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The Battalion Tuesday
Texas A&M University February 20, 1979
Nicaragua s Somoza
may face bankruptcy
New Iranian regime
shows no new rights
By CLIFFORD KRAUSS
United Press International
MEXICO CITY — With his leftist guer
rilla foes beaten for the moment, Nicara
guan President Anastasio Somoza must
now battle a new enemy — international
isolation. If he loses, Nicaragua could go
bankrupt in 1979.
The U. S. government, once Somoza’s
staunch ally, has announced the with
drawal of 47 U.S. officials from Nicaragua,
the closing of its small military mission, a
halt to military aid and a freeze on eco
nomic assistance.
President Carter blamed Somoza for the
impass in the three-nation mediation effort
that attempted to forestall another round of
civil warfare that last year took at least
1,500 lives and caused $66 million in dam
ages.
Though the Sandinista Liberation Front
took to the hills and escaped abroad in the
face of far superior national guard
firepower, its two-week September offen
sive took its toll.
International insurers have balked at $60
million in claims arising from the offensive,
and foreign credit agencies like the Inter
national Monetary Fund have squeezed
the loan pipeline dry.
The government has been forced to
postpone major hydroelectric works for
lack of scheduled World Bank and Inter-
American Development Bank credit.
Lxil * ' A h"
Born-again
Somoza hopes to reschedule the foreign
debt, or he may not be able to pay off the
interest, scheduled at $155 million in 1979.
The public sector is already in default on
$45 million due in interest and principal to
a number of U.S. banks, including
Citibank, Manufacturers Hanover Trust
and Wells Fargo.
Among the pressure points the Carter
administration plans to apply on Somoza is
the freezing of any further economic aid,
including two projects worth $10.5 million
agreed upon last summer. However, sev
eral other aid projects now in advance
stages will be completed.
A freeze of U.S. support to the Somoza
regime has its symbolic as well as economic
points.
By withdrawing the four-man military
mission, effectively ending all military aid.
Carter is ending a traditionally strong rela
tionship between the United States and the
20,000-man national guard.
The guard was organized and trained by
the United States in the 1920s and 1930s to
permit a withdrawal of U.S. Marines fight
ing nationalist guerrillas led by Augusto
Cesar Sandino.
Letters to the Editor
By STEVEN MOSSBARGER
For several years now, Iranian students
have been demonstrating in our streets,
hoping to arouse public opinion against the
Shah. They have formed anti-Shah coali
tions and created these demonstrations,
many times at great risk to their own lives,
and always, always, pleading for the
downfall of the Shah and the establishment
of some kind of constitutional government.
They have requested respect for their
rights, many of which most Americans still
assume are shared by all men throughout
the world, and also the establishment of
many new reforms, including the new land
reforms which the Shah was in the process
of granting. But as to the Shah, this was too
small a gesture, too late.
These years of protesting and striving to
overthrow the Shah’s regime have finally
culminated in the “successful” revolution
during the past couple of weeks. Yet in
reality, what is being accomplished by this
new regime?
So far, a new government is to be created
under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini — a
man who was first looked upon by the mas
ses as the liberator from Shah — is now
having trouble controlling these masses,
especially the “leftist” groups. And he is a
person who, if he has his way, will set the
people of Iran under a government con
stituting pure Islamic rule.
Not once has there been a promise of, or
even mention of, establishing constitu
tional rule by this new governmental fig
ure, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. In fact,
by calling for a “religious war, ” he is placing
Iran in an era that has not been seen since
the desert “Holy Wars” in Algeria and
Egypt around the turn of the century, an
era mired by blood bath after blood bath.
This sort of action, coupled with eco
nomically separating Iran from the rest of
the world, can only result in placing the
social stature of Iran a couple of hundred
years behind that of the modern world. In
essence, this regime is placing Iran politi
cally “180 degrees out” from what I have
understood the Iranian populace, led by its
intellectual class, to be fighting for.
I wonder if the people of Iran, most of all
Khomeini, really understand what they
have unleashed. For even with concrete
ideas and policies decided upon before the
official beginning of revolution or civil war
(whichever term one prefers), it is a histori
cal fact that once begun, a revolution can
not be stopped as we would stop a rotating
bicycle wheel.
It is more like rock slide, or an ava
lanche, picking up speed as it travels down
the mountainside, destroying all but the
most firm objects in its path, only halting
when it has finally exhausts source and
Khomeini at this moment, has only abstract
ideas as to how governmental policy is to be
run.
will establish itself in relationship to the
means. I hope that severed relationships
Reader s Forum
with the United States, plus an extremely
strained economy, will bring the constitu-
ional reforms which have so long been
striven for.
I am placing these thoughts and com
ments in The Battalion hoping it will arouse
some political thought on campus. I sin
cerely hope that some Iranian students will
honor this article with a reply — for many
things which we are able to read in our
newspapers are quite often obscured, like
such notions as classifying any government
not allied with our own as “communist.”
