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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 11, 1978)
Viewpoint Monday December 11, 1978 The Battalion Texas A&M University Aussie’s eye U.S. defense installations id be 3 i^irpr i-ie By JOHN SHAW SYDNEY — Australians are beginning to awaken to the fact that the United States maintains a network of defense and intelligence facilities here, and they are not sure whether to be flattered or worried by their importance. Relations between the United States and Australia over these facilities have often been strained, mainly because Aus tralians have little knowledge of their ac tivities and no say at all in the operations. A growing concern that the U.S. net work may he dangerous to Australians in the event of war has prompted suggestions that the time is approaching for review and reform of the arrangements under which the American security establishment functions here. No less a figure than James Killen, the Australian defense minister, recently criticized both the United States and his own staff, contending that he himself has been left in the dark about the strategic role played by certain of the American in stallations on this continent. The network of 20 installations here is run by the U.S. Defense Department, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency and such other bodies as the American air force and navy. It includes the largest computer com plex in the Southern Hemisphere, the biggest base for communications with the U.S. Navy’s submarine strike force, an es sential part of the American early warning system, and a link to a satellite that monitors Chinese and Soviet radio traffic. The most significant of these facilities, located at North West Cape on the Indian Ocean, is the most powerful of three main stations commanding America’s worldwide submarine force. The others are situated at Cutler, Maine, and Jim Creek, Wash ington. Former U.S. Defense Secretary James Schlesinger once said in classified tes timony that these stations would be among the “most likely targets” in a nuclear ex change between the United States and the Soviet Union. When that testimony was declassified not long ago, it created the uneasy feeling here that Australia could be devastated in such a conflict. This feeling has been com pounded lately by disclosures of other key installations at Pine Gap and Nurrungar, in the arid area of central Australia. Nurrungar, run by the U.S. Air Force, is one of two ground stations that are vital to the early warning satellite system. The other station is at Buckley, Colorado. Pine Gap, controlled by the CIA, con sists of six radio domes and a huge com puter, and its purpose is the electronic gathering of intelligence from the Pacific region. Served by a satellite over South east Asia, it monitors Chinese, Soviet and other military signals and transmissions. processes them and transmits the results to the United States. In addition, there are major American security facilities in a dozen Australian cities and rural areas. They deal in elec tronic intelligence, the detection of nu clear tests, seismic and atmospheric ob servations, and the tracking of space vehi cles. The American presence here is almost invisible. Most U.S. personnel working in populated places are in plain clothes, and those who wear uniforms are stationed in remote spots. North West Cape, for example, is 750 miles from a city. Though it is close to Alice Springs, a ranching and tourist center, the Pine Gap installation is in a special zone. Its enor mous consumption of water prompted rumors that it was the site of a nuclear energy' plant. As it turned out, the installa tion’s employees were found to be pas sionately attached to air-conditioning and iced drinks. Questions about these facilities and their potential impact were raised lately, when it was learned that North West Cape is due to be reinforced to match a change in the U.S. nuclear-armed submarine doc trine form deterrence against surprise at tack to a policy of counter-force attack. New equipment will be installed at North West Cape starting in 1980. The Australian government and legisla ture only heard of this change recently, and from press reports rather than official advice from Washington. The embarassing disclosure prompted Defense Minister Killen to chide the United States for the lack of “proper cour tesy” of not informing him of the change at a base that is, strictly speaking, a “joint facility.” He also instructed his own staff to be “more alert,” calling their failure to ad vise him a “blemish" on their record. But it will be difficult for even Austra lian officials to keep tabs on American ac tivities at the installations since they are U.S. facilities even though they are theoretically supposed to be managed jointly. The conservative government now in power here does not doubt the basic need for the U.S. installations, and Killen s re marks were calculated to head off the op position labor party, which has been criti cal of Australia’s security link with the United States. But this suggests