Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Carter’s tally
What a difference, as they say, a few weeks make. It was only a short time
ago that people were saying — and only partly tongue in cheek — that for
the sake of the Democratic Party the highest as Jimmy Carter could per
form would be to resign the presidency and let Vice President Mondale
steer the ship until Teddy Kennedy could put things aright in 1981.
But that was before Camp David, the natural gas compromise, the civil
service reform bill, the ERA extension, the public works veto, the wiretap
bill: before Mr. Carter’s stock rose in the Gallup poll by 17 points, the
sharpest upward gain ever, and before Newsweek’s cover pronounced him
“Born Again!” All of which — both the before and the after — strikes us as
pretty silly.
Like all presidents, Mr. Carter will have his winning and losing streaks.
There is not much harm, and there is a good deal of fun, in keeping a running
total, so to speak of his score; but in the excitement, we would all do well to
remember that the final sum will not be apparent for quite some time — and
that almost certainly it will be different than what it now appears to be.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Monday
October 16, 1978
Two-percenters: after Camp David
By JIM ANDERSON
United Press International
WASHINGTON — Almost all of the
negotiating in the Egyptian-Israeli settle
ment was completed at Camp David, but
it takes longer and is far more difficult to
end a war than to start one.
American officials expect there will be
an agreement in about three weeks, but do
not consider the treaty an accomplished
fact.
Israeli Prime Minister Menachem
Begin said 98 percent of the problems are
solved, an assessment American officials
accept. But nobody will sign anything
until the other 2 percent is wrapped up,
and the remaining problems have a poten
tial for creating mischief.
The largest issue hanging over the talks
is linkage — specifically, how the
Egyptian-Israeli agreement relates to the
wider issue of the Middle East framework
for peace, and the future of the West Bank
and Gaza.
The Israelis say the frameworks are
separate and have no direct relationship.
The Egyptians say there is a connection, if
only as a sign of Israel’s intention to live up
to both Camp David agreements.
Analysis
President Carter tried to play it right
down the middle with a delicately worded
answer to a news conference question:
“Legally, they’re not inter-connected,” he
said, “but there was no doubt in the minds
of myself, President (Anwar) Sadat (of
Egypt) and Prime Minister Begin that the
issues are interrelated.”
There are other differences, including
one of emphasis. The Israelis are expected
to focus on their primary interest: the na
ture of the peace that will follow their
withdrawal. The Egyptians are expected
to concentrate on their chief desire: to see
the Israelis pull out of the Sinai as quickly
as "possible.
The Camp David framework is vague,
specifying “two to three years.”
Still other matters to be resolved are de
tails that were deliberately glossed over so
the leaders could concentrate on the prin
ciples involved.
They include specific timetables and
maps of the final and interim withdrawals;
and exactly how much the final lines
should be adjusted to take care of Israel’s
“secure borders,” a phrase included in
U.N. Security Council resolution 242.
The remnant of the last Egyptian-Israeli
agreement, the U.S.-Sinai monitoring
mission, is also to be negotiated. The mis
sion eventually will be surrounded by
Egyptian territory and Egypt will presum
ably object to having a foreign presence
there.
It is also assumed the Israelis would like
to keep a U.S. military early-warning sys
tem, just in case.
The exact rules to establish free naviga
tion by Israeli ships through the Suez
Canal also must be negotiated. For exam
ple, will Israel be able to ship war material
through the canal? And, if so, what will be
the reaction of the other Arab states?
It is the American hope — and intention
— to settle these issues quickly and create
a bandwagon effect in the Middle East, a
momentum that would lead to a wider set
tlement including also the Jordanians and
the Palestinians.
Lunch with loopholes for dessert
By DICK WEST
United Press International
WASHINGTON — Freeloaders, rejoice!
The three-martini lunch in all its chilled,
dry piquancy has been preserved for at
least another year.
Efforts to repeal or reduce the tax de
duction for business entertainment got
nowhere in Congress, despite President
Carter’s urging. The final two moves
against it failed in the Senate last week.
One would have cut the deduction to 50
percent, thus making it a one-and-a-half
martirjiji lunch. The». <^ther w^wJd'.h^ve 1%
mited vfhe deduction to $25, which might
have figrced some lunch bunch to
switch to beer.
