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Viewpoint The Battalion Thursday Texas A&M University January 25, 1979 Church, Kennedy advance in Senate By STEVE GERSTEL United Press International WASHINGTON — Two of the most intriguing figures in the 96th Congress are bound to be Edward Kennedy and Frank Church. They have much in common — relative youth, liberal philosophy, activism and unbounded ambition. Kennedy and Church share another dis tinction. They are the new chairmen of two premier Senate committees. Kennedy, a 16-year veteran of the sen ate, although only 46, takes the helm of the Judiciary Committee. Church, at 54 a 22-year veteran of the Senate, moves in as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. There could be no greater contrast be tween Kennedy and Church and the men they have replaced. Church replaces former Sen. John Sparkman of Alabama, an amiable and friendly soul who lost in his great age whatever zest he had and provided the Foreign Relations Committee with less than passive leadership. Kennedy takes over for former Sen. James Eastland of Mississippi, an aged tyrant who at one time imposed his inflex ible conservative will on the panel until an influx of liberal members finally cut down on his powers. Kennedy and Church are intriguing be cause — even in this day of greater inde pendence among senators — they will have great influence in shaping the posi tions taken by the Senate in the areas of the judiciary and foreign affairs. With Kennedy leading the way, much legislation that might have been blocked or delayed in the Eastland era is going to be voted out by the committee and taken up in the Senate. An excellent example is a proposed con stitutional amendment providing for the election of presidents by popular, rather than electoral votes. In the past, that has been stymied by the Eastland-led con servatives on the committee. Similiarily, antitrust legislation — a Kennedy pet project — now stands a bet ter chance. Kennedy is not going to have an easy time of it. Democratic leaders, past and present, have helped by stacking the committee with more liberal allies. Of the seven holdovers, five can be classified as liberals and two others as cen trists. To fill the vacancies, the Democrats added two liberals and Sen. Howell Heflin of Alabama, an unknown quantity without a record as a legislator. But the Republicans, who have seven members, have stacked the committee with conservatives. The only one who is out of place is Maryland’s liberal Charles Mathias. Washington Window Over the 22 years, Church has firmly established himself as a liberal and an internationalist. Whatever direction he decides to move, everything in his past points to an active and outspoken term, along the lines of former Sen. William Fulbright. There are some political hazards in this approach for the Idaho veteran. Churchs up for re-election in two years and will be an ideal target for conservatives who have shown in other states the capacity to knock off selected liberals. He has a 9-6 Democratic margin on the committee. Three of the Republicans are either liberals or moderates, giving Church a good working majority. But the Republican members added this year are a different breed. They include down-the-line conservatives like Sens. Jesse Helms of North Carolina and S.I. Hayakawa of California. They could cause him trouble. Talk with Dr. Miller Loan set-up unfair to working students Dear Dr. Miller: My parents are able to contribute only minimally to the cost of my college education — the bulk of the burden is carried by me. Fortunately, through federal, state and University loan and grant programs my educational finances have been met. However, at the beginning of last semester I was dismayed to learn that I was no longer eligible for state or University loans or grants. The problem, I was told, involved the large amount of money I had earned the previous year at a part-time job after school. This extra money placed me in a higher income bracket which disqualified me from receiving any student aid this year. Little did I realize I was expected to save the entire earnings from this parttime job for future college expenses. Now of course, I see I should have taken the easy route: quit the job and paid off my schooling with free grants and low interest loans. I realize educational loan and grant programs are not designed to accommodate the wealthy, nor to lavish money on the poor. However, the present system seems to penalize initiative by prohibitng stu dents from receiving grants and loans simply because we desire more financial security by working part-time after school. 