Viewpoint
The Battalion Tuesday
Texas A&M University February 6, 1979
Tax cut ideas
thrown back
at Clements
By ROLAND LINDSAY
United Press International
AUSTIN — The uneasy truce between
Republican Gov. Bill Clements and the
heavily Democratic Texas Legislature is
showing the first signs of breaking as law
makers begin their second month of the
session.
Clements’ insistence on a $1 billion re
duction in taxes and corresponding reduc
tions in state spending are the primary
point of contention between the governor
and legislators, although there also is a
minor but direct confrontation between
him and the Senate concerning office
space in the Capitol.
Sen. Grant Jones, D-Abilene, called a
news conference Friday to insist that Cle
ments quit demanding a $1 billion reduc
tion in spending and taxes without specify
ing what state services he is willing to sac
rifice.
body gonna poach our CrilTcn
Connolly must mend fences
Convincing the old Yankees
That same argument has been made by
Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby since before Cle
ments took office, and is destined to be
one that will continue until the budget
issue is resolved late in the session, if it
can be resolved at all without sending the
Legislature into special sessions during
the summer.
Speaker Bill Clayton is more willing,
perhaps even eager, to go along with the
additional tax relief programs, and has
proposed a 2.5 percent across the board
reduction in the $20.8 billion Legislative
Budget Board spending plan and a freeze
on the hiring of state employees.
Jones says an across the board budget
reduction is impractical — that a 2.5 per
cent reduction would not seriously affect
some programs, but would wreck others.
He says Clements’ demand for a $1 bil
lion tax reduction would require that $880
million be trimmed from the LBB spend
ing plan.
“There is no simple way to cut $880 mil
lion from the proposed LBB budget,” said
Jones, who conceded Hobby had looked
over his prepared statement before he
read it to a news conference.
If Clements is going to attempt to claim
the credit for any tax relief, the Senate
leadership apparently wants to make sure
he also receives the blame for correspond
ing reductions in state services.
By ARNOLD SAWISLAK
United Press International
WASHINGTON — When Barry Gold-
water went to New Hampshire in 1964, his
wife accompanied him, wearing a gorge
ous and obviously expensive white fur coat
against the bitter cold.
According to one account, one of those
old Yankee farmers who always seem to be
standing next to a reporter took one look at
the candidate’s wife and pronounced his
verdict: “That may be conservative in
Arizona, but it ain’t here.” Henry Cabot
Lodge won the New Hampshire primary
that year.
The story may be apocryphal, but there
also may be a lesson in it for John Con-
nally: New Hampshire isn’t Texas. It isn’t
Washington either. The haughty self con
fidence and drive to dominate that over
comes opposition in those places may not
“play ”in Concord and Keene, not to speak
of Des Moines and Ottumwa or Rock Is
land or Peoria.
Connally has something to prove before
he can be considered any kind of conten
der for the 1980 Republican presidential
nomination: that Republican voters in the
GOP heartland will follow him.
In this, he is faced with the flip side of
the problem John V. Lindsay never could
solve. Lindsay was a Republican con
gressman and mayor who changed coats in
the midst of his political career.
Lindsay seemed to score high on every
measurement of political appeal when he
set out to win the Democratic presidential
nomination in 1972. He did not just fall
short, he fell flat. In a field of lifelong
Democrats appealing for the support of
Democrats, Lindsay had no political lOUs
to cash in his new party. He looked like a
Johnny Come Lately and was treated as
such.
Washington
Window
It is true that Ronald Reagan also was
once a Democrat. But he never ran for or
held public office as a Democrat. Connally
was the Democratic governor of Texas and
the appointee of a Democratic president as
secretary of the Navy. For years, his con
siderable oratorical and political talent was
devoted to electing Democrats and dow
nrating Republicans.
Both Republicans and Democrats will
say they are delighted to have converts
from the opposition. But they usually want
such people as private soldiers, not gener
als. It is not guessing to say that some
lifelong Republicans — members of the
GOP National Committee, for example —
resent Connally’s bid for party leadership.
