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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 25, 1980)
’age agaje 6 Crazy ★ Fla ★ Te kii F All stud for the these v\ the act dures f in4p.rr i REQU I ••• IV.-:, L«V :.. i•J•••* Slouch by Jim Earle I Viewpoint is^ “I can't understand it! I’ve been kicked in th’ pants four times by perfect strangers. ” Opinion Moore’s absence puzzling In the last few weeks, The Battalion has spent a good deal of space with stories about state senate candidate Kent Caperton. Little or no mention has been made about his opponent, incumbant Bill Moore. This apparent bias — the intense coverage of Caperton and the lack of coverage of Moore — is ffort because of any bias on the part of The Battalion. Moore campaign officials in his College Station office are reluctant to talk to Battalion reporters about anything. We think that it is important for Moore to have a chance to repond to charges made against him by Caperton. We have called his office on several occcasions to arrange an interview, but have been unable to speak with him. Moore is unavailable for comment, his office workers say, because he is continually on the move and rarely in one place for long. Caperton, on the other hand, has talked to dozens of groups and rallies all over the district, but has plenty of time to talk to the media. When Caperton began the campaign, he knew he had an recognition problem. Moore s name was well known and his wasn’t. Caperton’s strategy was, obviously, to get his name in the paper and on the air as much as possible. He had to achieve the type of saturation that it had taken Moore de cades to reach. Since he has announced his candidacy, Caperton’s name has been on the pages of The Battalion and Eagle nearly every day for the last week. People are beginning to wonder where Bill Moore is and why he has disappeared from public view. The “invisible man” ploy may have worked for Jimmy Carter, but it won’t for Moore. The Battalion USPS 045.360 LETTERS POLICY MEMBER Lrttir\ fti thr editor should not exceed 3(MI words and are * t '‘ 1 ' ^ rt '" y ><K subject to heinu rut to that length or less if longer The Journalism < <>i>gri-ss editorial staff reserves the ri^ht to edit such lettirs and does Editor RoV Bragg not guarantee to publish anti letter. Each letter must be . . . ... , signed, show the address of the writer and Us, a telephone Associate Editor Keith Taylor number for verification. News Editor Rusty Cawley Address correspondence to letters to the Editor. The Asst. News Editor Karen Cornelison Battalion. Boom 2lfi. Reed McDonald Building. College Copy Editor Dillard Stone station. Texas 77*43. Sports Editor . . . . ...... . Mike Burrichter R,pr. s«.nt. d nationally In National Educational Acke r- Focus Editor Rhonda Watters tismg Services. Inc.. New York City. Chicago and I>» Angeles. City Editor Louie Arthur The- Battalion is published Monday through Friday Imm Cam P US Edit ° r Diane B ' ake u ptc mU r through May e xce pt during exam and holiday Staff Writers Nancy Andersen, teriods ami the- summer, when it is published on Tuesday Tricia Brunhart, Atigelique Copeland, hrough Thursday Laura Cortez, Meril Edwards, Carol Hancock, Kathleen McElroy, Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester. $33.25. per Debbie Nelson, Richard Oliver, school year. $35.(X) per fedl year Advertising rates furnished Tim Sager, Steve Sisney, on request. Address: The- Battalion. Boon. 216. H.-. d BeC ky Swanson, Andy Williams Me l>mald Building. College Station Texas 77643. Chief Photographer Lvilll BlailCO t nited Press International is entitled exclusively to the . i * r or i us.- f..r reproduction of all news dispatc hes e rediteel to it Photographers Lee Roy Leschper, Bights of reproduction of all other matter herein roxe rscel. Steve Clark, Ed CuilnillS, 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 t>f 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. The Battalion Texas A&M University Tuesday March 25, 1980 on B> Ca Greenies formation into worrying other German party factions By WOLFGANG WAGNER International Writers Service HANNOVER, WEST GERMANY — The “Greenies” are not strange creatures from Mars. They are West Germany’s environ mental activists, and they could make a significant impact on the nationwide elec tions scheduled to take place here in the fall. These militants, whose movement is offi cially