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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 18, 1979)
Viewpoint The Battalion Texas A&M University > Wednesday April 18, 1979 Nader would he proud By DICK WEST WASHINGTON — A young man trembling on the brink of buying his first automobile came to me for guidance. I suggested we stop by and see what “Honest Sid” Lemonpusher had to offer. I sometimes forget between purchases just how accommodating used car salesmen can be. “Honest Sid” himself showed us about the lot. Turned out the only thing he had in the prospect’s price range ($100) was a 1961 Pontiac, the superstructure of which somewhat resembled the Queen Mary. I told the kid, “Here is where experience pays off. The proper move at this point is to pin the salesman down and make him de fine his terms. If you can find out what the information he volunteers really means, it will give you tremendous leverage.” Turning to Lemonpusher, I said, “What kind of warranty does she have?” “The best in town,” he crowed. “Who ever buys this little beauty gets a full 90-day warranty.” Your typical greenhorn usually drops the interrogation at this stage. But a canny vet eran schooled in the Ralph Nader brand of consumerism knows to pursue it further. “What does the warranty cover?” I asked shrewdly. “The dip stick,” Lemonpusher replied. Now we were getting somewhere. In addition to finding out exactly what the warranty covers, a smart used car buyer will make the dealer spell out all of the conditions under which it is operative. “Ok, Sid,” I said, “spell it out. What precisely are the conditions under which the warranty is effective?” Lemonpusher tossed me an admiring glance. He knew he was dealing with an old hand. “It’s all straight and aboveboard,” he said. “If during the first 90 days after the purchase of this vehicle anything goes wrong with the dip stick in the normal course of checking the oil, it will be re paired or replaced without charge.” I called the kid aside. “Make sure you get that in writing,” I advised. The kid was deeply impressed. “You really know your way around in the jungle of commerce,” he said. In the first two weeks he owned the car it developed brake failure, transmission problems, dead battery, a radiator leak, fuel line stoppage, clutch slippage, car buretor trouble, rear end vibrations and a spark knock. The dip stick, however, operated per fectly. The next time I saw Lemonpusher, I commended him for his candor. “They don’t call me ‘Honest Sid’ for no thing,” he said. Campus politicking no training for ethics By RAY JAMES DANIELS Well, elections have come and gone once again. This being my last semester at Texas A&M, I would like to relate a few observa tions about elections — keep reading, I promise you an insult, a few discouraging words, and perhaps a few thoughts to mull over. In particular, I would like to point out how Aggies as a society react to the de- mocractic process of free and open elec tions through a couple of real events occur ring in the last several weeks. EVENT 1: I was talking to a friend about the elections and mentioned that I would vote for a particular candidate. When I asked him if he might vote for that candi date, he replied: “No. Why should I. He hasn’t come to ask me to vote for him.” Letters to the Editor Rally to move tracks Sticking together Editor: The fact that Texas A&M has a railroad carrying lethal chemicals through campus should disturb every dorm resident on the north side of campus. The proximity to the railroad tracks of Keathley, Fowler and Hughes halls, those havens of honeys, should make all the men of A&M rally be hind a movement to move the tracks. Not to mention that thousands of Aggie men also live within the areas prescribed to be evacuated (thus proving their dangerous location) in the eventuality of an accident on the tracks through campus. One accident would be all that if would take to move the tracks, maybe. But why wait until someone is killed? —Jon Davis, ’80 Voice your views Editor: One of the most important proposals ever considered by the College of Engi neering, the decision to become the first Professional School of Engineering in the country, is now being closely examined. The subject has been brought before the Student Engineers Council many times but I feel the vast majority of the nearly 8,000 students of the college have yet to hear about it. The final format of the Professional School has yet to be decided but to my knowledge the most prominent includes: a two-year pre-professional curriculum, fol lowed by three to four years of professional school. The student completing the profes sional program would be required to take a professional competency exam and im mediately become a registered engineer. Having had time to evaluate the propo sal, I am whole-heartedly in support of it. I feel that the field of engineering has be come too complex and encompassing to ac quire an adequate grasp in only four years. Furthermore, I am in favor of the im mediate registration rather than the four- year “internship” that now exists. I would like to challenge, even beg, those who agree or disagree to voice their opinion on this very important decision by coming to the Industrial Representatives’ meeting in Room 102 of the Zachry Engi neering Center at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, April 19. All students are welcomed by the dean’s office. Industrial representatives and Student Engineers Council. —Rick Griffith, ’79 Editor: This is a letter to express our apprecia tion to four cars of people who were kind enough to stop and help three Aggies in trouble. On Easter Sunday two friends and my self were returning to school from San An tonio when we had a blowout. Before