1 It would seem fair to me, to reward those students who are motivated to work by renewing their loan and grant eligiblity. In this respect, is there any possibility the present financial aid system can be modified? —William L. Irwin, ’80 Dear Mr. Irwin: I appreciated your letter concerning your eligibility for financial aid for the academic year. Your financial aid records were reviewed to determine the status of your eligiblity for financial assistance. Since you reported on your financial aid application that you would work and earn over one half of your educational cost from a local job during the year 1978-79, you did not qualify for financial assis tance under the present program. When your reported earnings are combined with your summer contribution, your asset assessment and your basic Educational Opportunity Grant, your total resources exceeded the educational budget established for single students living on campus. In this assessment, your parents were not charged with a family contribution for this year, nor were your earnings from last year used in the financial aid need analysis calculation. I certainly agree with your statement that a student who wishes to work should not be penalized for his desire to get ahead. However, regulations governing financial aid funds do place a ceiling on the earnings of recipients. Consequently, we are obligated to follow the regulations concerning over-awarding financial aid funds to deserving students. Certainly, if it becomes desirable to modify our present system, we can do so by letting our congressional delegates know of these inequities and work for a change in the federal law governing these programs. Texas A&M University would be very pleased administering to the needs of deserving students under any equitable program particularly one that recognizes incentive on the student’s part. —Jarvis E. Miller Students heware ($) By DOROTHY DUBOIS If you’re sitting at home now in your 62 degree apartment, shivering because you’re trying to keep your fuel bills down, you’ll be interested in this. Today, Jan. 25, the College Station City Council will consider a new utility rate or dinance that has been proposed by the Utility Rate Study Committee. This ordi nance will be of special interest to apart ment dwellers in College Station because for some of you it may mean that your bill will be going up. For those apartments that are not indi vidually submetered by the city, i.e. “all bills paid” apartments, along with those complexes that are submetered, this or dinance proposes a few changes. Up until now these apartment com plexes have been eligible for commercial rates, cheaper than residential rates. The Utility Rate Study Committee, after some debate, came to the philosophical conclu sion that apartments are residences and therefore should have residential rates applied to them. For those of you in “bills paid” apart ments, this ordinance could mean that your rent will go up. For those of you in apartments that are submetered by the apartment owners, this will mean that you will have a minimum bill every month of $3.75. The ordiance does contain a provi sion to give these types of apartment com plexes a break, however. Since the city does not have to worry about billing each apartment, installing meters, cutting them on or off and other such considerations, they are willing to give these apartment owners a 10 percent discount. The question is: Will this make up for the difference between commercial and residential rates? Are apartment com plexes residences or commercial enterprises, and furthermore, how should they be billed? If you would like to express your opin ion on this, come to the city council meet ing, or contact me at 845-1515 or 693- 7051. Dorothy DuBois is a junior political sci ence major and an off-campus under graduate senator and city council liaison for student government. Writing the editor The Battalion welcomes letters to the editor on any subject. However, to be acceptable for publication these letters must meet certain criteria. They should: . V Not exceed 300 words or 1800 characters in length. V Be neatly typed whenever possible. Hand-written letters are acceptable. Include the author’s name, ad dress and telephone number for verification. Letters to the editor are printed as a service to our readers. Publication of a letter is never guaranteed. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters to remove grammatical er rors and to avoid litigatiort. Address letters to the editor to: Letters to the Editor The Battalion Room 216 Reed McDonald Building College Station, Texas 77843 Umbrella By DICK WEST WASHINGTON — As if controversies over the cruise missile and neutron bomb werenVyexing enough, President Carter may soon find himself emboiled in the mil itary bumbershoot issue. That prospect arises with an Air Force magazine report that the U.S. armed forces are testing umbrella-carrying by servicemen. The test only involves male Air Force personnel stationed at the Pentagon. But when the trial period ends next April, a month notorious for showers, “full-scale approval Air Forcewide seems likely,” the magazine says. To appreciate the significance of this development you must be aware that our defense establishment traditionally