Viewpoint
Monday
February 19, 1979
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
VIETNAM
Talk with Dr. Miller
Wrestlers need coach
Jan. 17
Dear Dr. Miller:
Did you know that Texas A&M has a wrestling team? It would appeal' that most
people, including the athletic director, hardly know it exists! Yet this team — with
only one of their own as a coach — has gone out to represent a school that hasn’t
even provided them with a coach.
And they have captured a record so far this year of 10 wins and no losses.
This is, as I said, without a professional coach. There are 5 out of the 10 on this
team who are defending state champions.
It seems a shame to me that some sports are provided with a host of coaches while
a team with this record has none. There is no doubt that this team is doing very well
without a paid coach. However, there are two main functions a team-member coach
cannot provide for his team. A wrestler may not speak to a referee — therefore a
coach must intervene. Also, a coach is necessary for recruiting new team members.
All of our opposing teams have these advantageous over our Aggies. It seems a
school the size and reputation of A&M should provide this team with a much
needed coach.
Dr. Miller, what is the policy on financial support of our teams? Is there a chance
for the team to have a staff coach in time for the championships?
—Brenda Blair
accounting assistant
Texas A&M veterinary hospital
Dear Ms. Blair: Feb. 15
Yes, I do know that Texas A&M has a wrestling team, and that it is conducted as
a club sport within the Intramural Department under their director, Dennis
Corrington. Our athletic director, Marvin Tate, is also familiar with the situation
under which the wrestling team functions and has met with representatives of the
team a number of times over the last several years.
Texas A&M fields intercollegiate athletic teams in all of the men’s sports recog
nized by the Southwest Athletic Conference: football, basketball, baseball, track
and field, swimming, tennis, golf and cross country. These sports operate under
the supervision and control of the Athletic Council and Athletic Director of Texas
A&M.
Funds for these programs are generated by ticket sales to athletic events and
contributions made through the Aggie Club. The Athletic Department can spend
only those funds generated by their programs.
Extramural club sports are funded out of student service fees on a limited basis.
Currently, we field approximately 22 club sports such as wrestling, rugby and
soccer; and the amount of funding is obviously limited.
These club sports are supervised by our Intramural Department under the
direct supervision of Jim Jeter, associate director of intramurals. Mr. Jeter can
answer any further questions you might have. I hope that this provides you with
some insight to the problem that you presented in your letter.
— Jarvis E. Miller
President, Texas A&M
Editor’s note: The wrestling team’s present record is 7 wins, 2 losses.
China, inflation to test Carter s leadership
By DAVID S. BRODER
WASHINGTON — The third year of a
President’s term is, ip iru^jy resjgectjj^he
most crucial for him politically an substan
tively. One does not know how Jimmy Car
ter will end his third year. But the begin
ning could hardly have been more omin
ous.
Consciously or not, Carter has managed
to focus his third year strategy on the same
landmarks which guided Richard Nixon on
the passage from political travail to reelec
tion, back when he was President. Those
subjects are China and the fight against
inflation.
It will be recalled that Nixon entered the
third year of his presidency, 1971, in a
rather vulnerable position. Inflation was
worsening, the war in Vietnam was drag
ging on, and the polls showed his facing a
difficult contest with the Democratic
front-runner, Sen. Edmund S. Muskie of
Maine.
Nixon managed to reverse the dete
riorating situation with two bold strokes.
He tackled inflation by suddenly slapping a
wage-price freeze on the economy. And he
opened the possibility of a post-Vietnam
era of foreign policy by sending Henry Kis
singer to China to end a quarter centuiy’s
isolation from the world’s most populous
nation.
As a result of these two moves, the credi
bility of Nixon’s leadership was (temporar
ily) restored and the way was opened for a
second-term victory.
Carter’s situation in the first month of his
third year is less shaky than Nixon’s. The
nation is at peace, the economy is strong
and no challenger in the oppostion party is
on a par with the President.
Nonetheless, it is clear to everyone —
including Carter — that the credibility of
t -his, leadership is not yet firmly established
in the eyes of the voters who will be passing
judgment on him, beginning in primaries
less than a year away.
