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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 1979)
Viewpoint The Battalion Tuesday Texas A&M University March 20, 1979 Slouch By Jim Earle T HAD TO MISS YOUR MONDAY CLASS BECAUSE I HAD TO EX PLAIN TO MY OTHER TEACHERS WHY I MISSED CLASS BE FORE TH’ SPRING BREAK!” Where are U.S. allies? A U.S. carrier task force is being sent toward Arabian waters in a long overdue show of U.S. concern at the fighting between North and South Yemen on the borders of oil-rich Saudi Arabia. Well and good. With Iran in chaos, and likely to remain so for some time to come, Saudi Arabia’s oil is absolutely crucial to the economy and security of the United States and the industrialized free world. But where, we may ask, are the naval vessels of the rest of the oil-importing nations? Where are the U.S. allies, the Europeans and the Japanese, who have at least as much to lose as the United States in the event of a Persian Gulf oil shutdown? We are told that in private, European leaders worry, even snicker, at the apparent inability of the superpower United States to protect its global interests. Perhaps they will cheer the dispatch of the U.S. task force toward the Middle East. But what about sending European and Japanese vessels on a sortie into the area? Why must the United States alone send the message that a disruption of the oil flow from the Mideast would be a world calamity of the first order? As a matter of fact, flotillas from several oil-importing nations would send a plain-language signal to one and all that the whole world s economy, not just that of the United States, is at stake in the area. The industrialized nations seem quite willing to cut any sort of deal they can to secure the oil supplies they need, but when that sort of trade diplomacy fails, they begin pining for Uncle Sam to act. Well, Uncle Sam would like a little help from his friends. Scripps-Hotvard Newspapers Costly education needs to be taxed By JOSEPH PASINOSKY Is tuition-free education per se profit able? If so, is tuition-free education through the college level a good invest ment? Can the nation afford such a luxury? If the nation invests $1,200 a year to educate its students through the elemen tary and secondary schools, it will invest $10,800 to educate each student from kin dergarten through the eighth grade. Add $4,800 for high school and the cost is $15,600. Allow $12,000 for a college edu cation, or $100 per academic hour, and the tab is $27,600. Another $12,000 for a Ph.D. and the total is $39,600. Now, the median income, in round figures, for an individual with an eighth grade education or less is $5,000 a year, a high school dip loma $10,000, a college degree $15,000, and a Ph.D. $17,000. These individuals will pay 30 percent of their income in fed eral state, and local taxes, such as income, social security, property, sales taxes, etc. They will provide society with $1,500, Header s Forum $3,000, $4,500, and $5,100 a year respec tively. They will have a productive life span of 42 years and donate $63,000, $126,000, $189,000, and $214,200 in taxes during their productive life spans. In every case, society will receive at least a 5-1 ratio on its investment. For every individual that it fails to educate through the college level it will lose at least $1,500 a year in lost taxes. There are at least 2.5 million individuals in each age group that do not go to college. 2.5 million multiplied by $1,500 and society loses $3.75 billion in lost taxes for each age group. Multiplied by 42 age groups and society loses $157.5 billion each year in lost taxes. The most equitable method of financing public education, including higher educa tion, would be to use the principles of so cial security and sales taxes. In social secu rity, one pays into the fund for 42 years and then is rewarded by checks and Medi care. In tuition-free education, one re ceives one’s reward in the beginning and then pays into the fund for the next 42 years, if an individual paid a four percent education tax on the last $5,000 of his earn ing, he would pay $200 a year for his col lege education, meaning $8,400 for a $12,000 education. The rest would be made up by a small sales tax on commer cial transactions. At the present time, the business community pays little or nothing to support higher education even though it receives the most benefit from such a sys tem. In addition, the sales tax would be applied to the billions of dollars of good that are imported each year. The property base of these goods are in foreign coun tries, and much of the technology that they use to operate efficiently and profit able was developed as a result of our higher educational system. If the students at the university, or any high school or college, asked me, “Joe, how could we achieve tuition-free educa tion through the college level?” I would tell them to call an organizational meeting and elect officers, and then appoint com mittees: public relation committee, corre spondence committee, committees to get signatures vetitions that they would send to their representatives in Washington re questing tuition-free education through the college level. I would point out to them that there are about seven million students in college, and another 20 (mil lion) high school students. Each would have a mother and father, at least two grandparents. This would represent a po tential 135 million signatures that they could get on their petitions. If the students would go from door to door in their school district, they would be able to increase the number of signatures that they could get. I would pont out to them that schools are training grounds where students acquire a bit of intellectual tools, and that this effort would be a good exercise in testing and developing their leadership and organiza tional abilities. Joseph Pasinosky is a former special student at West Virginia University. He lives at 231 Spruce Street Morgantown, West Virginia, 26505. Talk with Dr. Miller’ Wondering about dorm rules, university policies, funding at Texas A&M University? “Talk with Dr. Miller” is a forum for readers to ask University administration questions about University policies and