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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 14, 1982)
opinion Slouch By Jim Earle "'They got my laundry mixed up again, but if we can find this guy, we can make several coaches happy.’ 9 President versus GOP troublemakers by Robert Shepherd United Press International WASHINGTON — Two Republican congressmen who will retire al the end of their current terms are causing the Reagan administration some discomfort with their wellpublic i/.ed disagreements with.adntinistra.tjbn policies. Probably the most bothersome com plaints come f rom Rep. John Rhodes, R- Ariz., who formerlv w;ls the Republican leader in the House, a position requiring stern adherence to GOP policies. Rep. Lincoln Marks, R-Pa., was less well-known on the national scene, but his vigorous denunciation of administration policies in a House speech March 9 re ceived wide-spread media attention. Hoping to aggravate the administra tion’s embarrassment, several national unions took out large ads in The New York l imes last week to reprint Marks’ speech in full under the headline, “Reaganomics: Enough is Enough.’’ Rhodes’ differences with the adminis tration are over defense issues, while Marks' complaints are across-the-board. Rhodes’ position became known when the Washington Post reported comments in a speech he plans to deliver when Con gress reconvenes after the Easter recess. He expounded on his ideas in meetings with reporters and copies of the yet-to- be-delivered speech were distributed to the press the day after the Post story appeared. Jn his speech, Rhodes says he has al ways classified himself “as a hawk where matters of defense are concerned,” and that the communist world is constantly probing to find weakness among the democratic nations. But he says the U.S. defense posture needs constant reexamination and such reexamination “is long overdue.” Rhodes then goes on to recommend significant changes in the Reagan ad ministration’s defense policies. Rhodes say s the United States should take its troops out of Europe, cut the MX missile program by at least 70 percent, abandon the B-l bomber, cut the Rapid Deployment Force and change its mis sion to operate mainly in the Western Hemisphere, and build a strategic defen sive system in space. Rhodes’ message is not directed just at the Reagan administration. Indeed, he says many of the things he proposes should be accomplished during the next 50 years. But the policies and programs Rhodes criticizes have been either endorsed or initiated by the Reagan administration, and it can be of little comfort to have such a stalwart Republican join administration critics in that area. Marks began his March 9 speech to the House by saying he had “voted for every major economic program that Ronald Reagan and this administration have put forth since coming to power.” He then went on to declare “the time has come to stop this massacre.” Marks condemned the administration as “a president and his cronies whose be lief in Hooverism has blinded them to the wretchedness and to the suffering they are inflicting through their policies.” Marks even praised the Democratic- leader, House Speaker Thomas O'Neill, who “had the guts to begin to point the finger at the president and suggest that for all of the president’s good humor, he, the president, is the sting that paralyzes the sensibility of a government that should be helping, not hurting, the peo ple it serves.” Because of considerable advance bill ing of Marks’ speech, it received exten sive news coverage, and could be seen in many areas of the country over cable tele vision. On March 18, Marks had a return engagement, in which he told the House of the mail response to his speech. It was overwhelmingly favorable. BattaliWPfl April H11 An itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, yellow polka-dot snow ski suit by Dick West United Press International WASHINGTON — Ever come across an idea that so thoroughly agrees with your own thinking you immediately feel a sense of kinship? My subconscious began sending up blips of consanguinity as I was reading plans by Edwin Paget, a retired speech professor, to stage a World’s Eair To Change the World in Raleigh, N.C., this summer. There will, of course, be a convention al World’s Fair running simultaneously and fairly close by in Knoxville, Tenn. But I should think the chances of fair- goers ODing are fairly remote. At Paget’s fair, if it comes to fruition, the maddening throngs will look upon a fashion show unlikely to be duplicated in Knoxville. Or anywhere else for that matter. Any garments he designs could be even more eyecatching than the costume Sally Rand wore at the 1982 Chicago World’s Fair. Paget, you see, is the creator of what he calls “non-symmetrical designs' in clo thing. Some of the ideas apparently come to him as he is running up and down Pikes Peak in Colorado, which he has done 98 1 times since 1919. Nevertheless, it was the nonsvmmet- rical concept that aroused b\ sense of affinity. While reading his views on apparel, I could onl\ nod vigoroush and mutter injections of agreement. “Why should both legs of a pair of pants be the same length? ” Paget asks. Why indeed? I have often asked myself that question as I was taking a new pah of slacks bat k to the tailor for remedial alterations on the cuffs. Paget not only envisions dressing us conforming wimps in trousers whose legs vary in length — one long, one short; under his non-symmetrical tailoring, the legs also might be different colors, pat terns and fabrics. 