Viewpoint
Lo<
Too i
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
Wednesday
April 29, 1981
M
Slouch
By Jim Earle
Tie s disturbing it again.
By STEVE GERSTEL
United Press International
WASHINGTON — The first rumblings
from the right are rolling off Capitol Hill as
President Reagan moves beyond the first
100 days of his administration.
The visible discontent is, so far, a mere
glimmer — certainly nothing which could
be construed as marring Reagan’s excep
tionally smooth relationship with Congress.
It is, however, a sharp reminder of the
constant peril for Reagan’s programs posed
by Congress’ ultra-conservatives.
The first breach, which apparently was
unexpected, occured just before the Senate
and House wandered away for one of their
frequent times-out, this one in celebration
of Easter, the week before and the week
after.
It came when three conservative Repub
licans, joining all the Democrats, killed
Reagan’s budget in Senate Budget Com
mittee. The three were Sens. William Arm
strong of Colorado, Charles Grassley of
Iowa and Steven Symms of Idaho.
Grassley and Symms, a pair of freshmen
transfers from the House, are included in
any mention of staunch conservatives in the
Senate. Yet, they are, at the same time,
considered open to persuasion.
Armstrong is more difficult to characte
rize than Grassley and Symms and has
established somewhat of a reputation as a
maverick. But he is ferociously in favor of a
balanced budget, which seems to be his top
legislative goal.
The reason given by the three defectors
on the committee is that the budget resolu
tion showed a $44.7 billion deficit for 1984.
In the administration’s master plan, 1984 is
supposed to be the year of the balanced
budget.
As a result, Armstrong said, he could not
vote for an “unpolished diamond” when,
with some more cutting, the stone could be
turned into a “perfect jewel.”
The general feeling is that the Arm-
strong-Grassley-Symms troika could have
been turned around.
The assumption is that the concerns of
Armstrong, Symms and Grassley will be
met — presumably through assurances of
deeper cuts for fiscal 1984 — and the
Reagan budget will get through the Senate
just about intact.
From the very beginning, Reagan has
had to assume that ultra-conservatives
would support him only as long as he did
not start drifting to the center. They have
participated politely in the “honeymoon”
period and have voted for Reagan’s
nominees, despite serious misgivings over
some appointments.
The exception has been Sen. Jesse
Helms, R-N.C., their leader. Helms has
voted against some of Reagan’s cabinet
choices and has sought — apparently with
some success — to block others.
But the time may not be distant when
Reagan is going to have to accomodate the
ultraconservatives — or risk being encir
cled by Democrats, GOP liberals and the
right.
The Republican margin in the Senate is
very narrow — 53-47 — and the slightest
erosion can undermine his programs, just
as the budget resolution was waylaid.
And in the House, the Democrats still
command a majority.
small society
Brickman
Warped
Brief thief could be anyone
By KATH
Bat
With the
dge” in the
A female friend of mine had her under
wear stolen Thursday.
All 15 pair.
Plus a bra.
She got her drawers cleaned out, it
seems, when the spin cycle on her washing
machine stopped.
She stepped out of her apartment
washateria for a few minutes then came
back to move the clothes to a dryer.
She saw nothing amiss until she started
folding clothes from the dryer. That’s when
she realized she had met her Washerloo.
Now losing some undies might seem
funny. And it is. But the loss of 15 pair of
lace and nylon could run into some money.
Think about women’s underwear. Taken
from a random sampling of three other
women that I could find who wear under
wear, I calculated the average cost of female
briefs to be $4, with a variance of $3. For
testing purposes, we assume that no Holly
wood brands are in the sample because they
would shift the average toward double di
gits.
Leftovers
By Todd Woodard
But with a pair costing $l-$7, just the
sheer cost of new panties would range from
$15 to $105. That’ll take the fruit out of your
loom.
Speaking of fruits, who would rip off 15
are finding it:
to take the r
courses to gel
But knowing that silk-footed pt ^ce' 0 f a bro;
snatchers roam the washaterias unner, Dr. Chari
me. Nothing can be as close to youasjn associate vice
underwear. Knowing that someone ispt mic affairs, ss
vy to my privies would devastate me. culty student:
And the inconvenience. What if all w Iniversity is
underwear were gone? Imagine one dar sion , a curric
blue jeans, where nothing came beh fi nsed prograir
you and your brand.
Or you were planning to wear shortstl
next day, and all the robber bare-on had!
behind were some Valentine’s Day bet;
encrusted boxer shorts or high rise, i
thigh cotton panties. Whoever heardd
mid-thigh tan line?
number of n
irements.
For instan
•oleum engi
and the arch
have five-yea
“My bacf
he said, “anc
^education in
pairr
— Someone who needed the briefs.
— Someone who wanted to throw a party
and hang the undies off lampshades.
— Someone who needed patches for a
parachute.
— You have a good imagination. Fill one
in of your own.
This is just a warning. These nyb ferysympath
cotton blend crazies could be anywlet iCation core c
Playing pinball across from your load. Sb He said ^
ing at your load of whites just comingii
the rinse cycle. Lusting over the laj
trimmed special pair that your girlfriei
boyfriend gave you for Christmas.
But I have a secret to beat these peopl
I never change.
Ultra-conservatives
are threat to Reagan
is <
I
Even thou
tense as th
a possibi
ifinion and tl
A. Divine, p
the Universi
| “There is
future,” Div
iculty mem
Ilassroom C
till the dan
race.”
The speec
luctant Bell
World War I
Dient of Hist
“The othe:
react to Sovi
Try dictating a letter to the editor
From secretaries to letter-writing
By DICK WEST
United Press International
WASHINGTON — Are you a bit bleary-
eyed, body all aching and wracked with
pain, from so much celebrating?
It figures.
