics — of strikingly differ
ent political backgrounds and views —
talking independently of what has become
their new focus: rebuilding of the shat
tered center of our political consensus.
1 heard it eloquently put by John P.
the young lawyer who, before .lie
wins 30, - had played a key Tole in putting
Richard Nixon in the White House. He
saw how that chance to “bring us together”
was lost, and then moved on to direct
Ronald Reagan's almost successful, but
highly divisive, bid for the 1976 Republi
can presidential nomination.
Sears is, in conventional terms, a strong
conservative. But his main goal now, he
says, is to find and elect a president who
can re-define and enunciate the missing
center of American politics.
I HEARD THE SAME view from two
young men of the left, in St. Paul for a
conference and reunion of some of the rad
ical antiwar and civil rights activists of the
1960s.
Sam Brown, who came out of the
McCarthy campaign to lead the Vietnam
Moratorium protests a decade ago, is now
the he ad of the Action agency, running the
Peace Corps and the Vista volunteers.
In 1968, he was a dump-Johnson leader,
but now he is advising against a dump-
Carter movement. That is easily under
stood terms of bureaucratic and political
loyalty. But, like my friend from an earlier
administration. Brown has another reason
for his rationalizing: He has perceived the
danger of the shattered center.
T m not sure it was a mistake in the
1960s, he said, “but it s a pattern you
can’t afford to continue. There is no liberal
center in Washington — in the executive
branch or in Congress. And what that
means is that fljiy five people whp want to
say-no 1 to anything-ean sav-no.'
THE FINAL UNSOLICITED tes
timony came from the most surprising
source of all — Tom Hayden. Hayden was
a leader of Students for a Democratic So
ciety, a defendant in the Chicago Seven
trial, a thoroughly disruptive radical force
in the 1960s.
But now, he told his fellow activists,
“I’m more concerned about the failure of
the center than the rise of the right. Our
moderate-liberal-populist president isn’v
doing very well. In fact, his administration
is disintegrating. ”
Later, he mused more broadly on why
this might be. “Sometimes, he said, “it
seems to me the country can’t be governed
right now by anybody because there’s no
consensus.
We had stable presidencies roughly
from 1900 to 1960, lie said, “but no one
under 18 remembers (or more accurately,
has lived in) a normal presidency. For a
long time, the country had a roughly bi
partisan consensus — the New Deal at
home and the Cold War abroad. But that
fell apart in the 1960s, with the civil rights
movement, the women’s movement, and
the war in Vietnam, all started by liberals.
“With that consensus in shreds, it be
comes harder to be President. I think Car
ter and all of them recognize that, but they
approach it as a public relations problem
for Gerald Rafshoon to solve. I read (polls
ter) Pat Caddell s memo — the one he
wrote Carter a mon th af't;e.r the election —
where heNaicf the big problem is to create
a new consensus because the country has
no sense of purpose.
Well, you don t chop a sense of pur
pose out of the typewriter cause you need
it. It s either there or it s not there, and
right now, it’s not there.
‘‘THE COUNTRY has no glue . . .
Liberalism has no substance any more,
because most of its goals have been
achieved . . . Everybody is adrift, putting
together their own 10 percent or 20 per
cent of the action. But we don’t have a
proportional government. We hav e a sys
tem that depends on a 51 percent presi
dential majority. But 51 percent of the
people don’t agree on anything. They
were for Carter, yes, but not for am par
ticular reason. So he becomes president,
and they don’t have (Gerald) Ford to kick
around, and his 51 percent starts falling
apart.
I used to be absolutely sure I knew
where things were going, but now I don t
know ... I only know the stalemate is for
real.”
There are no easy answers coming from
Sears or Brown or Hayden. But somehow
I found more hope than I expected in the
fact that three such talented and diverse
young men at least have got the question
right.
As Brown put it, "Since a lot of us
helped to create the rubble, it's onlv fair
that now we; help put the building back
together.”
(c) 1978, The Washington Post Cotn-
1X1111/
Slouch
by Jim Earle
Vietnam changes tune
IT’S HARD TO MAKE A BUCK WHEN YOU’RE IN BUSINESS
WITH MOTHER NATURE/ 4
Letter to the editor
BY ALAN DAWSON
l nited t ress International
BANGKOK, Thailand — Long a self-
proclaimed world leader of revolution,
Vietnam has sheathed its big stick and
changed its tune.