So strong was senatorial support for the
three-martini lunch, there was even talk of
adding a tax credit for extra olives.
Letters to the Editor
Thus one of the main effects of this
year’s tax legislation is to make the world
safe for expense account dining.
Much credit for keeping the loophole
open is being given to business lobbyists
who insisted that entertaining customers
and clients is a vital part of commerce.
Humor
Credit also is being claimed by various
restaurant associations whose members
feared they would lose a lot of patrons if
the three-martini lunch lost its deductibil
ity.
But I think at least equal credit should
go to Freeloaders Anonymous, which rep
resented consumer interests on this issue.
Its stake in the tax bill was enormous.
We sometimes forget that business en
tertainment is a triangular affair. Those
who serve tax deductible meals and those
who pick up the checks are important. But
without guests the entire process would
collapse.
Freeloaders Anonymous was formed
some years ago after the IRS ruled that
anyone who writes off a three-martini
lunch as a business expense must devote
part of the conversation to business.
Here’s how the organization works:
A stranger in town on an expense ac
count unexpectedly finds himself without
a lunch companion. He calls the local
chapter of FA and they send oyer someone
to talk business with him.
Under the leadership of its Washington
director, Nathan Cadgemaster, FA
mounted a vigorous, if at times panicstric-
ken, campaign against the proposed “re
form.”
Asked to comment on the new tax bill,
Cadgemaster said that without the deduc
tion “most business meals would revert to
the infamous Dutch Treat system, which
certainly is unAmerican if not outright
communistic.”
“The right to be taken to lunch is one of
our most precious freedoms. Don’t let
them take it away,” he urged.
I asked Cadgemaster how that
philosophy squared with the famous say
ing, variously attributed to Will Rogers,
W. C. Fields, Calvin Coolidge and the
Marquis de Sade, that “There’s no such
thing as a free lunch.”
“None of those guys ever had a Diners
Club card,” he replied.
Editor:
I want to comment on the poor perform
ance I saw Saturday night at the As
trodome. I am not referring to the Fightin'
Texas Aggie Football Team, but to a few
Aggies at the game.
There were quite a few who felt the
team did not deserve their support.
Neither would they yell, nor would they
even stand for the game. The saying that
everybody loves a winner but nobody
loves a loser was sure shown Saturday
night.
But this is not what the Spirit of Aggie-
land is all about. We are all Aggies and our
football team deserves our support
through thick and thin. They do not need
the type of support they received at the
Dome.
But there were still enough of us Aggies
who felt the team deserved all of our sup
port, stayed the entire game, and even felt
they deserved the yell practice after the
game. Since the Aggies get such a few
number of tickets for away football games,
I feel that only Aggies who are willing to
support the team, whether winning or los
ing, should get the tickets.
I hope that you Aggies who would not
stand, yell or even stay for the entire game
Poor performance for A&M fans
Requiem for a cat
are not camping out for the next away or
any away football game. The Fightin’
Texas Aggie Football Team is still number
one in my heart.
— Steve Foucart, ’79
Not mental midgets
Editor:
I’m writing in response to Scott Lane’s
letter Defer Corps run” printed in the
Batt on Oct. 9.
To Mr. Lane:
I m sorry that you have such a poor
opinion of the Corps and its members.
Apparently, you have had a scene with a
cadet in the past and for that I apologize.
However, for your generalizations, I be
lieve you owe an apology.
Calling all of us (C.T. s) 20-year-olds
with a 10-year-old maturity level and in
sinuating that the majority of us are mental
midgets, shows not only your blind ignor
ance, but also that you have locked your-
self into your own little world and have not
taken the time to meet those of us in
khaki.
If you did attempt to broaden your mind
a little, you would find that the vast, vast
majority of C.T. s are rather intelligent and
are not young upcoming members of some
neo-National Socialist movement.
If you honestly believe that there are a
significant number of students who have
no respect for the Corps at Texas A&M,
then obviously you have not attended a
football game, to witness the crowd reac
tion to each Corps march-in and the Aggie
Band half-time performances, among
other Corps led events.
One cannot truly say he is an Aggie un
less he has a broad enough mind to respect
all aspects of TAMU life: C.T., non-reg,
and faculty alike. The Corps is not for
everybody and I respect your decision to
be what you are. However, the Corps is
for me and my friends and I ask you to
respect us for our decision.
