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
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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
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