Viewpoint The Battalion Texas A&M University^ Wednesday May 2, 1979 Bad time for draft The era of our involvement in Vietnam was one of the most divisive in American history. The nation became more cynical and suspicious of its leaders than during any time since the Great Depression. Fifty-thousand pointless deaths can do that. The youth of the era, mistrusting the military and all other establish ment” institutions, dropped out of their parents’ culture and created their own. The focus of their discontent was the draft; Hell no, we won t go, students chanted at protest rallys across the country, and the message got through. SIX YEARS AGO THE DRAFT ENDED and the all-volunteer army began. Yet now Carter and other politicians want to start the draft again. If they do, they will very likely trigger the same earthquake that divided the country in the sixties. Because nothing has happened since then to improve the military’s image. Accurate or not, the idea of a selective service still conjures the image of warlords sending innocents to be butchered without purpose. AMERICA DOES NEED AN ARMY, and a competent one. It needs high-quality enlisted men in larger numbers than are joining the volunteer army, just as it needs high-quality political leaders who can make intelligent use of such an army. Without such an army, the country’s flexibility to respond to individual situations is diminished. But a return to mandatory military service could do America more harm than good. THE NATION IS STILL FEELING THE EFFECTS of alienating a generation of its citizens. Public confidence in all institutions, not just the military and the government, is extremely low. In terms of the potential social consequences, there couldn’t be a worse time to resurrect the draft. The last thing the country needs is a dropped-out, turned-off counter culture to contend with. Which it will have, if it restores the draft before restoring public confidence that we’ll have a damn good reason the next time we send in the Marines. —Scott Pendleton Australians divided on drilling at Barrier B.eef By JOHN SHAW SYDNEY — Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is the most remarkable coral formation on earth — a 1,200-mile stretch of islands and lagoons containing a fantastic variety of colorful marine life. It is fast becoming the focus of a fierce controversy here. Drilling companies are currently seeking the right to prospect for offshore oil in the region, which lies off the northeast coast of this continent, and their efforts have triggered a debate between advocates of conservation and partisans of economic de velopment. The debate ove^ - the Barrier Reef is as suming dramatic proportions because of t^g a&ea’s fame as ope of the world’s natural wonders, but it symbolizes a broader con flict growing here over the issue of de velopment versus conservation. The other controversies have arisen as a result of attempts by oil, mining and timber interests to tap the country’s immense re sources. In several instances, these dis putes involve Australia’s aboriginal popula tion, which is striving to defend its lands against intrusion. In the case of the Barrier Reef, the oil companies are being backed by the state government of Queensland, which exer cises local authority in that region. The Reef itself comes under the responsibility of the federal government, which has been somewhat equivocal on the subject. Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser and other federal leaders are promising to pro tect the Barrier Reef, but their pledges do not specifically include a ban on drilling in its tropical waters. Two kinds of pressures are therefore col liding over the question. The pro development faction argues that energy needs and economic growth deserve prior ity, while the conservationists contend that disrupting the Reef would ruin a unique national treasure. The conservationists have mobilized a vocal segment of public opinion as well as much of the media, and a “Save the Reef’ campaign has been launched to declare the area out-of-bounds to everyone except tourists, fishermen and scientists. The Barrier Reef is actually a misnomer, since it is made up of an enormous number of separate reefs, islands and keys covering 90,000 square miles. The formations are the creation of tiny marine creatures called polyps, which secrete calcium, whose reef-building process may have begun 30 million years ago. The tropical waters wash over a brilliant submarine landscape of coral cliffs and val leys inhabited by vivid fish, huge clams and giant turtles. The Barrier Reef is considered to be vul nerable to ecological cycles. Not long ago, for example, a small part of it was destroyed by a species of starfish known as the “crown of thorns, ” which preys on the polyps that BOILING GR1TS,S1R. ITS ALL WE'RE ALLOWED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF SALT 17 build and sustain the coral formations. Some experts believe that the phenome non was natural, but others blame it on a tilt in the ecological balance caused by over fishing a tasty crustacean called the triton, which feeds on the starfish. Whatever the reason, the situation seems to have re turned to normal and many damaged reefs are now being reconstructed by the polyps. Opponents of development assert that a major oil spill from an offshore well, such as occurred off California a few years ago, is the kind of hazard that the area faces if it is exploited. The Barrier Reef is only about 20 miles from the Australian coast at its north ernmost point and reaches out some 200 miles in