To buttress his standing, Carter has fo
cused on Peking and the consumer price
index, just as Nixon has done. Thus far,
neither seems to be yielding the policy and
political dividends expected. Instead of
communicating a mastery of major issues.
Carter’s efforts appear — fairly or unfairly
— to give evidence of a tentativeness that
has been the recurring source of his politi
cal vulnerability.
In January, Carter orchestrated the pre
sentation of his “austerity” budget which
he sought to relate his fiscal discipline to
the larger political themes of his presidency
was a fiasco. The “new foundation’’ slogan
became a subject of ridicule, not the keyn
ote for a reelection campaign.
Moreover, Carter’s middle-road eco
nomic policy is being challenged on two
fronts. A conservative-led drive for a con
stitutional amendment to require a bal
anced budget is marching through the state
legislatures, endorsed by Carter’s likeliest
intra-party challenger, California Gov.
Jerry Brown (D).
Meantime, the President’s voluntary
wage-price guidelines are being undercut
by the impact of food and fuel inflation.
Administration economic officials were
prepared for bad news on prices in the early
months of this year, but last week’s report
of a 1.3 percent jump in one month in the
wholesale price index was the worst in four
years and far steeper than Carter had ex-
Letters to the Editor
Nuke fear unwarranted
Editor:
Although the subject is far less interest
ing to many fellow Aggies than walking on
the MSC grass or the status of the Waggies,
I would finally like to present a personal
gripe in The Battalion.
In recent years, it has been my observa
tion that most of the stories released by the
two major news syndicates on the subject of
nuclear power generation tend to present
nuclear power as some ominous threat
which must be eradicated.
Even the syndicated comic strips have
become anti-nuclear (see Broom Hilda,
Shoe — Jan. 31). Being a potential May ’79
graduate in nuclear engineering, this of
course disturbs me. It is incomprehensible
that members of the press could become so
fearful of something they never even tried
to understand, and that they woidd go so far
as to try to pass that fear on to the public.
While we always hear fearful cries of
“waste disposal” (which does have a safe
simple solution) and “meltdown” (which
aside from being almost impossible is
guaranteed not to happen by three
separate but simple backup systems), very
few good words are ever written.
Unfortunately, it is more interesting to
hear about protestors who interfere with
construction of reactors or lie on the
sidewalk in front of the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission playing dead from an over
dose of radiation than to read articles about
low fuel costs, high dependability, and a
I know that nuclear power is safe; it is
unfortunate for everybody that few people
agree with me.
—David Eppes, ’79
Rates inflationary
Editor:
The Battalion is planning to increase its
advertising rates by 15 percent effective
April 1, which is more than double the
increase allowed by President Carter’s
price increase guidelines to curb inflation.
As a local merchant, I have held down
my price increases to within the guidelines
because I believe everyone has to cooper
ate if we are going to control inflation. It’s
easy to attempt to justify an excessive price
increase by saying my costs are up and I’m
just a little guy, it won’t make any differ
ence. However, when the government is
forced to invoke mandatory wage and price
controls, the blame will be on all the little
guys who didn’t comply with the voluntary
guidelines.
I’m sure The Battalion can cite many
reasons why it feels it should not have to
comply with the President’s guidelines,
but the fact remains that a 15 percent price
increase is inflationary. By the way, the
last price increase by The Battalion was
Feb. 1, 1978.
—R.N. Williams
P.O. Box 9038
1201 Hwy. 30
Tcge Station
pected. The damage to his anti-inflation
drive is heavy.
But that is nothing compared to the set
back Carter’s prestige has suffered in the
foreign policy field with the dissolution of
Iran into chaos at the very moment that
Teng Hsiao-ping was in America, celebrat
ing what the President had hoped would be
a triumph in the opening of formal U.S.-
Chinese diplomatic relations.
The spectacle of the American govern
ment watching immobilized while the last
remnants of pro-Western authority were
obliterated in Iran was deeply disturbing to
everyone — except, apparantly, Andrew
Young. Teng’s first comment after reaching
Tokyo on his way home from Washington
was an expression of anxiety at the inability
of the Carter administration either to an
ticipate or respond to the crisis of Iran.
The implications of the upheaval in Iran
— both for the security of the Persian Gulf
and the future of the free world’s energy
supply — make it potentially the most de
stabilizing development in the interna
tional balance of power since the end of
World War II and the revolution in China.
