The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, April 09, 1979, Image 2

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    Viewpoint
The Battalion Monday
Texas A&M University , April 9, 1979
Unappreciated President
meeting with out-of-town editors and who
his politicial constituents would be in
1980 -
“I am not a candidate,” Carter said. “I
won’t make a decision on that or an an
nouncement until later on.” Then he
added:
“I think the general public opinion poll
results show that people think I am doing
the best I can, that I am honest and well
motivated. There have been some notable
successes recognized at the time, but then
forgotten. In a campaign, the achieve
ments of the Democratic Party would be
better publicized.”
Carter argues that he is doing better
than his Republican predecessors in deal
ing with inflation and it should not be
blamed on any one person.
“The three years before I became presi
dent the inflation rate was 8 percent, and
there was talk again of restoring manda
tory wage and price controls or having a
deliberate recession to put people out of
work again to hold down the inflation rate.
“We are doing much better than that.”
he told a Democratic audience in Wausau,
Wis.
“You have to remember that all over the
world at this point there are inflationary
pressures that neither I nor anyone else
can control,” he told a town meeting at Elk
City, Okla.
Carter summed up his feelings in his
Jefferson-Jackson Day speech in Mil
waukee.
“I think the American press, the Ameri
can people, are inclined, as a matter of
character, to emphasize the differences
which divide us, the reasons for dispute
and debate, to emphasize the problems we
have not yet solved, the questions we have
not yet answered.
“Often, Americans fail to remember the
vast reservoir of common purpose, com
mon belief, the superb achievements and
the basic strength of our country.”
News on H-bomb
not for publication
For the first time in the history of this country, a federal judge has
exercised prior censorship against a publisher.
In the now famous case of the Progressive magazine vs. the U.S. gov
ernment, District Court Judge Robert W. Warren in Madison, Wis.,
issued a preliminary injunction forbidding the magazine from printing an
article that has been described as a how-to-do-it recipe for concocting a
hydrogen bomb.
We are as troubled by the First Amendment implications of this prece
dent, especially if it is sustained on appeal, as we are glad the judge made
the decision that he did.
The Progressive argued that there is nothing in the article that is not
already in the public domain, that no information was used that is not
available to any intelligent researcher.
We are not sure this is entirely true. But even if it is, why put it all
together in one handy package and make it possible for some non-nuclear
nation to build its own hydrogen bomb sooner than it otherwise might?
Equally as murky to us is the rationale advanced by the article’s author,
Howard Morland.
He stated that the purpose of his article was “to dramatically illustrate
that the ultimate secret is no secret at all.” And to show that “as long as
secrecy is employed, the people of the United States will have no oppor
tunity to discuss the vital issues involved” in nuclear weapons.
He has abundantly accomplished his first objective, thanks to all the
publicity surrounding the government’s suit.
But we fail to see how a detailed knowledge of the workings of an
H-bomb is necessary for informed public discussion of nuclear arms policy
— any more than a detailed knowledge of automobile mechanics is neces
sary for informed discussion of traffic laws.
We agree Morland and the Progressive should negotiate a settlement
with the government whereby they publish a revised version of the arti
cle, leaving out the technical information the government objects to.
Scripps-Hotvard Newspapers
By WESLEY G. PIPPERT
United Press International
WASHINGTON — President Carter
feels that his achievements are too soon
forgotten, and that if he is a candidate for
re-election he will try to remind people of
them.
It also became apparent during Carter’s
grass-roots appearances during recent
weekends that he will try to spread the
responsibility for one of his biggest prob
lems — inflation.
These were persistent themes that
emerged in Carter’s trips to Oklahoma,
Texas and Wisconsin, where, despite dis-
C ommentary
claimers, he sounded more and more like
a candidate.
Carter ticked off again and again what
he apparently believes are his forgotten
achievements:
—The nation is at peace, has tried to be
a peacemaker in the Middle East and Af
rica.
—Lack of involvement of the United
States in foreign disputes, so that “in the
last 26 months we have not had a young
man’s life endangered on the field of battle
anywhere on earth.”
—Restoration of trust in a post-
Watergate era through openness of gov
ernment, passage of strict ethics legisla
tion.
—Unemployment has dropped from 8
percent to about 6 percent, with the crea
tion of 7.6 million new jobs.
—The federal deficit has decreased from
$66 billion a year to less than $30 billion.
