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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 31, 1978)
■ £ ^ Viewpoint The Battalion Texas A&M University Thursday August 31, 1978 That Georgia boy is showing more spunk By DAVID S. BRODER WASHINGTON—For the first time this year, President Carter has left Washington without his tail between his legs. He went off to vaction with his family in the West looking like a man in command, and this city, which longs for leadership as it longs for a cool breeze, was cheering him on his way. The last two things Carter did before leaving town were quintessentially presi dential. He vetoed a major piece of legisla tion, the defense authorizaiton bill, be cause it violated his sense of priorities in an area of traditional executive responsibility—the national defense. And he managed, through personal interven tion and pressure, finally to break the log jam in the Senate-House conference committee on the natural gas bill. When he comes back after Labor Day, it will be to another uniquely presidential mission: direct, high-stakes diplomacy with Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat at Camp David. points of view. But he was not defining the choices for them from a presidential perspective or enlisting their assistance for his objectives. Much of the time, he was buried in his briefing papers, studying the details of is sues, as if preparing for an examination, rather than equipping himself to lead on matters of national concern. That approach was not working, and he has begun to change. Meetings with con gressional delegations are less harmoni ous, but the congressmen come away with a clearer sense of what the President wants. His evenings are less consumed with briefing books, and there is more time for talks with Rosalynn Carter and other counselors. His public schedule is more purposeful, arid the message he is delivering in speeches and meetings less obscure. He is learning that comprehensive pro posals are often indigestible on Capitol Hill and unacceptable in a country lacking visible political consensus. He has discov ered the virtues of pragmatism and in crementalism on the energy bill, and he says he will apply that lesson next year to welfare reform and other issues as well. He says he will shorten his agenda and concentrate his efforts on what is impor tant to achieve—and achievable. For all these signs of learning, there remain serious causes for concern. The President appears less willing to concede the weak spots in his own administration than almost anyone else in the White House. His adamant insistence that he sees no need for any change in the Cabinet or the senior staff looms as a major imped iment to his making changes in the period immediately after the November election, when they are most easily accomplished. To be sure, he has allowed—and encouraged—a marked expansion and up grading in his political liaison staff in re cent months. But he needs a comparable improvement in some of the substantive areas of government—the management of the budget and economy, for example— and that will not occur unless he seeks it himself. Without such changes, the dura tion and consistency of his recovery will remain doubtful. Still, one finds oneself agreeing, once again, with the judgment of Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., who has more consis tently than anyone else I know, written wisely and dispassionately about the Pres idents, since coming to Congress 14 years ago. The three actions exemplify what Presi dents get paid to do, and what Carter did all too rarely in his first 18 months in of fice. They are decisive, well-timed and personal initiatives in matters of overrid ing national importance. They make one want to believe that Susan Clough, the President’s personal secretary and a woman of both candor and good sense, may be correct when she tells a reporter: “You are right to criticize us as slow learners. But we are learning.’ ... after all prongs You made, you are a very bad man! The most important thing the President is learning is how to use his time, his re sources and his energy to shape events. Until quite recently, he was listening to everybody in Congress, the administration and the world who wanted to see him. He was giving comfort to all of them, indicat ing sympathy if not commitment to their No. Porothy, I m , not a bad man. I’m a very good man... I'm just a very \ ‘ Wizard..! "I have the feeling,” Hamilton wrote his constituents recently, "that the President has been hesitant to use presidential power, but that he is now settling comfort ably into the Oval Office. It seems that he is beginning to master the intricate rela tionships in Washington and to maneuver among them, as a President must if he is to achieve his goals. He has had a long ‘shakedown cruise,’ but he has been blessed with good fortune, at least in the sense that he has not had to confront