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The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Friday
March 30, 1979
Reflections
In the news
unfortunately
Texas'A&M is in the news again — and Melanie Zentgraf is
being blamed for it.
Columnist Jack Anderson revived the issue of sex discrimi
nation in the Corps Wednesday when he blasted Texas A&M
for the University’s treatment of female cadets. In his column
Anderson quoted Zentgraf, a junior in the Corps, and cited
some of her complaints about the treatment of women in the
Corps, using her as a case in point.
The column was catty, out of date, one-sided and innaccu-
rate on some points. But it highlights the seriousness of the
accusations made against Texas A&M’s Corps and draws more
attention to the actions of the select group looking over the
problem.
Many would choose to blame Zentgraf for bringing the cur
rent investigation of the activities of the Corps out in the open
— in her stirring letter to The Battalion, as well as her quotes
in Anderson’s column.
She has not brought bad press to the Corps or Texas A&M.
If the events and circumstances hadn’t been there, there’d be
no complaints or stories. No study committee had sought an
swers to their problems before she spoke up. And years of
other work through the “chain of command” within the Corps
staff had produced little results.
Aggies shouldn’t hide this wound and let it fester, but open
it up and let the matter heal.
Carter, staff counting
on break in inflation
ljunk mail begets another
By DICK WEST
WASHINGTON — During a recent
six-month period, one New Yorker re
ceived 276 pieces of direct mail, a.k.a.
junk mail, from 134 organizations, a.k.a.
special interest or pressure groups.
The addressee, a certain William King,
evidentally felt the postal influx strained
his envelope-opening capacity. So he
complained to his congressman. Rep. Bill
Green, R-N.Y.
Green, in turn, issued a press release
alluding to proposals to curb the use of
computerized mailing lists.
Green listed the organizations that had
King’s name on their mailing lists. With
few exceptions, they were promulgators of
what the average citizen would regard as
worthy causes.
In contrast, my unsolicited mail runs
heavily to franked reprints of Congres
sional Record speeches deploring the
postal deficit. „
But there’s no mystery as to why King
attracted mostly public-spirited communi
cations. The direct mail industry operates
a bit like the Book of Genesis, with one
mailing list begetting another mailing list,
usually in its own image.
In King’s case, let’s assume the beget
ting began when he sent away for a
tional Committee, which begat Americans
for Democratic Action;
ADA begat Task Force Against Nuclear
Pollution, which begat National Cancer
Society, which began Concern for Dying;
Concern for Dying begat Victims of
Handgun Violence, which begat National
Coalition to Ban Handguns. And the green
grass grew all around.
And what prompted King to send off for
that wilderness booklet in the first place?
Chances are he was planning a hunting
trip.
By HELEN THOMAS
UPI White House Reporter
WASHINGTON — President Carter
and his advisers are counting on a break in
the inflationary trend and an improved
economic picture before the end of the
year.
So far. Carter has resisted some of the
more drastic remedies such as wage and
price controls or stimulating a massive re
cession throwing millions out of work, to
bring inflation under control. And advisers
like inflation fighter Alfred Kahn have
threatened to quit if controls are ever
sought by the administration.
But Vice President Walter Mondale
warned a group of visiting editors last
weekend that they should not “expect
good news for some time.”
“We are putting all the factors in place,”
he said. “We have a tight budget. We are
cutting current services, spending in the
next budget by some $17 billion, which is
really tough, and almost unprecedented.”
He said the beneficial effect of the pro
gram of voluntary wage and price
guidelines will not show in the consumer
or producer’s price index for some time.
“We have in place a tight monetary pol
icy, and we think this is the way to go,” he
added. “It is going to take some time. We
are not at all satisfied with the inflationary
rate today. It has to come down.”
There is a growing grumbling in the
land and unless there is an upturn in the
economy soon, the pressure will increase
on Carter to do more in a mandatory way.
There also is the question of politics.
Carter will be a vulnerable candidate and
an easy target for opponents if inflation
persists. He and his aides realize that a
Middle East triumph will serve him in
good stead, but it won’t stop voters from
thinking about the pocketbook issues.
There is a White House awareness that
the continuing inflationary spiral will have
some effect, at least, on his reelection
chances.
The oil shortage and rising gasoline
prices are adding fuel to the inflationary
flames. Drivers will be paying more for gas
and homeheating bills will inevitably be
going up. Just how much remains to be
seen.
