Viewpoint
The Battalion
Slouch
By Jim Earle
At last, the perfect class schedule! No morning classes, no
afternoon classes and no Friday classes! How long will it take
me to graduate if I take only one hour per semester?"
All is not merry
in old England
By DAVID S. BRODER
LONDON — Not only is there a royal
wedding in the offing, with all the anticipa
tory paint-up and spruce-up activity, but
the sun shone for four days running on the
Wimbledon windup, the Henley Regatta
and the cricket test match between Eng
land and Australia at Lords.
But appearances are deceiving. The
bright sun, fresh paint and high spirits cloak
a grim economic situation and a strained,
tense political passage. Unemployment
reached its postwar high last month and is
climbing toward the 3 million mark — a rate
of joblessness 50 percent higher than that in
the United States. The inflation rate, suc
cess, is nudging upwards again — as are
local levies and consumer taxes.
The cutbacks in social-program spend
ing, which so far have been felt mainly by
the poor, are beginning to hit the middle
class as well. The government announced
last week it would eliminate scholarships
for 12,000 university students, thereby
jeopardizing some 3,000 teaching jobs in
the next three years.
All this is souring the mood among the
Conservatives, and there are increasingly
harsh and public complaints that Thatcher’s
“doctrinaire” monetarist policies are paving
the path to political repudiation. Former
Tory Prime Minister Edward Heath told a
conference of British business leaders last
week that his successor’s “incomprehensi
ble policies” were not only hurting the eco
nomy but breeding bitter social unrest.
“Of course if you have half a million
young people hanging around on the streets
all day, you will have a major increase in
juvenile crime,” Heath said, “It is inevit
able.”
There are widespread preditions of a
cabinet shuffle this summer or fall, with Sir
Geoffrey Howe leaving the chancellor of
the exchequer post where he has been de
fending Thatcher’s economies. But there is
no sign the change of personnel would sig
nal a change of policy.
Meantime, the fragmented opposition is
preoccupied with its own problems. Labor
is facing a late September showdown battle
for the deputy leadership between its left-
wing ideological leader, Tony Benn, and his
right-wing antagonist, Denis Healey. The
tide in Labor is to the left, but Benn (who
has worked himself into a nervous disorder
that is, at least temporarily, confining him
to his home) is so prickly a figure that he
may not prevail.
But even Healey concedes that a victory
this fall would be but the first step in a long
and painful effort to uproot far-left control
of the constituency Labor parties, which
are more impoverished and politically im
potent tan they have been for years.
The drama that has caught the press and
public imagination the effort of a new cen
ter coalition to be born. The Social Demo
cratic Party launched in March by four ex-
Labor nimisters digusted by leftist domina
tion of their old party, and supported now
by 14 members of Parliament, is attempting
to work out a political deal with the Liberal
Party, which has been strugggling to repre
sent moderate opinion.
Roy Jenkins, the former deputy leader of
the Labor Party, is standing for the SDP
with Liberal endorsement in the first by-
election later this month. But it is being
fought in Warrington, a Labor stronghold,
where he is given little chance of winning.
The SDP — whose leaders also include
former Labor Foreign Secretary David
Owen — and the Liberals rerpresent a
source of capable, moderate leadership.
Their shared belief in a constitutional
change to proportional representation in
Parliament is supported by many outside
their ranks, as a practical step to reduce the
polarization of Britiash politics and facilitate
more moderate economic and social poli
cies.
But that is a distant hope. So for now, the
British are taking what consolation they can
find in the weather — and, of course, the
wedding.
The Battalion
U S P S 045 360
MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Editor Angelique Copeland
City Editor Jane Brust
Photo Editor Greg Gammon
Sports Editor Ritchie Priddy
Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff
News Editors Marilyn Faulkenberry,
Greg Gammon
StaffWriters Bernie Fette, Kathy O’Connell,
Denise Richter,
Cartoonist Scott McCullar
EDITORIAL POLICY
The Battalion is a non-profit, 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
Begents.
The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for
students in reporting, editing and photography classes
within the Department of Communications.
Questions or comments concerning any editorial matter
should be directed to the editor.
LETTERS POLICY
Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in
length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer. The
editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and
length, but will make every effort to maintain the author’s
intent. Each letter must also be signed, show the address
and phone number of the writer.
Columns and guest editorials are also welcome, and are
not subject to the same length constraints as letters.
Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The
Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University,
College Station, TX 77843.
The Battalion is published Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday during Texas A&M’s summer semesters. Mail
subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $33.25 per school
year and $35 per full year. Advertising rates 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 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.
July 14, 1981
O’Connor: perfect nominee?
By STEVE GERSTEL
United Press International
WASHINGTON — In naming Sandra
O’Connor to the Supreme Court, President
Reagan displayed a remarkable political
adroitness.
So perfect was the selection, that, literal
ly within hours of the appointment, O’Con
nor was assured confirmation by the
Senate.
The possibility of a hitch exists, as it
always does in the nomination of a person to
a lifetime seat on the nation’s highest court.
The routine FBI check is not compe-
leted. The American Bar Association still
has to ready its recommendations. And the
Senate Judiciary Committee must hold
hearings.
But unless something totally unforeseen
develops, O’Connor will move into that all
male bastion when the Supreme Court con
venes on the first Monday in October, forti
fied by an overwhelming vote of approval
by the Senate.
More than a week after Reagan
announced his choice, no voice in the Sen
ate has been raised against O’Connor and
many have strongly endorsed her.
