Viewpoint
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Thursday
February 8, 1979
U.S. loss in Iran
no gain for Soviets
The talk about “Who Lost Iran?” seems largely confined to Washington
political columnists and politicans looking for an issue, any issue. What
happened in Iran is that Iranians who disliked the shah’s reign united and
ousted him; if Iran was “lost, ” it was lost to Iranians.
Iranian groups of startling diversity simply wanted the shah out. The
primary U.S. failure was tardiness in recognizing how widespread and
determined the opposition to the shah was.
The United States has suffered a strategic loss, to be sure. Whatever
else he was, the shah was a reliable military ally and a good customer for
U.S. arms and technology. When a workable government emerges from
the post-shah confusion, it certainly will be one with looser ties to Wash
ington.
But the U.S. loss is not altogether a Soviet gain from the Soviet
viewpoint, he (the shah) may have been preferable to the militant Moslem
government that may eventually wield power.
The Soviet Union’s Moslem population is about as great as that of all the
Islamic states on the Persian Gulf. The resurgence of fundamentalist
Islam that is sweeping the Mideast is a political as well as a relierious force
If Soviet Moslems become caught up in it, the atheistic Marxism of the
Soviet rulers will be in for hard times.
There will be turmoil and unrest for some time. But the overriding
point is that Iran needs the United States to buy its oil, build its industry
and help protect its long border with Bussia. The best thing for the
United States to do now is to be patient.
Charlotte, N.C., Observer
Slouch
By Jim Earle
C. I /M
“YOU COULDN’T GET ME ON A MOTORCYCLE IN
WEATHER LIKE THIS!’’
Papal trip stretches new policy muscles
By BARRY JAMES
United Press International
VATICAN CITY — After the years of
drift that characterized the last part of
Pope Paul Vi’s pontificate, the Roman
Catholic Church again has a firm hand at
the helm.
During his seven-day visit to Latin
America, Pope John Paul II reached out to
millions of people who gave him a wel
come that no politician could ever dream
of.
The pope used the occasion for the first
major policy pronouncements of his
three-month pontificate — restating the
church’s social policy in lively and un
equivocal terms and ruling out any coop
eration with Marxism in the fight against
oppression and poverty.
THE POPE’S GREATEST success was
as a communicator — even though he was
creditably using a language he had been
studying seriously for only a month.
He delivered 35 speeches and homilies
in six days, some of them major policy
pronouncements that will set the church’s
course for years ahead.
In the opinion of many observers, he
fully lived up to the criteria that led to his
election Oct. 16.
The cardinal electors looked for a pontiff
who could provide firm spiritual leader
ship, and who could mount a church as
sault against encroaching materialism and
atheism.
This the pope sought to do in the
Dominican Republic and Mexico, inject
ing his own mortar between the bricks left
by Pope Paul in his social teaching.
Constantly acknowledging his intellec
tual debt to Paul, the pontiff reminded his
listeners that the church already has a so
cial policy built up over the years, and has
no need for alliances with the Left or any
other temporal grouping.
HE FIRMLY STATED the age-old
view that Jesus is a liberator through love
rather than the revolutionary and political
activist that some modern theologians
have made him out to be.
And he repeatedly emphasized devotion
to the virgin Mary as a way of learning the
church’s true message and coming closer
to God.
Opening the general assembly of the
Latin American Episcopal conference at
Puebla, he warned bishops and priests to
stay out of politics — a slap at some
theologians who call for a Christian-
Marxist alliance to improve human condi
tions.
The pope told priests they are “spiritual
guides,” not “social, political leaders nor
functionaries of a temporal power. ”
In response to those churchmen who
advocate revolution and violence to re
dress Latin America’s social evils, the
pope said the idea of Christ “as a political
figure, a revolutionary, as the subversive
man from Nazareth” was not in accordance
with the church’s teaching.
The pontiff said Jesus “unequivocally re
jects recourse to violence” and sought the
“liberation” of all men through “transform
ing, peacemaking, pardoning a reconciling
love.”
The pope offered the church’s help to
governments seeking to achieve balanced
population growth, but he ruled out the
use of artificial methods of contraception.
Had he gone no further, the pope might
have been dismissed as a conservative by
those clerics who are trying to give the
church g revolutionary, face in Latin
America
Letters to the Editor
Special ‘Waggie’ grass patrol new ‘solution’
Editor:
In a moment of intense concentration,
an answer ... no, the answer came to me.
“The answer to what, ’’ you ask?
Why the answer to the crises which
have compelled so many of our fine stu
dents to cry out and to respond verbally or
sarcastically. The answer to the issues
which have practically controlled student
life and the newspaper — the issues con
cerning the MSC grass and the one con
cerning the women in the Corps.