called “The Green”, have just formed a political party that plans to enter candi dates in the elections. And even though their chances of scoring heavily are remote, they could mobilize enough votes to play a pivotal role in the West German legisla ture. But a key question is whether the movement, which is composed of dispa rate factions united only by their determi nation to defend the environment, can hang together. It would probably collapse, for example, if it were taken over by the Communists, who are trying to control it for their own purposes. Should they remain cohesive, however, the “Greenies” could win sufficient seats in the legislature to exert serious pressure on whichever political coalition holds power. Thus they are currently being courted by traditional politicians who only a few years ago were treating them as cranks. Like similar special interest groups in the United States and elsewhere, the “Greenies” started out by using the courts to campaign against nuclear power pro jects, the construction of new highways, factories that employ dangerous chemicals and other such threats to the environ ment. several county elections, they soared into political prominence for the first time by capturing seats in the Bremen state legisla ture. That victory prompted them to launch the party that is now campaigning for the federal elections. Actual membership in the movement is small. But under West Germany’s peculiar campaign financing system, which pro vides for subsidies to parties that have won a proportion of votes in local contests, the “Greenies” have been able to amass a con siderable war chest. If the “Greenies worry the regular par ties, it is because the political line-up in the national legislature is so fragile that it could be upset by the intrusion of a new move ment. The ruling coalition, headed by Chancel lor Helmut Schmidt, is composed by the Social Democrats and their junior partners, the Free Democrats. They are opposed by a coalition comprising the Christian Demo crats and their sister party the Christian Socialists. Under law, a party must win at least 5 percent of the votes cast to be eligible for seats in the federal legislature. If the “Greenies crack that threshold, it would probably be at the expense of Schmidt’s coalition. In that would have to Internatior an Monday Sty Board c Clyde H. W A&M Presid State Rep. B monial ribbor pray of cul Memorial Sti 1 Miller gav< and said he I count on the "Greenies” forsuppo«he greates giving them unusual influence, ever.” He sai Sensitive to these possiblities ; !- ^opportunity and his associated are trying topu fflents to shov\ they are at least as dedicated topp dalent and ei the environment as are the' GreetiP en t s to be Clearly responding to “Greenie’J ure, they recently scrapped a 1 plan to build some 5000 miles of jfJ ways. The aim of the plan was loif 11igh-speed freeway within no morcli] miles access to every town and v West Germany. Jackgrounds itudents. \ Internatior lion presidenl led the Jays. Spectat aries from A Whatever their leanings, thefou®P er paraso. \V cst (.ci in.in parties reallyhopelW^'trimmed “Greenies” would evaporate as rap j®' wan - A Cl they have emerged. Whether liij|p e l oc lies fron pens, however, depends primanli;. 35 onlookers g environmental movement itself. F. 0I1 § figurir plants complel Visitors were i (Wagner is editor of the Haniw^|. om gj Salvr Allgemeine Zeitung, the WestCti miis i ca l ham ingklung,” ai mboo. Jn the MSC then watched day night’s IS/ Park (Continue HVe miles wesl Br fishing, can ^terskiing is es of parklai beque grill; p and even icre is a $2 e iix people. |Tanglewood jrkway has a seat up to reserved for here is a flowei nis courts ai 'ravis Park o ball comple ds and a cor be rented fo nts on weeke for use of t jere is a $100 1 be returned r use. Direc d the fee use< ■as increasec Cubs decide to continue losing ways Sutter trade puzzles Chicago fans iople to clean The other ligl aswell Park at reets and Th irten Road, ca hour, but W: oked for leaj ough Augus ted teams can i By DAVID S. BRODER For some of us, the most important news story out of Illinois last week had nothing to do with presidential politics. Sure, it was shocking to see a Kennedy drubbed in Chicago and John Anderson rejected by the Republicans of his native state. But the real stunner was the rumor that the Cubs were thinking of trading Bruce