With communism still a dirty word in our
society, this is an easy way to turn public
opinion against that particular movement.
I am sure that many of the Iranian students
are still able to communicate with their
homeland to some extent and I would like
to invite them to share their thoughts with
us, and perhaps help us to have a clearer
picture of what is taking place in Iran.
Steven Mossbarger is a senior history
major from Houston.
Victims shouldn’t take blame for crime
horseless
carriages?
By DICK WEST
WASHINGTON — The Senate Com
merce Committee is holding hearings this
week to see how the auto industry is re
sponding to Transportation Secretary
Brock Adams challenge to “reinvent the
auto.
Detroit’s attitude is important, of course.
If we are to have the kind of car AdamT
envisions — one that goes a long way on a
small amount of gas — the companies that
make the kind of car we have now must take
the leading role in its development.
Leading but not exclusive. It is likely
that a good bit of the basic headwork lead
ing up to the reinvention of the automobile
will be done by small “think tanks” and
research centers, such as The Future Is
Yesterday Foundation.
On the eve of the committee’s study, I
paid a visit to the Foundation’s laboratories
to see whether its director, Sam Harken-
back, might have any ideas along that line.
We don t have the complete concept
firmly in mind just yet, but we have been
testing a few of the components we believe
the bom again auto should have,” Harken-
back said.
He led me into a chamber, much like a
wind tunnel. It contained a mock-up of an
auto body. Attached lengthwise to either
side was a long wooden plank covered with
rubber matting.
We call those running boards,” Har-
kenback said.
I said, “I can see where stepping on a
running board might make it easier to get in
the car, but how could they possibly im
prove fuel efficiency?”
“Our experiments indicate that wind
rushing under the running boards provide
a lift effect that lightens the weight of the
vehicle and thus makes it get better
mileage,” he explained.
I said, “I don’t know about Henry Ford
II, but Brockdams should love it. Anything
else?”
In an adjoining chamber, Harkenback
dixected my attention to another mock—'
up.
“How many people would you say it
seats?” he asked.
“It looks like there’s only xoom for the
driver and one passenger,” I said.
With a triumphant cry of “Wrong!” Har
kenback leaned over and twisted a handle
that caused the back to open, revealing
seating space for two.
“We call it a rumble seat.
“In winter, this part of the car wouldn’t
be heated, ” Harkenback pointed out. “And
in summer, it has its own natural air condi
tioning. ”
Deeply impressed, I told Hai kenback he
already had gone a long way toward rein
venting the auto.
“Wait, there’s more,” he said, pointing
to a Z-shaped metal object. “We don’t have
o rvTWYn fot* JF x • o F \%rf^ y yp» f Iqi n ]*'* n f r
Editor:
In reference to your Feb. 13 article, con
cerning the rash of x ecent thefts on campus,
I quote the words your xeporter attributed
to our University police chief:
“Most (of the thefts) have resulted for
inattention and failure of owners to protect
their property ... Most of the time it ’s a girl
or secretary who goes off and leaves her
purse unattended ... The best thing is for
owners to be more careful about leaving
their belongings.”
Being one of the “victims” mentioned in
the article, I am greatly disturbed about
this philosophy which places the burden of
responsibility on the offended rather than
on the offender and also the blanket impli
cation that most of this is a result of
carelessness on the part of “girls.” The arti
cle mentioned 282 thefts with two being
detailed as female victims. What of the
other 280? Were they also female victims?
The implications of this philosophy —
blaming the victim (in this case “girls” or
secretaries), could be of gx-eat importance
as I see in it a stxiking similarity to the
attitudes perpetuated nationwide concern
ing the crime of rape, which also places the
burden on the victim. The danger then,
is that this same philosophy could deter
mine future security policy on our campus
towards such crimes against persons.
It is apparent that a greater cooperative
effoi't is indeed called for — but placing so
much responsibility on the victim is hardly
indicative of a cooperative effoi’t between
security personnel and potential victims.
Far more was lost that afternoon than my
waller; there was the loss of a certain basic
trust that was part of my nature, but of
much gieater concei n to me is the attitude
towards crime on this campus.
—L.M. Saltsman
Secretary, Sociology Department
Birds attacking
Editor:
We’ve got a problem besides grass,
Waggies, and ticket lines. We’ve got birds.
Yes, that’s right, birds. And they are de
stroying a lot of our beautiful trees. They
started early this semester at the east gate
and have been slowly moving towards the
Systems Building, leaving along their way a
path of seemingly ruined trees.
I don t know if the problem exists
throughout our campus, but I am in
terested in finding out if the trees will be
permanently damaged or if there is already
some action being taken to prevent further
damage. —Andy Jones
College Station
Correction
In the Monday Feb. 19 Battalion the
winners of the Muscular Dystrophy dance
marathon were incorrectly identified in a
caption as Diane Fusselman and Forest
Parker. The winners were Michelle Pringle
and Bob Bauer.
The Battalion regrets the error.