Let us create two special units and con
fine membership to women (perhaps one
could be the Mounted Parsonettes, the
other, as someone mentioned, the Ross
Volunteerettes). Arm these two groups
with submachine guns, train them to be
fighters, vicious and efficient and then;
yes, then give them the responsibility of
pat rolling the boundaries of the precious
MSC grass. So well-trained will they be
Hiat even the strongest, most daring
member of our football team would not
survive an encounter with these units.
Voila, no more desecrating that “sacred
region” which surrounds the shrine of
gory, no more raging depression in the
women’s corps and, above all, an end tq
the verbal warfare which has grown tire
some to us all. ,
—Greg Fort, ’81
Foreigner’s friend
Editor:
On Jan. 31, Corkey Sandel, who for
several years has been the foreign stu
dents’ adviser on campus, completed his
final day in that position. Although for
most Aggies it went by unnoticed, it was a
sad day for more 1,000 international Ag
gies who have had the fortune of having
him as their adviser.
Corkey was the first person to welcome
a foreign student who arrived in College
Station and would go out of his way to
make one feel at home. Always available to
the students throughout the semester, at
his office as well as his home, he was
known for his invaluable immigration pa
perwork assistance, student counseling,
and help in finding housing for desperate
students, and teaching us Texas and Aggie
traditions.
But what really made Corkey popular
was that he was a friend, someone one
could depend on at all times. And for a
foreign student being far away from his
home, who is trying to adapt to a new cul
ture as well as a new education system,
this can be a real blessing.
Corkey is still working on campus in
another challenging position which also
requires working with foreign studetns, so
in a sense he is still around. But he will be
missed by many as our adviser. I know I
speak for the great majority of the interna
tional student community when I wish
him all the best in his new job and thank
him for all his work, patience, and kind
ness toward us.
—Anthony Gibson, ’79
Editor’s note: Sandel will be working
now at the Texas Engineering Extension
Service.
Legal, moral rights
Editor:
Regarding the renewed controversy
about female members of the Corps:
It is time to examine this prolonged and
obstructive argument realistically. It
makes no sense to continue to debate the
matter as if it were an issue yet to be re
solved. Regardless of who realizes or does
not realize it, the issue was resolved years
ago.
The fundamental laws of the United
States prohibit discrimination or persecu
tion on the basis of sex, creed or origin.
Period. All the personal animosity imagin
able will not alter this simple fact. I pose
these questons to those male cadets who
insist on insulting and harassing their
female colleagues: Doesn’t the uniform
you wear represent a commitment to de
cency, order and respect for law? Can you,
in good conscience, persist in words and
actions so flagrantly contradictory of basic
American principles?
Freedom of speech, like any freedom,
can be abused. Those of you on contract
will recall your oath to “protect, preserve
and defend” the Constitution. Can you
reconcile the prejudice you have shown to
that solemn pledge?
Women have a legal and moral right to
serve in the Corps. Their presence there is
a reality. If the Corps is sincerely dedi
cated to serving its school and its country
(as its creed states), doesn’t it make more
sense to compromise — to accept these
ladies for the contributions they can make,
rather than to cling to a tradition which
offers no evident benefit? Times change.
Inflexibility is not always a virtue.
Friendship and unity are the foun
dations of the Aggie Spirit. Surely then,
the Aggie Corps, as the guardians of that
spirit, should be the first to uphold these
principles.
—Lanny R. Martindale, ’82
Happy 82nd, Pinky
Editor:
Monday, Feb. 12, will mark the 82nd
birthday of a former student who left Texas
A&M with one of its finest traditions.
J.V. “Pinky” Wilson served with the
American Expeditionary Forces during
World War I. As this former student stood
a lone vigil on the banks of the Rhine River,
thoughts of Aggieland inspired him to
write the famous “Aggie War Hymn.”
These words he long ago scribbled on a
tattered piece of paper are today known
worldwide by Aggies young and old.
Let us all remember this man who
wrote the tune that binds all Aggies in
times of victory and defeat. Be compelled,
as we are, to send “Pinky” Wilson birthday
greetings at the address below.
Mr. J.V. “Pinky” Wilson
605 N. Pierce
Burnet, Texas 78605
—Steve Manley, ’79
Dean C. Murray, ’80
Correction
A caption on a photo about groundhog’s
day in Friday’s Feb. 2 Battalion inaccu
rately said the Brazos Valley Museum of
Natural Science is open 9 a. m. to 5 p.m.,
Monday-Friday. The museum is open 9-5
p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Sunday
1-5 p.m., and is closed Mondays, Tues
days and Wednesdays.
The Battalion regrets the error.