Richard Nixon, it was reported at the
time, wanted Connally as vice president to
replace Spiro Agnew.
Melvin Laird, who is a lifelong Republi
can, was said to have talked Nixon out of
his first choice in favor of Gerald Ford.
One of the factors was that Ford would get
a lot of congressional support from both
sides of the aisle while Connally couldn’t
even count on solid GOP backing.
When Connally announced his candi
dacy, he was asked about the corruption
charges on which he was acquitted and
about his association with Nixon. He
seemed confident that those would not
hurt his candidacy.
But those might not have been the right
questions. The right one might have been:
“Can you win over the Old Yankee?”
Letters to the Editor
Britton taunts his way into ‘Broadway’
Editor:
I had the pleasure of watching the Aggie
basketball team masterfully defeat the
Houston Cougars. Throughout the game
their accurate shooting and intimidating
rebounding kept the Cougars outside of
striking distance. Yet the key factor amidst
this awesome display of firepower was the
brilliantly executed Aggie stall, starring
David Britton.
Throughout the season he has exhibited
a unique characteristic that has added a
new dimension to the game of basketball
at Texas A&M. When he is not dribbling
circles around his defenders or driving to
wards the basket with his dazzling moves,
he spends time tauting the opposing
players and opposing crowds.
When I speak of taunting, I do not mean
it in a rude way, but in a way that intimi
dates the opposition while entertaining
the home crowd. I think he performed his
best “show” last Saturday against Houston
and feel that his antics will prove beneficial
in the Aggie’s later games this season, par
ticularly against t.u.
Due to this interesting facet in Britton’s
form of playing, I propose that the
nickname “Broadway” be attached to this
unique Aggie roundballer. I’m sure many
Ags hope that the rest of our games feature
many “Broadway hits” and beat the hell
outta t.u.!
—Dean Xeros, ’82
Vets not ‘hedged’
Editor:
I am writing in order to inform the stu
dents at Texas A&M about another side to
the Memorial Student Center grass issue.
The current proposal calls for the money
for the hedge to come from general Uni
versity funds. The money will probably
come from the general landscaping
budget; it will not come from financial aid
budgets.
A problem seem to be with the “large”
amount of money to be spent on this land
scaping, approximately $20,000. In a Uni
versity with an overall budget of $181.4
million, $20,000 is not that much money to
spend — especially to preserve a tradition.
Currently, there is a veterans group that
is trying to petition for more financial aid
for veterans. I feel that is a good cause.
Veterans should get any financial aid to
which they are entitled.
What is not understood by this group is
that the landscaping money called for by
the student government bill cannot be
used for financial aid to veterans. Federal
and state laws control the types and
amounts of financial aid that veterans may
get. Texas A&M and student government
DO NOT control this.
I feel the aims of this veterans group are
good. To get increased aid, however, they
should write to their state and national
representatives. The senators and con
gressmen can change the laws and regu
lations which control the disbursement of
financial aid funds.
Please don’t be swayed by emotional
speeches. Look at all the facts rationally,
then talk to your student senator. Let
them know your views.
—Ray Godsey, ’79
Street hazardous
Editor:
Something needs to be done about the
street in front of the Dixie Chicken. Two
nights in a row there have been accidents
on University Drive in front of the
Chicken.
On Friday night, there was an accident
involving a driver who ran a red light on
University. On Saturday night, a resident
of Aston Hall was gunned down by a hit-
and-run driver going more than twice the
speed limit down University.
It seems to me that the city of College
Station has a small traffic problem on its
hands.
Can.we slow down the traffic on Univer
sity?
Can we put in some lights over the
streets, maybe?
It seems like we could. College Station,
and until then I’ll watch my step on Uni
versity.
