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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 1978)
Viewpoint The Battalion Tuesday Texas A&M University October 31, 1978 The scars of big league football Texas A&M’s head coach Emory Bellard resigned last week and A&M — along with Bellard — took a real beating. His resignation shocked and stunned students, alumni and the rest of the world. The first reaction on campus was mixed — it was sad the coach resigned, but maybe it was a move for the better. But a sense of guilt permeated the whole affair. How could a school so steeped in tradition hurt its coach, reduce the folksy well-liked man to tears before the rest of the world, and make him say he was resigning to “preserve his dignity” in the middle of the season? That’s what hurts. It couldn’t happen here. Not here, not such a callous action at Texas A&M. So somebody was to blame. Who was in the select group that decided to force Bellard out — with or without the University? A number of newspapers around the state said alumni pressured Bellard to resign. But there’s no concrete evidence of a devious move by select alumni to get Bellard, even though some alums may have acted on their own to get a new coach, or pressure the old one out. Some have even pointed to each other as the culprit. Alumni have seemed to react to Bellard’s resignation at least as hard as students, as indicated by both published and unpublished letters to the editor. Some news media have even gone so far as to insinuate that The Battalion through its sports commentaries and cartoons pressured Bellard into resign- ing - We might like to think we’re that important, but we’re not. It’s a different type of criticism that calls up coaches to berate them for a game or put real pressure on a university. Bellard received legitimate news comment in Battalion and Eagle col umns, just as any coach who loses must expect. Students also have been blamed. Certainly, the recent loses to Baylor and UH had soured fans’ dreams of a much sought-after Cotton Bowl year. But there were no letters to the editor asking for Bellard to be fired. There was no mass effort by students suggesting Bellard’s resignation — even though some state news stories detailed a bannered uprising on campus. Only part of some of the above took place, and we all know that — now. And perhaps it gives us some insight into the importance of big-time football to an academic complex. It’s a high risk business. The job does not hinge on how hard you or your team tries — it all depends on the big win, lots of them. Bad letters and comments follow bad games. It’s hard to back a team that doesn’t match expectations, and Texas A&M was no different. But should a school let itself be torn apart? Should a university hinge on a football team to the point that the president might feel his own job’s in danger? Maybe not, but Emory Bellard couldn’t help but feel the pressure of A&M’s brand of football support. — K.T. Dollar power: U.S., Canada losing value By JEFF CARRUTHERS International Writers Service OTTAWA — Americans who fret over the decline in the value of their dollar might draw some consolation from the fact that the Canadian dollar has slid even further. Two years ago, the U.S. and Canadian currencies were roughly equal. Today, the Canadian dollar is worth 15 percent less than the American dollar, where it stood during the Depression of the 1930s. And there is a growing fear here that it will plummet under 80 cents to the lowest level in a century. This is not only boosting the price of U.S. imports, on which Canada depends heavily. But Canadians even more than Americans are facing the excessive cost of traveling abroad, especially to Western Europe and Japan. One prospect is that many Canadians, who regularly migrate like their birds to the warmer climates of the United States during the winter, will suffer the freezing weather here because they cannot afford their annual trip to Florida or California. In theory, the cloudy currency picture here ought to have a silver lining, since Canadian products can now be sold more competitively on overseas markets and more foreign tourists should be attracted to Canada by the favorable exchange rate. But that silver lining is tarnished by a couple of factors. For one thing, the falling Canadian dol lar is contributing to inflation here, since local manufacturers are raising the prices of their merchandise to compensate for more costly imported parts. Some are also taking advantage of the currency crisis to push up their prices in line with more ex pensive imports. The depressed Canadian dollar, mean while, has not resulted in an export boom, since stagnant economics elsewhere throughout the world are in no position to increase their purchases of Canada’s min erals, pulp and paper, and other products. At the root of the Canadian problem is the balance of trade, which is running at a $5 billion deficit, mostly on services such as foreign travel and interest payments on foreign investments here. It is conceivable that Canadians can be persuaded to stop vacationing abroad, par ticularly if their pocketbooks are seriously dented in the process. But Canada would still have to live with the large interest and dividend