And so both Carter and the first lady are
beginning to warn the American people
that sacrifices will have to be made to help
the nation over its energy shortage hump.
In a speech at Springfield, Mass., Mrs.
Carter did not mince words. She told a
gathering spotlighting volunteerism:
“Prices will go up because of inevitable
shortages. Should we whine or complain?
Of course not. If gas costs 5 cents more per
gallon, we can slash 10 or 15 prcent from
the amount our families use. We can cut
out unnecessary trips. Ride the bus. Drive
slower. Form a car pool. Let’s trying walk
ing for a change.”
All this, she added, should be done in a
patriotic spirit, “with a smile.”
Kahn has said that he will have consid
ered that the president’s program has
failed if there is no improvement by early
summer.
Carter’s advisers are clearly shocked,
and dismayed by the double-digit rise in
wholesale prices.
As a result, the administration is getting
a lot tougher, especially with business and
the monitoring of the voluntary com
pliance in the wage-price field is being
stepped up.
The loss of Iranian oil. The shrinking of
the beef herds and other outside factors
have added to the darkening economic
picture.
But Carter and his advisers are expect
ing a turnaround by the middle of sum
mer. If that does not happen, he may need
a major reassessment of his voluntary pro
gram.
Humor
Wilderness Society booklet.
Wilderness Society begat Sierra Club,
which begat Friends of the Earth,
Environmental Action, Pathfinder Fund
and World Wildlife Fund;
Wildlife Fund begat Whale Protection
League, American Horse Protection Soci
ety, Cousteau Society, Audubon Society
and Gray Panthers;
Gray Panthers begat Grey Art Gallery,
which begat American Museum of Natural
History and Friends of the New York Pub
lic Library;
The library begat Washington Monthly,
which begat Congressional Quarterly,
which begat National Committee for an
Effective Congress;
The committee begat Dollars and De
fense, which begat People and Taxes,
which begat Southern Poverty Law Cen
ter;
Poverty Law begat Legal Aide Society
and National Lawyers Guild, which begat
American Civil Liberties Union, which
begat National Organization for Women;
NOW begat Planned Parenthood,
which begat Foster Parents Plan, which
begat Mother Jones;
Mother Jones, a counterculture
magazine, begat Consumer Reports,
which begat New York Apples, which
begat United Farm Workers;
The farm union begat Democreatic Na-
Cadets hear official denial at 6 meeting
Rattalion plans
election guide
In conjunction with the city-campus
elections. The Battalion is planning a spe
cial election tabloid, “For the Voters,”
containing information on campus and city
candidates. The section will run April 3.
Candidates for Student Body President,
RHA president, OCSA president, yell
leader, and the five student government
vice president positions should turn in
their questionnaires for this section no
later than Thursday, March 29 at 10 p.m.
Pictures of the candidates for the tabloid
By THOMAS E. MUSCHALEK
In my previous letter (Battalion, March
9) I was careful to emphasize the fact that I
was basing my decision to support Capt.
Joseph McNabb’s action on only one side
of the story — McNabb’s. (McNabb is fac
ing a written reprimmand on his perma
nent record for reporting a cheating inci
dent going outside military channels.)
This ignorance of the official position
was somewhat remedied on Tuesday
night, March 20 when Gen. Ormond
Sim'Jjson presented cadets with his side of
the story. The results of his speech were
very disturbing to some of us, as was the
manner and tone of the presentation.
Gen. Simpson began his address with a
very strong denial of any cover-up of the
cheating incident and did so in a manner
interpreted by many to border on hostility
toward anyone who would suggest such a
thing. (No cadet ever did). This set the
tone for the remainder of the meeting.
The general’s outline of the events of
the past months fell largely on deaf ears
from that point on.
Further into the speech, General
Simpson gave the definite impression that
“the instructor involved” used extremely
poor judgment and acted in a rude and
hostile manner. Knowing Capt. McNabb
as I do, I can not believe that he could act
in such a manner under any circum
stances. I firmly believe that the captain
was forceful but polite in his approach, and
Reader’s Forum
was acting in accordance with his own pro
fessional and personal values. Frankly, the
prevailing attitudes of those who know
McNabb was one of resentment that Gen.
Simpson would imply such things.
Finally, at the end of the speech, Gen.
Simpson allowed no questions or com
ments. Maybe the cadets don’t have a
right to question, but if that is the case,
then why bother informing us at all?