pro cedures. Questions should be addressed to The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, and should specify that they are to be used for this column. Names and phone numbers will be required on all questions and Dr. Miller has the option to decline to answer a ques tion or request others on the staff or faculty to answer it. Questions and answers will be published on the editorial page, usually within two weeks after the question is submitted. Letters to the Editor Library move no hassle for researcher Editor: For a change I would like to say some thing nice about the library instead of complaining. I am using the reserve section for one course, microtext for another and the normal amount of various research for pa pers to be turned in before May in other courses. I am taking 15 hours. I have run into very little trouble. The staff (collective noun) is doing their best and they should be commended. I’m so tired of hearing complaints (even before the change occurred) that I’m be ginning to believe that most who complain just like to complain. I would be willing to bet that most of the complainers disap peared for spring break to bask in the sun, ski or be lazy for nine days while the con cerned personnel stayed here to do the moving. When those same people came back, they desired perfection in the li brary. Well you lazy bums, why don’t you stop complaining for a moment to look around and see what kind of accomplishments were made and how much more space you have to maneuver in. You may have to walk a little more, but I’ve always been taught that walking was a lot better for your health than sitting! Surely people can learn to work around obstructions if they really need to get a job done. Don’t condemn progress, learn to live with it, not to slow it down. Time is money whenever work crews are involved, be they builders movers, or bookshelf makers. —Margaret Callahan, ’79 Equal opportunity Editor: I have read with interest and concern several of the articles in Battalion issues dealing with women’s rights in relation to Corps tradition. First, I’m an Aggie (’59) and a naval offi cer of some 20 years. In the last seven or eight years, we have seen major im provements and reaped personnel gains in the Navy’s Equal Opportunity Program, particularly with regard to race and sex. We’ve come a long way, but there is still a lot of ground to be covered in defining the role of women in the Navy. One letter “Step to the Rear” by C.D. Steward ’79, was particularly offensive and short-sighted. While realizing that Texas A&M is now basically a civilian school with a minority Corps contingency, and aware that free expression does have learning benefits, the viewpoints expressed in this letter were so contrary to present Armed Forces doctrine and policy as to be suffi cient cause to write this “letter to the editor. ” My major concern is that this young man or others like him are members of the Corps (which I am assuming). This point of equal female rights is no longer a matter of discussion. Government policy is that they will have equal opportunity. How to ac complish this goal is open for discussion in some areas, but there is no longer room for discussion on whether they should or should not have equal opportunity; merely on how to implement. Based on your recent articles and “let ters to the editor,” I feel the Corps may not be providing prospective junior offi cers the necessary training in this area. I recommend that the Corps staff, with the commandant, obtain copies of several of the military services’ instructions on equal opportunity. Then, from these as a baseline, formulate written policy best suited for Texas A&M (might even make it apply to the entire faculty and student body). This won’t be easy. Many high ranking officers have resigned when forced with the reality of enforcing equal oppor tunity for women in the service. I realize Texas A&M is traditionally a very conservative school, a position which I view with pride. However, on this issue I urge you to get in step with the times. Good luck! —L.A. McClendon, HI CDR, USN Naval Air Test Center Patuxent River, Md. Taps ‘beautiful’ Editor: We lost a son, James S. McCaine, whom we loved more than words can express. But ours is not to reason why — but to try hard to accept. We felt privileged to share in your “pri vate world” when we attended Silver Taps on Thursday, March 9. It was simple and beautiful. The respect of a half-mast flag, the con cern of the faculty, the extinguishing of lights, the music, the oh-so-beautiful footsteps in silence, the Ross Volunteers and their measured step and coordinated performance, the honking of the geese, the seven quality buglers, the yellow flow ers all over campus — it was all super. James was exceptionally proud to have been an Aggie (that is a special being). James entered college unable to adequately study and he turned it all around and was doing quite well. May each of you remember this when you feel low and depressed. May his exis tence touch each of you and cause you to be proud to share being Aggies. And to those students who took time out from a busy schedule — thanks and love! Oh, James’ grandfather (D.V. Thomas) was a Ross Volunteer and class of 1921 and his Dad (J M. McCaine) was class of 1945! —Mr. and Mrs. Jack M. McCaine 3823 Grennoch, Houston 77025 Thotz By Doug Graham X'l) {(onkoUT/ H>oorrve£i "fro i-Oost^-rxs in C\nc*d . -Oi • 1 ' ^Qv->^Sg-Lo^ mJ Hs. ISlDe, JoN? 3 let me amp / my courses, VN ( you need I'm only / \ ^ ILIN-AJ ColV^C SjTWl * Co vtoS e all ejccepT RE. Y % 1 wVycyf —" *9 \ rrie y~\e\p l lUD Top of the News ": CAMPUS ] KAMU-TV pledged $10,430 KAMU, Texas A&M University’s public broadcasting affiliate,re | ceived $10,430 in pledges during Festival ’79, two weeks of special programming aimed at creating greater interest in and support loo] public television. The special programming ended Sunday nightwitli the conclusion of a 28-hour marathon. Jean Herbert-Wiesenburg, KAMU development and promotion coordinator, said the total does not include contributions still being received which were not called in during the festival. t Archer named Bike-a-thon heai Denise Archer has been appointed the Cystic