has barred the use of umbrellas by servicemen in uniform. Servicewomen have been allowed this extra measure of precipitation protection, presumably because of the havoc that dampness wreaks on coiffures. But for servicemen, umbrellas were deemed un military. It was determined that open bumbershoots made saluting awkward, impeded close order drill and played hob with executing the manual of arms. Nevertheless, the break in the once- solid anti-bumbershoot front is almost cer tain to lead to massive crumbling of pro hibitions, touching off a new wave of costly research and procurement. Although Air Force magazine says the Army and Navy “show no signs of discard ing the longtime ban,” nobody seriously expects soldiers and sailors to stand around getting drenched while airmen warfare stay toasty and dry. You can bet the Army and Navy not only yyill come up with unbrella programs of their own; they will be out to build a bet- ter bumbershoot than their sister service. During the tryout period, the only re quirement is that the umbrellas be non plastic and either black or dark blue. The next step surely will be government issue “M-l Raindrop Diverters, Portable, Collapsible” for which Air Force procure ment experts will draft 28 pages of specifi cations. Then will come a 500-page manual of operations, setting forth the proper tech niques for opening and closing unbrellas in Humor a military manner; the minimum drizzle under which bumbershoots may be un furled and the heights and angles at which the canopy affords maximum dryness under various weather conditions. Why, at a time when the administration is struggling to hold down the federal budget, is the Air Force opening the door to umbrella escalation? One defense analyst told me there was fear at the Pentagon that military bumber shoot production might be restricted in some future SALT agreement. “If our troops already have umbrellas in place, there is less chance of the Red Army gaining bumbershoot supremacy under the treaty,” he said. “Believe me, if Senator Jackson ever starts warning about an unbrella gap, SALT is dead.” Tetters to the Editor Corps ‘unfeminine’ Editor: Rereading Miss Zentgraf s letter with an open mind it is easy to see that she is an astute observer of the obvious, however, the subtleties escape her. I wonder if she even noticed the inconsistencies in her own position? She joined the Corps, I assume, volun tarily and with full knowledge that it was male-oriented and dominated. But now, after three years of wearing trousers and fatigues and trying to be “one of the boys,” she suddenly wants to hide behind the skirts of femininity. A woman’s perogative is to change her mind, right? I guess so. However, when she stands there screaming “I am woman” in her combat boots and fatigues, facing a career of driv ing tanks or firing cannons, then her ar gument is lacking. I’m truly sorry that she didn’t get into the Ross Volunteers or get Corps public relations officer for that matter. However, if her disappointment is real, may I suggest some alternate courses of career development for a bright, attractive young woman? — Modeling, being a stewardess, or even a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader — all of which seem to be popular profes sions. However, I get the impression that this is not Miss Zentgraf s idea of representing A&M cr femininity. How cliche of Kim Tomes to earn the title of Miss USA, when she could be running in step with the R.V.s! I think that 99 percent of the women at Texas A&M don’t take a back seat to any one. But, as the old saying goes, there is always that one percent who never find out. —Cameron E. Clements, ’79 Good Ags... Editor: We would like to say a special thank-you to a good Ag that rescued us on Jan. 23, 1979, at 11 p.m., in the staff parking lot near Hughes Hall. He not only told us what was wrong with the car, but he went out of his way to take one of us home to her apartment. It is nice to know you can still trust Aggies around campus at night. Thanks again. —Lynn Falco, ’82 Debbie Spencer, ’82 Top of the Nti:ws CAMPUS l A&M ranks well in study Spe shai Texas A&M University was the only Texas school to rank first or second in specific fields in the latest Gourman Report, a rating of American and international universities published by National Edu cation Standards. The University of Texas and Rice University also made a strong showing in the report. Texas A&M ranked first in petroleum engineering and second in both agriculture generally and in agricultural engineering. Cornell placed first in the two latter categories. Texas A&M also ranked seventh nationally in nuclear engineering and tenth in industrial engineering in the report. STATE Deportation of violators sought The Texas State House of Representatives adopted a resolution Wednesday asking Congress to direct federal agencies to deport Ira nian students who violate American laws. Rep. Clay Smothers, D-Dallas, who