It was certainly evident at the end of the
meeting that there was more than one agi
tated cadet leaving with unanswered ques
tions.
The dismay is certainly most acute
among the Air Force senior cadets. I and
many other May commissionees are
greatly disillusioned by the proposed ac
tions of our chosen service.
If such situations do occur, what will our
decision be? Will we be punished if we do
as we see fit? If that is the case, plans must
be changed from career service to fulfilling
a commitment for some cadets.
The overall effect of the meeting was to
re-anger some cadets, and to initiate un
necessary feelings of hostility in many
others. The cadets are reasonable people
and, as a whole, do appreciate the appar
ently hostile attitude conveyed by the
general’s speech.
The facts of the story, in my opinion,
still don’t seem to warrant the punishment
given Capt. McNabb.
Thomas E. Muschalek is a senior politi
cal science major at Texas A&M.
Letters to the editor
Bible’s attitude toward gays disputable
will be made March 27-29, 7-9 p.m. in
Room 216 of the Reed McDonald Build
ing. The Battalion can not publish any
questionnaire nor make any picture that
comes in after these deadlines.
City candidates will be contacted by
The Battalion about their questionaires
and pictures.
In order to be fair to all parties. The
Battalion is setting a cutoff date of April 4
for letters which raise questions about any
candidate, to allow opposing letters to be
printed in at least the following news
paper.
Campus election days are April 9 and
10; Bryan and College Station will hold
city council and school board elections
April 7.
Editor:
The fact that Dr. Furnish made the
statements regarding homosexuality in
Wednesday’s paper does not mean he is
right, as the article suggests. It merely
means that he takes a liberal view in re
gards to interpreting the Bible.
Perkins (School of Theology) is a typical
liberal seminary that believes that much of
the Bible is not applicable today, despite
the fact that the Bible claims to be the
perfect immutable Word of God.
A professor from the Dallas Theological
Seminary would have made conclusions to
the contrary of Dr. Furnish. A study of the
gospels will show Christ himself to believe
in the perfection, applicability and im
mutability of the scriptures.
Read here Leviticus 18, Romans I and
John 17.
—Russell Dodds, ’82
Htvy. 6 runs
I have always been under the impres
sion that the actions of all Corps members,
male or female, reflect on the Corps of
Cadets and Texas A&M as a whole. If
Zentgraf can’t hold her own without at
tracting notoriety, she has no right being
in the Corps of Cadets.
Editor:
In reference to the article “Columnist
blasts Corps,” I would truly like to know
what (Melanie) Zentgraf is trying to do to
the organizations she holds so dear (or
does she?). By bringing national attention
to the so-called discrimination practiced
by the Corps, she is degrading the Corps
of Cadets, Texas A&M and herself.
Why is she here at this university any
way? To lobby for women’s rights or to be
a member of the Corps of Cadets? If
Zentgraf does decide to leave Texas A&M
due to suffering grades and “relentless
hectoring,” the Corps of Cadets, the Uni
versity and especially the Waggies will be
better off without her.
—L. Lozano, ’81
Top of the News
STATE
Trinity geological trip offered
Trinity University in San Antonio is sponsoring a geological field
trip this summer worth four hours of undergraduate or graduate
credit. The trip, led by Dr. Walter Coppinger, assistant professor of
geology at Trinity, will include volcanic fields at Los Alamos, several
western mining areas and the southern Rockies. Students will exam
ine oil fields, lava flows, Precambrian-Mesozoic stratigraphy, a ghost
ranch and reef structure in New Mexico and Colorado. Interested
students must have completed an introductory geology course and
applications must be in by May 1. Cost of the trip is $680, which
includes tuition, transportation, motels, fees and food. In addition
students must be on the Trinity campus June 11-15 and July 2-6. For
information, contact Dr. Walter Coppinger, 512/736-7607, Geology
Department, Box 389, Trinity University, San Antonio 78284.
NATION
Lance indictment due next month
Justice Department officials have begun setting up a team to prose
cute former budget director and Carter adviser Bert Lance, sources
say. Department sources said Wednesday prosecutors plan to ask an
Atlanta grand jury to hand up the criminal indictment next month,
also naming other defendants involved in alleged mishandling of bank
funds. Sources said a team of prosecutors is being selected to draft the
specific charges in the indictment and, presumably, to carry through
with prosecution in Lance’s home state. It said the grand jury is not
expected to reconvene before April 24 and no indictments could be
obtained before then. The Atlanta Journal said Lance’s attorneys have
begun preparing a defense. National Bank of Georgia loans to the
Carter family peanut business, studied during the Lance investiga
tion, triggered a separate probe into the Carter family peanut fi
nances, now in the hands of special counsel Paul Curran.