bill that must be paid to foreign lenders and owners who have been at tracted here in past years. This bill is likely to go up if Canada is successful in luring more foreign invest ment, as it is currently trying to do by raising interest rates and relaxing restric tions on outside capital coming into the country. That burden could be compounded by the future of the American economy, since the United States absorbs most of Cana da’s exports and a slowdown south of the border would adversely affect the recovery here. One of the confusing aspects of this situ ation is the apparent contradiction in the Canadian government’s attempts to cope with it. On the one hand, the government indi cates that the Canadian dollar will be al lowed to float so that it can find its true value. But at the same time, the govern ment has been dipping heavily into its U.S. dollar reserves in order to support the Canadian currency. Neither of these tactics seems to be working, and the groping for a solution is having a negative psychological impact on Canadians, who are losing confidence in their dollar. This psychological impact is being aggravated by uncertainty about what the government may do. There is talk of currency controls, but that seems unlikely, since it is impossible to monitor money moving between the United States and Canada. A luxury tax on imports is possible, but also unlikely, since it could backfire politically. A more plausible course of action for the government would be to raise interest rates above those available in the United States and to attract more foreign invest ment, and to reduce the public deficit, which is now about $12 billion. But these steps would fuel inflation and put the brake on business recovery. All this is complicated by doubts about Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s ruling Liberal government, which is unpopular and which faces an election in the spring. It is not clear, however, whether a new government will strengthen or weaken the dollar. The one bright potential on this other wise dim scene is the considerable quan tity of natural gas that has been discovered in western Canada. Some Canadians be lieve that gas exports to the United States will solve the problem, just as North Sea oil helped Britain out of its economic pre dicament. But other Canadians warn that reliance on natural resources merely buys time, and that Canada’s dollar will not regain its health until the economy itself is stripped of its overweight welfare system and in fused with competitive dynamism. (Jeff Carruthers, a Canadian columnist, writes on current affairs in Canada.) Letters to the Editor ‘Golden oldies’ unwanted for breakfast Editor: I would like to express the feelings of some of the early risers in the northside who eat in Sbisa, by posing this question: Is it necessary to play vintage Diana Ross and The Supremes music every morning from 7-8 a.m. ? Most of us are still asleep when we come into Sbisa at this hour and find these times to be an irritant. An 8:00 exam or lab is bad enough without the help of such “golden oldies” to start the morning. Don’t misunderstand us. We aren’t ones to habitually complain about every “little” thing that comes up like some of our fellow Ags. We rate this problem with impor tance and think it should be made public. —Tony Gardner, ’81 Greg Berlocher, ’78 Toga Gardner, ’81 Baylor apology Editor: An unfortunate incident took place prior to the beginning of the Baylor vs Texas A&M game on Oct. 21. Reaction to the event has prompted me as Baylor Univer sity Director of Bands to write in hopes of resolving any misunderstanding that might surround this moment of confusion. As the Baylor team returned to the field, there was the normal spirited re sponse of the Baylor fens and the Golden Wave Band spontaneously played the Baylor fight song. Such an act is a normal part of college football every Saturday. It was not until the conclusion of our fight song that we bacame aware of the feet that the “Spirit of Aggieland” was also being played. It has never been our practice, never will be, nor was it our intent Saturday to play in conflict with our opponent’s pre game ceremonies. We had assumed, since the announcer had introduced the national anthem,“Texas Our Texas”, and the Baylor alma mater that a similar an nouncement would preface the A&M school song. As a result, we simply were not aware of the fact that the Aggie Band had begun to play. The Golden Wave Band of Baylor Uni versity regrets that such an event hap pened and extends apologies to anyone who misinterpreted the act as a display of poor sportsmanship. —Dick Floyd Director of Bands, Baylor University Band defended Editor: In response to all the bad bull that has been flying about the Aggie Band, I would like to say that the band is being con demned too strenuously and attacked too unfairly by the waggies and some of the C.T.s. When the Aggie Band says “The Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, the best damn outfit on the campus” — they aren’t kid ding, but right now the band is catching flack from all quarters. The first group is the “waggies.” I speak of the allegations made against a certain bandmember by a waggie, who, when she whipped out to a particular