With hardly any time to recover from the
festivities associated with National Secre
taries Week, we now find ourselves whoop
ing it up in celebration of National Letter
Writing Week.
Back-to-back observances of this sort can
take a lot out of a person. Nevertheless,
there is something to be said for keeping
them separate.
If you let Secretaries Week slip by with
out paying due homage to the honorees,
you can partially atone this week by writing
a nice letter of apology.
Although not directly connected with the
program, one of the highlights of National
Secretaries Week was the appearance be
fore a Senate subcommittee of Phyllis
Schlafly, head of an organization opposing
ratification of the Equal Rights Amend
ment.
Many secretaries are women and Schlafly
imparted some timely advice on how
women workers can avoid sexual harass
ment on the job.
“When a woman walks across the room,
she speaks with a universal body language
that most men intuitively understand,”
Schlafly testified.
“Virtuous women are seldom accosted by
unwelcome sexual propositions or familiari
ties, obscene talk, or profane language.”
Yes, and apparently it pays to be homely
as well. The latest issue of Working Woman
magazine, published during Secretaries
Week, reports that “being beautiful can be
more of a hindrance than a help” to business
careers.
Perhaps Mac Davis will compose a theme
song for secretaries — “Oh, Lord, it’s hard
to be homely when you’re sexy in every
way.”
Anyway, there you have the secret of
female success — modesty and plainness.
Now back to National Letter Writing
Week.
The latter celebration is sponsored by the
friendly folks at the U. S. Postal Service who
brought you the 18-cent stamp anchk
now threaten to bring you the nine
Zip Code.
One of the themes of this year’s ob
ance is: “The importance of letters to tin
editors to the American way of life.”
The postal service doesn’t care howyo
write such letters as long as they bearsul
cient postage. But certain groups arenrf
rigid, among them the Writing Instrumeit
Manufacturers Association.
WIMA, if I may call it that, would lib
everyone writing a letter to the editor touif
pen and ink. But not just any pen. Pointy
out the psychological advantages of win;
matching pens with letters, it makes thesf
recommendations:
“Sharp points for cutting remarks;
points for getting messages across toobtus
recipients; thin points for weak argument
fine points for intricate issues; broad point
for sweeping statements.”
WIMA’s advice, incidentally, was type*
ritten.
By L
Bat
After mi
Basement
pected to oj
summer. 1
lowever, is
iemester.
The Base
been under
tember. Thi
will be to :
lemsthe ne
said Dwigh
for MSC B;
Work oi
pected to
weeks, sai<
associate d
plant. Bids
Pul
on
Frederic
The Irnpa
Scholarly E
Library.
Praeger
and vice cl
The Wes
m ks, ener
c y. militan
tics.
Westvie
oiation for
era tes wifi
v orsities a:
By Scott McCullar
BULLET IN'. PU£ TO THEIR
AUPIENCES' ABSOLUTE
REFUSAL TO ALLOW AAO MORE
misrepresea/tative pro-
6RAMMIW& ON THE A1R, MOST
networks and LOCAL TV
STATIONS ARE COttPLETEL/
S’HUT MW/V!
BECAUSE VIEWERS
SUDDENLY TAKEN
PERSONALLY, ONLY
HI&HEST QUALITY
HAVE
TELEVISION
THE
PR06RAA15
REMAIN. NBC 15 FOREVER
OUT OF THE BROADCASTING
BUS I NESS, AND THE OTHE R
NETWORKS ARE DEEP IN PANIC.
ANNOUNCERS OF COMMERCIALS
ARE REDUCED TO 5/ MPL Y
HOLDING UP THE PROpUCT.
SALES OF REMOTE C0A/TR0L
SILENCE DEVICES FOR
TELEVISIONS' NAVE SOARED.
MEANWHILE, VERY POPULAR
PASTIMES WITH FORMER
VIEWERS are the converting
OF THEIR SETS INTO
AQUARIUMS ANP PLANTERS.
The Battalion
ISPS
" MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Editor Dillard Stone
Managing Editor Angelique Copeland
Asst. Managing Editor Todd Woodard
City Editor Debbie Nelson
Asst. City Editor Marcy Boyce
Photo Editor Greg Gammon
Sports Editor Ritchie Priddy
Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff
Asst. Focus Editor Susan Hopkins
News Editors Venita McCellon,
Scot K. Meyer
Staff Writers Carolyn Barnes,
Jane G. Brust, Frank L. Christlieb,
Terry Duran, Bernie Fette, Phyllis Henderson,
Colette Hutchings, Belinda McCoy,
Kathy O’Connell, Denise Richter, Rick Stolle
Cartoonist Scott McCullar
Photographers Chuck Chapman, Brian Tate
045 .160
Regents.
The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspajierfr [
students in reporting, editing and photography cl2. # *|[
within the Department of Communications.
Questions or comments concerning any editorial ws^ll
should be directed to the editor.
EDITORIAL POLICY
The Battalion is a non-proBt, self-supporting newspaper
operated as a community service to Texas A&M University
and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Bat
talion are those of the editor or the author, and do not
necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M Universi
ty administrators or faculty members, or of the Board of
LETTERS POLICY
Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 word: *
length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer,
editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style*
length, but will make every effort to maintain the aull« ,i |
intent. Each letter must also be signed, show the addr^H
and phone number of the writer.
Columns and guest editorials are also welcome, and a*
not subject to the same length constraints as letter
Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, IV
Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University’||
College Station, TX 77843.
The Battalion is published daily during Texas A&M s6l
and spring semesters, except for holiday and examinaW
periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $33® ]
per school year and $35 per full year. Advertising T 1 * |
furnished on request.
Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Build
ing, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843
United Press International is entitled exclusively to^
use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to 3
Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserve-
Second class postage paid at College Station, TX Titi
1C