Sutter to the Cardinals for two guys named Joe. Sutter is the superb relief pitcher with the mysterious split-finger fastball who, virtually alone and unaided, has kept the Cubs from losing 100 games per season in recent years. Sutter is the best in the ma jors at his special trade of saving close games in late innings, a fact that was certi fied when an arbitrator agreed with his con tention that he is worth $700,000 this year, not the fraction of that amount the Cubs were offering him. The Sutter trade rumor was denied. But in baseball, as in politics, the relationship between denial and consummation is often the same as that between the tick-and-tock of a grandfather clock. The Cubs are unaccustomed to talent of Sutter’s quality, and they are most unwil ling to pay for such a star when he blunders into their realm. In such cir cumstances, it is Cubs’ poliy to trade away the star (and his paycheck) for as little as possible in return. The most famous trade in Cub history was the one that sent emerging superstar Lou Brock to the same Cardinals for a pitcher named Ernie Broglio. So this deal would be in keeping with the tradition of self-humiliation which has made us Cub fans losers for the past 35 While we were in Chicago, recording the triumphs of Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Car ter, David Israel of the Chicago Tribune was in Mesa, Ariz., giving us visiting Cub fans a report from the training camp. The Cubs, he said, are already in mid season form — lethargic, out-of-shape and grumbling. Home-run hitter Dave King- man is practicing not talking to reporters, which is his speciality. Center-fielder Jerry Martin is inventing new ways of cataloging the inadequacies of the general manager, which is why he is so highly regarded. Other are rehearsing the injuries that will remove them from the lineup just before crucial double-headers in July and August. And the new manager, Preston Gomez, is practicing patience, which he will need. All this is grist for the mill for the most important social event on the Washington calendar: the March 31 fifth-anniversary luncheon of the Emil Verban Memorial Society, an exclusive group of exiled Cub fans (Emil Verban, who is retired and in good health, is a symbol to us of all that has made the Cubs the team they are. A journeyman second baseman, he came to Wrigley Field in another of those unfortu nate Cardinal trades, a generation ago. He is distinguished by having a lifetime major league total of one home run, not hit while in Cubs’ uniform.) The Emil Verban Memorial Society was founded in the aftermath of Watergate by a reformed journalist turned government re lations consultant named Bruce C. Ladd, Jr. Its membership includes one Supreme Court justice, several government officials, and a platoon of lawyers, journalists and other low types. As my colleague and fellow Verbanite, George Will, has explained, the skepticism one acquires in youth from being a Cubs’ fan equips one admirably to cover the White House, run political cam paigns, argue before the Federal munications Commission, or even the mark, pronounce on the permii constitutional limits of pornography The great charm of the Society- from the newsletters Ladd distrikti of Cubs’ trivia, riddles and nostalgia been the fact that it has never met Personally, I have pledged ne« attend a meeting of the Emil Ve Memorial Society until the Cubs have another pennant. I will use the excuse of the Wise primary to he out of town when the S® meets. But on behalf of the Society,1< to offer Cubs general mamagerBobl nedy this thought: If you’re going to trade Sutter l« Cardinals, Bob, March 31 would be to do it. Just have someone phone the to the Emil Verban Memorial Society 1 cheon at the Asian Room of the Intern al Club, about the time thesecondroi cocktails is served. It would co« everyone the old club still cares.lt"' be, as Jimmy Carter likes to say appropriate gesture. 5 10 (c) 1980, The Washington PostComp THOTZ By Doug Graham IN THlMKlWG OF |CHAtOG\toG; MY IMAJOR FROM, UH, >HILO$OPM 4. DUMMO, P.O., IS THE WORLD RCADV FOR canmawB rwrv-rv’-.ec: SUCH AS EXPFR1 £001 MayBe, erwe, But r Ha\ieM SAYUOGx " LJHERE THERE'S A Wl^ ■ r ~ Wit I HATE THAT CLICHE; 3o Do i, TO kbRICULTOf K I'M NOT 5VJR£ THE) <*X>D OC BOVS IN) | A& Ak£ GONNA BE -lUE-LLF^ .,->U J U/ODCRSTAMD you Got £ TO TOW TH' owe IN /All AGRICU LTU RE • • • AND ,THa7 INCLUDES ^ ^ CLICHE^ -