Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Tuesday
January 16, 1979
Reflections
/
Expensive rejects
These books are for you. They are
worth $5.25. I paid almost $50 for
them.
Vm tired of getting ripped off; no
body gives a damn. You could see it
on the faces of all those kids trying
to sell back their books; it was
pathetic. For two years I’ve put up
with this crap; but when that guy
said my geology book was worth 25
cents I just couldn’t take it anymore.
Does anybody care anymore? Or
have we just turned into a bunch of
accepting rabbits? I hope someday
God grants me the power to
graduate from this school. Maybe
then l can do something about this
“rip off’!
It’s time we stopped undermining
our educational systems. Just where
does the love of money stop? —
(Letter to the Editor)
At the end of last semester a guy
came into my office and handed me
three books. He told me to take
them. He wanted The Battalion to
have them, do something with them,
because they weren’t worth anything
anymore.
I was perplexed. What had the
newspaper done that would make
him want to donate his books to it?
Or why did he think going to The
Battalion would solve his dilemma?
The answer is that he was frus
trated. The books that cost nearly
$50 earlier in the semester were now
worth only $5.25 at the bookstore.
He said the campus bookstore told
him that the title was overstocked
and that they couldn’t afford to stock
it, or the edition had been changed.
A wholesaler had offered to take
them for $5.25.
He wrote down this note and left
— saying he was tired of the world.
Editors see lots of people who are
tired of the world, and I didn’t really
think much about him again until
this week. I was back in line at the
courtesy counter behind 10 students
either bringing back books for resale
or getting refunds on books.
One conversation:
“Well, how much did it cost you?”
“Thirty-eight dollars for three pa
perbacks. ”
One fellow brought in a big
cardboard box of books for resale.
Then he carried out the same box —
still three-quarters full.
At the first of a semester, money
— borrowing it, spending it, need
ing it — makes you wonder if the
“requirements” are worth the price.
Starting a library with books that
you can’t afford to keep or even want
isn’t very appealing. Neither is find
ing that the bookstore doesn’t buy
back lab manuals, or has overstocked
and doesn’t need your used books.
It also makes you wonder whether
professors think about the money
they force students to spend by re
quiring supplementary paperbacks
or the latest edition of a text.
A modem college student can ac
quire quite an expensive library of
unwanted books. And paperbacks
don’t even look nice on the shelf.
Editor’s note: Sometimes staff
members run into situations that
aren’t quite news stories and aren’t
quite editorials. They may be
humorous, or they may be serious.
This is the first of that series of
commentaries by Battalion staff
members.
New papal campaign
against abortion
By CHRISTOPHER P. WINNER
VATICAN CITY — Three months into
his papacy. Pope John Paul II is embroiled
in a controversy over Italy’s abortion law
that threatens to undermine his popularity
as well as his stock among the country’s
leading politicians.
The 58-year-old former Cardinal Karol
Wojtla of Poland, who became the first
non-Italian pope in 455 years last Oct. 16,
has come under heavy criticism in the af
termath of several speeches condemning
abortions as immoral and praising doctors
who refuse to perform them.
Although John Paul’s recent declarations
on abortion are only marginally different
C ommentary
from those of his predecessors, they have
coincided with a stepped up anti-abortion
campaign by some of the most powerful
prelates in the Roman Catholic church.
Cardinal Giovanni Benelli of Florence
began the flurry of Vatican activity last
month by denouncing abortion as
“legalized homicide” that has “obliged the
Italian state to become a killer.”
John Paul wasted no time in picking up
Benelli’s lead, saying the the church would
never “countenance those who violate the
sanctity of marriage or destroy life con
ceived in the womb.”
But the pope edged ahead one step,
enough to turn the matter into a political
issue.
“I want to express my sincere admira
tion,” he told a Catholic action group, “for
all health workers who follow their con
science and resist, daily, the enticements,
pressures, threats and physical violence so
as not to stain that right that presupposes all
other human rights — the right to live.”
Italy’s abortion law, passed last May 18,
permits cost-free abortions in the first 90
days of pregnancy for any woman over 18
years who says childbirth would endanger
her physical or mental health.