—Farm income has risen 30 percent a
year.
Carter was asked about criticism of his
administration at his most recent biweekly
Letters to the Editor
Civil Liberties Union ad right on track
Editor:
In response to Mr. Sullivan’s letter in
the April 3 Battalion:
I think that the Civil Liberties Union’s
statement in the March 28 Battalion was
sorely needed to open people’s eyes to the
way things are here at Texas A&M. I have
never visited any university where the
people were sometimes afraid to voice
their opinions, but that seems to be the
case here at Aggieland.
Universities are supposed to be places
where students, faculty and visitors can be
free to express their views without the fear
of being “punished” by certain bigoted
groups of people.
Views like those of Mr. Sullivan repre
sent the kind of thinking that we do not
need here at Texas A&M. I agree that we
should preserve certain traditions such as
the Corps of Cadets that make Texas A&M
unique. But, at the same time, we should
realize that change does not have to be a
disease; it can make Texas A&M a better
place. Mr. Sullivan represents an ultra
conservative way of thinking that is a
dangerous and unneeded part of today’s
world.
Giving women the right to vote was a
change. Freeing black people from slavery
was a change. Freedom for the American
colonists from British tyranny was a
change. Are these changes you would not
have wanted, Mr. Sullivan?
—Peter Atherton, ’82
Help an Aggie
Editor:
An Aggie student needs your help. Col
lect the flip tops from beer and soda cans.
For every 1,000 collected, one free hour
on the kidney dialysis machine will be
provided. Bring your flip tops to
Willowick 614 or to Southwest Village
509. Your help will be much appreciated.
— Sharyl Wolter, ’80
Editor’s note: This letter was accom
panied by seven other signatures.
Ad misunderstood
Editor:
Chuck Sullivan’s letter to the editor of
April 3, 1979, requires a response so that
no one will be misled by his views of what
the Brazos or A&M chapters of the Ameri
can Civil Liberties Union want A&M to
become.
I do not know how he arrived at his
views of what the Civil Liberties Union
wants. I can find nothing in the statement,
“To Dispel a Myth,” that support his
suggestions of Civil Liberties Union posi
tions. The statement was more about an
exchange of ideas than it was about
changes in circumstances at A&M.
While I cannot speak for either local
Civil Liberties Union chapter, I can say
that the ideas he imputes to the two chap
ters have, with one exception, little to do
with civil liberties. The idea that the Civil
Liberties Union chapters might support
“female yell leaders” is partially accurate.
If women are not permitted to be fairly
considered for yell leader positions, then
there is a clear civil liberties problem
presented.
However, I do not see where there is a
civil liberties question presented in Mr.
Editor:
This letter is concerned with the rec
ommendation of Brad Smith for vice pres
ident of student services. In the first para
graph, The Battalion gave Brad Smith
credit for ideas that came out of my com
mittee.
If you will read the final reports submit
ted to Student Government of Wednes
day, April 4, you will see that Brad Smith
dealt primarily with the internal shuttle
bus committee. If you will read my final
report, you’ll see that my committee was
the one that dealt with ideas concerning
food, housing, and automobile co-ops.
We also worked on a bicycle route on
campus in connection with the bicycle loc
kers and racks. We worked with RHA on
the feasibility of having ice machines in
dorms. We considered the upcoming stu
dent magazine (un-named) which, hope
fully, will be published next spring. Two
projects also investigated but not com
pleted are 1) a high school student pro
gram which will help seniors plan for col
lege and careers, and 2) a look at long
range parking. All these projects can be
found in my report.
On the issue of experience. Brad Smith
was in charge of Special Projects (the shut
tle bus) while I was in charge of Special
and New Projects which dealth with all of
the projects, mentioned above. I also was
in charge of Aggie Blood Drive which is a
separate committee in Student Govern
ment which is not in connection with the
Student Services Committee.
With regards to Brad’s two years of ex
perience, I am a transfer student who
came to A&M in my sophomore year.
While I was at Galveston Junior College, I
Sullivan’s other examples: having a Corps
of Cadets does not violate any constitu
tionally protected right; no group, includ
ing “fags” is entitled to “special rights”
under our Constitution; no where in the
Constitution is the question of “hump(ing)
it” squarely presented; I cannot imagine
that a civil liberties union chapter would
support a situation where a “campus or
ganization” would make decsions about
traditions for the entire student body un
less that was the organizations’ proper re-
sponsiblity; and, “university — recognized
fraternities and sororities” is not mandated
by any constituional guarantee I am famil
iar with.
