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Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Thursday
November 16, 1978
Numbers may not reflect real voter change
By ARNOLD SAWISLAK
United Press International
WASHINGTON — If you look only at
the bottom line numbers of the mid-term
election last week, it may seem as if
virtually nothing happened.
The Republicans gained some seats in
the House and Senate and a few governor
ships, but nowhere near enough to chal
lenge what has been iron Democratic con
trol of Congress for the last 24 years and
dominance of the nation’s statehouses for
the last decade.
Nor does it seem from the numbers that
the Republican Party, which has teetered
on the edge of extinction in recent years,
did much to make itself a better life insur
ance risk.
Not necessarily so. While the Demo
crats will be running the government in
Washington and most states, anyone who
thinks that means liberalism is in the sad
dle may be in for a shock.
Some examples: Two Democratic
senators who went down the drain Nov. 7
were Dick Clark of Iowa and Wendell An
derson of Minnesota.- Two new Demo
cratic senators elected last week are James
Boren of Oklahoma and James Exon of
Nebraska.
Washington Window
Clark and Anderson are liberals by any
definition; Boren and Exon, both deep-
dyed conservatives. Boren, in fact,
endorsed the Republican Kemp-Roth tax
reduction bill during his campaign and
Exon repeatedly has fought liberals of his
Dollar s collapse not
serious—for some
By DICK WEST
WASHINGTON — Despite all that has been written about it this year, the U.S.
dollar’s collapse overseas has had little direct impact on the lives of most Americans.
Only in tangential ways is the dollar drop beginning to bring about noticable
changes. One visible manifestation is the steady increase in the number of Japanese
tourists seen in this country.
McDonald’s
finds rumors
are too earthy
United Press International
ATLANTA — For the second time this
year, officials of McDonald’s Corp., have
gone public to deny damaging rumors —
the latest that the company adds worms to
its hamburger meat to boost protein con
tent.
At a news conference Tuesday, com
pany spokesman Doug Timberlake said of
ficials first thought the rumor was “too
ludicrous to even think about” when it sur
faced at Chattanooga, Tenn. Now, he said,
a new southwide advertising campaign will
emphasize that the hamburgers are 100
percent pure beef.
Timberlake said lagging sales and the
spread of the rumor to other areas of the
nation prompted the company to regard
the matter more seriously. Earlier this
year, McDonald’s was forced to deny re
ports that its owner, Ray A. Kroc, contrib
uted money to a satanic cult in California.
Asked if there was any link between the
two rumors, spokeswoman Stephany
Skurdy at company headquarters in Oak-
brook, Ill., said, “I wish we knew. We
know there’s absolutely no truth to either
rumor, and one is much older than the
other.
“They don’t seem to have any relation,”
she said.
Timberlake also said he discounted re
ports that a competitor might be responsi
ble, saying the entire fast food industry
had been affected.
He consistently avoided the word
“worm” in his discussion of the rumor, but
officials at the Georgia Office of Consumer
Affairs confirmed that “several calls and
letters” had been received asking about
the use of worms in hamburgers.
Timberlake said about 50 McDonald’s
stores in the Atlanta area reported lagging
sales — some as much as 30 percent lower
— since the rumor surfaced nine weeks
ago.
One noticeable result of the more re
cent rumor, Timberlake said, was a sharp
reduction in the number of birthday par
ties for youngsters held at McDonald’s
outlets. This was verified by Jim Taylor,
who owns four McDonald franchises in
northwest Atlanta.
“I have gotten calls from mothers wor
ried about what their children are eating
and this (the rumor) is the only reason that
I can see why my business is off,” Taylor
said.
Because of the favorable currency ex
change rate, visiting the United States has
now become a relatively cheap vacation for
Japanese.
> The other day at lunch I happened to be
eating at a table next to a group of
Japanese tourists. The only Japanese
words I know are “hara-kiri,” but you
don’t have to speak the language to under
stand what tourists are talking about.
Tourism has a universal tongue all of its
own.
When I first tuned in on the conversa
tion, one of the Japanese was describing “a
marvelous little offbeat restaurant” he had
discovered.
“Since the natives eat there, it is loaded
with atmosphere. Plus they serve authen
tic American food at a good price.”