long, help started to arrive. With the aid of Vic Pantuso and Mike McNamara the tire was fixed. While Vic and Mike were changing the tire, another Good Ag Mark Johnson drove up and offered to follow us back in case of more trouble. Unfortunately, we did not get the names of two freshman CTs who stopped to help. We would just like thank each one of you for your thoughfulness and concern. For all you other Ags out there — get you Aggie stickers and put them on your car. They really come in handy. —Barbara Miller, ’80 Diane Jones, ’81 Mary Parma, ’81 Correction The Battalion incorrectly reported in a photo caption Monday the hours that the campus creamery is open. Weekdays the creamery is open 8:15-5:00 p.m.. Saturday it is open from 8:30 a.m. until 12:15 p.m., the fountain closes at 12 p.m. The Battalion regrets the error. EVENT 2: I have become aware of how frighteningly easy it is for one individual to muster a dozen or so friends to run for office with the stated aim of controlling Student Government for their benefit. Often they are easily elected with only a few votes. Now regardless of what you think of Stu dent Government, the University adminis tration does rely on them (sometimes ex clusively) for student input on a variety of issues. Remember, it is the student body presi dent who selects, and student senate who approves, appointments of students to such unimportant committees as the traffic ap peals committee, the health center and li brary advisory committees, menu boards, student publications board, and many others. EVENT 3: Walking home late last Saturday hight (two days before general elections) I saw two cars filled with male students stop suddenly in front of the Commons. They jumped out and pro ceeded to knock down, take apart, and break up every election sign in the area. I realize there may have been a number of reasons for doing this (frustration, insecu rity and jealousy amongst them), but the striking realization was that they would vent their feelings by violently interferring with the electorial process. EVENT 4: Monday morning a sign was hung at the entrance to the dorm. It asked the residents to vote for a dorm resident. That’s great — endorsements and support are part of the political process — espe cially when reasons are given for support ing the candiate. But only one reason for support was given by this sign: “He’s running against a Corps member and he needs your support to beat the Corps block.” As the morning progressed another sign went up. It urged the residents to examine the candidates and vote for one who would help A&M and not to vote merely on the basis of blind prejudice. The second sign was tom down within an hour; the first sign stayed up until m id-afte moon. Reviewing these events a number of thoughts come to mind, but the most strik ing one is this: How can we, as Aggies, a group known for our fervent belief in American democracy, respond to a basic tenet of the democratic system (elections) with apathy, divisive purpose, violent de struction and close-minded prejudice. I must admit that not too long ago, I probably would have voted twice in an Reader s Forum change— and so it should if history is to progress and man to grow intellectually with his technology. We must encourage, in fact pursue, the conflict with ideas. By doing so, we become stronger in support of our own beliefs and more able to deal with them. Also, we challenge our perceptions with new ones and give ourselves the opportu nity to adopt those perceptions which we feel come closest to the truth. And this process never ends, in short, victory does not always mean winning, but it is impossi ble if we do not learn. The election process, when conducted in a fair environment, free from tampering, offers us the opportunity to put our ideol ogy to a challenge, to support those whose perceptions parallel our own, and to learn by winning, by losing, and always from the conflict of ideas. It seems we have studied constitutional rights and the recent downfall of demo cratic integrity to no avail. We are content to perpetuate those attitudes and actions that have created the current one in Ameri can government. A tone that we often de spise and destruct, even though we believe in its form and its purpose. It is time for us to challenge our own actions and pursue a path that will reinstate a responsible, viable government. The best place to learn is here, the best time is now. Ray Janies Daniels is a senior biochemis try major at Texas A&-M and president of the MSC Council. 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 election if I thought I could get away with it and benefit my candidates. But let’s remember what happened in national politics not two elections ago. A group of men, who began their criminal careers by tampering with college elec tions, were led by an incumbent president of the United States, to lie, cheat and steal in order to throw a national election. If we continue our political practices, where will we be during Watergate 1995? A few weeks ago, the Brazos Civil Liber ties Union published an advertisement in The Battalion dealing with the conflict of ideas as an essential part of discovering the truth. And I think this relates well to elec tions in American society. Perhaps our most significant discovery in ; college should be that “the truth” often Top of the New CAMPUS Greaves named head yell leader Senior Pete Greaves was named head yell leader Monday after noon by the University yell leader and Bonfire committee. Greaves,a | marketing major from Austin, will coordinate the activities of the five yell leaders at next year’s athletic events. The other yell leaders are I senior Brian Hill and Jeff Smiley, and juniors Mark Outlaw and EJ I Franza. Engineer