a dangerous crisis. S : ‘’XC -W : “He is now intervening boldly in legisla tive battles, tackling long-ignored prob lems and having some success....There is speculation about a one-term presidency for him, but surely such talk is premature. Presidential historians advise us to watch the crucial third year of a President, and Mr. Carter is still several months away from it.” How well he uses those next few months—and particularly what changes of personnel he makes—may well determine whether the current guarded optimism about the Carter presidency lasts longer than his Western vacation. (c) 1978, The Washington Post Com pany MIRV, CAT and other buro-words By JIM ANDERSON United Press International WASHINGTON — In a very real sense, as they say in Foggy Bottom, MEW has a lot to do with CAT. Officials also say that it is a pity that GOI can’t get along with COE. CAT (Conventional Arms Transfers, or weapons sales) is a frequently used ab breviation and, in the sense that no nation has infinite wealth, the money that is spent —en-arms can’t be spent on food and housing, two items which go to make up a new mea surement of national wealth, measurable economic welfare, or MEW. GOI (which, ironically, is a variation on the spelling of the Yiddish word for a non- Jew) is how the State Department tele grams refer to the Government of Israel. COE, of course, is the Government of Egypt. Initials can be used as verbs, as well as nouns, in this kind of burp-speak. It would Limitation Talks), a speaker recently ut- be an absolute nightmare, in state depart- tered the following sentence: ALPS, of ment terms, were a DCM to be PNCecT. ’ ' course, is just a quick-fix MAP, since both DCM is deputy chief of mission, the number two man in any embassy and to be declared Persona Non Grata is to be thrown out of the host country for some offense, real or imagined. Nothing seems to produce acronyms fas ter than the field of arms control. In a re cent seminar on the SALT (Strategic Arms High fever may cause birth defects By MICHAEL FLYNN United Press International SEATTLE — Medical science is be latedly concluding that prolonged high fever during pregnancy can cause birth de fects, or even death of the fetus, according to a University of Washington researcher. “Were talking about a temperature higher than 102 degrees for an extended period of time,” said Dr. David Smith, professor of pediatrics at the university’s School of Medicine. Smith said that while research has not yet proven a direct cause-and-effect rela tionship, the evidence is sufficient to cau tion women against permitting their body temperature to rise above 102 degrees and to quickly treat any illness accompanied by such a fever. “We see absolutely no indication of any problem in temperatures below 102, ” he added. damage to the fetus,” he said. “The unan swered question, and one on which much more research needs to be done, is the specific risk factors at any given point in a pregnancy and the extent of the risk. ” But Smith added that “in no event would the extent of risk be great enough to think of terminating a pregnancy. ” Smith said his early findings indicate that high fever is not a common cause of birth defects or spontaneous abortions, “but it is a significant cause.” Medicine Smith said pregnant women should be warned that prolonged sauna baths can have an effect on the fetus similar to that of a prolonged high fever, since a sauna can increase body temperatures to 102 de grees or above. “I would have to answer an unqualified ‘yes’ to the question of whether a high fever during pregnancy could result in Smith’s interest in the relationship be tween high fever and birth defects was sparked during a visit to Australia some years ago. There he learned that during a heat wave in the summer of 1965, a veter inarian had observed many guinea pigs being born with birth defects. The veterinarian then conducted a con trolled study in which he confirmed the relationship between those birth defects and high body temperatures in the ani mals. Smith was asked in an interview why it has taken medical science so long to focus on the dangers of fever in human pregnan cies in view of the cause-and-effect rela tionship confirmed in animal studies. “Ideally, the answer should have been discovered a long time ago,” he replied. But he explained that many scientists felt the animaf findings were not applicable to human pregnancies because the animal tests involved body temperatures higher than a human would encounter — in many cases above 105 degrees. Another thing that has delayed focusing on the possible adverse effects of fever on the fetus is that most fevers are accom panied by an infection of some sort. “Science has always looked toward the infectious agent rather than the fever as the key danger,” Smith said. But as belated as medicine may be in zeroing in on the possible dangers of high fever in pregnancy, Smith said, there are several