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The Battalion Monday
Texas A&M University January 29, 1979
Watergate scars
John Mitchell walked out of a Federal prison in Alabama last weekend,
the last of the “Watergate 25” to complete punishment.
The former Attorney General’s release is the end of the judicial process
that began soon after the burglary of the Democratic National Committee
office in 1972.
It would be comforting to believe that this marks the end of the
Watergate scandal. Unfortunately, it does not. The subtle but poisonous
side effects are still everywhere to be seen.
The troublesome heritage includes: a weakened Presidency, a less ef
fective national intelligence system and a Federal law enforcement sys
tem crippled by a lack of public confidence and a host of new legal
restraints.
Because Richard Nixon and others used “national security” as an excuse
for some of the Watergate misdeeds, real national security needs are now
looked upon with suspicion. The same can be said of the historic concept
of “executive privilege.” The whole idea of an independent executive
branch has been given a bad name.
The Watergate offenders have completed their punishment. The coun
try is still serving its sentence.
Tulsa World
Connally’s record not without liabilities
Connolly political Survival theory.
QroaXciT, ■
LI, l , 7<!
By CLAY F. RICHARDS
UPI Political Writer
WASHINGTON — Former Texas Gov.
John B. Connally has launched a presiden
tial campaign aimed at maximizing his
considerable experience in government
and minimizing his considerable
liabilities.
Connally became the first of the “heavy
hitters” to formally enter the battle for the
Republican presidential nomination last
week, sounding the theme that he is the
man most qualified to be the nation’s
leader.
And Connally says that even after two
years on the job, Jimmy Carter is a leader
ship lightweight who has no business
being there.
Connally does have impressive creden
tials — 40 years in public life, starting as
an aide to Rep. Lyndon B. Johnson and
including three terms as governor, secre
tary of the Navy, treasury secretary, ad
viser to three presidents.
But Connally carries a long string of
liabilities beyond the problems caused by
his indictment and acquittal on charges he
took bribes from milk producers during
the Watergate era.
For instance:
—He is a Democrat turned Republican,
a conversion that, no matter how honest,
brings automatic rejection from some vot
ers.
—As a conservative he has to share that
portion of the GOP vote not only with
Ronald Reagan but Rep. Phil Crane and
several other potential candidates. Reagan
already has much of that vote locked up.
—Connally can’t be sure of even the
Texas delegation. He will have to fight’for
it with fellow Texan George Bush, the
leading moderate in the race so far, as well
as with Reagan who overwhelmed Gerald
Ford in the state's 1976 primary.
—Even without the milk indictment.
Connally has always had the image of
being a fast-talking Texas wheelerdealer.
Others with long memories view him as a
Vietnam War era politician.
Connally ignored his liabilities and took
the offensive in his announcement speech.
He went down the laundry list of national
problems and challenges and offered
strong, conservative solutions and pro
grams.
Inflation is the nation’s biggest problem,
he said, and rather than tinkering with the
economy, drastic solutions are needed.
We ought to cut the federal budget 5 per
cent across the board — including de
fense, he said.
He complained that a president spends
his first four years trying to win a second
term. He called instead for a single six-
year term that would let the president get
things done without worrying about his
political future.
Letters to the Editor
‘Obscure’ dealings surround resignation
Editor:
This letter is to reflect my concern over
the recent resignation of Chancellor Jack
K. Williams, fondly remembered by some
as “Smiling Jack,” and the subsequent ef
fects it will have on this university in the
next five to ten years.
How aware is the student populous of
the policy changes that this might well
signify?
Do they realize to what extent President
Miller influences the twin cities as well as
Texas A&M? And what to they know of the
university’s political affiliations? How
many recall the censorship Miller placed
on the university TV and radio stations?
How does one justify the negation of free
press and the right, as well as the oppor
tunity to view controversial issues, to
think for one’s self?
Was there in fact strife between the
opinions of Chancellor Williams and Pres
ident Miller during the confusion of
Emory Bellard’s resignation, and did any
one investigation these rumors?
Dr. Williams (a historian I’ve been told)
during his service as president gave sup
port to liberal arts as well as to the sciences
for he realized the value and necessity of a
balanced and well-rounded education.
Will President Miller (with primarily an
agricultural background) insure the con
tinued growth of the liberal arts college, or
will there be seen a decline in these pro
grams? I am not setting myself up as an
authority in university matters, just as a
concerned student who has heard and
seen many disturbing and obscure
dealings.