It is clear already that the tests of Jimmy
Carter’s leadership in this third year of his
presidency, both foreign and domestic, are
far more difficult than he or his colleagues
anticipated.
For him to turn these tests to his advan
tage, he will have to be a much stronger
President than he has looked so far.
(c) 1979, The Washington Post Company
Found: 1 energy crisis
By DICK WEST
WASHINGTON — Mr. Keen of the
Missing Crises Bureau has done it again.
By dent of brilliant detective work, he
has established that the energy crisis is still
alive and being rehabilitated by Iran.
“When I took on this case last month,
there were hardly any clues, and those we
did have were misleading,” Mr. Keen said
in his final report.
“From the few words President Carter
said about conservation in his State of the
Union address, you would have thought
the energy crisis had been given up for
dead.
Also subject to misinterpretation were
reports of oil gluts on both coasts and of gas
companies trying to attract new customers
again.
“All in all, it appeared the energy crisis
might have gone the way of the cranberry
crisis, the ozone layer crisis and other de
funct exigencies.”
I said, “What made you suspect the
energy crisis still existed despite signs of its
demise?”
I was struck by the fact that the energy
crisis had never been officially reported as
missing,” Mr. Keen replied.
You know how terrorist groups claim
responsibility whenever there is a bombing
or something of that sort? Well, it’s much
the same when a crisis disappears. Ordinar-
ily, you have a lot of people claiming credit
for doing it in. But nobody was talking
about what happened to the energy crisis.
I traced it to the time last fall when
Congress passed the bill deregulating
natural gas prices. But after that the trail
got cold.”
I said. How did you go about tracking it
to Iran?”
Sometimes, when you are really baf-
fled, you look for something where nobody
else would think of looking,” Mr. Keen
explained. In this case, I started lurking
around the Senate Energy Committee.
“I hardly need point out that normally
Congress is one of the last places you would
look for information about the energy
crisis.
If members of Congress knew anything
about it, it would not have taken them al
most two years to pass an energy bill. And
certainly the legislation they did pass
would not have taken the form it did.
Nine times out of 10, the Senate Energy
Committee would have been just another
dead end. But this time I got lucky. I
chanced to overhear Energy Secretary
James Schlesinger telling the senators of
plans for mandatory conservation mea
sures, such as a ban on Sunday gasoline
sales.
To a veteran investigator skilled in crisis
identification, that could only mean one
thing the energy crisis was still with us.
After that, mostly through good, old-
fashioned deduction, I was able to link the
energy crisis with the oil production shut
down in Iran.”
I congratulated Mr. Keen on his percep
tion.
Thanks, he said. In a few more
months, you’ll be able to see it again for
yourself. ”
Top of the
LOCAL
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Unite
Boston ticket refunds begin today
Ticket refunds for the canceled Boston rock concert began this
morning in the Memorial Student Center Box Offipe, said Jim
Reynolds, associate director of the MSC. The rock group canceled its
Feb. 11 appearance in G. Rollie White Coliseum because of the illness
of guitarist Tom Scholz. Boston’s personal management, Premiere
Inc., was sent a telegram Tuesday listing 10 possible mtxkeup dates for
the concert, Reynolds said. Premiere Inc., however, has said that
there are no dates open for the group between now and summer.
Reynolds said he felt Boston had an obligation to do every thing they it
could to reschedule the concert. If an agreement for a makeup is made
after today, tickets for the new concert will be reprinted and soldona
first-come basis, Reynolds said. MSC Box Office hours are9a.m.to4
p.m. Monday through Friday.
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STATE
Bill requires car repair estimates
Rep. Al Edwards, D-Houston, has introduced a bill requiring auto
repair dealers to provide customers with written estimates on all work
costing more than $50. Edwards said the estimate must include the
cost of parts and labor and the length of time the repair will take. If the
written estimate is not provided or not signed by the person seeking
repairs, the customer will not be liable for any cost of parts or labor.
Other provisions would require the auto repair dealer to furnish the
customer with an invoice detailing the costs of the total repair bill and
to either return the replaced parts or allow the customer to inspect
them.