How did Reagan hit on a nominee so
politically perfect as his first nomination for
the court — a “hard-line” conservative that
had some liberal Democrats in rhapsody.
One ingredient, undoubtedly, is that
Reagan finally broke the barrier that has
denied a woman a seat on the Supreme
Court since its inception.
In doing so, Reagan redeemed a major
campaign promise in which he said that
“one of the first” nominations to the court
would be a woman. He named one the first
opportunity he had.
To those voters sensitive to sex discrimi
nation, the appointment must be a miles
tone. Many presidents have been active in
support of equal opportunity for women —
only Reagan has named one to the Supreme
Court.
That, in itself, was certain to help still
opposition and, actually, drew high praise
from liberal Democrats such as Edward
Kennedy and Howard Metzenbaum.
And male senators, no matter how dedi
cated to equality among the sexes, just are
not capable at a hearing of roughing up a
woman as they are a man.
The second major ingredient is that
Reagan managed to so badly isolate the
fringe right, that the Moral Majority and its
fellow travelers became nonfactors in the
confirmation proceedings.
There was the usual weeping and wail
ing, the outraged cries of double-cross and
the I
- hasri
the tin rats of political revenge.)
fringe right, O’Connor just was»
perfect on abortion and the Eqaj
Amendment.
Yet, despite the vaunted politi
of Moral Majority and the others,
rage has not seeped into
chamber.
No one senator — not Helms,|
nton, not East, not Hatch-
the refrain. Some are holding!
for the hearings to decide, butii
yet said they would vote againsttl
judge
And others, good solid conseraj
Alan Simpson of Wyoming, havejj
of their way to attack the con
“one issue” litmus test.
There is some speculation!
realizing that O’Connor would an
fire for her public abortion standil
trated the muted response froirij
conservatives.
And if he did enlist help, hefouKj
and eager volunteer in salty oldBrj
water of Arizona.
Goldwater held a news confen
made two speeches extolling 0
and, in the process, said, E' jhgpj Ry;
Christian should kick Falwell Un
ass.”
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It’s your turn
Ask the people not the “experts
JPr
git
Raising
ty given i
budget ce
Editor:
I noticed with surprise the short article
in The Battalion of July 1, where the Na
tional Association of College and University
Business Officers and the United States
Steel Foundation lauded the innovative use
of movable wall dividers in the new married
student apartments. Although I have never
lived in these apartments, I have talked
with people who have, and found no one
who actually liked them. If a light is on in
one room, it is on in the whole apartment,
due to the large open spaces at the top of the
dividers. If a radio is on in one room, it is on
in the whole apartment, so don’t think you
can go to another room to study. Presently,
these apartments are half full, and that is
mainly due to lack of vacancies in other
apartments. I can’t see how that saves
money.
All told, it looks like another case of the
“experts” congratulating their colleagues
for something they themselves never use.
When will the people be involved in the
evaluation process?
Guy Hallman
301 Ball #1093
Cartoonist not loved
Editor:
Doug what’s-his-name from a year or so ago
was bad enough, and I know that most of us
who ritualistically skim The Battalion were
relieved when he finally graduated, thus
ending daily doses of the continuing adven
tures of that stupid dinosaur, but this new
guy is just too much. Not only has the lower
left-hand corner of page two become known
imong pu
as a constant source of irritation,!private su
also become somewhat of an i The Un
Simply by the laws of probability it-bree-yeai
reason that given a population ft ; ® ni P ai g n
30,000 people, there could be foir S*” 5 ,
none-too-diligent search at leasts^
who knows the correct way to hold<Uj{]j on or
In other words, does Scott McCuijjnj f acu j t .
with his feet, blindfolded or both Campaign,
know how you people manage toil' “Corpo
such a high degree of mediocrity in Publicly a
work from year to year, but it importers of
difficult task. Granted Mr. umve
probably a very talented person i iniversity
respects, but unfortunately none)
respects includes a talent for
Therefore, it might be beneficialtoM
newspaper and its readers to either!
fied with one less comic strip orf® ;
one who might be able to do a be#'
C. Gaul)
Warped
By Scott McCulb
WE MUST EXPLORE. WE HAVE
A DESTI/VY, A QUEST, TO
SEARCH THE VAST UtfKA/OWN/,
TO CROSS IT, FOR
KNOWLEDGE AND
PROFIT SAKE.
IT w/LL TAKE
MONEY, to go and
RETURN, IN
GOOD SHIPS WITH
MEN OF COURAGE,
TO ENTER AND
CROSS THE VOID.
THERE WILL BE ENORMOUS
AMOUNTS OF TIME INVOLVED
IN TRAVEL. THERE IS THE FEAR
OF LEAVING OUR
SAFE HOMES AND
ENTERING THAT
DARK BODY OF THE /
UNKNOWN,
WITH ITS
GREAT EMPTINESS
AND STRANGE r^
FORMS OF LIFE.
WE MUST OVERCOME THE
ELEMENTS, AND DEPEND ON THE
SHIPS WE RIDE IN AND THE
SUPPLIES WE CARRY
WITH US TO LIVE.
WE ARE DRIVEN,BY
CHALLENGE, GREED,
ADVENTURE AND
PATRIOTISM.
TO BE HUMAN,
WE MUST FACE
AND CONQUER THE
THE FACE OF WHICH ^
REALLY CHANGE 5 -
FINAL FRONTIER...