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opinion Reagan remembers the Depression by Helen Thomas United Press International WASHINGTON — President Reagan likes to point out that he remembers the Great Depression and the personal hardships it in flicted. He has repeatedly recalled that his father, Jack Reagan, was fired on Christmas eve in that era. So the need for a job is not alien to the president. “I remember what it’s like to be 21 and to feel your future has been mortgaged by the generation before you,” he said in last week’s radio address. “That’s a terrible tragedy we must never allow to happen again.” In a new Reagan biography by Washington Post correspondent Lou Cannon, it is note worthy that the president’s father, an ardent Franklin Roosevelt fan, worked in the local welfare office, passing out government assist ance to the needy. In those days, it is doubtful that Reagan thought of the New Deal projects as “make work and dead end,” but as life savers. But over the years he has developed a visceral feeling against government-sponsored jobs and programs that eased millions over the hump in those dark days. With 11.5 million persons unemployed, many lawmakers on Capitol Hill are begin ning to wonder what is the nation’s tolerable level for joblessness, and when does it become less than tolerable. They also are seriously considering whether a program to put people to work building and repairing highways, bridges and dams is in order. The House Democratic leadership has been in the forefront of such a proposal. The Senate Republicans are coming around to it. Whether Reagan can swallow it is not cer tain. His spokesman describe such programs as a “quick fix” and say that he is seeking a permanent solution to the nation’s economic plight. But a “permanent solution” to unemploy ment requires a permanent prosperity for this country and no economist on the current scene has offered the key to that door. So far, administration officials have tried not to get too far out on a limb in rejecting moves to have the government create hun dreds of thousands of new jobs. They don’t know when they might have to compromise. Chief White House spokesman Larry Speakes told reporters that the New Deal pro jects did not work. He said that a job like that “plays out after six months and dumps the people back out on the labor market, sort of the type that the Democrats from time to time introduced, and vry similar to those they have been putting out here for 40 years that have not worked and had a steady increase of un employment over 40 years.” When he was asked whether creation of jobs for building highways and other public projects were “dead end,” he replied: “Let’s just wait and see how all these things come out.” But while the White House appears to be trying to hold the line, the Senate COP lead ers are reading the midterm election results in a different way. They are considering a proposal for a $5 billion program that would be offset by cuts in military spending. The projected increases in defense spend ing so far is sacrosanct with Reagan and he remains adamant against any reductions, claiming the United States has to play catch up with the Soviets from earlier budget cuts. “In our efforts to revive our economy, jobs must be our most urgent priority and lasting solutions must be our constant and consistent principle,” Reagan said in his broadcast. “How deeply I wish that we could relieve our current situation with some immediate magic method,” he said. But Reagan added that there is “a new spirit building of optimism and hope for America’s future.” He is asking the unemployed to hang in there while he stays the course. With a long cold winter coming up, even temporary solutions may be better than none in sight. The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member ot Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editor.... Diana Sultenfuss Managing Editor Phyllis Henderson Associate Editor Denise Richter City Editor Gary Barker Assistant City Editor HopeE. Paasch Sports Editor Frank L. Christlieb Entertainment Editor Nancy Floeck Assistant Entertainment Editor Colette Hutchings News Editors Cathy Capps, Johna Jo Maurer, Daniel Puckett, Jan Werner, Todd Woodard Staff Writers Jennifer Carr, Susan Dittman, Beverly Hamilton, David Johnson, John Lopez, Robert McGlohon, Carol Smith, Dana Smelser, Joe Tindel, John Wagner, Rebeca Zimmermann Copyeditors Elaine Engstrom, Chris Thayer Cartoonist Scott McCullar Graphic Artist Pam Starasinic Photographers David Fisher,Jorge Casari, Ronald W. Emerson, Octavio Garcia, Irene Mees, John Ryan, Robert Snider 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 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 mat ter 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 and 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- 261 1. The Battalion 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. by Maxwell Glen and Cody Shearer Neither of us ever had the urge to pursue a master’s degree in business administration, but we know plenty of friends who’ve done so. While they could have studied medi cine or law with equal devotion, they chose a profession in which no onw apo logizes for making quick money. Unfortunately, as America has be come desperate for far-sighted business leadership, we’ve had little reason to be lieve that this attitude will change much. Though business schools are trying to cultivate a new breed of manager, Amer ican business is doing relatively little to return the favor. It’s been almost two and a half years since Harvard professors Robert H. Hayes and William J. Abernathy rattled Corporate America with the calim in the Harvard Business Review that company executives — more than labor leaders, environmentalists and government reg ulators — had “managed our way to eco nomic decline.” Some critics said that the Hayes-Abernathy line — that U.S. execu tives had emphasized short-term profits at the expense of longer-term technolo gical investments — was nothing new for anyone familiar with the decline of American steel and automobiles. But the professors’ timing couldn’t have been more inportant for graduate programs charged with training the next generation of Thomas Watsons (IBM) and Roger Smiths (General Motors). In the 