the extreme south. Though the Reef was declared a national underwater park in 1976, the oil companies want to drill between the mainland and the outer bar rier, and the debate has been complicated by uncertainties over where the seabed be gins and the coral formations end. It is not going to be resolved easily. Meanwhile, similar fights are surfacing in other parts of Australia as mining com panies lobby to dilute legislation that they claim inhibits the exploration and produc tion of the country’s min wealth. A target of these companies is the National Heritage Commission, which defines and regulates protected regions. One firm preparing to mine uranium, for instance, has raised objections to the fact that a piece of the territory it leased was recently carved into a new national park. In the west, farmers and real estate interests concerned with water supplies are resisting a company aiming to cut down forests in order to begin mining bauxite. Still another dispute is between a mining outfit and aborigines hostile to the com mercial contamination of lands that they regard as sacred. Aborigines also tangling with an oil consortium in northern Austra lia for the same reason. It may seem exaggerated that this wrangling is going on in a country that is as spacious as the United States and has a population of only 14 million. But it mirrors the sensitivity of Australians to the signifi cant contemporary issue of whether price less areas, like the Great Barrier Reef, ought to be jeopardized for the sake of short-term economic gains. Shaw is an Australian journalist who writes on political and social issues. Stop the draft Editor: In 1973 the draft was eliminated as a method for the armed forces to acquire troops. Now, just six years later, the U.S. government has begun taking the neces sary steps for its reinstatement. President Carter would like to spend $5 million to overhaul and improve the selec tive service system, while in Congress five draft-related bills have been introduced and are pending consideration. The pro posed bills range from plans to facilitate registration of draft-age persons to plans for mandatory government service, military or non-military, for all 18-year-olds. Even the least offensive of these proposals must be viewed as prefiguring the complete revival of the draft. The Pentagon is not content with a hired army capable of defending national borders and allocations totaling over one-half of federal tax revenues for its budget. It now appears intent on acquiring the ability to increase its strength by forcing persons into its ranks. With an increased size and the ability to call more men into service, the probability of a U.S. military intervention (like the one in South Vietnam) becomes more likely. This latest manifestation of militarism needs to be addressed and stopped before Letters to the machinery is once again set in motion. The consequences of allowing its revival go beyond forced labor and the increased chance of military action. Even now propo sals exist to allow the selective service ac cess to information on draft-age persons without their consent. Further govern ment spying on citizens and the continued erosion of civil liberties also seem likely results. On May 1 groups across the nation planned to rally against the attempted reinstatement of the draft. After that date it will be necessary for those who oppose these actions to be active in a campaign to prevent these bills from being enacted into law. It is still possible to prevent a return of the draft. —John Oswald Editor’s note: This letter was accom panied by nine other signatures. Misleading head Editor: The Battalion of April 25 carried a story headlined FBI sued by accused com munist.’’ The headline excited my curios ity: what nefarious. radical was suing the Bureau this time? Was it, perhaps, Gus Hall of the American Communist Party or the Editor some member of the litigious Socialist Workers’ Party? No, it was John Henry Faulk, a nationally-known humorist who appears on the television show “Hee Haw’’ each week. The “accusations (Faulk) was a com munist were made well over 20 years ago by right-wing elements in the entertain ment field supporting the witch-hunts of the late Sen. Joseph McCarthy. Faulk sub sequently won a suit against these people and recovered substantial damages from them. The headline, however, makes it seem as if the accusations against Faulk (which were groundless to begin with) are still relevant. A man whose main cause is the defense of the Bill of Rights and who gives frequent guest lectures to journalism classes here at Texas A&M is still, decades after the fact, an “accused communist.” If this label is to be applied to John Henry Faulk, then perhaps it ought also to be applied to others whom the McCarthyites denounced as communists or persons “soft on com munism”: people like Gen. George C. Marshall, architect of the Marshall Plan; President Harry Truman; Secretary of State Dean Acheson; and J. Robert Op- penheimer, developer of America’s hy drogen bomb. When The Eagle carried a similar story, its headline referred to the plaintiff in the suit simply as “John Henry Faulk.” Why could not The Battalion have done the same? —Robert R. Green, ’82 Equus: excellent Editor: I would like to congratulate all of those involved in the production of “Equus.” It was excellent. I enjoyed it immeasurably. Equus” was the most impressive encounter I have had at Texas A&M this year. Thank you so much for the culture you have added to this school. —Karen Fernbach, ’82 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 