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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 30, 1978)
Viewpoint The Battalion Monday Texas A&M University October 30, 1978 Wilson a good choice for A&M, the team Texas A&M University President Jarvis Miller and the Board of Regents deserve commendation for Friday’s decision to sign Tom Wilson to a three-year contract as head football coach. As Miller said in his announcement of the decision, “We could have spent weeks, or even months, searching for such a man, and all the while have our overall program in a state of limbo.” The decision does several things to promote the future growth of the athletic program at Texas A&M, First, it puts to rest the rumors about which coach from which school would accept which alumni group’s offer to come to Texas A&M. This kind of national guessing game reflects negatively on the University. Second, the speedy decision salvages a recruiting program that reached new standards of excellence under the tenure of Emory Bellard. It is still too early to determine the effects that Bellard’s resignation will have on Texas A&M’s recruiting year, but the appointment of Wilson and the assurance of a stable coaching staff will minimize any adverse effects. Finally, and presendy most important, Wilson’s hiring as head football coach brings stability to the 1978 Texas Aggie football team. Wilson is not simply a fledgling 34-year-old assistant coach who happened to be in the right place at the right time. He has contributed to the Aggies’ offensive development since he arrived at Texas A&M in 1975 and he was considered for the head coaching job at Texas Tech University last year. Wilson is a man capable of the job of head coach and the football team realizes this. Before finding out about Wilson’s appointment, members of the team had signed a petition asking that he be hired as head football coach. Some players had planned to leave Texas A&M at the end of the year had Wilson not been hired. They foresaw problems in adjusting to a new coaching staff. Wilson brings a new spark of optimism to a high-quality football program that was dangerously close to self-destruction. D.B. Covering By ARNOLD SAWISLAK United Press International WASHINGTON — It is against the law for companies or unions to make direct contributions to candidates for Congress or the presidency. It is legal for “political action committees” formed by companies or labor unions to make voluntary con tributions. Commen tary The labor unions were the first to use the PAG device. Through groups like the Committee on Political Education, labor has been supporting candidates for many years. Professional organizations, such as the American Medical Association, also were early users of the committee ap proach to political contributing. It wasn’t until the Watergate investiga tions venilated widespread direct corpo rate political contributions that industries and individual businesses latched onto the device. Now there are hundreds of PACs at tached to industry groups or directly to specific companies which permit execu tives and other employees to pool volun tary contributions to help finance the campaigns of candidates who represent their political views. The rationale for PACs is that those who contribute to them have common political and issue interests that they want to sup port. Thus, union PACs might want to back candidates who support common situs picketing legislation, medical PACs might get behind candidates opposed to certain health legislation and so on. Critics of PACs, especially when the system was used almost exclusively by your bets unions, have argued that (1) the fundrais ing is not really voluntary and (2) those who contribute the money have little to say about what candidates get the con tributions. Behind these criticisms is the conten tion that rank and file union members were pressured to contribute to COPE or similar groups and that the choice of can didates to be helped was made by “union bosses.” Similar objections have been raised more recently about professional and business-related PACs. Now another objection has surfaced. Common Cause recently studied contribu tions to the Texas Senate race and discov ered that 46 corporate and professional PACs had contributed $110,000 to both the Democratic and Republican candi dates. Sen. John Tower, the GOP incum bent, did almost twice as well as Rep. Bob Krueger, his Democratic challenger, but in some cases the PACs gave each man the same amount. Does this mean the PACs are dividing their candidate aid in an effort to reflect ’ the wishes of those who contributed the funds? No way, says Common Cause. “These interest groups are making sure they will have easy access no matter who wins the Texas Senate race,” said vice president Fred Wertheimer. “It’s like backing both teams in a football game — you’re bound to have a winner.” Common Cause, of course, also has an axe to grind. It has been trying for years to get Congress to outlaw campaign financing with private funds and go to a system of public financing. It was instrumental in selling Congress on a modified system of public financing for presidential cam paigns, but thus far has failed to convince Congress that the same medicine would be good for it. Meeting of the lines By ROLAND LINDSEY UPI Capitol Reporter AUSTIN, Texas — Wednesday will be a key day in Republican Bill Clements’ campaign