But a key clause in the law permits doc
tors the right to refuse performing an abor
tion on grounds of conscience.
Government figures indicate 70 percent
of Italy’s gynecologists and 50 per cent of its
nurses claimed conscientious objector
status once the law took effect.
The figures show that while nearly
27,000 legal abortions were performed last
year, thousands of objecting doctors helped
encourage what is a still-prosperous clan
destine abortion trade.
“John Paul is re-igniting the flames of a
battle we thought was already won,” said
Radical party deputy Marisa Galli, an
ex-nun whose party drafted the original
abortion referendum.
Even the ruling Christian Democratic
party, which fought alongside the Vatican
against abortion and divorce laws, declined
to join the church’s new campaign.
“The party fought and lost two battles,”
said Christian Democratic party President
Flaminio Piccoli, “and now it must accept
the verdict of the majority. Laws are laws. ”
For the first time since his election John
Paul has become fodder for caricaturists. A
leftist newspaper published a cartoon of the
pope pushing Italian President Sandro Per-
tini out of his chair and a mass circulation
magazine depicted him talking about
human rights while leading conservative
Italian prelates.
Vatican Radio, reacting to the fuss, took
time out to “clarify” John Paul’s remarks,
insisting the pontiff was addressing “moral
and not political issues.” But veteran
church observers suggested the pope’s
abortion statements had definitively ended
the three-month honeymoon between the
Vatican and Italy’s political leaders.
Legislators seeking ‘safer committees
By DAVID S. BRODER
WASHINGTON — If you want a clue to
the likely character of the new Congress
beginning work this week, a good place to
look is at the committees the members
want to join. According to House Majority
Leader Jim Wright (D-Tex.), far and away
the most sought-after committees are Ap
propriations and Budget.
Those two money committees have 21
applications each from new members and
veterans seeking new assignments. By con
trast, the Education and Labor Committee
and the Judiciary Committee — both tra
ditional “liberal” bastions — have barely
enough applicants to fill their vacancies.
The clear signal is that the dominant
Democratic majority knows this is not a
Congress that will pass new social legisla
tion or seek new guarantees of social jus
tice.
Rather, its principal work will be allocat
ing scarce dollars among existing programs
and deciding who gets a bigger or smaller
slice of the pie.
There was a time when serving on Edu
cation and Labor meant charting a war on
poverty, raising the minimum wage or
building thousands o£ .pew classrooms.
But now those coni m it tees deal with the
most intractable social issues dividing
America, from busing to abortion to private
school aid, and receive the complaints of
constituencies who find the old programs
delivering far less than they promised.
So Congress, that most sensitive of polit
ical barometers, sees its members moving,
en masse, to what looks like safer ground in
the “money” committees.
Appropriations has always been an at
tractive committee for those who wanted to
put themselves close to the federal trough.
Democrats or Republicans, liberals or
conservatives. Appropriations Committee
members knew that in times of austerity,
they were well positioned to protect the
projects they cared about most, and in
times of prosperity, to see that their friends
got their share — and more.
• The popularity of the Budget Committee
is both more recent and more interesting.
It has existed for only six years.
Except for Brock Adams, who parlayed a
successful term as its chairman into ap
pointment as Secretary ofTransportat on in
the Carter cabinet, it has yet to be estab
lished that Budget Committee service is a
boon to anyone’s political career.
Current House rules limit the number of
years a member may serve on the Budget
Committee, so there is little likelihood for
making it the basis for a long and increas
ingly influential House career.
Yet, those who were already members of
the Budget Committee fought successfully
last month to extend their stay by an extra
two years, and there is a long line of appli
cants waiting for the few vacancies.
What is the explanation? For the
thoughtful members of the House — of
whom there are more than most newspaper
readers suppose — the Budget Committee
is one of the few places where one gets to
see the whole picture of government and
influence basic policy choices.
Here is where the most fundamental
economic decisions are debated — where
the level of revenues, expenditures and
deficits are set. And here is where priorities
between defense and domestic needs and
among the major activities of the govern
ment are determined.
