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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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