B.Q., he, in shaking her hand, gave her such a firm handshake that he brought her to her knees and bruised her hand. I’m sure the B.Q. didn’t try to break her hand. If he had tried it, he probably could’ve done it. The waggie just couldn’t take the grip, and if the waggies can’t take it, they shouldnt’ be in the Corps. Also, some waggies are taking their petty animosities and personal gripes to the Tri-gon — i.e. B.Q. upperclassmen griping out fish for dating waggies. I know the band has lots of animosities and gripes against the waggies, but they don’t take every little nit-picking incident to the Tri-gon. Waggies should improve their own be havior, before trying to correct the band’s. The only thing that is going to come out of this feud is resentment. Bringing in the Tri-gon will only make things worse. It is not the Tri-gon’s place to mediate personal squabbles. They are military men, not re ferees. Then there is the case of a particular company who runs around yelling a par ticular three-letter work, that is by tradi tion to be said only by that company. Sev eral members of this company, upon hear ing a B.Q. say their word, proceeded, one evening, to beat him up. The B.Q. is being blamed for causing the disturbance. The next time a Red-I “ord-ord” says “B.Q.,” I hope he gets clobbered. It will be “h is feult.” The Waggies, the C.T.s, the B.Q.s are all in the Corps together. I hate to see incidents like these happen, but even more than that, I hate to see the band get ting most of the blame. The band is the heartbeat of the spirit of this campus. We are all Aggies and we should all (that includes waggies and Company 1-1) give the band our support. I’m not sayin’ the band is perfect, but a couple of afternoons at the drill field in front of Dorm 11 would convince anybody that they’re working on it awfully hard. Besides, where would this campus be without ’em? — Holly Huston, ’82 Linda Lunn, ’82 Laura Anthony, ’82 Friend in need Editor: I am the wife of an Aggie and the mother of an Aggie, and if Fort Worth wasn’t so far from College Station, I’d take some courses just to be able to say that I, too, am an Aggie. You get the picture ... Because I do love Texas A&M so much, my heart is greatly saddened by the news that Coach Emory Bellard resigned, under pressure from groups of former students. Do they not realize just how much the Athletic Department has profited by his leadership? Can they ignore the outstand ing image he projects when he represents Texas A&M to prospective students, their femilies and the public in general? Is winning each and every Saturday game more important than building a good, solid athletic program that could be second to none? That can’t be accom plished by giving the choice to a small, but wealthy and vocal group of former stu dents. Coach Bellard’s dedication to Texas A&M was brought home to me recently in a strange manner. I received a call from him in late August, although I wasn’t aware that he even knew my name. He was responding to an Aggie student who had come to him seeking help for her handicapped brother. It seems the young man wanted to go to college, was very in terested in working with the athletic de partment, but, because of his handicap, didn’t think he would be accepted at Texas A&M. Coach Bellard knew that our Aggie son, also handicapped, had been quite suc cessful in both scholastic and athletic endeavors at A&M and he wanted permis sion to give the troubled young man and his family our name so that they might contact us directly. All of this happened in the busy month of August, on Coach Bel lard’s lunch hour, and concerned a young man whom he had never met. How many other athletic director/head coaches do you know who would go to that extent to help a non-athletic stranger in need? This incident manifests that special bond that is unique to Texas A&M Univer sity. Can we afford to close the door on a man who has built a superior program and is still willing to go to bat for the individual student? I say no! This is, indeed, a sad day at our house. — Mrs. John G. Heit Fort Worth CAMPUS Bellard receives TAMU honor The Association of Former Students at Texas A&M University, speaking on behalf of its 80,000 alumni, named former head football coach and Athletic Director Emory Bellard a lifetime honorary member of the association at its fall council meeting Saturday. The association, acting through its board of directors and its council, acknowledged and praised the contribution of Bellard to the Univer sity and its athletic programs. ?ECir. Marr unty STATE Davis jury selection continues T. Cullen Davis was introduced Monday to 50 Harris County resi dents from whom attorneys began selecting a jury to hear charges the Fort Worth millionaire solicited the murder of his divorce judge Selection of the jury began 10 weeks after the Aug. 20 arrest of the industrial heir in his hometown and marked his second trial on mur der or attempted murder charges in two years. A four-count indict ment accuses Davis of attempted capital murder and conspiracy and solicitation of the capital murder of Joe Eidson, who presided over Davis’ still incomplete divorce from 1974 until this summer. If con victed of any of the four counts, Davis could receive penalties