“What’s the name of the place?”
“McDonald’s.”
He went on to say that “I got a full
three-course dinner — hamburger, french
frieds and milkshake -r— and something
you haven’t seen in a long tfrrTfe — change
from a five-dollar bill.”
“How much is that in real money?” the
second Japanese asked.
“It’s about half a yen.”
“That’s the trouble with American
money,” his companion grumbled. “You
practically have to have a wheelbarrow to
haul it around in.”
The man called Sun Flu said, “Sat Low
is getting to be quite a sophisticate. Last
night he was eating his french fries with
his fingers like the natives do.”
“I’ve tried that,” a young woman said,
but I can’t seem to get the hang of it. I
always dribble ketchup on my blouse or
something.”
“It does seem awkward at first,” Sat
Low said, “but with a little practice, you
can manage pretty good. The trick is to
rest the thumb on the underside of the
french fry. Then, with the forefinger and
middle finger apply just enough pressure
to lift it to your mouth.”
Another Japanese tourist, who was
called Abraham, said, “It’s good we re get
ting to see the United States before it be
comes completely Nipponized. I’m al
ready feeling like I never left home.
“Yesterday afternoon our sightseeing
bus stopped at the monument that com
memorates the American victory over
Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in World War
H.
“There were six cars in the parking lot
— three Datsuns, two Toyotas and a
Honda.”
“I know what you mean,” Sun Flu said.
“I went into a quaint little souvenir shop to
buy an American cigarette lighter to take
back home. The only thing I could find
was a cheap American copy of a Japanese
lighter.”
Slouch
by Jim Earle
IT HAD TO HAPPEN! A CENTER POLE THAT’S TOO LONG!’
own party to a standstill in Democratic
councils.
Now consider some of the new GOP
senators. Replacing Clark will be Republi
can Roger Jepsen, who was reported to
have endorsed apartheid in one of his
campaign appearances. Replacing Demo
crat Thomas McIntyre will be Republican
Gordon Humphrey, another staunch con
servative. The two new senators share an
association with fundraiser Richard
Viguerie, who has been described as the
godfather of the New Right.
Gone from the Senate will be moderates
Republicans Clifford Case of New Jersey
and Edward Brooke of Massachusetts.
Newcomers like William Cohen of Maine
and Nancy Landon Kassebaum of Kansas
may partially replace these middle-of-
the-road votes, but on balance the con
servative strength in the Senate seems
surely to have gone up as a result of the
1978 election.
In 1958, the Democrats made a record
gain of 15 Senate seats. It was widely pre
dicted that every liberal program that had
been stymied since the end of the New
Deal would shortly become law.
That did not happen, and in fact it was
not easy to tell the difference between the
Senate that went home in 1958 from the
Senate that went to work in 1959. It was
not until 1961, with a new Democratic
president in office, that some of the
backlogged liberal proposals started mov
ing and even then such areas as civil rights
and school aid were regarded as impossi
ble to deal with.
The Democrats lost only two seats last
Tuesday. It is possible, however, that the
loss in votes may be several times that
number.
Letters to the Editor
Bonfire work: not easy,
something for everyone
Editor:
This letter is an attempt to clear up
some mistaken notions about Bonfire as
expressed in the editorial of Nov. 14. As
you said, women are doing everything
they can and I think that’s plenty. Work
ing on Bonfire is no easy task. Those logs
(especially the ones going up in about a
week) are pretty damn heavy. There is no
way girls can lift them.
Why not increase the lift power by using
more girls? Well, you’re just increasing
the chances of tripping on logs or feet and
hurting someone. Guys are strong enough
to compensate if a person trips, so there
are no dropped logs or cracked heads.
Equal rights are great, but at the ex
pense of someone’s safety? Besides,
enough guys talk with the coffee girls out
there already, so we don’t need any more
temptations.
About off-campus students (and all male
students), no permission is needed to work
stack, just a hard hat. The training is on
the job. I’m glad they are getting or
ganized and getting out because they are
needed just as much as anybody. But they
were never denied work.