—Bruce P. Cummings, ’79
President of Aston Hall
A few predictions
Editor:
Those individuals that cannot or rather
refuse to see the handwriting on the wall
had better face it, females are in the Corps
and they are in to stay. With the passing of
each year female units are going to grow in
numbers and individuals are going to ad
vance further in Corps awards and posi
tions.
Undoubtedly in the future there will be
a female Corps commander. Take a look at
junior ROTC units, other colleges and
universities ROTC programs, and most of
all the other service acadamies and you
will see what I’m talking about.
Tradition is fine and good in that it
provides a basis for spirit and unity. How
ever, one bad point is that too much con
centration on the maintenence of tradition
tends to make one’s thinking too conserva
tive and narrow-minded.
I believe that within the next two years
Waggies will be wearing senior boots like
their male peers. If one is not used to se
eing females in riding boots and britches,
go to some stables specializing in English
riding and book at the girls there. Within
four years the Aggie Band, Ross Volun
teers, and possibly Cavalry will be inter
mixed causing many “Old Army”
graduates to gnash their teeth and wish
that time would have never changed from
when they attended TAMU.
Finally, within 15 years, all male and
female units will be dissolved and total in
tegration will occur just as in the other
sevice academies.
I can hear the indignant cries of “com
munist” right now, but in closing I would
like to stress that I feel where a man and
woman are competing for the same job or
position then both the male and female
should have to meet the same physical as
well as mental 1 or academic requirements
and that different tests should not be ad
ministered. I believe that this difference
in requirements is what causes so much
controversy to be stirred up.
—Robert T. MacEachem, Jr., ’78
Might or fright?
Editor:
It was most refreshing to have your
“viewpoint” calling for action now on the
matter of equality of opportunity for
women in the Corps. Congratulations and
my heartfelt appreciation for opening up
one “insignificant” link from a seemingly
unending chain of distasteful, disgraceful,
and shameful acts against “Waggies.”
I am the proud father of one of those
Waggies who, in the opinion of some who
live in the past, do not belong in the
Corps. The excuse: “Tradition.” Must the
dead govern the living? In his Essays on
Innovation, Bacon stated, “They that re
verence too much old times are but a scorn
to the new.” More recently, Somerset
Maugham reminded us that “Tradition is a
guide and not a jailer. ”
With two Aggies and one Waggie among
my children, I would be the last to advo
cate the elimination of traditional princi
ples and ideals at Texas A&M. But we do
live in a wonderful country where both the
law of God and the law of man serve as
beacons for the majority. Equal rights and
equal opportunities are matters of law, as
well as the spirit of the Golden Rule.
I may be wrong, but as a Latin Ameri
can one of the traditional principles inbred
in me is “Don’t hurt women even with the
petal of a rose.” It takes a mature, level
headed, and secure individual to accept
such an ideal. I do believe the vast major
ity of the men in the Corps qualify as such;
yet, drastic action is needed to get rid of a
few crackpots who use tradition as a shield
to hide their own insecurities.
As Winston Churchhill so well ex
pressed it, “A love for tradition has never
weakened a nation, indeed it has
strengthened nations in their hour of peril;
but the new view must come, the world
must roll forward. ”
Thanks again for your firm stand on be
half of justice. Fear not the loud cries of
“beat the hell out of the Battalion editor”
which could be overheard last week com
ing from Duncan Hall. The dog’s bark is
not might, but fright.
—Jaime Roman, Sr.
D.E.D. student, URPL Dept.
College of Architecture and
Environmental Design
Top of the News
CAMPUS
SilverTaps will he held toni«h
to
Silver Taps will be held tonight for Richard S. Gaines, 22,alej
A&M University engineering major. Gaines, a junior from M
was found dead Friday in his College Station apartment by afr
final ruling on the death of Gaines has not been made by Justicedj
Peace Mike Calliham. However, Calliham said the
be from natural causes. Funeral services and burial were hdjHAN Af
Midland Monday afternoon. |oselyhas
stat
Poetry contest open to all stuM
International Publications is sponsoring a National College Pot
Contest, open to all college and university students who desii*]
have their poetry anthologized. Cash prizes totaling
awarded to the top five poems. All accepted poems will be bound;]
copyrighted in the American Collegiate Poets Anthology. TTiei
Anthology is a collection of contemporary poetry written byi
students all over the nation.