Fibrosis Fohd-| dation’s 1979 spring Bike-a-thon chairman. The campaign is heldeact| spring to raise funds for cystic fibrosis research. CF is a genetic| disease inherited bv about 1 in 1,500 children. No cure has been| found, and CF sufferers have an average life expectancy of 17 years | Those interested in working in the campaign should contact Archer at 845-4698. Solar energy studiers needed ac ec ar ca The National Science Foundation has awarded Trinity University in San Antonio a research grant for solar energy study. Texas A&M University students wishing to participate in the program should contact Dr. F.M. Loxsom, program director, at 512-736-7421. Partic ipants will receive a stipend of $1,000 for 10 weeks and six hoursof upper division credit in physics or engineering at Trinity University. Applicants must be currently enrolled as full-time undergraduates who have completed at least one semester as a junior and have com pleted at least 14 hours of physics and/or engineering. Application deadline is April 13. oi of ar dc is re fe dc te STATE he Texan denied High Court review The U.S. Supreme Court Monday ruled not to review the case of John Charles Shippy, an inmate on Texas’ death row. Shippy, con victed of the April 17, 1975, murder of Ivan Lewis Hanks, complained because a state court dismissed his petition seeking to be freed after he began proceedings in federal court. The justices, without dissent, said they based their action on the state’s representation that Shippy will not be executed as long as he is actively pursuing further court appeals. s< NATION Flynt obscenity trial under way Trial of Hustler Magazine owner Larry Flynt, paralyzed when shot from ambush while on trial last year, started Monday in Atlanta on 11 counts of distributing obscenity. Flynt, crippled in nearby Law- renceville March 6, 1978, six months after he was arrested and charged in Atlanta, could face up to 11 years in prison plus a fine if convicted in this case. In Monday’s session Fulton County State Court Judge Nick Lambros denied a motion by the defense to sepa rate Flynt’s case from charges against corporate distributors of his magazines. Sti ligh hoic lity :hanj Ch he 1 Space shuttle flight postponed Gusty winds and rain postponed Monday’s piggyback flight of the space shuttle Columbia to Florida. A NASA spokesman at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif, said the shuttle might have been able to get in a brief test flight aboard its Boeing 747 mother ship Monday if the weather cleared, but the cross-country trip to Cape Canaveral was definitely off until at least today. WORLD Iranian radio-TV station seized Rebellious Kurdish tribesmen seized a radio-TV station and a police post in Tehran, Iran, Monday in heavy fighting with Iranian security forces in west Iran. At least three persons were killed and 200 wounded after nearly 24 hours of fighting, newspaper reports said. But Radio Tehran, in an 8:30 a.m. CST broadcast, said the government units have agreed to cease fire and asked the tribesmen to halt their attacks on the local garrison. The radio said the cease-fire had been agreed upon after intervention by Moslem clergymen. Kurdish guerrillas are seeking autonomy and elements of Iranian army and police are trying to enforce Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeinis rule in the border. props trusts Mons An idvai histo and tvoul Bo tic : ' guita ‘R the a 'It’s )uilt In hink hing Uter dien Un :sh: vouls ptio ubje uire Protesters bomb Tokyo airport Ultra-leftist protesters planted time bombs and set fire to a police sentry box Sunday night in an attempt to disrupt air traffic at the new Tokyo International Airport. The ultra-leftist Marxist organization Chukaku issued a statement saying it was responsible. Neither the bombs nor the fire disrupted operations at the airport, 41 miles east of Tokyo. Russian plane wreckage fenced A new pinewood fence Monday enclosed what appeared to be the guarded wreckage of a TU-104 Aeroflot airliner that crashed in a thids birch forest about half a mile south of Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport. A KGB official at the scene ordered a reporter to leave. What appeared to be large broken sections of the fuselage of the plane were covered by canvas tarpaulins. The official Tass news agency reported Sunday that the TU-104, on a flight from Moscow to Odessa, had crashed Saturday and said there were “some casualties.” This is the third officially acknowledged air disaster in the Soviet Union involving a TU-104 airliner since November 1976, when one crashed on takeoff from Moscow, killing 70 people. The Battalion LETTERS POLICY J Letters to the editor shotdd not exceed 300 words and are subject to being cut 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. Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor, The ' Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas 77843. Represented nationally by National Educational Adver tising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday from September through May except during exam and holiday periods and the summer, when it is published on Tuesday through Thursday. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per school year; $35.00 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. Address: The Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas 77843. United Press International is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited 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 Congress Editor Kimff 1 Managing Editor Liz I* 1 Assistant Managing Editor .Andy"®' 1 Sports Editor Da\ City Editor ScotU Campus Editor Ste'^ News Editors Beth Calhoun Staff Writers Karen Rogers.*' 1 Pi* Patterson, Sean Petty, Blake, Dillard Stone Bragg, Lyle Lovett ^ Taylor Cartoonist DougC 1 ^ Photo Editor Lee Roy Leselp Photographer Lynn ^ ’ Focus section editor Gary' f Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or of the tor iter of the article and are not necessarily those of the University administration or the Board of Regents. The Battalion is a non-pf 0 P' supporting enterprise operated l»j sl111 ' as a university and community n fl % Editorial policy is determined by the*