that the issue of the American facilities could become the sub ject of political debate, and it might be wise for both the U.S. and Australian gov ernments to educate the public here on the value of the installations. (Shaw, a columnist for the Sydney Sun, writes on current affairs in Australia.) Fingering foot-faulting Findley By DICK WEST WASHINGTON —The current issue of The Washingtonian magazine offers an "inside” look at “the good, the bad and the ugly" in the now a'djoiime'd 95th (lon- gress. It includes more than 20 lists of lawgiv ers who distinguished themselves in such fields as publicity grabbing, temper fits, boring speeches and backstage deals. It might appear that these categories would run the gamut of congressonal character defects, but any veteran observer of life on Capitol Hill could enumerate a good many more. There was, for example, no mention of Rep. Paul Findley, an otherwise strait laced Illinois Republican who is regarded by those in the know as Congress’ most flagrant foot faulter. On virtually every serve, according to informants who have seen him play tennis, Findley steps over the base line in viola tion of the rules. It is not, these sources say, a case of occasionally dragging a toe a silly millime ter too far in one’s zeal to get more body into one’s serve. This is a blatant case of trespassing with both feet. When Firidley serves, which he does with a great deal of vigor, he takes two or three quick little steps, somewhat re miniscent of Johnny Unitas dropping back to pass, only forward. Momentum then Humor carries him right onto the playing surface before he strikes the hall. Why has such a chronic, habitual tran- gressor not been previously exposed and duly pilloried? This, after all, supposedly has been a year when Congress was acutely sensitive to misconduct among its own. One answer may be that foot faulting is sort of the halitosis of tennis — even your best friends won’t tell you. In a “friendly” game, calling attention to foot faults is con sidered picky. There are, of course, notable excep tions. President Carter is reported to call foot faults on his opponents in matches at the White House. And Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, D-Texas, confessed in an interview that he is something of a stickler. "What do you mean your hest friends won’t tell you?” Bentsen scoffed. “I call a foot fault every time I get aced.” Nevertheless, at the public court level this particular infraction generally is over looked. The guilty party, momentarily stunned by the surprise and wonder of having gotten his serve over the net, likely is unaware that his foot almost went over the net too. His opponent, if he notices the encroachment at all, politely ignores it. But Bob Davis, a member of the Wash ington Area Tennis Officials Association, says it is not only "legally permissable” for one player to point out another player’s intrusion; it behooves him to do so. Fur thermore, an offending player is ethically obligated to call foot faults on himself. "Foot fault rules are part of the game, like the one bounce limitation,” Davis will tell you. "If you don’t observe them, you aren’t playing real tennis.” If asked, Davis also will disabuse you of any notion that linesmen in professional tournaments abide by an unwritten code of calling only the most glaring foot faults. “We’re very strict,” he insists. “Some of those guys would walk half way to the net if they thought they could get away with it.” Davis disputes proposals by other tennis statesmen that servers receive a warning before a foot fault is called. “There is no reason it should be treated any differently from any other rule,” he says. But friends say Findley’s tennis vice is so deeply ingrained they despair of his ever overcoming it. As one occasional op ponent put it, “When you play against Findley, foot faulting is something you have to learn to live with.” Top of the News STATE Resin factory fire injures three Three men were seriously injured and eight firemen suffered burn Sunday in San Antonio after fighting a fire for two hours at Mame S Corp., a resin and glue factory. The three workers could not reeula/ the pressure controls for resin vats, said authorities. The men we 6 listed in critical condition with second and third degree burns ^ IClvdi Two killed near Dallas by sniper A sniper fired apparently random shots onto a highway outside the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on Saturday killing two people in passing cars, Irving police say. The victims, in separate cars, were identified as Steven T. Gaulden, 12, of Plano, and Raymond Andrews, 43, of Arlington. Both were shot in the head with a high-powered rifle, but police could offer no motives for the shoot ing. One shot came from a service road while another car was fired at from an overpass, police say. But, they would not lend credence to speculation that the sniping followed the plot of an NBC television program “CHIPS” shown earlier Saturday in which a boy fired BB pellets at passing cars from an overpass. 