It is challenging work for the ablest and
most broad-minded members of Congress.
But that is too idealistic to be the whole
explanation. The Budget Committee is also
the place where one can most visibly say no
to spending proposals. And in the current
political climate, as perceived by House
members, that is a highly advantageous oc
cupation for a public official.
As one present member of the Budget
Committee says, “These Democrats want
to get on here and embellish their reputa
tions as economizers.”
And that is about as good a clue to the
character of this new Congress as you can
find.
(c)1979. The Washington Post Company
Seniority’s iron grip
on Senate positions
or»d vpkofd i-Ke laW... v
... 1"be high&s't bidder^
— -- —\
Letters to the Editor
Brains, not brawn
By IRA R. ALLEN
WASHINGTON — It is January in the
year 2009, and the survivors of the congres
sional class of 1978 are entering their sixth
term in the Senate. Joe Biden of Delaware,
seated at age 30 back in 1973, has just re
tired after a long term as president pro
tempore and fourth in line to the presi
dency.
In this scenario, only two Democrats —
Max Baucus and David Boren — and two
Republicans —Thad Cochran and Gordon
Humphrey — who were elected in 1978
remain in the Senate.
But there would be no contest to succeed
Biden as president pro tern. If Democrats
controlled the Senate, Boren would get the
prestige, extra pay, limousine and added
office space and staff that go with the post.
If the GOP was in control, Cochran would
beat out Humphrey.
That was all decided in recent days, as
was the line of succession to committee
chairmanships and choice office space.
Seniority controls just about everything
of importance in the Senate, and even
though 20 members were elected at the
same last Nov. 7, some are more equal than
others.
The seniority champ in the class of’78 is
Republican David Durenberger of Min
nesota, followed by Democrat Donald
Stewart of Alabama — both sworn in two
days after they were elected because they
were filling seats held by widows whose
interim terms expired with the election.
Although Stewart was sworn in 30 min
utes before Durenberger, the strict rules
that determine seniority gave the nod to
the Minnesotan because his state is larger
than Stewart’s.
Seniority is determined first on the basis
ofwhen the new member is sworn in. Often
an outgoing senator will resign early to let
his successor get a seniority edge. Other
new members who took their seats before
the Jan. 3 date set in the Constitution are,
in order: Max Baucus, D-Mont., Nancy
Kassebaum, R-Kan., Thad Cochran,
R-Miss., Rudy Boschwitz, R-Minn., Alan
Simpson, R-Wyo., and John Warner,
R-Va.
When many members are seated on the
same day, the rules give precedence to
former senators, former vice presidents,
former House members and former gover
nors. If a member has no previous experi
ence, the size of his state determines
seniority. That is why Gordon Humphrey
is 100th in seniority — his New Hampshire
is smaller than No. 99 Roger Jepsen’s Iowa.
When more than one former House
member or governor is seated, the one with
more seniority in the former job gets the
edge.
It’s not very important now, but
throughout the next 30 years the distinc
tions could attain almost life and death im
portance. For example, both James East-
land, now retired, and John McClellan,
now dead, were seated on Jan. 3, 1943.
Upon the death of Allen Ellender in 1972,
it was Eastland who became president pro
tern because he had been in the Senate for a
few months in 1941 filling out part of the
term of a senator who died in office.
A more modern example, however,
should be of cheer for the new members
who are in 90s in seniority. Given the rapid
turnover of recent years — more than half
the Senate has been in office six years or
fewer — advancement up the ladder can be
swift.
John Glenn, D-Ohio, was elected in
1974 and ranked 93rd. Today, little more
than four years later, he has jumped to 55th
in seniority. And as long as they remain in
the Senate, Glenn will outrank classmates
Wendell Ford, D-Ky., by four days and
Richard Stone, D-Fla., by eight days.
That’s insignificant now but of utmost im
portance the day an encrusted Foreign Re
lations Committee chairman steps down
and Glenn gets the prestigious post by four
days over Stone.