Top of the News
CAMPUS
Art competition open for entries
Entries for the College Station 1978-79 Art Competition will be
accepted Feb. 22-25 for exhibition on March 4-24. The competition is
open to all contestants within a five-state area. Paintings and photo
graphs must depict some aspect of life in College Station, and prizes
will be awarded in the form of purchases by the city. The purchases
will range from a $1,500 grand prize to a maximum of 19 honorable
mention awards of $500 each. In addition, there will be awards of
$250 each presented by the six local businesses. For more informa
tion call the Arts Council of Brazos Valley at 693-2781.
League studies foreign trade
The League of Women Voters has started a study on International
Trade and will host Dr. Ed Christian Wednesday at 11:15 a.m. at the
Hong Kong Restaurant. Christian, of the International Export Divi
sion of Uncle Ben’s Converted Rice, will talk about his experiencesin
foreign trade. For reservations and more information, call Judy Seei
at 693-5506.
STATE
Drug trial jury selection begins
Jury selection began in Houston Wednesday in the trial of 13per
sons accused of conspiring to push cocaine. A federal judge deter
mined that the testimony of a convicted drug dealer will not be
allowed because of evidence of threats against the convict’s family
Andrew J. Inglet, 24, was convicted last fall and sentenced to 10 yean
in prison. However, U.S. District Judge Finis Cowan said Tuesday
he will let prosecutors read previous testimony taken from Inglet.
There have been 24 persons indicted in the case, including actress
Linda Blair, star of the film, “The Exorcist.” She is not on trial in
Houston.
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Youth’s rape sentence dropped
A 50-year rape sentence against a Houston teen-ager has been
dismissed by the Texas court of Criminal Appeals. In the aggravated
rape case, the court ruled that juveniles tried as adults must be given
examining trials. An examining trial gives defense attorneys an oppor
tunity to seek a court ruling to transfer the case back to juvenile court
and bar prosecution of the juvenile as an adult, said Justice Trumen
Roberts. The youth, Oliver James White, was 16 at the timeoftbe
charged offense but the Harris County Juvenile Court certified him
for trial as an adult on March 25, 1976.
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NATION
Oil shortage may mean long waits
Crude oil shortages, caused by the political turmoil in Iran, may
force Americans to long waits at gas stations this year, said Charles
J.DiBona, president of the American Petroleum Institute. DiBona
said that the predicted shortages indicate the need for flexibility in
U.S. energy supplies. He said this could be accomplished by relaxing
environmental controls on crude oil refining, exploring for oil, burn
ing of alternative fuels such as coal and bringing nuclear power struc
tures into production. Before halting production, Iran was producing
10 percent, or 5.5 billion barrels, of.the crude oil the western world
uses per day, DiBona said.
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Rosalynn asks better health care
Rosalynn Carter swept aside the health care debate between her
husband and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., Wednesday, to call
for a new national commitment to the proper care and treatment of
the mentally ill. “There are still millions of Americans who remain
unserved, underserved or inappropriately served because of financial
barriers, where they live, or because of their age, sex, race or cultural
background, Mrs. Carter said during the first appearance of a first
lady before a congressional committee since Eleanor Roosevelt s tes
timony in 1945.
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Iranian curfew relaxes an hour
Military authorities today reduced the overnight curfew in Tehran
by an hour and maintained a low profile as hundreds of demonstrators
marched to support the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s provisional
government. The government-run radio announced the curfew
would be in force for five hours rather than six hours beginning at
midnight tonight. It was the second time that the ban on overnight
movement and traffic had been eased since Premier Shahpour Bakht-
iar took over Jan. 6.
14 die in German flour mill blast
An explosion ripped through a flour mill Tuesday in the West
German port of Bremen, killing at least 14 people and injuring 17,
Bremen firemen said. The explosion scattered debris for miles and
reduced the mill to 60 feet of rubble. Fire officials said 11 were
missing and doubt if any of them survived. West German soldiers
joined 200 firemen in the search for the missing. The cause of the
explosion was unknown, but firemen thought it might have been
caused by flour dust.
WEATHER
Decreasing cloudiness and cool with a high of 64 and low
tonight in the low 30s. The high for Friday will be 57.
The Battalion
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MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Editor KimT'
Managing Editor LizNe*
Assistant Managing Editor .AndyWifc
Sports Editor David Bojj
City Editor Scott Pencil
Campus Editor Stevel-’
News Editors Debbie Pai®
Beth Calhoun
Staff Writers Karen Rogers,
Patterson, Sean Petty, Di»
Blake, Dillard Stone, f
Bragg, Lyle Lovett
Cartoonist Doug Gut*
Photo Editor Lee Roy Leschpe:
Photographer LynnBk'
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
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