research projects now under way to look at the fever-risk relationship. “Our early indications are that high fev ers in the early stages of pregnancy can lead to development problems in the fetus,” he said, “while such fevers in later stages can lead to premature delivery or fetal death. ” could be described as an MX. Everybody around the table nodded gravely. The subject was the mobile missile that the United States wants to build (or MX, for short). Multiple aim point, or MAP, is a more elaborate and expensive way of mov ing missiles around underground than ALPS, or alternate launch point system. Both are designed to make U. S. land-based missiles invulnerable to a Soviet first-strike attack. The acryonyms breed like rabbits in ACDA (Arms Control and Disarmament Agency). First there was MIRV (Multiple Independently-targetable Re-entry Vehi cle) or a multi-headed missile. It’s more sophisticated than MRV (Multiple Re entry Vehicle), but not nearly as tricky as MARV (Manuverable Re-entry Vehicle). The United Nations bears a heavy re sponsibility for a whole family of jargonized initials and acronyms. It is possible to say, and be understood, by fellow jargon speak ers: “The UN has been jumping this year with Eeosoc, SSOD, and Shaba Two.” That is an insider’s way of recounting that the Economic and Social Commitee, and the Special Session on Disarmament, as well as the hearings on the second Katangese invasion of Zaire’s Shaba prov ince have made the United Nations head quarters a busy place. The abbreviations are catching, and any hackneyed phrase soon finds itself reduced to a set of initials. Newsmen, for example, have heard successions of secretaries of state talk about a “Just and Lasting Peace in the Middle East. ” That is now reduced to JLP in their notes. PLK is a sardonic tribute to King Hus sein of Jordan, who is frequently referred to by Middle East experts as the “Plucky Lit tle King.” The acronyms are proliferating so fast in the area of national security affairs that it may soon become a job for OES-CP (the State Department’s Office of Population Control). Fire for "fun and profit"; arson a business By DICK WEST WASHINGTON — Recent Senate hearings produced testimony that arson has become “big business” in the United States. Witnesses said most cities now have sizeable corps of professional “torches” who set fires for profits, as well as the usual run of amateur pyromaniacs who do it for fun. Additionally, the senators were told, some of the more successful firebugs have Mafia connections, and occasionally there is collusion with fire officials, insurance ad justers and police investigators. I gather a typical arson case develops something like this: Business is bad at the Bigger and Better Vest Co. Nathan Bigger and Sam Better, the proprietors, decide to try to pep things up by holding an old fashioned fire sale. “But first, we gotta have a fire,” Sam points out. “Yeah, ” Nathan agrees, “and fires don’t come cheap these days.” The two partners discuss the chances of a fire occurring naturally. They decide not to risk it. “If we wait around for spontaneous combustion, we could end up with the fire sale overlapping our spring bankruptcy sale,” Sam says, sighing sadly. “Besides that, a do-it-yourself arson job has got no class,” Sam says. “I always say a fire worth starting at all is worth starting right.” “Yeah,” Nathan agrees. “Maybe we should have a quickie pre-inventory sale to raise enough money to hire a professional arsonist.” Nathan picks up the phone to inquire whether the company also makes house calls. Humor “Yeah,” Nathan agrees. “We gotta have something immediate to tide us over until time for our annual lost-our-lease sale.” The two partners discuss trying to save money by starting the fire themselves. But both have quit smoking and no longer carry matches. Which is what they do. When the pre-inventory sale is over, Sam takes the telephone directory and looks in the Yellow Pages under “Arson.” There are several listings. The two partners finally settle on the Four-Alarm Incendiary Corp. The friendly folks at FourAlarm tell him this is their busy season, what with so many merchants wanting to be burned out while the summer arson rates are still on. However, they promise to send around an appraiser in a few days. A few days pass. “This is gonna cost you a bundle,” the appraiser tells the partners. “Old stores like this were built before the days of cancer research. Therefore, they contain a lot of asbestos material that makes them hard to ignite.” Four-Alarm has an impressive adver tisement that boasts of “Fine Fires Since 1893” and promises “Satisfaction Guaran teed.” Later, the two partners are lamenting to their friend Shagworth that arsonists’ fees are outrageous. “You fools!” Shagworth cries. “I could have gotten it for you wholesale.” Top of the News Campus Senior, grad positions available Applications for senior and graduate positions