That’s academic, of course, because the
old fogey will probably be Biden, now 36,
who, according to the actuaries, would be
president pro tern long after Glenn and
Stone are gone.
Editor:
The other night I came in contact with
two types of assistance. I won’t go into
every detail, but my car and I got into some
difficulty. The experience pointed out
some priceless wisdom to me.
At any rate, I called on a visiting friend
since I thought some simple physical force
should send me on my way. I soon had a
troop of four who worked about for minutes
and said they couldn’t help me. Alas! I went
back inside, as it was getting dark and
colder. Finally, from anger and the frustra
tion of knowing I couldn’t get any more
help for a couple of hours, I decided to take
another look at the situation. My roommate
and I felt there had to be a simple yet
intelligent way out. After all, there is a
solution to any problem — right?
While surveying the situation and trying
our idea, two weary travelers happened
upon us and offered their assistance al
though it was now dark and quite cold.
They saw we were on the right track, and
improved our idea. (Didn’t intend that to
sound arrogant.)
However, they used some of their infi
nite knowledge of engineering and out
smarted that mechanical monster quickly.
And I must add, even made it look simple.
In my roundabout way, the intent of this
letter was to again express our thanks to
those helpful Aggies, and to point out an
interesting idea. Four plus brute force
equals an effect of zero. And the corollary
— two plus time plus ingenuity equals suc
cess.
To the heroes — you know who you are
and I want to repay you with your choice of
hot chocolate, coffee, cokes, a pitcher, or a
pizza if you so desire. (I am talking about
the green LTD, and you should know
where it was. Try going by unit number
four.) To the almost-heroes, and everyone
else, take a little time and the problem will
practically solve itself. But what a way to
start the semester!
—Margie Lincecum, ’81
Top of the News
CAMPUS
Taps for Earley Thursday
AC. GIF C
H sleazy
Silver Taps for Andrew Sinclair Earley, 18, has been rescheduledfot n'^dst'o
Thursday to avoid conflict with other functions. University officiali '
said. The memorial service will honor the freshman marine biolog)P^ sfv '
major who died in a local traffic accident Dec. 13. He was buriedn Slt y at '
Ahoskie, N.C. Earley was the fifth student fatality of the curren BASKET!
academic year. Silver Taps, usually held on Tuesday nights, was Rollie ^
originally scheduled tonight for Earley.
Former student dies after crash
freshm
Loretta Kay Davis, 22, who was a student at Texas A&M University! ’ Zachry.
last spring, died at 1:10 p.m. Tuesday as a result of injuries sustained inlgANAGE
an accident. Davis was the passenger on a motorcycle that collideil; Briarwc
with a car at 5:15 p.m. Thursday in Bryan. She died at Methods ^ ^
Hospital in Houston, where she was taken after the crash. Shewasi; [ ^
life-long resident of Jasper. Services are pending at Stringer-Wan! lll( ,,,,,,
Funeral Home in Jasper. She is survived by two brothers, Lynn arc ^
Jimmy Ray Davis of College Station; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Doyi ' ; {V
R. Davis of Jasper; a grandmother, Mrs. E.S. Nichols of Jackson ' ' | (
Tenn.; her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Davis of Jasper; and: ^.
sister, Terrie Lee Davis of Jasper. BoRIC l
Overdue books billed to staff
Rob Me
I Room C
I nursery
■ Everyoi
In a continuing effort to account for long overdue books, the Sterlings
C. Evans library has begun billing faculty and staff of Texas AMI®*'
University for books that are 15 or more days overdue. A letterof
notification is sent with a list of extremely overdue books chargedto
the individual. The letter requests that the faculty or staff member
either return or renew the material overdue. If, after three weeks,
there is no response, the individual will l>e billed for each overdue
book and a non-returnable processing fee will be assessed. Last year,
the library started a similar policy for students with extremely overdue
books.
[carefull;
short fi
Czecho:
shown ;
STATE
Texas tractor cade goes to D.C,
IGgie ci
■ man try
■ Rudder
Ml ON Id
■Christie
frantic !