sponsored the resolution, said Texas has been “di rectly affected” by demonstrating Iranian students. “It is high time the legislature takes some action, even mild action as this is. This thing is catching and we haven’t raised our voices,” he said. Shah’s family to leave Lubbock h United CHEYENNE jcker of a foil ighway speed w ve threaten] ban $50 milln iys the meas n r "There has fo ipport for tin: aid [Tuesday, J ill won second lassed its pre ,jonday and a cheduled Wee: Taggart, whe nakers it is tim , the federal gu juplfspeed linn nore members till during tochi eel votes are age in the 30-1 “VVe ve been i-ith about e ijnln,” Tagg 'The}' say they lind it Sed.u said tl he speed limi Eight days after their arrival in Lubbock, four of Shah Mohammed R? i n a meet Reza Pahlovi’s family members are preparing to leave, possibly fora jR rence Q f Moroccan rendezvous with the monarch, Washington sources said. The crown prince is not leaving, however, and is expected to remain in Lubbock until June to complete his pilot training. NATION hat [gathering gluing, Ne^ Texas — all s between Parents appeal treatment ruling The attorney for the parents of 3-year-old Chad Green Wednesday filed an appeal in Massachusetts of a court order barring them from using the controversial drug Laetrile to treat their son’s leukemia. “The issue is whether or not a chief justice of the Supreme Court of the United States of America is more qualified than you or I to make a determination as to which medical treatment you should have, George Donovan, the Greens’ attorney, said Tuesday. Florida tornadoes damage homes emoted to pu: ion urging C( he leiling on s “If think tha Washington mi dea, Sedan st hen maybe ne The chief ob: the federal lighway funds, "packers of tl vonlc sue the he lighway n nit opponents ion of such a c Gov. Ed H. tated his posit ecent news co ipposed the i< ives. but at Small tornadoes spawned by a fast-moving cold front damaged houses and trailer homes in Fort Myers and Brandenton, Fla. and bought of losir high winds caused additional damage inland at Port Mayaca. Wind honey was blew over trees and power lines and a few minor injuries were re- pother-in-lav ported at Fort Myers, where about two dozen homes and trailers Mill ac off a c were damaged. A tornado knocked down a radio antenna and dam aged about 40 homes in Brandenton. Monster role actor dead at 45 Battalh • Cal Ted Cassidy, the 6-foot-8 actor who had several monstrous televi sion roles, including Lurch on “The Addams Family” and the voiceof the Incredible Hulk, died Jan. 16 of complications following open heart surgery. The death went almost unreported, as did a memorial service held for him in Hollywood Hills. Cassidy, 45, underwent open-heart surgery for a nonmalignant tumor, was recovering nicely, his doctor said, but died when complications developed. Cassidys movie credits include “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”, “McKenna’s Gold” and “The Last Remake of Beau Geste.” WORLD China absent from conference The new enlarged Geneva Disarmament Conference began Wed nesday with France present for the first time but with China absent for the time being. China declined to send a delegation to the confer ence, deciding instead to have only an official “listener” to follow the proceedings. U. N. Secretary General Kurt Waldheim called on the U.S. and the Soviet Union to resolve their differences on a nuclear test ban and a ban on chemical weapons so the Disarmament Confer ence can debate draft treaties on both issues. Tanks close Iranian airports Tank-backed army units seized control of Iran’s major airports today in an apparent move to block the impending triumphant return from exile of opposition leader Ayataollah Ruhollah Khomeinin and try to prevent a threatened civil war. But several hours later army sources said Tehran airport was reopened late Wednesday afternoon, although no civilian flights landed or took off. It was not known whether the airports would remain open for Khomeinin’s return. Army units backed by tanks remained on guard at the airport even after its reported reopening. ftPES SNUFF SPITTOt PIPE RA ROLLINt CIGARS AND DOI lightef IMPORTI ^CUST X WEATHER Cloudy and slightly warmer with drizzle throughout the day. High today in the low 5CTs and low tonight in the mid 40’s. Winds will be south easterly at 10-15 mph. 60% chance of rain today. Feati The Battalion com] of br and: 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 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 Kim hi Managing Editor Liz^ Assistant Managing Editor .Andy Sports Editor David F City Editor Scott Pendl Campus Editor Steve 1 ] News Editors Debbie Ps 1 Beth Calhoun Staff Writers Karen Rogers, • Patterson, Sean Petty, Blake, Dillard Stone, Bragg, Lyle Lovett Cartoonist DougGii Photo Editor Lee Roy LeschpeJ Photographer Lynn 1 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. 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