for governor. Clements contends his polls show that is the day he will overtake Attorney General John Hill in the race and his lead will build in the remaining six days before the election. The GOP contender bases that contention on graphs showing Hill’s popularity declining since the Democratic primary — a normal drop based on past elections — and his own polls showing his popularity steadily increasiijg. Wednesday is the day? the two lines on the graph meet, signifying die has-caught up with Hill, Clements says. Politics Voters needn’t worry too much about that prediction, however, since the election will be only six days away and that outcome is more certain than any prediction. Clements campaign, which he estimates will cost more than $5 million, is the most expensive ever waged by a Republican candidate for governor in Texas, and perhaps is the first time the GOP nominee has outspent his Democratic opponent. The contrast in campaign spending between Clements and Hill is made clear by the listing of staffers on the campaign expense reports. Clements’ campaign reports show 73 paid employees. Hill has 13. The State Insurance Board has been more than two months without a permanent chairman, and Gov. Dolph Briscoe has given no indication when he plans to appoint a successor to former board member Hugh C. Yantis. Yantis appointment was rejected by the Senate during the summer special session on tax relief. Harrison Vickers of Houston is the man mentioned most often as the likely successor to Yantis, but Briscoe has just over two months remaining on his term and- has not yet filled the vacancy. Railroad Commission hearing examiner Brooks Peden showed some humor in an otherwise dull hearing dealing largely with statistics and numbers last week. The hearing involved dumping of oil brine in Whalen Lake in Andrews County, and at one point environmentalist Midge Erskine of Midland — the only woman witness among a room full of men — stood to ask for clarification on some of the testimony. “Could I have two dates please? ” she asked. “With whom?,” Peden replied. After a brief bit of laughter, Mrs. Erskin got her dates — the days on which inspections had been made at the West Texas lake. Letters to the Editor C. Editor: Since I was knee-high to a toadstool, my father (’50) has taken me to Aggie football games. Probably the biggest thrill of those memorable days was “THE VOICE OF KYLE FIELD.” At the time, as a matter of fact up until this semester, I did not know who Mr. C.K. Esten was. I have read much about Aggie traditions, some good and some bad. Upon Mr. Esten’s retirement I realized a great Aggie tradition was passing. This is saddening in :my heart, as well as the hearts of countless Aggies. To Mr. Esten, we Aggies know how well you deserve your retirement, no one could question that. But sir, hoping not to impose, only asking out of the greatest . respect, will you not announce at least one Texas Aggie football game a year? There is nothing more moving to hear than, “now forming at the north end of Kyle Field, the nationally famous Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band!” Mr. Esten is a tradition too great to do without. “THE VOICE OF KYLE FIELD” is one hell of a reason to be a FIGHTIN’ TEXAS AGGIE. To A&M tradition ... — William Marks, ’80 Editor’s note: this letter was accompanied by 19 other signatures. Hostile gripes Editor: Having been at A&M for almost five years now, I have seen a lot of changes, both bad and good. I have read The Battalion almost daily for those five years and have noticed that the majority of the letters to the editor are in the form of complaints. Most of the people write in to complain about something, anything, just plain nothing. To get to the point, it seems that the letters involving hostile feelings are rising at an alarming rate. For example, the letters regarding the incident on the MSC grass. Whether or not it is a registered K. Esten: voice of Ag tradition tradition to stay off the grass is not the question. The question is: Why didn’t the guy get off when he was asked? The reason according to the guy was that it was his right to sit there. The fact is that he does have the right to sit on state property, but conversely the people who opposed him also have the right to request that he get off. All of us who pay taxes and/or tutition own that land. In this democratic society the majority rules and clearly the majority did not want the guy on the grass. Secondly, regarding the letter complaining about the “two-per-centers at the Houston game. I love the Aggies as much as the next person, but I also get upset with their sometimes horrible games (i.e. Houston and Baylor). If people want to leave early that’s their choice. After all, you can’t win games on tradition. Some may respond to this that, “Highway 6 runs both ways.” I know that, but I stopped here. Lastly, in response to Miss Tipton’s letter in (Oct. 19) The Battalion. Miss Tipton you have every right to be “very angry” when motorists don’t yield the right-of-way to you. On campus the pedestrian has the right-of-way at intersections but not midway between them. Bicycles must obey the law the same as the motorist, which I have rarely seen happen. As for your chasing them down and telling them what you think of them, you show a total lack of control and maturity. Do not be surprised if you run upon someone as irrational as yourself and they