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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 20, 1979)
Slouch by Jim Earle “Do you hear a TV playing somewhere?” Opinion To tell a secret Members of Congress spent nearly $4 million in public funds on foreign travel last year. It was a record amount. Most congressional tours are billed as fact-finding missions to enable the lawmakers to pass more intelligent legislation. But as everyone knows, many of these trips are nothing more than tax-paid vacations for congressmen. Even when the congressmen are engaged in serious business overseas, many of them usually manage to live high at the taxpayers’ expense. Members of Congress didn’t tell the taxpayers about al most half of it, according to Congressional Quarterly. It said 293 senators and representatives took 505 government-paid trips abroad last year. CQ estimated that more than 40 percent of the cost of those trips went unre ported. Most of that was for military jets to fly congressmen overseas. Federal law requires congressmen to file reports on government-paid foreign trips, disclosing their desti nations, amounts spent, names of staff members traveling and, for House members, dates of travel. It is hard to tell how many members of congress are in violation of this law. There are convenient loopholes. The porous quality of the law comes as no surprise. Con gress is not likely to pass any law that actually cuts back on its privileges and pay or which gives the taxpayers a look at how they are being taken in. Congress has all kinds of ways of increasing the income of members without making it appear the members have their hands in the taxpayers’ pockets. Now it appears that Congress is equally adept at passing a spending law which dosn’t require the member to disclose anything they don’t want to. The Nashville Tennessean the small society by Brick man 1^ IT RAfZP TcP &&■ The Battalion US PS 045 360 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. Tlie Battalion is published Monday through Friday from September through May except during exam and holiday seriods and the summer, when it is published on Tuesday hrough 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 .Liz Newlin Managing Editor Andy Williams Asst. Managing Editor Dillard Stone News Editors . .Karen Cornelison and Michelle Burrowes Sports Editor Sean Petty City Editor Roy Bragg Campus Editor Keith Taylor Focus Editors Beth Calhoun and Doug Graham StaflF Writers Meril Edwards, Diane Blake, Louie Arthur, Richard Oliver, Mark Patterson, Carolyn Blosser, Kurt Allen Photo Editor . . . Lee Roy Leschper Jr. Photographers Lynn Blanco, Clay Cockrill, Sam Stroder, Ken Herrerra Cartoonist Doug Graham Regents. The Battalion is a non-profit, self- supporting enterprise operated by students as a university and community newspaper. Editorial policy is determined by the editor. Viewpoint The Battalion #Texas A&M University • Thursday September 20,19; Broder Kennedy challenge to presidency would pit North against South in new ‘civil war By DAVID S. BRODER United Press International WASHINGTON — More than a year ago, Patrick Caddell, the President’s polls ter, began talking about a.Carter-Kennedy contest as a “civil war” that could wreak havoc inside the Democratic party. This week, the same phrase was rattling over the phones as Carter operatives la bored to prevent a mass defection by Dem ocratic politicians to Sen. Edward M. Ken nedy (D-Mass.) in the wake of his clearly signaled readiness to oppose Jimmy Car ter. What Caddell was telling friends pri vately in 1978 was that there was no way that Carter and Kennedy, whatever their personal wishes, could limit their campaign to the issues on which they differ or their credentials as national leaders. “It would inevitably pit the North against the South, the cities against the coun tryside, the liberals against the conserva tives, and the Catholics against the Protes tants,” Caddell said in characterizing the dreaded combat between two of his per sonal clients. Now that his views are being repeated publicly by others in the Carter camp as a reason why good Democrats should shun a Kennedy challenge, the proposition will certainly receive skeptical scrutiny. In New Hampshire, the site of the first primary, the view of the Kennedy chal lenge’s potential divisiveness seemed to depend, in most instances, on the al legiance of the viewer. Sen. John A. Dur kin (D-N.H.), a Kennedy partisan who is unsparingly scornful of tbe President, told me that whatever wounds might be opened in th February contest “will be healed by St. Patrick’s Day. But State Rep. Chris Spirou (D), the House minority leader, who missed the Carter boat in 1976 and leaped with perhaps premature haste aboard the Presi dent’s ship this time, countered with the