It appears to me that Mr. Sullivan
was president of the Arts Committee and
was actively involved with Student Gov
ernment.
So I feel that the reasons The Battalion
endorsed Brad rather than me are some
what unfounded and misleading. Hope
fully you will take this letter into consid
eration. Thank you.
—John T. Groce, ’80
Ignore endorsers
Editor:
In campus elections, I would hope that
the students would be trusted to judge
each candidate on his own merits rather
than on the names and titles of supporters
listed in advertisements. Important deci
sions concerning the candidate should be
based on his accomplishments and plat
forms, not on those of people he lists.
Also, this inappropriate use of campus
offices for political campaign tactics is
questionable. I encourage all students to
vote — and vote in a responsible manner
by choosing each candidate according to
his qualifications and philosophies -— not
by a listing of big-name supporters.
—Beth Scott, ’79
Exercise your vote
Editor:
Here it is, that voting time of the year.
Each year elections take place, but there is
never a majority of the students to turn out
to vote. School elections are important.
missed the point of “To Dispel a Myth.”
For this I am sorry. I hope we will do
better in communicating with him next
time. If he or anyone else wants to lean
more about what the American Civil
Liberties Union stands for, they are cor
dially invited to our up-coming meetings
and functions: A&M ACLU chapter meet
ing on April 19 at Room 604 A&B, Rudder
Tower, 7:30 p.m.; Brazos Civil Libeties
Union Fund Raising Sale, Auction, and
Dance on Friday, May 4, 1979, at the Un
itarian Fellowship Hall at 305 Wellborn
Road, at 7 p.m., featuring John Henry
Faulk. —Lamar W. Hankins
Cooperating Attorney
Brazos Civil Liberties Union
The people we pick can make a difference
on such rules as resident hall regulations,
money appropriations for various events
and all type of topics that should concern
us.
When the campaigners came around,
did you ask them any questions? You
should have. If they spent the time to
come by you should have used this
privilege.
What is upsetting is the low voter turn
out. Off-campus people are even a lower
percentage of no votes. There are booths
set up all over campus and we should take
the time to vote. When choosing your
candidate look at him or her and predict
whether they will be good in the future.
We can’t afford to lose anyone because of
cheating on test or so forth.
What really disappoints me is the school
has approximately 30,000 students, 2,200
of them in the Corps. They have a power
to elect anyone because they vote is a
block more or less. They are not necessar
ily told who to vote for but usually agree
on the same candidates. When the 2,200
vote (they have an excellent percentage of
voter turnout) together on one candidate
this usually makes a majority because the
other students’ votes are more diversified
between the other candidates.
I would like to see a couple of non-reg
yell leaders. I don’t think having Corps
yell leaders is an A&M tradition, anyway it
shouldn’t be if you think it is.
Having both Corps yell leaders and
non-Corps yell leaders will really show a
true representation of this school, a fine
university of both civilians and Corps!!
Good luck, candidates.
—Joe H. Hickman, ’79
Credit for SG work, due elsewhere
Top
of the News
CAMPUS
Prof s son in critical condition
T
gai
David Parker, 16-year-old son of a Texas A&M electrical engineer'
ing professor, Sunday night remained in critical but stable condition
after having his badly burned arm amputated in Galveston’s Job
Sealy Hospital. He was found on top of a 7,200-volt transformer
Wednesday about 9 p.m. Parker was transferred to Galveston from
St. Joseph Hospital at 1 a. m. Thursday. He is the son of Dr. Donal
L. Parker, an associate professor of electrical engineering.
‘Name that off-campus group
There is only one thing missing from the almost completed merger
of Hassle-Free and the Off-Campus Students Association —a name.
The organizations are asking the help of Texas A&M students by
sponsoring a contest with $27 worth of winner-take-all prizes. Name
suggestions must be submitted by 5 p.m. Thursday to either the
Memorial Student Center or the Off-Campus center in Puryear
lounge. Prizes include a $12 gift certificate to Pelican’s Wharf anil
three $5 gift certificates. One is to T-Shirt Plus, one to Carols
Wicker and Basket and the other one has not been named. The
winner of the contest will be announced April 20.
