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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 5, 1979)
Viewpoint The Battalion Texas A&M University , Thursday April 5, 1979 Mistakes haunt nukes The anguish and confusion over the nuclear power plant accident at Harrisburg, Pa., stem from errors in judgment that occurred decades ago. The pioneers of nuclear power, riding high on World War II’s great wave of creative technology, assumed that it would be relatively simple to build enough plants to supply this country with cheap electricity for generations. They also judged the risks to be low, compared with the benefits, and decided that, in any event, what the public did not know about those risks could not hurt it. They were wrong. And it now may be too late to correct those errors in judg ment, particularly the error in treating the mysteries of nuclear-power generation as the industry’s own private business. The industry accepted the inevitability of accidents, but assured the public that emergency systems would override any equipment failure or wrong decision long before a power plant’s reactor could get out of control. Until last year the federal government insisted that the possibility of the ulti mate nuclear power plant disaster — a core-melt — was so remote that it need not even be addressed in any hazard analysis that accompanied an application for permission to build a plant. And, until the Harrisburg incident, nuclear experts could demonstrate that emergency systems had prevented every breakdown and failure from triggering other failures that would make a core-melt a real threat. That is no longer the case. Not only did the emergency systems fail to bring the Harrisburg reactor immediately under control as they were meant to do, but the nuclear engineers did not know why. From now on, decisions about whether nuclear-power capacity should be ex panded can never be technical decisions; they must be political decisions, with all that implies for mistakes in judgment based on false and panicky perceptions of risk, rather than on cold, analytical fact. It cannot be otherwise, because the cold, analytical feet is that Harrisburg was not supposed to happen. Los Angeles Times Letters to the Editor Foreigners’ fair share Editor: In response to the article about a peti tion not to raise international students’ tui tion, found on the front page of The Battal ion on April 3, I feel it’s time these foreign students got an equal share of the excel lent education offered at this meritorious university. These students all figure into the cate gory of an ethnic minority. Quite often these people, because of their physical or cultural characteristics, receive differen tial and unequal treatment from the major ity population. Although I don’t happen to be an “international” here, I do feel it is their right to obtain a degree from any United States university or college they choose, just so long as they meet all the eligibility requirements as the other stu dents. Shouldn’t we be glad that they at least selected the finest school in the country to obtain that education from? If anyone from this area truthfully can answer that ques tion with a “yes,” then they ought to sign the petition against a bill to raise the tui tion for these foreign pupils. —Chuck Burr, ’79 Editor’s note: A petition against raising foreign students’ tuition is currently being circulated operating out of a booth in the main hall of the Memorial Student Cen ter. Move on elections Editor: I am supporting Jim McNamara for Po sition 2 in the A&M Consolidated School Board race and hope that large numbers of voters will go to the polls this Saturday — preferably to vote for Jim. Because space was limited in the “For The Voters” section of Tuesday’s Battal ion, one of Jim’s responses on his qualifica tions had to be deleted. I would like to . present those qualifications below: (1) Professor of Educational Administra tion at Texas A&M University, Columbia University, and University of Oregon; (2) Cost accountant for Philco Ford Corpora tion; (3) Management consultant to school districts in Texas, Oregon, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and Minnesota; (4) Educational planner in the Pennsylvania Education Agency; (5) Visit- Congress insulated from nation’s inflation By CHERYL ARVIDSON United Press International WASHINGTON — The bank in the House of Representatives deals only in crisp new bills, not the “used” money av erage Americans find in their pockets. Anyone who thinks federal lawmakers are long on speeches about the horrors of inflation, but short on action to correct the situation, need look no farther than the bank that serves them to understand why. How can a lawmaker who has never been handed a wrinkled or dog-eared dol lar bill have any grasp of economic duress? The bank is only one example of how Congress has insulated itself over the years from the ravaging inflation that has swept the nation. Members of Congress and their staffs benefit from “discount” haircuts and shoeshines, reduced prices on office supplies and stationery, and even budget rates on Christmas cards. Cab rates in the District of Columbia are designed so that individuals can travel from Capitol Hill to some of the most far- flung federal office buildings without ever switching zones, thus assuring con gressional travelers the lowest possible bill. In the middle of some of the most valu able real estate on the East Coast, con gressmen and senators enjoy free parking. They also benefit from a free gym and even free office plants delivered and cared for by the Botanical Gardens and replaced for no charge should they die. You won’t find congressmen and senators complaining about the bite Social Security deductions take from their paychecks or the agony of making do on fixed retirement incomes as prices soar for basics such as food, heat and shelter. Members of Congress are exempt from the Social Security system they put in place for other Americans. Instead, they enjoy a federal