0 » le ( Head of insurance board named Gov. Dolph Briscoe appointed Rep. Lyndon Olson Jr.(D-Waco)as chairman of the State Insurance Board on Thursday, after the Senate rejected Hugh C. Yantis in August. Yantis was named acting chair man of the board by Briscoe after Joe Christie resigned to run for the U.S. Senate, but was blocked for appointment by senatorial courtesy—the legislative tradition requiring a senator’s approval when his constituents are nominated. Olson, a three-term House member, was instrumental in the legislation of a state-wide adult probation system and was a House sponsor in 1975 of legislation creating the Texas Public Utilitv Commission. lubt Asbestos research questioned A grievance board at the University of Texas Tyler Health Center, where research on cancer from asbestos is being conducted, formally dismissed Dr. Emir H. Shuford Jr., a biostatistician, on Friday for overstepping his authority. Shuford was fired by Dr. George Hurst, hospital superintendent, for ignoring instructions and violating pro tocol in conducting his business at the center. Shuford responded to the firing with charges Hurst had mismanaged the hospital and failed to organize a program committee required by federal law to evaluate research of asbestos poisoning. The program involves testing workers exposed to asbestos, which research indicates can cause cancer years after exposure. National Cancer Institute officials said they wdll look into Shuford’s complaints and conduct an audit before awarding a contract to another hospital in the spring. NATION Klan holds rally three years late Three years after he first sought use of a high school auditorium for a Ku Klux Klan rally, Grand Dragon David Duke urged 400 listeners on Sunday in Baton Rouge to go home after the meeting and do their duty to increase the white population. Duke waited three years for the chance to speak because the East Baton Rouge School Board would not rent the hall to the Klan on orders from the federal Depart ment of Health, Education and Welfare in 1975. But, in August the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that “even groups of bigots were entitled to use public facilities and the Supreme Court upheld that ruling. Duke told the crowd that black and minority popula tions are growing at a much faster rate than that of whites. About 50 klansmen in white robes and hoods sat among crowd. One black, man sat in the middle of the audience. Fetters to the Editor Editor: Being a Longhorn I would like to com ment on Max Triola’s letter to The Daily Texan. First: If the state flag of Texas is a sym bol of all Texans as you state, then why did the Corps try to stop the flag from being presented at Kyle Field last year? Second: I take the yell, "Beat the hell outta t.u. (the university)” as a compli ment. Third: Concerning your statement on A&M not having cheerleaders but yell leaders, that is your loss and not ours. Fourth: Sitting behind your goal and in your horseshoe will make us feel right at home, that is where we have been for the last several years. I would like to apologize for those so- called Longhorns who were throwing things at the game. There is always a few bad apples in the barrel. Good luck against Iowa State. —Wayman Gore The University of Texas Editor’s note: the following is a copy of Max Triola’s letter appearing in the Daily Texan Dec. 7.: I’m an Aggie and I’d like to make a few comments about things which were done during Friday’s game. First: The state flag of Texas is not the personal seal of t.u. It is the flag of all Texans, not just those who happen to be enrolled in your small secular school. Correction In Thursday’s (Dec. 7) edition of The Battalion, a letter regarding the actions of a Corps member at the Texas game was incorrectly attrib uted to a Bryan Smith of Bryan. The letter was actually written by Steve Smith of Bryan, a 1977 graduate of UT Law School. The Battalion regrets the error. , Texas fans size up the schools Second: Of the fraternities visibily act ive at A&M, Alph Phi Omega is one of the few which I would consider pleding to. It is a respected and appreciated service or ganization, not a cheerleading section for the Aggie team. Displaying the “Hook ’em Horns” sign while holding the Texas flag is inappropriate. Attempting to break through the Aggie “Boot Line” is rude and shows little understanding of Aggie tra ditions or common courtesy. Third: If you don’t like “Beat the hell outta t.u.,” think how I feel a bout “Poor Aggies.” Nobody likes a sore loser, but everybody hates a poor winner. Fourth: Aggies do not have a “Homecoming.” We do have Bonfire in tbe fall and the Cotton Pageant in spring. We do not have cheerleaders, we have yell leaders. Fifth: I hope you enjoyed your seats this By JIM ROGERS Quite frankly, I’m shocked. If the mutual “exchange” between the student body and Mike Mosley at the ORU bas ketball game and the succeeding “Letters to the Editor” (Dec. 6&7) reflect the gen eral attitude of Aggies, I no longer wish to be associated with this respected institu tion. Mosley wouldn’t “hump it” at the game, it’s as simple as that. Many