NATION
Boy dies after life-support shut off
Benjamin C., a 3-year-old New Mexico boy, died with his parentsat
his bedside 17 minutes after doctors turned off his life-support
machine, acting under permission granted in an unprecedented court
order. A spokesman for Children’s Hospital said the child died Friday,
ending three months in a coma. The parents had gone to court for
permission to shut off the life supporting respiratory machine, citing
medical testimony that the boy could never recover and was, in affect,
already dead. Superior Court Judge Richard Byrne Thursday issued
what was believed to be the first such life-and-death decision involving
a juvenile in the United States. As is usual in cases involving a juvenile,
the family’s name was not released.
City prays for end of police strike
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Tourists with cameras and French Quarter residents followed
Mayor Ernest Morial and his family Sunday to take communion in St.
Louis Cathedral and hear Archbishop Philip Hannan pray in a special
Mass for an end to a two-day police strike that wrecked the opening
weekend of Mardi Gras. Hannan asked for divine guidance not only to
solve the strike , but mPre importantly to build a greater bond of unity
and harmony based on justice, equity and charity.’ Members of the
Teamsters-affiliated police union walked off the job Friday, leaving
protection of New Orleans during the first weekend of Mardi Gras
celebrations to the National Guard and state police. Morial told re
porters after the service he was offering striking policemen adayol
amnesty to allow them to return to work without retribution.
/
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WORLD
Soviets deny involvement in killing
The Soviet Union officially denied Saturday that it played any partin
the raid by Afghanistan police that led to the depth of the U.S.
ambassador to Afghanistan, the Tass news agency said. U.S. com
plaints about the Soviets’ “callous disregard” for Ambassador Adolph
Dubs’s life were based on a “falsification of facts,” Tass said. The
United States delivered a strongly worded protest to the Soviet Union
Wednesday over the role played by Soviet security advisers in the
incident. Dubs, 58, was kidnapped by Moslem extremists Wednesday
as he drove to the U.S. Embassy in the Afghan capital. He died later in
a shootout between the terrorists and police. It still is unclear whether
the kidnappers killed Dubs or whether he died in a crossfire with
police.
Americans evacuated from Chad
The State Department said an unspecified number of American
dependents were airlifted Saturday out of Chad, a central African
nation torn by civil war. Spokeswoman Anita Stockman said e
Americans were taken aboard two French militar y aircraft to Yaoun e.
capital of Cameroon, Chad’s southwestern neighbor. “At this time, wn
cannot provide an exact breakdown of the number of Americans, s e
said. We are attempting to evacuate all non-essential U.S. g ov( ; r "
ment personnel and also (other) private American citizens whovvis
leave.’’The spokeswoman said 143 of the 230 Americans reported to
in Chad still remain in the area. About 80 are in N’Djamena, w c
some fighting between rival factions took place earlier this wee
I
WEATHER
Cloudy skies and a slight chance of rain. High in the upp® r
40 s, low in the low 40’s with a 20% chance of rain. 83/°
humidity. Winds will be E-N.E. at 5-10 mph.
The Battalion
LETTERS POLICY
tellers to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are
subject o being cu, 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. wiepnone
Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor The
St^ 0n Te R xr‘77^3 Reel ' MCD0 "" W C “"^
Angeles. C,ty> Ch,ca g° and Los
The Battalion is published Monday through Friday from
September through May except during exam and holiZ
mTugh Thu t rs e day ,mmer ' When “ " PUb ' ished
school'year S $35 > OO rf ^f 16 75 ^ —ter; $33.25 per
on reauel; Aclwrti -”g^sfurnished
M A q ?J D The Battalion, Room 216 Reed
UnZd P C ° lleRe Texas 7784a
United Press International is entitled exclusively to the
Rights'^ ° f a11 neWS dis Pa‘ches creXed 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 <r^ j
Editor pziNe” I
Managing Editor , .. - A G u;
Assistant Managing Editor •
Sports Editor ' .
City Editor SK ve U
Campus Editor bbie
News Editors
Bragg, Lyle ^ ve “ oUgG r^
Cartoonist ' " ' BnU uscV
Photo Editor Lee V ^
ylii
Aographer
is section editor
.Gafl’
AS*
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
D T'l D T+sili/ltl