— Max W. Underwood, BQ, ‘80
Bruce F. Fain, BQ, ‘80
Mike Harp, BQ, ‘80
Editor’s note: this letter was accom
panied by 72 other signatures.
Whens my turn?
Editor:
I am interested in increasing my physical
capacity and at the least, maintaining the
shape I am in. I regularly and recently
have been working out on the Nautilus
machines in the Intramural building.
I went there Wednesday and had al
ready gone through a few machines when I
was politely told to leave; the machines
were reserved all day Monday and Wed
nesday for the athletic department.
I was pretty mad, but I left peaceably.
The next day, Thursday, I returned at
11:00 only to be informed that the
machines were reserved from 9-11:30 and
5-6:30 Tuesday and Thursday for women
athletes.
There were five girls in the room and
none were exercising in any way.
My question is: do my fees in any way
pay for these machines? If I am allowed to
use them, then when are my hours?
Seventeen hours is a fair amount and I
would bet that the hours I can work out
are more restricted than anyone in the ath
letic department. If the athletic depart
ment needs so desperately to keep these
machines to themselves then why don’t
they get their own machines, just like they
have their own athletic dorm, athletic
|board plan, etc.
I am probably speaking for others be
sides myself.
— Robert Smith
P. O. Box 858, C.S.
Editor:
I regretfully must report on the death of
a very distinctive resident of the north area
dorms. A beautiful black and white cat
named Paraquat, Phase Shift, and Edna
lost one too many lives.
Edna died like a “true Aggie” while
crossing the street in front of the Chicken
last Thursday. The death would be must
more bearable if it had been an accident.
A former resident of Legett Hall admit
ted to the crime. Without misgivings he
said that he switched lanes in a special ef
fort to hit the cat. His lack of morality in
this situation is unforgivable. If given the
chance he will kill again.
Unfortunately for other pets like Edna,
there are many other people who also be
lieve in murdering cats. This situation
would not mean much except that many
people knew and loved EDNA.
In one specific case a portion of Moses
Hall, called “Rowdy Hall, ” had an election
to name the cat. Even though Edna did
not stay inside the dorm, she was adopted
as a mascot and pet. Edna was a very im
portant part of our dorm spirit. It is too
bad that the warped ideals of one maniac
can affect so many people.
In memory of Edna, I request that
everyone set aside five minutes of thought
ful silence at your own convenience for the
beloved feline.
— Michael A. Schroeder, ‘80
Keep it down
Editor:
To those to whom it may concern. Ques
tion: What is the first place you think
about when you want to go to a nice quiet
place to study? The library - right?
That s where I go to escape the noise of
my dorm almost every night. Well,
Thursday night, Oct. 12, really did it. I
had to move three times before I settled
on the third floor where I thought I could
concentrate” on my studies rather than
listen to everybody’s problems. That’s
when it happened.
A girl came running up to a guy, sitting
at the next table, and they started yelling
at each other, as though they were either
deaf or just wanted everyone to hear their
conversation.
The three to the right of me began to
shout about what they were studying.
That s when I got up and walked out to go
to my nice noisy dorm.
This goes on every night. Why can’t
| those people who are going to talk stay out
: so others can study? It’s getting to be a
I pain.
— Daniel Shannahan, ’79
Top of the News
CAMPUS
Cyclotron receives $1 million
The Cyclotron Institute at Texas A&M University will receive $1
million from the Robert A. Welch Foundation over the next five years
to improve its research facilities. The institute oversees the South
west’s largest cyclotron, which is a sophisticated instrument for basic
nuclear science research. The cyclotron has contributed to significant
applied developments and is also used for neutron therapy in collab
oration with M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute at Hous-1
ton. The Cyclotron, which includes $6 million worth of equipment, is 1
in such demand that it operates round-the-clock.
Election for off-campus reps
Off-Campus Student Association representative elections will be
held on Oct. 26 along with freshman student elections. Filing will
continue daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in rooms 216 A and B of the
Memorial Student Center. There are openings for 22 representatives
in the Off-Campus Student Association. The deadline for filing is
Wednesday. All off-campus students are urged to vote in the elec
tion.