pension plan that would make the average worker in the private sector drool with envy. And if it gets tough to live on a congres sional salary in the style they like, mem- Readers Forum bers can decide how much of a raise they want and vote it into effect. They did just that in 1977, boosting their annual salaries by $12,900 to the current level of $57,500. So it is not without irony that both the House and Senate recently have been looking for other ways to augment their incomes. When the Senate agreed to the $12,900 raise, it did so contingent on limiting out side earned income to 15 percent of the annual salary or $8,625 effective this year. But recently, the Senate freed itself from the limit for at least four more years. As a result, senators will be able to make an additional $25,000 a year just in hon orariums for speeches plus an unlimited amount of other outside earned income not specifically prohibited by the ethics code. Unearned income, such as divi dends from stocks or holdings, was never restricted. Meanwhile, the House Ways and Means Committee has begun work on legislation that would give members of the House and Senate a $50-a-day income tax deduction to offset the cost of living in Washington. The resulting tax break would be in the area of $13,000 to $14,000 annually. That would be a substantial increase over the $3,000 tax deduction members of Congress have been claiming since 1952 for the cost of maintaining a second home in Washington. Backers of the measure say a revision is necessary to take into account inflation since 1952. In other words, Congress is considering a retroactive cost-of-living ad justment that would make even the most lucrative union contract pale in compari son. So don’t look to Congress for economic relief. You may find some words of sym pathy, but they will be only hollow phrases that lack the understanding of what really is going on. You see, action only comes when one’s own ox is being gored. And Congress has cloaked its ox in armor. Lid shut on A&M ills ing lecturer at Rand Corporation and Na tional Academy of School Executives; (6) Public school mathematics teacher; (7) Regular attendance at A&M Consolidated Board meetings; and (8) Father of four children enrolled in A&M Consolidated School District. —Linda Busby 1412 Magnolia College Station Editor’s note: Because of limited space. The Battalion had to drop the last ques tion of all candidates for the Position 2 A&M Consolidated School Board race. The two other contenders, Herman D. Brown and Oran Jones, both said they had no comment on the question, which asked for comments on any other subject. By ROBERT P. BATEMAN During a 20 year career in the Air Force, it was quite obvious that there have been very few generals who knew any thing at all about dead armadillos. Al though I have been at Texas A&M only a few months, I have personally seen a dead armadillo. They do exist. Of course, I was never promoted to general. None of this is strange or surprising. Neither is it strange or surprising to dis cover that a commander is unaware of all the things that are happening here at Texas A&M. What is strange is that such a person believes that, if he is not aware of an event, it did not happen. There appears to a common attitude among some of our senior leaders that the sum total of reality occurs in their own minds. To be sure, there is a military tenet that a commanding officer is responsible for everything that occurs in his command. The competent leaders maintain open channels of communication so that they know what is happening, and can take ac tion when necessary. The incompetent are either unable to handle the volume of in formation or unable to act. Rather than acknowledge one of these inabilities, they choose to deny reality. This keeps their problems at a level they can handle in their own little minds. They are fully able to be responsible for these small problems. The absence of large problems apparently results in promotion to general. If there is a vocal minority at Texas A&M who resent the presence of women in the Corps, and this minority group commits actual acts that may be construed as discrimination, then it seems logical to conclude that there is discrimination, re gardless of how high the rank of the off icer who denies it. The complaints themselves are evidence that all is not well in Aggie- land. But discrimination can be a big problem It is easier to deny it than to deal with it. Cheating can also be a big problem. It, too, is easier to cover up than to expose. If the student body cannot help to keep these big problems from surfacing, it will be very difficult for some very important people to be promoted. And without pro motions, where would this nation get its leaders who are skilled in keeping the lid on big problems (like how to attract citi zens into an all-volunteer force)? It seems to me that there must be prob lems, or we would not be hearing the rumbles; it seems to me that unless some one is willing to acknowledge and deal with these problems, they will continue to plague the university. But then, I was never promoted to general. Robert P. Bateman is a graduate stu dent at Texas A&M. Readers’ Forum Guest viewpoints, in addition to Letters to the Editor, are welcome. All pieces submitted to Readers forum should be: • Typed triple space • Limited to 60 characters per line • Limited to 100 lines Thotz nr-Mjs-h select" orve csf yoo "Firval app\ic.anrhs ^ - (> ^\schoa\ paper. You all read ard \wriTe'?| By Doug Graham (w«Al ’ wcuAck you do i'f fb*- School pnesident —^S\/i — a slush -fu Td i nve sfig ate bfej) I'd print W, if it were true. r~ L coo\d CASily be bo'j^Vrt c ^t' Top of the News STATE Hill asks protest of fraud Former Attorney General John Hill, speaking in Austin, urged citizens to protest the actions of senators who broke off the longest filibuster of the session about 3 a. m. Wednesday and pushed through tentative 18-7 approval of a bill critics contend would gut the state’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act. “It is absolutely an outrage,’ Hill told a Capitol news conference. “It’s going to make fraud profitable. Hill called for a public outcry of support for Sen. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, and six other senators who shuttled in and out of the Senate chamber for 15 hours in a round robin filibuster against the bill Tuesday and Wednesday. “Just a little citizen effort would be enough,” Doggett said, noting a switch by two senators would be enough to prevent the bill from coming up for final approval. “The people of Texas haven’t been gagged yet.” NATION AF investigates F-4 crash Air Force investigators are attempting to determine the cause of an F-4 phantom jet crash near Gum Neck, N.C., that killed two people. Capt. David Robertson of Seymour Johnson Air Force base Tuesday identified the jet’s dead crewmen as Capt. Larry G, Pitts, 29, of Dallas and Lt. Robert Neeshan, 24, of Columbus, Ohio. The F-4 crashed Monday in a wooded area of Tyrrell County near a military bombing range. The jet was carrying live ammunition and residents near the crash site were asked to stay out of the area. Both officers were assigned to the 334th Tactical Fighter Squadron. Airline cancels Easter flights United Airlines announced Wednesday in Washington that it has canceled all flights and reservations through the Easter weekend because of the strike of mechanics and other ground crew personnel, The announcement came as negotiators for the airlines and union were scheduled to resume bargaining under the auspices of the Na tional Mediation Board to end the 5-day-old walkout.. “We just now canceled all flights through Easter weekend,” said a spokesman for the airlines. The bargaining had not yet resumed at the time the announcement was made. Even if a quick tentative settlement is reached, the agreement would probably have to be submitted for rank-and-file ratification before the walkout would end.. Carter nominates new adviser President Carter said Wednesday he will nominate George C. Eads, an economist both in and out of government, to be a member of the Council of Economic Advisers. Eads, 36, a native of Clarkesville, would replace William Nordhaus, who resigned. Eads taught at Har vard 1968-72, was with the Justice Department Antitrust Division 1971-72, taught at George Washington University 1972-75, was with the Council on Wage and Price Stability 1974-75, was excutive direc tor of the National Commission on Supplies and Shortages 1975-77, was senior economist for Rand Corporation 1977-78 and its directorof regulatory policies and institutions from 1978 until he joined the Council of Economic Advisers last month. No new ambassador to Mexico The State Department said Wednesday U.S. Ambassador Patrick Lucey will remain in Mexico City, thus ending weeks of speculation about the diplomatic future of the former Wisconsin governor. Ear lier this month, the State Department had confirmed that Lucey was being considered for a new position but that President Carter would like him to stay in Mexico — if that is what Lucey wanted. At the same time, a spokesman said that Lucey is no longer a candidate for a new position to be created within the State Department that will coordinate all aspects of Mexican-American relations. During the past few weeks, a number of reports have speculated that Lucey would be recalled to Washington to head a new Mexican-American relations agency and that former Rep. Bob Krueger, D-Texas would replace him as ambassador. WORLD Former Pakistan ruler executed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, ruler of Pakistan for five turbulent years, was hanged by the neck for 30 obligatory minutes in Islamabad, Pakistan, Wednesday and quickly buried by the military regime. Protests erupted in at least two cities. Bhutto, 51, was executed shortly before dawn at Rawalpindi district jail. Mohammad Zia ul-Haq, who de posed Bhutto in a military coup, ordered the execution. Four federal police officials convicted of murder with Bhutto reportedly were hanged also. Bhutto was convicted of ordering the murder of a politi cal opponent, Ahmed Raza Kasuri, in November 1975. A military transport plane flew the Bhutto’s body to his tribal village of Ghari Buksh for a government burial. Troops attack Uganda capital Tanzanian troops attacked the Ugandan capital of Kampala from three sides Wednesday, and there were predictions the virtually de fenseless city would fall within hours. The 20,000-man Tanzanian invasion force stormed and quickly captured the headquarters of President Idi Amin’s infamous Makindye military barracks. Spokes men for the Ugandan government in exile, waiting for Amins downfall, said the capital could not withstand the assault and would fall quickly. The officials said Tanzanian troops and Ugandan exiles and guerrillas attacked the city from the south, west and north. They said the eastern side of the city leading to Kenya had been deliber ately left open to allow the last remaining supporters of Amin’s re gime to escape a bloodbath. WEATHER Partly cloudy and mild with a slight chance of thunder show ers. High in the mid 70’s and a low in the upper 50’s. Winds are northerly at 10 m.p.h. The Battalion LETTERS POLICY 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. 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. 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 MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Kimfy 01 Managing Editor LizNe*! 5 Assistant Managing Editor . Andy Willi® 1 ' Sports Editor David B<# City Editor Scott PendltW Campus Editor Steve 1^ News Editors Debbie Par® 11 Beth Calhoun Staff Writers Karen Rogers, Mart Patterson, Sean Petty, Di^ Blake, Dillard Stone, Roy BraiJ Lyle Lovett, Keith Taylor Cartoonist Doug Grata 11 Photo Editor Lee Roy LeschpefJ 1 Photographer Lynn Blan"’ Focus section editor Gary Weld Regents. The Battalion is a non-profit, xf supporting enterprise operated by as a university and community newspof Editorial policy is determined bytheedW