claim that a Kennedy run would be “politi cal cannibalism. ... It would set us back 25 years in this state.” Gov. Hugh Gallen (D), who is as sane as the other two men are emotional, suggested that the truth might lie some where in between. Gallen is the key Carter supporter in New Hampshire, but he is not trying to choke off the draft-Kennedy drive in his state. “We in New Hampshire realize we are a minority party,” he told me, “and we need each other. But if we didn’t, we would suite have gone after each other be fore this.” While Gallen’s common sense may cool the warring passions within his state, the larger context the Carter-Kennedy strug gle could prove Caddell right. The polls show Kennedy a 2-to-l favorite over Carter among the nation’s Democratic voters. But Tim Kraft, Carter’s campaign manager, is not blowing smoke when he says that if there is a contest, it is likely to last all the way to the August convention. This time, proportional representation will be applied without exception to the delegate-selection contests in all 50 states. That means that even where Carter is be aten by Kennedy, the President will win some delegates. Moreover, Kraft and his colleagues note, the mix of early contests makes a Kennedy sweep unlikely if not impossible. Among the 17 states now scheduled to begin their delegate-selection before what looms as a key contest in Illinois on March 18, eight are south of the Mason-Dixon line and one (Minnesota) is the home of Vice President Mondale. “One-third of the delegates will be picked by that time,” Kraft said, “and it will be obvious to everyone that the President has not been knocked out.” Even assuming Kennedy victories in Iowa, Massachusetts and New Hampshire (which Kraft does not concede), the President’s campaign man ager said, “Jimmy Carter will do what he’s always done. He’s never had an easy race, and he’s always stuck in there and ground it out.” That kind of protracted, trench warfare, pitting the power of an incumbent Presi dent against the formidable talents of the party’s best campaigner is exactly what the Republicans endured in 1976. But f#: the reasons Caddell cited, the rivalryi( tween Kennedy and Carter could wellsj far deeper emotions than were present the 1976 Ford-Reagan contest, Having propelled himself into the Wli House contest by the force of his own and ambition four years ago, JimmyCsiti Miller is hardly in a position to deny Ted fe nedy’s right to run for the presidency 1980 or any other year. There was not,i far as I can recall, a big draft-Carterniott ment outside Plains in 1975. But if Kennedy has a perfect ri| the Carterites are equally free to chan and begins terize the contest in whatever terms choose. That they are calling it “acivil almost guarantees it will be one. (c) 1979, The Washington Post Company by United VENTUR homes \ nesday by acre brush mountain si citv limits. “The maj ward the c within two i said County He said ' city limits, reached the “The City grave dangf “That is our doesn t looh In other; in Southern firefighters against at 1 some threat The blar about 60 mi Angeles, be Unil MONRt Ardys Whi night and her wealt forcibly ta and spirit fortress in The VVl so wo me i paid kidna longer go seldom lei It coul< years. Bu Whipple, payroll wi 12, Enriq Manuel been thro counter-ki Session. When vorced frc can citize dren, the her custo T T7’ rT'ir-pi-p-'i -|3 q Perturbed at reading about gay clergy M J-l—i -I- A A—i AA student quotes Bible to emphasize point visits witl de Allend The bo in the si I father ne turn. A fi Editor: I am very perturbed by all the articles in the paper about homosexuals in the churches. I know God is appalled and would not give His Spirit to a practicing homosexual. “Or do you not know that the unrighte ous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, not idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals ... (1 Corinthians 6:9).” If they would give their whole heart to Jesus Christ, God could heal them. I guess what really bothers me about all this is the so-called “Christians” who take it upon themselves to play with God’s Word to ac commodate unrighteousness and miss what God has said the the Bible. I didn’t write the Bible nor did any man. And when Jesus Christ walked on the earth He had quite a few confrontations with Pharisees and the like that twisted scrip ture to fit their own whims. I feel sorrier for some of these Christian leaders than homosexuals on Judgement Day. —Lenwood S. Adams, ’80 Movie inaccurate Editor: There seems to be a “Midnight Express craze” these days; HBO and now Aggie Cinema is featuring a movie which we sus pect will leave a mental stain in your sub conscious regarding your knowledge and feelings towards Turks and Turkey! This is neither an apology nor a declara tion praising the super