1 like it, I tell you. I like it. I letc is one s big chance to shuck the shackles imposed on clothing by Bill Blass, Pierre C ardin and the like, and lei the "rep through. Not is the father of noil wardrobes stopping at variegai legs. At the Raleigh fair, troduce non-symmetrical al non-svmmett ical automobjlesf sv mmett ical f urniture. I his att.u k of what he(lep|ij monotonous appearance i also will feature women'sdwl| built-in lighting “for almostenl ety.” I c an see it all now. AIoilg'l|iJ pink" golf balls and two-lonelf that have begun to appean and courts, there soon willi match. Golfers in knickerbockers! buc kled above the knee, thet tencd at the ankle. Tennis! double- knit alligators on ondlj plin kangaroos on the other. Win , non-svnnnetry could whole new dimension todesigt — skin-tight denims withthebra| on the hip spelled out in I I! I To keep si F track, Tau Society plant < "1 FEEL NO STM, SUCKKRSIII Tradi to he; o Betty Am ■ Battalion R. I II you’ve notice than usual savin this week, there's iwhy. It s Howdy | Each fall and s ditions Council se to promote the u; howdy when gi ggies. ‘The main pin udents to keep and to keep the a ■Texas A&M frier I] Jackson, howdy w< Howdy Week H to unify the st c r the summer a udents for the f c Jackson said. The spring 1 omes at a bad ti ents are worriec apers and finals, ‘It’s a lot m< Reader’s Forum: View from then the fall Hov ffi tause it comes at A : students need it,” /, Howdy Week i- nptudents ’ can rela I and do something self-proclaimed ‘zero percent The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Texas A&M University administrators or faculty mem bers, or of the Board of Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photography clas ses within the Department of Communications. Questions or comments concerning any editorial matter should be directed to the editor. Editor Angelique Copeland City Editor Denise Richter Assistant City Editor Diana Sultenfuss Sports Editor Frank L. Christlieb Focus Ecfitor Cathy Saathoff Assistant Focus Editor Nancy Floeck News Editors Gary Barker, Phyllis Henderson, Mary Jo Rummel, Nancy Weatherley Staff Writers Jennifer Carr, Cyndy Davis, Gaye Denley, Sandra Gary, Colette Hutchings, Johna Jo Maurer, Hope E. Paasch Daniel Puckett, Bill Robinson, Denise Sechelski. T 1 'Vagner, Laura Williams, Rebeca . , . .mrinann Cartoonist Scott McCullar Graphic Artist Richard DeLeon Jr. Photographers Sumanesh Agrawal, David Fisher, Eileen Manton, Eric Mitchell, Peter Rocha, John Ryan, Colin Valentine Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting news paper operated as a community service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions ex pressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of 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 Uni versity, College Station, TX 77843, or phone (713) 845- 2611. ; !i ".malion is published daily during Texas A&M’s fall and spring semesters, except for holiday and exami nation periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semes ter, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Adver tising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, 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. It has been my privilege to attend this institution over the last two years of my academic career. Over this period of time I have learned a lot about my field of study, but I’ve also had the opportunity to learn something about the likes and dislikes of a breed of people known as “Aggies.” My most valued source of in sight has been this very section of the newspaper you now read. It seems to me that there are certain problems which Aggies simply cannot overcome. These problems are expressed in terms of recurrent themes in the Letters to the Editor section of this periodical. For some reason, which is unknown even to myself, I feel the need to express my opinion on a variety of these problems. Let me start by listing, in descending priority, the three types of people whom most often incur the wrath of “Good Ags.” These people are: bicyclists riding on the sidewalks, pedestrians getting in the way of bicyclists and all other “2 percen ters.” By “2 percenter” I mean any damn yankee (like me) who doesn’t say “how dy” when meeting strangers in the street, doesn’t believe that stepping on the foot ball field during a game should be a capit al offense (without benefit of due pro cess), feels $8 million is a bit much to spend on a football coach, doesn’t believe students should be trampled on by “c.t.s” during running drills and worst of all couldn’t care less who wins the “Texas game.” Of course there are other offenses against the Aggie Spirit which would classify a person as a 2 percenter. All in all, almost everyone outside the Corps of Cadets (and some Corps mem bers too!) fall into the category of 2 per center according to some Good Ags’ high moral standards. Everyone except me that is, as I am a self-professed zero per center. Being a zero percenter, I cannoi indulge in the clear tones of self righte ous indignation concerning the subject of my letter that a Good Ag would. But 1 would like to offer some radical sugges tions for solving some of the more pres sing issues on this campus. For one thing, if you’re on a bicycle, in not to scare am slow-footed pedestrians by coming very close to them al high speeds. On the oilier hand, if you’re a pedestrian and you see someone riding a bicycle in a manner which instills fear in the very marrow of your bones, don’t panic. Simply get out of the way. 1 think this is preferable to jamming umbrellas in the spokes of speeding bicyclists (as one pedestrian suggested in this column) or breaking the necks of pedest rians who dismount a bicyclist in any abrupt man ner (as one bicyclist suggested in ibis column.) Perhaps the best way to deal with two percenters is to ignore them. If someone doesn’t say “howdy” to you don’t be up set, just go on your way. If you see a bunch of cadets running toward you in formation, why not move to avoid trou ble? II vou're a bunch of cadepil in formation w in not alter youni now and ihen to avoid killingsonitl born pedestrian? And finally, Gnf vou ever need lodraw a lethalneap| a bunch ofc lieerleadersagaii should be sure you know howtmisJ avoid an embarrassingdefeat.Eill™ or just let (hem live. 1 know these suggestions are different than most that havebefnj ferred In better “Ags” than 1 if poeple would just exercise ami courtesy toward each other as (li they spurt superficial howdvs,99ft| of the conflicts which are debm death in this column would neveij Aggies pride themselves on beim ly, so d you really are friendly (Lei teous) toys arc! one another in thelul don’t think any traditions will bejfi dized or that the Aggie Spirit wP minished in any way. Of onirse.j we’d be faced with a new problem j yvill we write letters to the editonll Thomas M Genuine 1 uppers insoli Gonipai $30,0 the small society by Brickmot | Ladle I'STiL.L. c^ArVT H^W A TAX <£DT £AK ^00 WAY^-fo ttUtAlz IT IT - \ TtTv, ©1981 Kinfl Features Syndicate, Inc. World rights reserved.