slap the ever-living hell out of you. In conclusion Miss Tipton, do not believe that just because you have the right-of-way that you are any match for an automobile going 30 miles per hour. — Greg Coulter, ’78 Broken record Editor: After suffering through days of epitaphs concerning the resignation of Emory Bellard, I think it is time to hear another view on this matter. First of all, I would like to commend Coach Bellard for his achievements in improving the athletic department during his six years as athletic director. He has put our school in the national limelight in athletics. However, the facts remain, A&M has not won an outright Southwest Conference championship since he has been at the helm. Big deal, you say? Yes, we have been winning. We have gone to three straight bowl games, but what did those bowls prove? For the last four years, A&M has had the best football personnel in the conference. Just look in the professsional ranks. It wouldn’t take much searching to find close to 10 Ags from ’74-’76 who are playing regularly on their respective teams. Why did such an awesome array of talent fell short of a trip to Dallas on New Year’s Day year after year? There is no doubt in my mind that those teams and this year’s team were of championship caliber, but leading every championship team is a championship coach. Bellard has not proven himself to be one. A winning coach he is, but such a team as A&M has this year deserves more than just a winning season. A&M is long overdue for the SWC crown, and it was obvious that we weren't getting any closer by continuing to play conservative football. Bellard was a good coach, a great athletic director, and is a great man. A&M is a changing school, changing to keep pace with a changing nation. Why shouldn’t the football team also undergo changes? You can “dance with he one what brung you” only so long. Many people seem to think that this whole issue is based on the UH and Baylor games. These bleeding hearts need to review the course of events over the last several seasons. It plays like a broken record. Maybe now we will see changes, and win, or lose, at least now it will be more of a challenge for the fans to predict each and every play to be run. Good luck to Tom Wilson and the entire staff on a successful second half. — Scott Parma, ’80 Daryl Parker, ’78 What happened? Editor: First, let me say that I don’t know why Emory Bellard quit. All I know about what is happening on campus at College Station is what I read in the newspapers. The newspapers don’t say it out loud, but they imply that the best coach the Fightin’ Texas Aggies ever had quit because the student body wasn’t supporting him. If this is not true, the student body should do something to show that they did support the coach and the team through thick and thin. But if this is true, then the student body deserves a 4-7 season to show it what a good coach means to a university. This is one ol’ Ag that wishes that Coach Bellard would change his mind, because I think he was doing a damn fine job. But if he won’t, I will still support the team, the new coach, and the university, because that is the Aggie way. I just wish that somebody would tell me what happened. — Michael Willett, ’70 Houston Readers’ Forum Guest viewpoints, in addi tion to Letters to the Editor, are welcome. All pieces sub mitted to Readers forum should be: • Typed triple space • Limited to 60 characters per line • Limited to 100 lines V J Top of the News STATE Davis jury selection starts today NATION Offshore drilling rig kills two Salvage operations that may take several days in Intracoastal, La., will be the only way to determine what caused a $3 million offshore drilling rig to topple into the Gulf of Mexico with 16 men aboard, killing two of them. The other 14 workers escaped with minor injuries. Two were burned when a pot of gumbo in the rig kitchen fell on them. The president of Mallard Well Service, which owned the 48-by-80fbot Mallard 35 drilling rig, said the cause of the Friday morning accident was a mystery. The back leg, one of three 183-foot tall metal supports on the rig, buckled in 40 feet of water. Most crewmen were in their quarters and escaped without serious injury. But two who were se cured with safety lines while working on the deck became tangled in the drilling derrick and apparently drowned. WORLD Survivors head to Soviet Union Ten survivors of the crash of a U.S. Navy surveillance plane were headed toward the Soviet Union Saturday aboard a Russian trawler. The survivors and five others crashed in icy North Pacific waters in a P-3 Orion less than 300 miles from Siberia. Bodies of three were recovered by the trawler MVS Senyavina and two others were still missing. U.S. and Soviet aircraft continued to circle the area in hope of spotting the missing men. The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Jarvis also was en route Saturday but was delayed by rough seas Park leaves U.S. for business Tongsun Park, the South Korean rice dealer who was finally per suaded to testify before a congressional committee about Korean influence-buying, slipped offfor an "unauthorized” trip to the Domini can Republic for a few days, the Washington Star reported Saturday. The newspaper said the trip, made to sell some real estate Park owned, caused a “flap at the State Department and in Seoul because the arrangements that brought Park to the United States forbade his travel elsewhere without the express approval of both governments. The State Department declined immediate comment. 