NATION
Florida oil price case opem
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Jury selection began Monday in Jacksonville, Fla., inthetn ^ble sei
former Florida Power Corp. vice president, Richard Raymondi|jv Con
four Texas oil executives who are charged with plotting to mani]
fuel oil prices during the 1973-74 Arab oil embargo. Thegoven
has charged the defendents with an elaborate oil price fixings;
that cost thousands of Florida power customers as much as $8
lion in overcharges. Investigators said the indictment folk
eight month probe by the FBI and more than two years of invest
tion by federal energy officials into white collar crime in the
leum industry.
ridor i
routes
Improper
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long h
said
iks r
Tenneco strike in Lousiam
In the second day of a strike at the Tenneco Oil Co. reh
Chalmette, La., sheriffs deputies said pickets damaged one car i
disrupted truck movements. The plant’s 375 Oil Chemical;
Atomic Workers Union members who went on strike this’
are demanding improved safety measures. The union isalsos
better retirement and premium pay benefits.
iqmically
New trial for Flood consideniEZm
, It of wl
Justice Department officials in Washington are seriously cor L the 1
ing another prosecution of Rep. Daniel Flood, 75, a Pennsyb luy j s
congressman, on bribery charges. U.S. District Judge OliverQ™ '
declared a mistrial after he was informed the jury was hopeii
deadlocked following three days of deliberations. However,
later disclosed that an elderly member of the panel, WilliamCi
said he “knew Mr. Flood was guilty,” of some charges but
never vote to send him to jail because of his age and frailty. Ad
on a retrial will be made in a week or two by Philip Hey
assistant attorney general in charge of the criminal division.
Superman imitator in coma
Four-year-old Charles Green, who fell from a seventh-floor
dow in an attempt to “fly like Superman,” lay comatose inaBrc
hospital Monday. A hospital spokesman said the child had
coma since Friday and was in critical condition in the hospital’s!!
sive care unit. Firefighters who were at the building to extinj
minor incinerator fire, tried to reach the hoy with an aerial’
but failed. Fireman, Jack Fortmeyer said the hoy’s mother, Doi
told him Charles had been “trying to fly like Superman’’ ever
his father took him to see the movie about the comic-strip chi
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WORLD
6 killed, 4 wounded in Lebano
In what officials termed the worst round of violence forthepf
keeping force, six members of the United Nations contingentim
Lebanon were killed and four others were wounded ovfl
weekend. The fighting began Saturday when Palestinian guff
and their Lebanese leftist allies attacked the Fijian outpost
village of Qana, U.N. officials reported. A spokesman for the
las said the attack was in retaliation “for the murder of one«
comrades by the Fijian troops.” »
Refugee ship captain arrestei
Ha’
The captain of the refugee ship Huey Fong, was denied bail
taken into custody in Hong Kong Monday on charges that bishs
cargo of more than 3,000 Vietnamese refugees violated governt
shipping laws. The captain, Hsu Wen-hsien, was reported by
Australia and Malaysia governments to have been linked to a sell
involving payment of huge quantities of gold by those desiringtt
out of Vietnam. Hsu was charged with “being master of a«
having on board passengers in excess of the number allowed,
authorities searched the ship for evidence that refugees paid I
way out of Vietnam with gold.
WEATHER
Cloudy skies with continued rain throughout the day.
today in the low 40s and a low of 32. Warming Wednesday
50°. Winds will be from the north at 10-15 mph. 38was(
minimum temperature with .85 inches of rain. Ootid
through Saturday is for cloudy skies with rain.
The Battalion
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