spectators “loudly suggested” or “prodded” him to do so, but to no avail. Mosley then showed them in no uncertain terms his attitude toward the entire affair. The letters that followed variously in terpreted his action (or lack of action) as: biting the hand that feeds him; a tremen dous air of superiority, a lack of school spirit; forgetting his “role as a student”, a fear of losing personal glory to the basket- ball team, and no sense of “honor to...stand and yell” for our school - not to mention the unkind (and uncalled for) re year, because next year you’ll be sitting behind our goal line and in our horseshoe among our students. Sixth: It is ludicrous to see so much ill will and misunderstanding between two of Texas’ largest and finest schools. Hope fully when we meet next year on Kyle Field things will have straightened them selves out. Good luck at El Paso. Hark the herald... Editor: Last Tuesday night, a very wonderful and heart-warming experience befell our Christmas caroling ensemble. Only wishing to spread Christmas love and cheer, our group assembled in front of President Miller’s home on the southern marks I’ve heard from “spirited Aggies” (“Highway 6 runs both ways, Mosley!” and “Who needs that mo—r fu—r anyway? We can do fine without him!,” to mention a few). Reader's Forum On the sole basis of Mr. Mosley’s refusal to “hump it” at a particular game and his rude reproach to the unruly crowd, how can the student body so unfairly condemn him as “ungrateful,” “not a true Aggie,” or “egotistical and self-centered"? There is no way in this world that I or anyone else can guess Mike’s reasons for his behavior. Maybe he’s been under a lot of pressure lately, perhaps he was just de pressed, or worried, or maybe he hates A&M and everything about it (except him self). I don’t know. Neither do you. Give the man a break; he has a right to part of the campus and began singing carols for the Miller family. It was not long before Mrs. Miller and two of her daughters, Carolyn and Mar garet, greeted us with a very warm wel come at the front door and cordially in vited us into their home. After initially re fusing the gracious offer, we accepted their repeated invitation. Once inside, our group was served refreshments and given a personal tour of the house. It was indeed a very nice surprise for us. In closing, we cannot begin to express our thanks to the Millers for such a pleas ant evening. To President Miller’s family, and to the whole Texas A&M “family,” have a VERY Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year! — John “Cotton” Clark, ’79 Editor s note: this letter was accompanied by 17 other signatures. Spirit be here. He has a right to his own opin ions, whatever they may be (yes, even if against the faultless Ags). Aggie spirit is not to be believed. I’m sick and tired of seeing coaches, football players, and other “stars” (e.g., star quar terbacks) loved with all the power of Ag gies when they perform spectacularly, dis carded when they “fail,” and then mourned again when they leave. Hypocrisy? No, hypocrisy is too much an understatement; back stabbing would be a more accurate term. This behavior of Ags has grown intense these past few years, and the pattern appears to be static: Shipman was humiliated; Walker was humiliated; Bellard was humiliated; Is Mosley next? If this is the Spirit of Aggieland, I don’t have the heart to be an Aggie. Jim Rogers is a freshman electrical engi neering major from Houston. Back-stabbling — symptom of Fire from heater kills four A predawn fire believed caused by a wood-burning heater swept through a split-level home Sunday in Elvins, Mo., killing four per sons. Fire Chief James Carver said the blast may have stemmed from an excessive build-up of heat inside the home. Neighbors told au thorities they heard an explosion shortly before fire fighters arrived, but Carver said there was no reason to believe the fire was set. The victims bodies were found in two bedrooms along with the family's pet dog. Carver said the family probably died of smoke inhalation and warned of the hazards of wood-burning heaters. WEATHER V v. < * Fair to partly cloudy and slightly warmer this afternoon. HiQ / today 50 low tonight middle 20’s. Winds will be variable a 5-10 mph. Outlook for this week will be mostly cloudy an f cooler with a new cold front moving in on Wednesday- The Battalion LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor .should not exceed 300 words and are subject to be ini' cut to that lenf'th or less if longer. The editorial staff reserves the rif'ht to edit such letters and does not guarantee to jniblish 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, Boom 216, Reed McDonald Buildinn, Collene 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 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. 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 i e C( ember >ress Association (ounnalismCon^ , .LizN>' ; .. Steve W Debbie ^Uioiin ^ . . . .Karen Bogefi ■son, Scott en j ( j f ^ Petty, MicheUe W ; V| Blake, Lee Roy ,lardSt0ne DougC^ r vA runn^ EdCun^ ,Gary' Vfkl L