By Top of the News CAMPUS Editor named top junior at A6M a two ne Liz Newlin, editor of The Battalion, was named the top junior incidence University by the Texas A&M chapter of Phi Kappa Phi a national iff RHj academic honor society. The award which includes a $500 schol-Ration arshin was made Tuesday night at the society s initiation banquet f Invitation to join the inter-disciplinary society is based on grade point J USt average and personal character. Each of the ten colleges used reconi, r last me mendations from their departments in nominating a junior. The candiAffnpson dates were interviewed by a panel of judges in the society last month. ’ J, The other juniors, the top in their colleges, are Mark Stem sc^feer t°cision. Ke RH irt propos Mi of dorr ■e l )ffice ■ation. The prop* tic Two years ago Houston annexed Clear Lake City but the smaller | Ry RI( city’s residents want that action rescinded. Citizens of Clear Lake City ■ : claim they are taxed twice for water and sewer services and receive Take hear little police and fire protection from Houston Houston s lobbyist, am from Steve Oaks, said that if Clear Lake City were successful. You’ll see mething o other areas around Houston peeling off simply because they don’t want jxas A&M to pay their fair share for the services. That would endanger Hous- vil Engine ton’s bond rating, he said. A proposed law may help the small commu- lampion in nity by allowing Houston to rebate 65 percent of the property taxes Big. paid by Clear Lake residents if its water district will provide fire The men’s :ott Holm mpetitors, *ld in M a vay In the ree second ith a winni id[14 secoi The ASC /erall with niversity ol Besides th jes were away. No one was injured in the second collision, between the train l(W j n g Ry j and a tractor-trailer loaded with lumber at a private rail crossing near Sharon, Vt. Man kills doctor, self over care A 21-year-old man in Lockland, Ohio, apparently dissatisfied with his doctor’s treatment for his skin problem, shot and killed the doctor Monday and then turned the gun on himself. Police said Joe Derminio walked into the house-office of Dr. S. Gregory Miceli, pulled out a .357-magnum revolver, and shot the doctor in the chest and then apparently shot himself in the chest. Derminio, who lived about a block from the doctor s house, had been treated — but not cured of — a skin problem. Sears, where inflation stops? Sears, Roebuck and Co., the nation’s largest retailer, is reducing all prices in its current catalog by 5 percent, effective today. Chairman Edward R. Telling announced the rollback Monday, saying " the action is being taken in cooperation with the president’s program to fight inflation. The Sears announcement was its second in less than a week in support of President Carters voluntary wage and price guidelines. Last week the giant retailer announced selective rollbacks in prices of items sold in its stores. WORLD SALT talks nearing completion Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin and Secretary of State Cyrus Vance met Tuesday for the 22nd strategic arms limitation negotiating session this year. U.S. officials said Dobrynin brought his govern ment s response to an American proposal that was presented last officials said they believe one or two more sessions will be required on the final issue, the definition and rules governing t e development of new types of missiles, and how to make sure that both sides adhere to the guidelines. They said that the final agreement cou come as early as this week, with another meeting needed to set up arrangements for a summit meeting at which the treaty would be signed by President Carter and Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev. oward Fui iggins. Tom Hoo SCE, was jrformance “It was a ri in the tea id “We ^ lUSe we cle: hole thing illed for tw itunst the F/l In- protection, emergency medical services and garbage disposal. NATION Train has two accidents in a day The Montrealer passenger train slammed into a small truck before sunrise Tuesday, killingfive members of a Charlestown, N.H., family, and had, once it got going again, another accident in Vermont 20 miles WEATHER cloudy and warm with a 20 °/° chance of rain. High today ot 80 and a low of 60. Winds will be S.E. at 10-15 mph. 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 ' The Battalion 15 MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Liz New Address correspondence to Utters to the Editor The S2£rr£r£!i M UcD °" M —*» “”•«* rsaitor ■ Managing Editor Andy Will' Ml I Asst. Managing Editor Dilla™ | Sports Editor Sean Mo Cut Represented nationally by National Educational Adver- Angele^ erVICeS ’ InC ’’ NCW Yt>rk City ’ Chica 8° “.d Lo s s T I^ e B i a ' a l° n 15 P ublished Monday through Friday from September through May except during exam and holiday the summer, when it is published on Tuesday through Thursday. .^..1"^^"* ar , e „® 16 ' 75 I >er semester; $33.25 per 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 ' City Editor ’. . ’.'. Roy Campus Editor Keith T 3 ) 1 News Editors Michelle B urr0 ., . Karen Cornells® Staff Writers Doug Grawf Mark Patterson, Kurt Abraham, Caro! Blosser, Richard Oliver, Diane Meril Edwards, Lyle Lovett, Moehlman, Robin Thompson Editorial Directors Karen Rogo 1 - Scott Pendlf Cartoonist Doug Gra^ Photo Editor Lynn Ref Photographers Clay Focus section editor Beth Call 10 Options 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-profi 1 ^ supporting enterprise operated by s u Tc as a university and community Editorial policy is determined by <