on the Student Gov- eminent Judicial Board will be accepted until 5 p in., Friday, in the Student Government office. Room 216 in the MSC. State Cattle symposium in Houston Texas human services studied Nation No conspiracysays Costanza Tour airplane crashes, 10 hilled World Vietnam issues formal warning German hijackers surrender A Polish airliner with 60 passengers was hijacked to West Berlin Wednesday by an armed man from East Germany. He surrendered to U.S. military police, a spokesman for the U.S. Air Force said. The aircraft, a Soviet-made TU134, was originally flying to East Germany. The hijacker surrendered his weapon and himself to American Air Police as soon as the aircraft landed at West Berlin’s Temelhof air port. Eight other persons, including several young children, left the aircraft with the hijacker and were begin questioned by American authorities, the spokesman said. The remaining passengers, mostly East Germans, were allowed to leave. Weather Partly cloudy today and tomorrow with showers and thun dershowers. High today near 90s and low in the low 70s. Easterly wind at 5 to 10 mph. Probability of rain 50% today and tonight and 40% Friday. i id ' i ol A si sit d ii “7 A Southeast Texas Cow-Calf Symposium will be held in Houston next Thursday at the Pin Oak Stables, 5505 West Loop South. The program will begin with registration at 9 a.m. and throughout the day various speakers will be discussing the industry. The program will feature live animal demonstrations, informational exhibits on beef cattle breeds, farm machinery, various beef grades and cuts, phar maceuticals, feed seed and fertilizer, livestock equipment and other items related to the agricultural industry of Texas. Lt. Gov. William P. Hobby Wednesday appointed four senators and eight citizen members to a special committee to study delivery of human services in Texas. The committee was created by the 1977 legislature to study state and federal laws populations served by the services and methods by which state funds may be more effectively allocated. The senators appointed to the committee were Chet Brooks, D-Pasadena; Bill Meier, D-Euless; A.R. Schwartz, D-Galveston and W. E. Snelson, D-Midland. Hobby designated Helen Farabee of Wichita Falls as chairman of the committee. Midge Costanza, former White House counsel, says she was not the victim of a White House coup. "There was no conspiracy against me. Those who had the brains to conspire didn’t have the time. And those who had the time didn’t have the brains.” The controversy she provoked curtailed her effectiveness, Constanza said. But her parting with Carter was amicable. She says they are good friends, and she has pledged to campaign for him in 1980. Costanza warned against arch- conservatives that want to purge constitutional protections of human and civil rights, and she pledged to “make my life’s effort to go out into this nation to destroy the right wing." cer slo he i iths d i: A twin-engine airplane bound for Disneyland crashed shortly after takeoff from the North Las Vegas municipal airport Wednesday kill ing all 10 persons aboard. The Las Vegas Piper Navajo apparently went out of control and crashed into a vacant desert area at 7:44 a.m., witnesses said. It disintegrated, but did not bum. The identities ol the nine passengers and pilot were not immediately released. The Las Vegas Air Lines has been operating in the Las Vegas area for several years, and flies to Disneyland three times a week as part of a tour package. I r m,.! Vietnam formally warned China against further border violence involving Chinese refugees, Wednesday. The statement, issued by the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry, accused China of “criminal ac tions” in stirring up refugees to violence. The statement brought deterioratinc relations between the two former allies to a new low. The warning was issued shortly after China accused Vietnam of creat ing “an atmosphere of war terror and panic” along the two nations’ troubled border. Vietnam had seized and held at gunpoint more than a mile of Chinese territory. The Battalion LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are subject to being cut to that length or less if longer. 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Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. Second-Class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Kim T# Managing Editor Karen Sports Editor David I City Editor Jamie Aitlw Campus Editor Liz Ne^ Assistant Campus Editor . . .Andy Willia# News Editors Carolyn Blossf Debbie Parsons Staff Writers Mark Patterson, Andrei Vails, Scott Pendleton, Seii Petty, Michelle Scudder, Karii Knapp, Marilyn Brown Cartoonist Doug Grahm 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 Regents. The Battalion is a non-profit, iff supporting enterprise operated Inj stiihH as a university and community iiewspiiint Editorial policy is determined by the cililit