Court decision ‘blow’ to teachers
Labor lawyers said Thursday a Supreme Court decision to keep the
government out of wage problems in church operated schools is a
blow to nearly 150,000 teachers across the country. Lawrence Pol-
trock, general counsel for the American Federation of Teachers in
Chicago, told UPI the high court’s ruling Wednesday placed these
teachers in “a no man’s land in the area of organizing and bargaining
for wages and working conditions. The Court ruled that the National
Labor Relations Board could not force the Catholic bishop of Chicago
to bargain with a union representing teachers in two Catholic high
schools, Quigley North and Quigley South. The decision said the
government violated religious freedom in trying to impose its collec
tive bargaining rules on church-operated schools.
Silkwood spying order denied
A former president of Kerr-McGee Nuclear Corp. testified Thurs
day in Oklahoma City he had no knowledge of company spying on
Karen Silkwood a month before her death, as previously charged by
attorneys for Silkwood’s estate. Richard Zitting, now of Albuquerque,
N.M., said he neither ordered company security officer James Read
ing to investigate Silkwood nor knew of such an activity. Silkwood’s
family, of Nederland, Texas, seeks $11.5 million in a federal lawsuit
against Kerr-McGee, saying that negligence caused Silkwood to be
contaminated with plutonium a Week before her death. Silkwood
died in a 1974 traffic crash. She was on her way to meet a unioit 1 '
official and a reporter to discuss alleged safety violations at Kew
McGee’s nuclear fuel processing plant at Crescent, Okla., about 30
miles from Oklahoma City.
Defense ends Park questions
Defense attorney Camille Gravel finished five days of crossexami
nation of South Korean rice dealer Tongsun Park in Monroe, La.,
Thursday and handed the government’s star witness a subpoena or
dering him to return later in the trial and testify for the defense.
Gravel, defending former Rep. Otto Passman, D-La., from bribery,
conspiracy and tax evasion charges, attacked Park’s credibility Thurs
day by noting discrepancies in the South Korean’s financial records
and reminding jurors that Park faces a 36-count indictment for his
part in paying U.S. congressmen cash contributions in exchange for
their influence.
WORLD
British ambassador, butler, shot
Gunmen Thursday shot and seriously wounded Sir Richard Sykes,
the British ambassador to the Netherlands, and his butler, police
said. Police had no immediate motive for the shooting, which ap
parently was done by two men who escaped on foot. The gunmen
struck as the ambassador was leaving his home to go to the embassy
about 9 a.m. Sir Richard was hit just after he entered his Rolls Royce
limousine outside his home in a suburban section of The Hague. Police
said three shots were fired. One hit the ambassador and another struck
his butler, who was holding open the door of the automobile. The
chauffeur, who was sitting at the wheel with the engine running, took
both injured men to a nearby police station and then to a hospital
where they were listed in serious condition.
Moslems continue Afghani battle
Sibghatullah Mojaddidi, head of the Afghan Liberation Front, said
his forces control Herat despite continued counterattacks and air
bombardments by troops loyal to Premier Nur Mohammed Taraki.
Sibghattullah said some army troops in Herat stood by and did nothing
as Shiite Moslem rebels killed communist supporters of Taraki, who
seized power 11 months ago in a bloody military coup.
WEATHER
Partly cloudy and mild with fair skies on Saturday. Winds are
north westerly at 10-15 mph. 15% chance of rain.
The Battalion
LETTERS POLICY
I Letters to the editor should 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.
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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 Kimf
Managing Editor . . Liz' l(
Assistant Managing Editor .Andy"®
Sports Editor Davids
City Editor Scott Pe"®
Campus Editor Ste'<
News Editors Debbie P^
Beth Calhoun
Staff Writers Karen RogeR __
Patterson, Sean Petty, ^
Blake, Dillard Stone.
Bragg, Lyle Lovett, k 1
Taylor
Cartoonist DougCi"
j Photo Editor Lee Roy Leschpf 1
i Photographer Lynn®’
I 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
JJniversity administration or the Board of
Regents. The Battalion is a non-pi,
supporting enterprise operated l>ij
J as a university and community nelLS ^.
j Editorial policy is determined by the ^