'Tortilla Curtain postponed The foreign ministry in Mexico City said Saturday the U.S. Immi gration Service has postponed plans to build a new fence along parts of the U.S.-Mexican border to prevent the entry of illegal Mexican workers. Mexican President Jose Lopez Portillo, currently on a state visit to China, termed as “discourteous and inconsiderate” what has been dubbed the “Tortilla Curtain. ” The foreign ministry said the U.S. embassy advised that the fence, to be built along parts of the border near San Diego, Calif., and El Paso, was being postponed “with a view of carrying out an analysis of the implications of this matter.” Mexico air controllers end strike Mexico’s 800 striking air controllers agreed Saturday to become government employees and end a walkout that sharply reduced the number of national and international flights. Antonio Jose Abimerhi, secretary general of the air controllers union, told newsmen in Mexico City the controllers would start returning to work over the weekend and that all flights should be normal by today. The government had brought in military air controllers and its own personnel to replace the controllers who walked off the job for the second time Oct. 5. How ever, the Mexican Pilots Association limited the number of flights ofits members for what it said were security reasons. The Pilots Association said this week in a paid advertisement that there had been seven near mid-air collisions since Oct. 5 due to the inexperience of the new controllers. Typhoon Rita hits Hong Kong Typhoon Rita buffeted Hong Kong Sunday with winds as high as 75 mph but spared the British crown colony the devastation it wreaked in the Philippines, where it killed 40 persons. Hong Kong police said several persons were injured by falling objects set loose by winds that averaged 39 mph. In its two-day assault on the Philippines’ rice bowl provinces central Luzon plain last week, Rita killed at least 40 people and forced more than 52,000 to leave homes threatened by flooding. Damage to agriculture was described as minimal. Rita struck after farmers had harvested their rice crop. Iranian troops and students clash Student demonstrators clashed with Iranian troops in Tehran, Iran, Saturday one day after police in a small western town fired on a crowd of anti-shah protesters who had showered them with flowers. The police responded with gunfire killing five people. Two banks and a liquor shop in downtown Tehran were set on fire and rioting youths skirmished with armed forces throughout Tehran. Soldiers toting machineguns and backed by heavy armor blockaded Tehran Univer sity and the National University and fired into the air to break up gangs of demonstrating youths. WEATHER Fair today and mild this afternoon with variable winds at 5-10 mph. High 80 and low tonight in the mid 50’s. 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. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit such letters and does not guarantee to publish any letter. Each letter must be signed, show the address of the writer and list a telephone number for verification. Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor, The Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas 77843. Jury selection begins today in Houston for Fort Worth millionaireT. Cullen Davis’ capital murder solicitation trial, his second criminal prosecution in little more than a year. Davis, 45, is charged with trying to hire the murder of his divorce judge, Joe Eidson, who since has withdrawn from Davis’ stormy and still incomplete divorce from his wife, Priscilla. Prosecutor Jack Strickland said the trial will test the ability of the American judicial system to deal with a defendant of Davis’ wealth. The Tarrant County District Attorney’s office spent $300,000 last year trying to convict Davis on charges he killed his stepdaughter, Andrea Wilborn, 12, in a mansion shooting spree in which his wife’s lover, Stan Farr, died and Mrs. Davis and a family friend were wounded. Colen islan< jops o j0 Represented nationally by National Educational Adver tising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday from September through May except during exam and holiday periods and the summer, when it is published on Tuesday through Thursday. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per school year; $35.00 per full year. Advertising rates fur nished on request. Address: The Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas 77843. United Press International is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it. 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 KimTyx* Managing Editor Liz Newt Assistant Managing Editor . Andy Willi®! Sports Editor David E City Editor Jamie Aitkff Campus Editor Steve I* News Editors Debbie Parson! Beth Calhoun Staff Writers Karen Rogers, Mm! Patterson, Scott Pendleton Sean Petty, Michelle Scudde: Marilyn Faulkenberry, Dian< Blake Lee Roy Leschper, Jr. Cartoonist Doug Grahtf Photographer Ed Cunnini Focus section editor Gary Weld 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, s^j' supporting enterprise operated by student! as a university and community newspaptt Editorial policy is determined by the editor ec V SAN J Gonz; ns are ipeles: unter 1 hy. 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