Bonfire is for everybody. The girls have
done great at what they are doing. As for
the guys, it’s pretty hard to stay calm when
every year you see the same people as be
fore. Ask the redpots who work. Bonfire is
not an activity sanctioned for a few, but if
ony a few work, how can you unify people
who aren’t there.
—Chris Drake, ’81
Gay's facts' differ
Editor:
I must respond to D. Valois’ letter
printed in the Battalion, Nov. 13. First, let
me say that the facts about the “gay” lifes
tyle were accurate in the “Today’s Stu
dent.” Although you have presented re
search information from the famous Kin
sey Institute, I’m afraid you are overlook
ing the most important (and perhaps the
earliest) report on the effects of homosexu
ality. It tells not only of the emotional im
pact for the individual, but also the impact
on society (as we have seen in the last few
years). The source? The Bible. I know
many will laugh, but really — who should
know more about you personally than the
One who made you? And God gave us the
Bible not as a legalistic list of “do’s and
don’ts”, but because He only wants the
best for us. Pre-marital sex is just as wrong
as homosexual relationships, since neither
are what God intends for us.
The other flaw in your “facts” is that
gays have one of the highest rates of
suicide of any group, and most are hurting
emotionally. They try not to let others see
that hurt, because that would indicate that
maybe they were wrong, and that they
can’t handle life so well on their own after
all. The Bible tells why there are such de
viant lifestyles in Romans 1:24-28,32. I
have a couple of friends who have become
gay, and though they try to appear
happy-go-lucky and carefiee, I know that
the emotional cuts go deep, and healing is
very slow. But for homosexuality and any
other wrong, there is healing through
Jesus Christ. I’ve seen both sides and I
know this is true.
But, facts can be found to support any
belief, as Mr. Valois has found. But the
Bible (unlike current “research”) isn’t
changed to soothe the conscience of those
involved. The emptiness that drives
someone to homosexuality as a lifestyle, or
to drugs, etc., is the need to have a per
sonal relationship with Jesus Christ.
I’ll be glad to get together and discuss
both viewpoints with anyone who would
like to. I’ll find the time to do so. 846-
3942.
— Steve Upham, ’80
Maronites blamed
Editor:
It is easy to throw accusations at each
other, but if we abstain from doing so, it is
because of our commitment toward
“entente.”
In the Nov, 9 issue it was mentioned
that the Maronites were exploiting all the
wealth and power in Lebanon. However,
it was ignored that they were the main
contributing factor to the develpment of
the country (and the oil-rich Arab coun
tries) at a time when ignorance was com
mon to others.
We are really sorry to see such
narrow-minded accusations that have no
evidence. The Maronites were blamed but
their only fault is their desire to see an
independent country free from any Syrian,
Palestinian or other intrusion.
We are convinced that in a country that
has been the crossroad of several civiliza
tions, that allegiance should be first to
Lebanon and it’s national interests, before
any regional-racial adherences.
What Lebanon needs today is a mutual
understanding among all Lebanese instead
of futile accusations.
—John Jbeily, grad student
Fady Gemayel, ’79
George Akat, ”79
P.S. Maronites are Roman Catholics be
longing to a 2,000-year-old church.
Top
of the News Uj
CAMPUS
Silver Taps to be Tuesday
Silver taps for Paul H. Krenzke, 22, of Lake Jackson, and Geina
Rena Wall, 19, of Saltillo, will be held Tuesday. The two Texas A&M
University students were killed in Houston Monday when their car
struck a stalled truck on the freeway. Services for Krenzke, a senior
math major, will be held at 2 p.m. today at St. Mark’s Lutheran
Church in Lake Jackson. The funeral for Wall, a freshman agriculture
journalism major, was Wednesday afternoon in Weaver. The two are
the third and fourth student fatalities of the new academic year.
LOCAL
Tours of Brazos Center to begin
Prospective users of the multi-purpose Brazos Center will have the
opportunity of touring the building, now under construction, on
Wednesdays between noon and 3 p.m. according to center director
Phyllis Dozier. Prior arrangements made with Dozier and good
weather conditions are required for the tours. The new building is
approximately two-thirds completed and is just east of the East
Bypass on Briarcrest Drive. It is expected to be ready for use in late
February, 1979. Touring arrangements may be made by calling
Dozier at 693-5990.