Why’s 6 Batt’ late?
Editor:
I have often wondered why the faculty
and staff of the different departments do
not receive The Battalion newspaper on the
same day in which it is published. I feel
there is a real need for faculty and staff to be
as immediately infoimed of campus ac
tivities as are the students.
With more up-to-date knowledge of the
news, communication between faculty and
staff of each department, faculty, staff and
students, as well as students will be much
improved.
P.S. The “Aggie Moonshine” photo
graph on the fi ont page of Monday’s (Feb.
12) Battalion was a nice one. Really.
—Paul Parma
Secretary, Agricultural Engineering
Department
Editor’s note: The Battalion is delivered
to the University Mail Service at press
time each day — generally about 12 p.m.
The mail service has an afternoon deliv
ery route. However, according to an em
ployee with the service, The Battalion
would have to be ready and sorted in the
morning in order to make the afternoon
delivery, so it can’t be delivered to campus
offices until the next day.
The Battalion is also dropped in bundles
at various campus spots for general distri
bution each day.
Top
of the News
CAMPUS
A&M part of 7-library system
Texas A&M University has joined six other libraries that are build
ing their research collections in forming the Houston Area Resear li
Libraries Consortium (HARLIC). Other members are the Housto
Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center, Rice University Tex”
Southern University, the University of Houston, the University of
Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and the Houston Public Library
The consortium has approved a policy of reciprocal borrowing
privileges for faculty at member institutions.
LOCAL
Train derailment investigated
Missouri-Pacific officials are investigating the cause of the Sunday
train derailment three miles west of Bryan. Fifty-two empty cars
derailed about 2 p.m., forcing police to close Smetana Road. No
injuries or property damage were reported. A Department of Public
Safety report estimated that the track would be cleared and the road
reopened by today.
STATE
Davis divorce trial begins today
Priscilla and T. Cullen Davis’ well-publicized marital problems
officially go on the public record today with the opening of their
much-delayed divorce trial. The two Texas socialites split in 1974, but
a series of spectacular legal entanglements by Davis — including
charges of murder, the wounding of Mrs. Davis and charges of at
tempting to hire the murder of the divorce court judge — resulted
in numerous postponements. Mrs. Davis said Davis once beat her
with a crutch while she was recovering from a broken ankle and broke
her nose during an argument. During the Amarillo murder trial,
Davis’ attorney, Richard “Racehorse” Haynes, said Mrs. Davis’S6
million mansion was often a scene of drug and sex parties and that
Mrs. Davis had had a number of sexual partners since the couples
break-up.
Power plants proposed for coast
A Florida company is negotiating with Gulf States Utilities to con
struct four floating nuclear power plants to be anchored off the Texas
Gulf coast at a cost of $8.8 billion, the Port Arthur News reported
Monday. Permission to anchor the plants in 45-70 feet of water, three
miles into the Gulf of Mexico would have to be obtained from the
Texas Legislature, after approval of a nuclear manufacturing permit
from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The plants would be
towed to the Gulf sites by tugboats. Each would use about 90 acres of
the Gulf bottom and would l>e protected by a 175-foot high granite
horseshoe-shaped breakwater.
NATION
Rhode Island kills death penalty
The Rhode Island Supreme Court struck down the states’ manda
tory death penalty law calling it a violation of the Eighth Amend
ment s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Until Monday, Rhode
Island law mandated “death by lethal gas” for inmates or prison es
capees convicted of murder while serving sentences for other of
fenses. Four inmates now sit in death row at the Adult Correctional
Institutions in Cranston.
Utility merger causes speculation
Public Service Commission Chairman Louis Lambert Monday told
officials of Gulf States Utilities Co. and the Central Louisiana Energy
Co. that he would not be railroaded into approving their merger
without a detailed study. Officials of both companies said they had no
objection to a proposal by Lambert for a detailed independent study
of the merger plan. Last week Central Louisana Energy, the parent
company of Central Louisiana Electric Co., and Gulf States an
nounced an agreement in principle for a $270 million transaction by
which GSU would take over CLECO. The merged company would
have about one-third of all electric customers in Louisiana.
WORLD
Middle East peace talks resume
Israel and Egypt sent high-level delegations to Washington
Monday for a second round of Camp David meetings in an effort to
pump new life into the dormant Middle East Peace talks. Egyph an
Prime Minister Mustufa Khalil, Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Dyan
and Secretary of State Cyrus Vance were scheduled to meet Wed
nesday in negotiations scheduled to last four to seven days. A major
stumbling block is linkage between the proposed peace treaty and
the establishment of Palestinian autonomy in the Jordan West Ban
and Gaza Strip. Two other unsettled issues are Egyptian demands for
a review of security arrangements in the Sinai desert after five or six
years and putting their defense obligations to Arab states above the
treaty.
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The Battalion
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Editor
Managing Editor
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Sports Editor tUendW
City Editor Sc ° si
Campus Editor U' uh,> Par^
News Editors Debb ‘
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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-
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