NATION
Execution stay only ‘small victorij
Delay of the execution of John Louis Evans III brought a roar of
approval from 41 fellow inmates on Alabama’s death row, but capital
punishment foes said Saturday it represented only a “small victory."
With the end in sight of a national 12-year moratorium on executions,
it appears unlikely that Evans and other condemned prisoners ca
escape execution. Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist granted
a stay in the Evans case Thursday evening, just six hours before the
29-year-old Evans was to be put to death in Alabama’s bright yellow
electric chair. When the full court rules on the case, Evans, who shot
and killed a pawnbroker in Mobile two years ago, very likely could
again find himself face-to-face with death. To date, Evans has insisted
he would rather die than spend his life behind bars and has stead
fastly refused to join in the appeals, which have been filed by his
mother and an attorney. But his religious confidant, Rev. Kevi Duig-
nan, has said he believes Evans may now begin fighting for his life.
Not one, hut two barrel rolls
The TWA pilot who safely landed his disabled 727 jet after a super
sonic 5-mile nosedive said Saturday the aircraft actually made two
complete rollovers in the sky. In a telephone interview with the
Detroit Free Press from his Las Vegas home, Harvey Gibson, 44,
said the 74 passengers on the New York-to-Minneapolis flight were
never aware of the barrel rolls. “I was talking to one of the cabin
attendants last (Thursday) night and he said he was strapped in the
forward jumpseat looking eye to eye at a passenger with a drink when
the airplane rolled twice and then we lost about 29,000 or 30,000
feet,” Gibson said. “But in this whole thing it was smooth, it was very
smooth. I was aware that the passengers were probably walking
around or something so I kept positive G (gravitational) forces so that
the people, even though we were bottom-side up, didn’t know we
were bottomside up. When the thing was all over and done with, the
guy and his wife both had their two glasses of wine sitting in front of
them and they both had a drink.” Earlier, it was reported the aircraft
completed a single barrel roll Wednesday night. The Federal Avi
ation Administration said it was a “miracle” the airliner did not disin
tegrate.
he
W
Largest nuclear sub launched
wl
The United States Saturday launched the world’s largest sub
marine at Groton, Conn. It is the most powerful nuclear fortress ever
built and the first equipped with Trident missiles. Three thousand
anti-nuclear protesters demonstrated outside the plant. About 230 of
the demonstrators were arrested and charged with disorderly con
duct for allegedly blocking entrances to the Electric Boat Division of 61
General Dynamics plant where First Lady Rosalynn Carter and ®
12,000 spectators watched the christening of the first $1.2 billion
Trident nuclear-attack submarine. Police had to use a large wire
cutter to break heavy chains used to connect some demonstrators to
the plant’s gates and each other. The demonstrators protested the ®
nuclear capabilities of the Trident, which is capable of leveling 408
targets with a nuclear blast five times as great as the atomic bomb
which was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, at the end of World War II.
WORLD
U.S. cancels most aid to Pakistan
After learning Pakistan was building a plant that could turn out
weapons-grade uranium, the United States cut off most U.S. eco
nomic assistance to the current regime. The State Department in
voked the Symington amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act,
which requires all economic and military assistance be cut off to any
country which receives nuclear re-processing equipment, and does
not place them under international controls. The president could
have continued the aid program, despite the Pakistani fuel-
enrichment plant, if he could certify that “he has received reliable
assurances that the country in question will not acquire or develop
nuclear weapons.” In 1976, the Ford administration chose to ignore
evidence that Pakistan was about to procure the enrichment process
ing equipment and waived the required cut-off in aid.
4
4
4
4
WEATHER
Partly cloudy with 20% chance of rain today and a 60°/o
chance tonight. High in the low 70’s and a low of 50
will be westerly at 10-15 mph.
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.
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Angeles.
• ■ ^ E
Scott Pei^ )
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 Kifllj
Managing Editor Liz' 11 ' I
Assistant Managing Editor .Andy"^ |
Sports Editor
City Editor
Campus Editor Ste'*
News Editors Debbie
Beth Calhoun
Staff Writers Karen Rogers-^ I
Patterson, Sean Petty, ^ |
Blake, Dillard Stone, Roy!
Lyle Lovett, Keith Taylor
Cartoonist DougC’ 1 ’ |
Photo Editor Lee Roy LesctTj
Photographer Lynn
Focus section editor Gar)"’
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- profli
supporting enterprise operated by ^
as a university and community ne#J
Editorial policy is determined by the