Its chief spokesman, on an extended
foreign tour, has been Vice Foreign Minis
ter Phan I lien, Vietnam's international
trouble-shooter.
But area ambassadors, recently recalled
to Hanoi apparently for new important in
structions, also are at the forefront of the
changed policy.
In Tokyo, Phan I lien spoke sof tly of
possible diplomatic relations with the
United States and of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a
five-member non-Gommunist regional
grouping.
The reasons for all this, of course,
hinges on the Hanoi disputes with China
and Cambodia, and with Vietnamese at
tempts to remain basically independent of
Moscow.
Relations with Washington woidd
provide a counterbalance to the Russians
in Hanoi, while peace with ASEAN could
undercut China’s allout support for the
five-nation bloc.
“Times change,” an American diplomat
said. “Vietnam is trying to change with
them.
The softening and apparent turnaround
on the United States has been startling. A
year ago, Hanoi’s official Communist party
newspaper Nhan Dan said:
“The stand of the government of
Vietnam is so just and clear. We stand for
an over-all, package deal solution to three
questions which are closely interrelated. "
The three issues are diplomatic rela
tions, the U.S. “obligation to aid
Vietnam, and accounting for U.S. war
missing.
As late as last January, Prime Minister
Phan Van Dong told a news conference in
Sri Lanka that his country insists on a
package deal solution.
But July 10 in Tokyo, Phan I lien indi
cated the package idea may have been dis
carded, and Hanoi may be moving toward
the stand of the Carter Administration for
diplomatic relations with no aid commit
ment.
Commentary
“New bright developments may pre
vail,” he said. “Even if the U.S. Congress
rejects reconstruction aid, we look forward
to establishing full diplomatic ties."
Even more stunning is Vietnam’s turna
round on ASEAN, the five-countW group
ing of Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, In
donesia and the Philippines.
Less than a year ago, Vietnam pilloried
ASEAN as an American-dominated bul
wark of imperialism.
A Nhan Dan editorial declared, “A-
SEAN leaders boast of their independence
and neutrality, while allowing U.S. im
perialists to set up military bases, request
U.S. troops to remain in Southeast Asia
and asked for U.S. weapons and dollars.
But in past weeks, Hien has visited Sin
gapore and Thailand and planned a Malay
sian visit (along with his Tokyo, Sydney
and Wellington stopovers), while
Vietnamese ambassadors in Thailand and
‘Principle of the thing
Editor:
I can not believe the campus police.
Five dollars is five dollars, but it’s not just
the principle of the thing, but also the way
they handled the situation.
Last Monday and Tuesday, my mom
and sister were here for Freshman Orien
tation. As I am taking a 5-hour course in
Brenham that lasts from 8 a. m. to 5 p.m.,
there is not reason for my car to be regis
tered this semester. The first day of orien
tation, my mom used my car and parked it
at the MSC. When she got back, she had
gotten a ticket.
Someone told her to give it to someone
in charge at orientation, but she wanted to
make sure to do it right so she took it her
self to the police station and explained the
situation. Not only were they unbelievably
rude, but they made a vistor pay a parking
ticket! I assume it was because they be
lieved it was really mine, but it is very
difficult to be two places at once.
I am not very happy to see anyone
treated so unjustly and especially so
rudely. That’s not the A&M I know and I
certainly don’t want that image portrayed
to visitors to the campus.
If the University police need the money
so badly, I honestly feel there are better
sources than getting it that way. And no
matter what, they could certainly use
some lessons on their manners — at least
to our visitors.
— Gail Hawley, ’78
Indonesia have delivered letters to gov
ernment heads assuring them Vietnam
supports ASEAN’s peaceful policies.
Vietnam itself has proposed a zone of
peace and neutrality in the area (an official
ASEAN goal) and Vietnamese officials
have indicated Hanoi may attend future
ASEAN meetings as observers.
All this was unthinkable just last year.
FEEM
By Doug Graham
XV» nearly
Qrvl T love TO dig
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Top of the News
Campus
Ai?M grad honored at Pentagon
Army 2nd Lt. William II. Ibbotson, a 1977 Texas A&M University
graduate from Mission, will report to the Pentagon Friday to receive
the Hughes Trophy which is awarded each year to the nation's out
standing Army ROTG graduate. Ibbotson was a magna cum laude
graduate in political science and an eight-semester Distinguished
Student, Honors Program participant, platoon leader and supply offi
cer of Company D-2 in the Corps of Cadets.