Rudder
An estimated 500 American Agriculture Movement supporters base!
started an 1,800-mile trek to the nation’s capital to protest the possible
“phasing-out of the Texas farmer. The AAM points to recent figure:
they say indicate that about 4,000 Texas farmers will be phased-out tbc
year. Ultimately, farmers hope to attract as many as 50,000 agricultural
producers in their “tractorcade” to Washington D.C. for a Feb
rendezvous. AAM spokesman Gerald McCathern said thousands o:
farmers will demonstrate upon arriving in Washington. McCathern!
son, Mike, a spokesman at AAM’s state headquarters in Hereford, war
jubilant about Monday’s turnout for the departure. He estimated 20(
tractors and 500 supporters assembled on Interstate 40 ancj 20aftei
leaving leaving Amarillo and Abilene.
IvAsur
NATION
St. Eouis teachers go on strike
lours of sti
iioiial mane
■ms.
■he first
Balth, E<
additional
St. Louis public school teachers went on strike Tuesday despite afxfepfions
court order issued late Monday to prevent the strike. A spokesman for jled and fn
the teachers’ union said that a majority of the local’s 3,700 members 111 E\\ Sc
voted Sunday night to reject what the school board termed its final p\ for the
offer for for pay raises. Teachers began setting up picket lines at6a.ni Bp HEW
Tuesday. Classes were schedided to be held as usual for the district steeple of a
73,000 students with administrative personnel and non-striking There an
teachers expected to assume the teaching load. Circuit Judge Ivan Let ■ears ok
Holt scheduled a hearing on a temporary injunction for next Wednes lumber 32
day. School Superintendent Dr. Robert E. Wentz said that the ■avid ,\1
Missouri Supreme Court has ruled that the board cannot bargain while U - and a
the teachers are on strike. 11 too con
Jayla W
Wayne's progress is excellent
jtys some i
tatute that
■xcept,” sh
Actor John Wayne, recuperating ahead of schedule Tuesday, was;
expected to be released from the intensive care unit of the UCUj
Medical Center and moved to a private room. Wayne’s stomachwatl
removed last Friday, but he was to be allowed his first swallows of food ^
Tuesday since the operation. Bernard Strom, associate hospital admin"
istrator, said Wayne’s progress “continues to be excellent. Surgeons^
had originally found “an unusual low-grade cancer in Waynes^c
stomach, while conducting what was expected to be a minor gall^
bladder removal. The doctors fashioned a smaller replacement for theT
stomach from intestine tissue.
WORLD
Hijacked 707 back in Beirut
A Middle Airlines Boeing 707, with 73 passengers aboard, was
hijacked Tuesday while on a flight from Beirut to Amman. The plane
was diverted to Cyprus and then returned to Beirut, airport sources if
Beirut said. The identity of the hijacker or hijackers was not im
mediately known. However, there was speculation in Beirut that the
air piracy was carried out by followers of a missing Shiite Moslem
religious leader, the Imam Musa Sadr, who disappeared with two
companions while on a visit to Libya several months ago. The leader
was last seen in August.
WEATHER
V
We are experiencing an overcast of dense fog with a 30%
chance of rain today, 50% tonight, and 60% Thursday. High
today will be in the upper 60’s and a low of 60. Winds will be
light & variable. It will continue to be cloudy & cold through
out the rest of the week.
The Battalion
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subject to being cut to that length or less if longer. The
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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.
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The Battalion is published Monday through Friday from
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through Thursday.
Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per
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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 K'* I
Managing Editor Ui-El
Assistant Managing Editor .Andy" i
Sports Editor David 1 Ej
City Editor Scott Pen Kl
Campus Editor . . . .
News Editors Debbie Pi
Beth Calhoun L.
Staff Writers Karen Rogers tb
Patterson, Sean Petty,
Blake, Dillard Stone. ^
Bragg, Lyle Lovett |.|
Cartoonist DougC ^1
Photo Editor Lee Roy Lescl| !p|
Photographer Lynn I
Focus section editor Gary]
GR
I
Gi
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-prif^
supporting enterprise operated bij I
as a university and community
Editorial policy is determined htjthu