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Books to be sold this weekend
The annual Book Sale sponsored by the Friends of the Bryan Pub
lic Library will be held at Manor East Mall this weekend. The sale is
scheduled from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday. Proceeds from the sale of old books will be used to buy new
books and support other projects of the Bryan Public Library.
STATE
Audit requested after job loss
The National Cancer Institute has requested an in depth federal
audit of the Tyler Asbestos Workers Program on the basis of ques
tions raised by a hospital biomathematician fighting to regain his job.
NCI contract officer James Cavanagh said the audit request was
prompted by Dr. Emir H. Shuford Jr., who has been relieved of duty
at the University of Texas Tyler Health Center which runs the five-
year, $2 million program. In 1974 NCI hired the health center, then a
state tuberculosis hospital, to locate and monitor workers in a Tyler
asbestos insulation plant that closed in 1972 because of high in-plant
asbestos dust levels. Researchers have determined inhaling asbestos
scars the lungs and can cause cancer years after exposure.
Court says Hill exceeded power
The Texas Supreme Court in Austin ruled Wednesday Attorney
General John Hill exceeded his authority by filing suit against two
state agencies involved in separate disputes involving South Texas
water supplies. Hill had contended his position as guardian of the
public interest gave him authority to take the action. The 3rd Court of
Civil Appeals in July had ruled Hill exceeded his authority in taking
such actions against the state agencies, and the Supreme Court up
held that decision without written opinion. The courts said the attor
ney general is the attorney for state agencies, and filing suit against an
agency would place him on both sides of the legal issue.
Transcripts to be given to jury
The judge in the T. Cullen Davis trial Wednesday said prosecution
transcripts of a taped conversation between the defendant and an
informant would be supplied to the jury because of the poor quality of
the tape. District Judge Wallace Moore allowed a tape to be played
once without any transcript being offered jurors, but later said the
transcripts were needed as an aid to interpret inaudible passages.
Davis is on trial in Houston on charges of attempting to hire the
murder of the judge in his divorce case. In the tape, Davis and the
informant on Aug. 18 discussed arranging the deaths of five persons.
Famous taps bugler dies at 83
The man Gen. John J. “Blackjack” Pershing asked to play taps to
tell the world World War I had ended will be buried Friday in
Denison. Hartley Edwards died in his sleep at a convalescent home
Tuesday at the age of 83. When Pershing selected him from hundreds
of other Army buglers to play taps at the end of the war, Edwards had
been an obscure soldier who had never played the horn until he
joined the military. Up to two years ago Edwards continued to play
the bugle, going up to a third floor room of his home tolflow reville
every morning.
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Unknown ship causes collision
A still unidentified ship involved in a Gulf of Mexico hit-and-run
collision that killed three New York fishermen could be as far away as
the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, a Coast Guard official said. The
ship rammed the fishing vessel Joanie Rene Sunday morning and
failed to stop for survivors. Three men, including the captain, died
and one of the two survivors bobbed in the water for 29 hours before
being rescued. The State Department has notified foreign govern
ments to keep a lookout for any vessel that looks like it could have
been involved.
WEATHER
We are experiencing a cold front which moved into the area
yesterday. We will have overcast skies and a 70% chance of
rain. High temperature today will be in the mid-50’s and a low
in the upper 40’s. Winds are southerly at 10-15 mph.
The Battalion
LETTERS POLICY
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number for verification.
Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor, The
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through Thursday.
Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per
school year; $35.00 per full year. Advertising rates furnished
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 KimTitf
Managing Editor LizNi
Assistant Managing Editor Andy Wil
Sports Editor David
City Editor Jamie Ail
Campus Editor Steve
News Editors Debbie Pan
Beth Calhoun
Staff Writers Karen Rogers, Md
Patterson, Scott Pendlel®
Sean Petty, Michelle Scudfc
Diane Blake, Lee Roy Lescliftf
Jr., Dillard Stone
Cartoonist Doug Grab*
Photographers Ed Cunniii
Lynn Blanco
Focus section editor GaryWeH
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,
supporting enterprise operated by shiiif^ 1
as a university and community iii’iesp#
Editorial policy is determined by the editif j