Summer school enrollment up
Second session summer school enrollment at Texas A&M Univer
sity is 9,388, an increase of 1.8 percent over the same period last
year. Registrar Robert A. Lacey said Friday. The total includes 9,072
students enrolled on the main campus, 35 at the marine laboratory in
Galveston and 178 aboard the Texas Clipper for the Summer School
at Sea.
Extra announcments available
Extra graduation announcements for August 19 graduates of Texas
A&M University will go on sale Monday, July 24 in 217 MSC. The
announcements will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis from 8
a.m. to 4 p.m.
State
Trial for bribes opens
A suburban New Oilcan contractor and two of his employees
Monday went to trial in Houston on charges they bribed public offi
cials to overlook the balking of a Louisiana parish on sewer construc
tion projects. A six-man, six-woman jury was chosen Monday to try
Robert J. L Hoste and two of his employees on federal conspiracy,
racketeering and mail fraud charges in the case moved from New
Orleans.
Deputy indicted
A Cook County deputy was indicted Monday on charges he as
saulted a prisoner in the Gainesville city jail. Herman Herendt was
i eleased on $1,500 bond and will be placed on probation pending his
ti ial, said SherifI Bill Pratt. I he charges followed a grand jury investi
gation into the alleged beating July 10 of Clyde Wesley Wages, 2-f,
Denton, Texas. Wages alleged he was beaten in his cell after his
arrest on a charge of driving while intoxicated. Wages was hos-
pitalized July 1 1 for head and kidney injuries.
Revolt leader advises Briscoe
A leader of a new tax revolt group said Monday in San Antonio that
Gov. Dolph Briscoe ought to keep the legislature in special sessional!
year until it appoves initiative and referendum to give Texans more
say in taxation. "The major issue of this special session and the next
special session is taxpayer control of taxes," Ken Hendrix told a group
of organizers for the Tax Relief Coalition.
n
on
Nation
Grain reserve up
I he size of the nation s three-year, farmer-owned grain reserve has
taken another climb upward, reaching a level of nearly 564 million
bushels as of July 21, the Agriculture Department in Washington said
Monday. A week earlier, grains on reserve were nearly 552 million
bushels. This past week there were nearly 371 million bushels of
wheat on reserve, 120 million bushels of corn, 29 million bushels of
oats, 26 million bushels of barley and more than 17 million bushels of
sorghum.
Pot plants found
SheriHs deputies, acting on an anonymous tip, discovered 450
marijuana plants, some nearly 6 feet high, growing in a residential
backyard in Lakewood, Calif, Saturday and made an arrest. The
officers said the plants ranged in size from six inches to nearly 6 feet.
Deputies also found scales, sifters and cigarette rollers at the home.
Bail was set at $25,()()(). The deputies estimated the value of the loose
marijuana at $10,000 but could not guess the worth of the plants.
I
World
Dollar value plunges
The reeling dollar plunged down below the 200-yen level in Tokyo
Monday for the first time since World War II, sparking a worldwide
selling spree that pushed the U.S. currency to record lows across
Europe. The dollar’s steep drop reflected fears that OPEC nations
may abandon the American currency as the basis for oil prices. Fi
nancial experts also said there was a widespread belief that Western
leaders failed to solve global currency problems at the Bonn eco
nomic summit last week.
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Women wont give up babies
Two mothers who took the wrong babies home from the hospital in
Haifa, Israel now refuse to give them up, a report on government
television said Sunday. Blood tests proved the babies were switched
six weeks ago but the mothers insist on keeping them, the report
said. I he snafu was blamed on lost identification tags, but spokesmen
for Rambam Hospital and the Health Ministry declined to comment
on the case, calling it too sensitive, legally and emotionally.
Weather
Partly cloudy and warm today with a slight chance of mainly
afternoon and evening thundershowers. High today mid-90s,
low tonight mid-70s. High tomorrow mid-90s. Winds from the
south-southeast at 10-15 mph. 30% chance of rain today,
20% tonight and 30% tomorrow.
The Battalion
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Editor DebbyKrfl*
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