ranging from probation to life in prison. Lost Americans' named citizens iples -v pt. 30 ges w yce B juston o-third irried- Why i rhaps id unre irried 1 ve thei nat al md the lie to c These at i ycholo ;h daily There : unselin ition. Drs. A illey, F xasA& About 200 persons who called themselves “the Lost Americans since the community of Rio Rico was shifted out of Texas and into Mexico by an irrigation project in 1906 have been declared U.S. citizens. Immigration attorney Laurier McDonald said Monday the landmark decision caused no dancing in the streets of Rio Rico, lo cated on the Rio Grande’s south bank south of Weslaco, Texas. McDonald said the decision was anticlimatic because nearly all the affected Rio Ricans had “bailed out” of the muddy village in 1972, when the Immigration Service began trying to deport a resident. McDonald said few of the present residents of Rio Rico, who will remain Mexican citizens, knew or cared about the decision rendered by the Immigration Appeals Board in Washington, D.C., after seven years of court arguments. NATION Pan American flights delayed Most Pan American flights were delayed Monday as flight attend ants, ignoring a federal judge’s temprorary restraining order, called in sick for the fourth day to protest the lack of a contract since Oct. 31, 1977. The airfine said all flights from New York, except for those to London, Tokyo, and Caracas, Venezuela, were being delayed “indef initely” by the sickout, which began Friday. Supervisory personnel were used to substitute for flight attendants. The Independent Union of Flight Attendants, which represents 3,800 Pan Am flight atten dants worldwide, was served Sunday night with a temporary restrain ing order issued Saturday night by U.S. District Judge Mark Costan- tino. Barium experiment over Alaska Luminescent clouds of barium released from a satellite over Alaska spread southwestward high above the earth Monday in a government experiment to study the movement of particles in the atmosphere. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration released four canisters of barium from the satellite early Sunday on a command from its tracking station at Gilmore Creek, Alaska. NASA said it has used rockets to release barium, a harmless chemical that dissipates in space, into the atmosphere. But Sunday’s barium experiment was the first conducted from a satellite, and the highest the element has been released above the earth. fac: irried image actices rvices i mat vs je of p Ived. “Peopl love ti mt to usion me they irkhalt bhn Bu Psych ils with marring [here ai ge cour m sex tc iples di p them 1 find sc )n the : id 6-12 : ults. Th service ihe Blui fundee 'ding to ich mea e to rec legardle angemei 'e a coi icemed ri! WORLD luc Rhodesians protest conscription nn Hundreds of black university students Monday signed a petition rejecting the government’s decision to conscript young Africans into Rhodesia’s undermanned armed forces. At the same time the gov ernment from Salisbury said a record number of whites left Rhodesia in September and the military command announced an escalation of military activity on the Zambian border where a major frontier post ■came under heavy mortar and rocket fire for the third stfaight day. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ian Smith virtually ruled out black majority rule in Rhodesia by 1979 and claimed he won what amounts to recognition of his government by the United States. Soviets complete 137-day mission tnih HUNTS^ mate Uva di the orj d a bull t at lea id mom A sack ol horns o pbull ist ena. All a the mo *en the A pair of Soviet cosmonauts who have spent a record 137 days in orbit in one of Moscow’s most successful space missions prepared Monday to make a triumphant return to earth. The official Tass news agency reported Sunday that Vladimir Kovalenok and Alexander Ivanchenkov were packing their space baggage and shutting down the systems of the station. The space duo will return to earth with a bundle of test results and a new batch of records for the Soviet space program. Kovalenok and Ivanchenkov have presided over one of the Soviet Union’s most successful space missions, not only for the rec ords it accomplished but for the experiments that were performed. WEATHER Fair skies, mild temperatures and cooler on Wednesday. Winds will be light and variable at 5-10 mph. High today in the mid 80’s and a low tonight in the mid 50’s. While mi money > in front “de its ch “ney, Gu: s Painful] Guzman side-visii : in front nid see hi its side, ^ed awa\ The first Weekb ledawa' tcond weei e Picked u Guzman i toce, butp [to not ^ght the 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. 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 Kimfr Managing Editor LizN^ Assistant Managing Editor .AndyWj^ Sports Editor .Davii City Editor Jamie^ Campus Editor Stew* News Editors Debbie Beth Calhoun Staff Writers Karen Rogers Patterson, Scott Pen<H (t ' Sean Petty, Michelle Scif Marilyn Faulkenberry, ^ Blake Lee Roy Leschper! Cartoonist DougCiZ' Photographer EdCu«' Focus section editor ..... Gary"” 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-j supporting enterprise operated l as a university and community newsptf Editorial policy is determined by the fd 1 I