—Linda D. Albritton, ’78
Vote considered
Editor:
This letter is an explanation of my in
terpretation of the student senate’s feel
ings concerning the Memorial Student
Center grass issue.
The idea of a student referendum came
up in many different circles. However, the
idea was more or less tabled for this rea
son: the student senate is a representative
body who does not vote its own feelings
but votes those of its constituency. With
all the publicity and special effort the
senators felt they could confidently vote
the feelings of the students of Texas A&M.
Admittedly, $25,000 is a large sum of
money to spend to insure proper respect
of a memorial 'for those who died for our
freedom. “Greater love has no man than
rb is that a man lav down his life for his
This is not to say that we even come
close to repaying all great men and women
who served their country. But it does say
that $25,000 is not too much to say thanks
to those who can only be with us in spirit.
Personally, I say thank you, Mr. Bogert
(Battalion, Jan.24), for bringing the matter
to our attention and I feel sure the next
project of the student senate will concern
all veterans.
—Johnny Lane, ’79
Speaker of YOUR student senate
Pass misleading
Editor:
The article “Ticket system meets mixed
reactions” (Battalion, Jan. 24) aroused a
reaction of my own. First of all, I was not
aware at the time I purchased my pass,
that I would have to compete so heavily to
get a basketball ticket.
The statement Kevin Patterson made,
“The pass itself states that it does not
guarantee a student ticket,” upset me be
cause I signed for the pass long before I
was able to receive it and read that state
ment on the back.
I signed up for the pass under the as
sumption that I was guaranteed a seat.
Second, I don’t see why people who have
paid for a pass must pay an additional $1 for
a ticket beginning 5 p.m. prior to the
game.
I feel as if I had been misled and would
probably not have purchased the pass had
I known the facts.
—Cindy Strickland, ’80
System ‘botched*
Editor:
Well they’ve done it again — “they”
being the big cheese who sit around think
ing or trying to think of ways to improve
the system but invariably blotching it up.
I am referring to the new system of
ticket distribution for basketball games
and what we will have to contend with for
the up and coming baseball season.
They’ve turned something that could be so
simple into another rat race for tickets.
Why can’t students pay at the door on a
first come first serve basis? Why can’t sea
son ticket holders have their passes
punched as they go in? If it’s a problem of
over filling the coliseum, turnstiles could
be placed at each entrance allowing only a
specific number of patrons to enter at each
entrance.
Granted, on the back of the pass it says,
“This pass does not guarantee purchaser a
student ticket. ” Well we did not know this
piece of choice information until after we
had our passes and paid our money — a
little late to get a refund once the season
has started and we realized it meant
another line to stand in.
What is the purpose of buying a season
pass if not for convenience and saving a
little money? It’s no convenience to have
to stand two hours in the cold and it’s no
savings if we can’t get in to see the game.
It seems like a reasonable solution to the
problem could be found, but some people
around here are trying to preserve yet
another Aggie tradition — standing in line!
—Toni A. Bork, ’80
Stacey Chapman, ’80
Still discriminating
Editor:
Since the gentleman in Wednesday’s
(Jan. 24) paper seems to want to put
Melanie Zentgraf in the trunk, I can’t help
but think about the not too distant past
when blacks were promptly shown the
back of the bus.
This was, and still is, called discrimina
tion.
Through the Civil Rights Acts and other
means the discrimination against blacks is
fading (hopefully). Maybe some of the haz
ing the Waggies receive will die off, too.
After all, the law holds that discrimination
on the basis of sex is illegal, too, not just
race.
Putting a lady down for choosing a mili
tary career also stinks. If she can cut the
mustard, let her. In conclusion — re
member — Waggies, CTs, BQs, non-regs
and frat rats — we re all Aggies.
—David Richard Block, ’79
GOODBYE
DR. WILLIAMS
THANKS FOR
ALL YOU'VE
DON
Art
Top of the News
CAMPUS
Week to recognize bus system
The Texas A&M student services committee has declared!
week Internal Shuttle Bus Week. The purpose of the project)!
better acquaint students with the University’s three intra-cam;
shuttle bus routes. Plans for the week include placement of paiulfl
canvas signs on the outside of each bus, showing whether it is
blue, green, or red route. Members of the student senate win pfe
maps of the route at all bus stops, buildings on campus, and oni
bulletin boards around the Memorial Student Center.