comfort of Turkish prisons but a civilized attempt to express our viewpoint on the meaning of a nation’s sovereignty that could not grant special treatment to a first-time hashish smuggler no matter how elite his roots are. For we believe that as far as the concept of j ustice is Writing the editor The Battalion welcomes letters to the editor on any subject. However, to be acceptable for publication these letters must meet certain criteria. They should: V Not exceed 300 words or 1800 characters in length. Be neatly typed whenever possible. Hand-written letters are acceptable. V Include the author’s name, ad dress and telephone number for verification concerned, one could hardly criticize another with a clear conscience in an age where Attica, MyLaiand Soweto can easily be forgotten. The point is, rather, an appeal to the critical sensibility of the spectator to evaluate — without being abused by the agitation that literally reaps the cheap sen timents in a typically Hollywood fashion — the rationale of the ones involved in making this film; alogic, by which, starting out with a single experience, an entire society is condemned as a whole, and in fact being cursed upon in an unimaginably vulgar lan guage. For us, it is not worthwhile to pay any attention to the details of the Midnight Ex press whose jaul and terror scenes are filmed in the medieval castles of Malta (is land in the Mediterranean) with almost ev erything initated in a hateful and angry fashion, nothing traditionally and authenti cally Turkish in it, including the pseudo- Turkish, hatred ridden cast collected from the members of constantly land demanding-ambassador assasinating minority groups with their incomprehensi ble Turkish. However, we believe that the film has the potential to serve as a test through which the spectator can judge for himself in an age of growing antiracist consciousness, whether the hidden seeds of racism, and indeed cannibalism, can still interfere with sensible reasoning. Remember the world’s fastest sprinter Bob Hayes on cocaine charges while you feel pity for the hero Billy Hayes; no “Ex press” for the famous athlete by the true story ($) conscious, original score filmmak ers? THOTZ It is not only a movie; we, too, wish it were. — Mehmet Sahinoglu, graduate student Steal a universal? Editor: Upon returning to campus this fall I was shocked to discover that the DeWare weight room would indifinitely be barred from my use. I thought that this was ab surd, and after hearing numerous rumors about the topic I made an appointment to see the athletic director, Marvin Tate. I was told by Mr. Tate that the athletic department paid thousands of dollars for the equipment, and had only given the stu dents the privilege of using it. However, the “privilege” has been taken away be cause of misuse and wear. Sure, everything wears with use, but who in the hell is going to be able to steal a set of weights or a universal gym, for that matter, with a monitor checking I.D.s at the door? I was also told that this “privilege” has been eliminated because this year an extended weight program, which places an emphasis on strength is being administered by coach Wilson. So far I have seen no results! I am not one of A&M’s godly athletes, but I am active in a few intramural pro grams. I am very dissatisfied to think that if I would like to work out, the coliseum. The student is being taken. With the outrageous fees I am paying, I didn’t see why the DeWare weight room should not be included in the services. When the serv ice is on campus, why should I forkouli precious dollars to buy a members! elsewhere? — Jim Bartling, 1 Dont bite the hani Editor: I went into a local sporting goods slf last Monday to return a pair of canvas gt nasties grips which I had bought threeJi earlier and had decided not to use. Win bought them I was told that I could retif them fora refund if they had notbeemise! and they hadn’t. The woman I was told to see noticeJi slight discolorations on them which Hi! also noticed at the time of purchase, bulb nothing to do with performance. Ik woman said that she couldn’t take (lie: back because they had been used. Itoldle that they hadn’t. She then examinedoal; one other pair of grips which were noli colored and told me again that mine been used and that she wasn’t going top through the rest of the grips. I asked the woman if I could retumlaK when the salesman who waited on mefc s there. She then raised her voice anddf manded, “I am the owner and I say I’mik taking them back.” Not only was this woman at the stoR, which thrives off of student business, ref®’ ing to give me the benefit of the doubt,h she was also calling me a liar. I’m surprise that this woman hasn’t yet learned if value of customer service and courtesyH Aggies. —Mark Hogue, ’SI by Doug Graham