magazine needs editor The “Texas A&M Engineer,” a student publication of the Collegeof Engineering is coming back. It will be published four times a year and the publications committee of the Student Engineers Councilisj now interviewing for next year’s editor. All interested students ini' College of Engineering may contact Rick Griffith at 846-9706 before | April 26. NATION Man arrested in murder-robbery A man was arrested early Tuesday on charges murder in connec tion with the $1.9 million robbery at a Purolator armored car garate Monday in Waterbury, Conn. Three guards were cut down by hip- powered rifle fire in that incident. Police said the suspect, Lawrence Pelletier Jr., 36, of Waterbury, was charged with three counts of felony murder, possession of a sawed-off shotgun and possession of marijuana. Other suspects arrested in the case were Pelletier’s wife,.. Evelyn “Vega” Pelletier, 26, Donald Couture, 26, and his wife, Donna, 23, of Wallingford, Conn. The Pelletiers were arrested at 1:15 a.m. at their home, police said. The Coutures were pickedupin Wallingford, 10 miles southeast of Waterbury — along with most of the loot, two .30-caliber carbines and two pistols. Austi catio 27 y Pro Steel strike may bring lay-offs A wildcat strike by dissident steelhaulers has created a “serious" problem for the nation’s major steel producers and at least one has predicted layoffs if the problems between the steelhaulers and the Teamsters Union are not resolved. Republic Steel Corp., U.S. Steel and Armco Steel Corp. all said they were hurt by the strike. The strike, which started in eastern Ohio, spread into Pennsylvania and Indiana early Tuesday. One shooting was reported near Canton, Ohio, when a sniper fired a shotgun blast at a truck hauling meat One man was arrested. The dissidents, members of several militant Teamster groups including Teamsters for a Democratic Union, want to vote separately on a supplemental section of the master freight agreement covering steelhaulers. The Teamsters strike ended last week but steelhaulers have refused to go to work. Thro Texas ^ ley, re educati lot of c “I re during ley, an retired althoug educat Thing FDA head quits to go to Stanfo Donald Kennedy resigned unexpectedly Tuesday as head of the Food and Drug Administration to return to Stanford University as provost and vice-president for academic affairs. HEW Secretary Joseph Califano accepted the resignation “with great regret.” Ken nedy, who was appointed to the post a little over two years ago, was a professor of biology at Stanford before he came to the FDA. The first non-physician to head the agency in more than a decade, his per formance had generally drawn praise from consumer activists. Ken nedy will be leaving with several major issues unsettled, most notably the question of a ban on saccharin — which was set in motion before he came to the agency — and the question of an over-all revision in food safety laws. Kennedy said he was making the move “after long and difficult deliberation.” WORLD Tanzania seizes Ugandan dam Tanzanian troops seized the most important industrial center in Uganda, the giant Owens Falls dam over the river Nile, before hold out Idi Amin loyalist troops could blow it up, Communications Minis ter Akena Pojok said Tuesday. The minister said both the dam and the power station, which provides Uganda and parts of Kenya with electricity, were now in government hands but he gave no details of the military operation to seize the site — the single most important industrial complex in Uganda. Government officials said the Tanza nian troops and Ugandan government forces had not yet secured the adjoining industrial city of Jinja, the second largest city in Uganda. But the seizure of the Owens Falls dam represented the most signifi cant military victory of the new government since the capture of the capital of Kampala itself a week ago. said, "t only a Despit Univei caret i simp I ei In th directi years 1 gram ft The divisio college fresh in gran; “The divisit fresh m a degr Howev of US V collegt many e such a progra the Ac ing Ctj seek in] Hel, anothe one of was sc Adjum itkm. Bomb kills 4 on Irish border An apparent Irish Republican Army land mine exploded under a ] police vehicle near the Irish Republic border Tuesday, killing four ; officers and injuring seven other people. The four members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary were killed immediately by the mine con cealed on a contry road near Bessbrook, about 5 miles from the southern Irish border.The blast also injured two officers riding in a car behind and five civilians in a car that had just passed the mine. The outlawed IRA made no immediate claim of responsibility, but police said the mining appeared to have been done by the group. The IRA has used similar land mines against security forces in the past in the same south Armgh stronghold, 55 miles southwest of Belfast. WEATHER Mostly cloudy with mild temperatures and humid, along witha 50% chance of rain today and 30% tonight. High in the middle 70’s and alow of 60. Winds will be southeasterly at8-14mph. 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. MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Kinif) 1 Managing Editor LizN< Assistant Managing Editor .Andy "i Sports Editor David City Editor Scott Few Campus Editor Stev* News Editors Debbie Pi Beth Calhoun Staff Writers Karen Rogers, Patterson, Sean Petty, Blake, Dillard Stone, Ro) Lyle Lovett, Keith Taylor Cartoonist DougGi Photo Editor Lee Roy Leschpf' Photographer Lynn Focus section editor Gary” 1 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-profit.' supporting enterprise operated by sto as a university and community neuap Editorial policy is determined by the t