STATE
Bank robbers still being sought
Two bank robbers, one of them on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted
List,” eluded scores of armed searchers Saturday in a huge East Texas
pine thicket near Chireno. An FBI agent said searchers had not found
any trace of the men or a campsite area. Chireno State Bank presi
dent, Elbert Sowell, said the two ski-masked men entered the bank
early Thursday toting a shotgun and a chrome-plated .45-caliber pis
tol and demanding money. But while the robbers were busy grabbing
loose cash, a woman customer slipped out of the bank and called the
sherifi. The two men fled with an undetermined amount of money.
Possible refunds on electric bills
The Public Utility Commission, in a rare show of unanimity, has
embarked on a new course that could mean refunds on electricity
bills for millions of Texans and should set landmarks for determining
just what costs utilities can pass through to consumers. The commis
sion in Austin demanded an investigation of financial transactions
among Texas Utility Co. subsidiaries and announced plans for hear
ings on the propriety of raising customers’ rates to pay for dealings
among the affiliates.
Pollution symposium at U of H
A symposium at the University of Houston Wednesday will ex
change information on new federal air pollution regulations on land
use and economic growth. City, state and federal pollution officials
will take part in the third annual symposium of the Gulf Coast Chap
ter of the Air Pollution Control Association. The subject of the meet
ing is regulations to prevent significant deterioration of air quality in
areas that now meet federal pollution standards.
NATION
Russians convicted of espionage
Two Russians employed by the United Nations face a possible life
sentence on their conviction for buying American defense secrets
from a naval officer posing as a traitor. Valdik Enger, 39, and Rudolf
Chemyayev, 43, were found guilty of espionage Friday by a federal
,£? ur t j u f v ’j 1 Newark, N.I.. that deliberated for nearly nine hours.
I he detendants were charged with paying Lt. Cmdr. Arthur
Lindberg, who posed as a spy, more than $20,000 for defense secrets
dropped at spots along New Jersey’s toll roads.
WORLD
China to buy three 747 jumbo jets
China has agreed to buy three American Boeing 747 jumbo jets in
what may be a first step toward opening air service between Peking
and the L nited States, a Tokyo business newspaper said Sunday. The
newspaper Nihon Keizai said its information came from sources in the
Japanese aviation industry, who are concerned about the possible
emergence o China as a major factor in trans-Pacific aviation. The
paper sard China will buy three of Boeing’s 747SP models, which are
capable of non-stop flights between Peking and New York.
WEATHER
Pair sk i es wini mild temperatures and cool nights. The high
will be m the low 80 s and the low in the low 60’s with winds
moving S.E. 5-10 mph. Outlook for the week will be fair
sMes mud temp., and cool nights becoming cooler on
Thursday and Friday.
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The Battalion
! LETTERS POUCY
I the edit0r should not exceed 300 words and are
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Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor The
Represented nationally by National Educational Adver
Ange^ef"^ 5 ’ InC '’ ^ Y ° rk ^ ChiCag0 and Los
MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Editor KimTys* ;ason
The Battalion is published Monday through Friday from
September through May except during exam and holiday
ZS m, t r S da S y U . mmer ’ When * * PUb ' ished T -day
Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per
school year; $35.00 per full year. Advertising rates fur-
mshed on request. Address; The Battalion, Room 216
Reed MeDonaldBuiiding, College Station, Texas 77843'
United Press International is entitled exclusively to the
p r f eprodu , ct,on of m;ws dispatches credited to it
Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved
Second-Class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843
Managing Editor L* 2
Assistant Managing Editor . .Karen
Sports Editor
City Editor J ain ' e .,i
Campus Editor Andy WiUm
News Editors Debbie Pa rs
Beth Calhoun
Editorial Director . .Lee Roy Lesehp 6 ^
Staff Writers Mark Patterson, ^
Pendleton, Sean U -
Scudder, Manli' pPconte
Michelle
Faulkenberry, Diane
Blake
Cartoonist Doug
I Photographer Ed Cun^ ^ e!
Focus section editor Gary e
ihZ n exp r essed in The Battalion are
those of the editor or of the tvriter of the
article and are not necessarily those of the
University administration or the Board of
\ Regents. The Battalion is a non-profit
j supporting enterprise operated by d' 11
i as a university and community neU)S ^L
I Editorial policy is determined by tbe e 1
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