Board changes tenure rules
m
The Coordinating Board, Texas Colleges and Universities, revi» -
a 12-year-old tenure policy Friday. The new policy, which will bei
effect at Texas A&M University, allows the firing of tenured pr l.C
sors for unprofessional conduct. It also allows university goveniiB ( j!fc)i
boards to establish additional reasons to fire tenured professors,
fessors can also be dismissed now if they become mentally or
cally disabled and unable to perform their jobs. The board
created a master’s program in public administration at Texas A&\[
STATE
Court asked to suspend judpf
The Texas Supreme Court has been asked to suspend Dist
Judge Stanley C. Kirk pending the outcome of removal procee
against the Wichita Falls judge for allegedly falsifying court recordsJ
hide his criticism of a jury. It is the first time the Commission(
Judicial Conduct has sought a suspension on a sitting jurist dum
efforts to remove him from office for misconduct, Maurice S. Pipl
executive director of the commission, confirmed Friday. Authoni
for the judicial commission to publicly discipline judges was indudl
in a constitutional amendment approved by voters in NovernkT
1977.
Feared oil spill is false alarm
Coast Guard personnel and Corpus Christi city workers mannJ
their battle stations to fight a reported oil spill, but it turned outtotl
only an attack by Mother Nature. Helicopters and ships were!
standby alert Friday after a major oil spill was reported to be head™
toward Padre Island. But when the substance started towashupif
shore, it was discovered to be only a large patch of algae knowaj
diatom. Diatom is similar to a Red Tide but not as dangerous, i
ing to Dr. Patrick Parker, a University of Texas marine scientist bastl
at Port Aransas. Parker said the onslaught resulted from a natr|
algae bloom.
Emergency funds mulled
putinj
Isenic
whei
The Texas Legislature, off to a slow start because of a betL ( |
schedule of inaugural activities and ceremonial events, accelerates®
With
of th
pace this week, with public hearings scheduled on at least 50 bill
Among the items which may reach a vote in both houses this weekiij
$2.5 million emergency appropriation for administrative costs oftii
Texas Deepwater Port Authority. The revenue is needed to keeptl
agency in operation until next year when it sells its first bondissj
toward construction of an offshore terminal in the Gulf of Mexi
Senators already have approved several other emergency appropriff 0 y r " ( ] j
tion bills totaling almost $6 million, but the House has yet to ber^j stmas
committee hearings on any legislation. ^
nent
NATION
Carter selects GSA official
owg, C
erly
lyspace
f to ac
hi
iapp,
oft
pillar;
jighoui
President Carter has chosen organized crime fighter Kurt Muell
lenberg to be inspector general at the scandahridden General Senj
ices Administration, government sources said Saturday. The choi«|
came as senior GSA officials and congressmen criticized Carter ((i|
taking too long to pick an inspector general to head the governmenH|
year-long investigation at the troubled purchasing agency,
sources said the nomination of Muellenberg, head of the Justice I
partment’s organized crime task force, will be sent to the Senatef
confirmation after a White House announcement early next we
ita Pr.
Dick
igh “w
WORLD
Chinese leader comes to U.S.
Teng Hsiao-Ping, 75, the shrewd Chinese vice premier who s
vived political disgrace during the Cultural Revolution, left Peftj
Sunday for Washington and an historic East-meets-West voyage,
visit is largely ceremonial and is the first by a high Chinese officiall | |
the United States since the Communist armies drove Generalissiffl
Chiang Kai-shek to Taiwan in 1949. The takeoff of Tengs
scheduled for 8 a.m. (7 p.m. EST Saturday), was reported byl
New China News Agency. His Boeing 707, one of 10 the Chine!
Communist government bought from the United States some I
ago, was scheduled to refuel in Alaska and arrive at Andrews AFBi 1
Washington at 2 p.m. EST Sunday.
The Battalion
LETTERS POUCY
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Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor, The
Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, College
Station, Texas 77843.
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Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved.
Second-Class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843.
MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congrftf
Editor 6)
Managing Editor W
Assistant Managing Editor .And)*
Sports Editor Da'id
City Editor ScottP f
Campus Editor ....i.®
News Editors Debbif
Beth Calhoun
Staff Writers Karen Rotf
Patterson, Sean Petty
Blake, Dillard Ston 1
Bragg, Lyle Lovett
Cartoonist D
Photo Editor Lee
Photographer Ly®
Focus section editor Off
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-f
supporting enterprise operated k
as a university and community W
Editorial policy is determined by w
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