197()’s, after all, the number of MBA enrollments, applicants and graduates had more than doubled. An increasing number of young professionals were an xious to become managerial mercenaries just as Hayes and Abernathy were blam ing the nation’s troubles on a rampant, shortsighted killer instinct. While Hayes and Abernathy may not be entirely responsible, their concerns have since then permeated most MBA programs, from admissions policy to cur riculum. “It’s clear that we have to be a part of the solution,” said Everett T. Keech, a dean at the University of Penn sylvania’s Wharton School. Nowadays, prospective MBA students can’t rely on grades alone; job experi ence, liberal arts training and — surprise — personal qualities are increasingly im portant in the selection process. Once en rolled, they might also discover that worker performance, quality control and production technique, long considered too blue-collar for the would-be profes sional manager, have earned new emj>h- asis in graduate program curricula. Meanwhile, the once-elective courses in “corporate responsibility” are now often requirements. Overall, numerous business school deans admit, a shift in perspective from short- to long-term profit is taking place. “In the ’60’s, it was go, go, buy and sell,” recalled John Rosenblum, acting dean of the business program at the University of Virginia. “You’re getting a dif ferent mes sage in the ’80’s.” Added John C. Burton of Columbia University: “There’s a grea ter emphasis on the need to be patient.” Nonetheless, business school gradu ates are going where the jobs are. According to an estimate by the Associa tion of MBA Executives, two thirds of all business school graduates enter finance, marketing, accounting or consulting, as opposed to 10 percent who become “gen eral managers.” Among the mqre| gious schools, the distributionIj more skewed: Of Harvard’s recipients last year, 246 found finance and marketing; only 26toolB production and service operatiom “It’s the money,” moaned Han ® by El B Will van Robert B. Reich, an industrialexpe ,gj es: p vored by Democrats. “Until (ct)B| i a( | e ts at 1 priorities c hange, you’re not any change” in placement. Meanwhile, the never-ending flat merger activity only reinforces lion that businessmen havetobe — and businesses diversified — this country’s economy. In 1982,tlit] reports, major mergers are up 15 over this time last year. ‘Tmjustfi with Bill Agee,” said one business dean of the Bendix Corp. chat recalling the Detroit firm’s publicized attempt to acquire Marietta Corp. “All he’s done ii how much we’re cannil ourselves.” different fr exas Moi lorps. “They (1 joke of t verbeek s moke. The Overbee for the arti at the Corp Contains so tines as the Jon of 8( photos ac ree year: e Corps. “When \ zinc, you d Indeed, in a culture that idolize®hh the I) fast-track experiences of an Ageeorjp^ sa ' c * X. DeLorean, even the best B-sdiotfB^^’! p do little to assure penny wisdom U|( | ^ ence, two qualities which seemtoB nce 'pj lot( served Japan Inc.’s interests quite.! z j nes aiu | . Only time will tell whethertbeaiiff e sau * l .' lt efforts to breed a better business live have engendered philpsoptaj |( lt ' s practices which yield long-term res! | )?e \ sa j ( | But a pervasive economic uncer. AIM ” among tomorrow’s business leaden® BntOvei only dampen their faith in pie about < approaches. Unless the business®^ maga/it dares to experimant, its bestandbj Alter th est may decide that patience, oncei tue, has no value. lOUght I w ick. But i tense of 1 High at the eople,” he Overbeel ith the Cc real deal tdets and erseveraiK “When I ke any oth ite and ju round uni tid. But, he s forps are ( “The fisl |ard, learn operate earned to orps was < Overbeel JNE’RE m GO® SHAPE WE PREDICTED THOSE HOLES. United t A study testing Ser iian 15 pen Ink stains by Dick West United Press International WASHINGTON — Watching a national championship Monopoly game is a bit like watching a red ant crawling along the beach with a sprig of dune grass. After the first hour or so, or however long it takes for the initial excitement to wear off, a casual spectator’s interest begins to flag. Even tense negotiations between the own ers of “Marvin Gardens” and “St. James Place” sound like routine real estate shop talk. A couple of things about the sixth national Monopoly tournament held this week at the Corcoran Art Gallery did hold my attention, however. 1. There were no space invaders zapping St. James Place. 2. At no time did Pac-Man threaten to gobble up Marvin Gardens, although Jerome Dausman of Arlington, Va., the ultimate win ner, did a pretty good job of it. It took Dausman, the District of Columbia champion, a little more than two hours to polish off four other finalists. Which, by some standards, is moving right along. According to the Guinness Book of Re cords, the longest Monopoly game ever play ed lasted 51 days. I, frankly, probably would have started yawning after the first fortnight. If Monopoly, invented in 1933, is not the granddaddy of all board games, it at least occupies a high limb on the family tree. Yet in this era of gung-ho promotion of video games, a surprisingly large number of young people are Monopoly masters. During a break in the action, or what passes on pages for action at a Monopoly tournament, I asked an eliminated contestant, 15year-old Troy Dunn of Dover, Del., to fill me in on some of the fine points. Here are some of the points he made: — The game is about 60 percent luck. (Another young state champion, seventh- grader Ricky Wooster of Billings, Mont., esti mated the luck factor at 90 percent.) — Schoolboys who excel at arcade games are bigger hits with girls than boys who excel at board games. — President Reagan probably would not rank was a world class Monopoly player. (“Look what he did to the economy,” young Troy commented, exhibiting perhaps an inci pient political bias.) Most of the younger players I talked with confided that they really preferred video games. Possibly the latter games are easier to relate to. Anyway, I asked a tournament offi cial whether Parker Brothers, the Monopoly copyright holder, had any plans to go elec tronic. “We feel that television would take away the social atmosphere that Monopoly creates,” he replied, somewhat haughtily. Later, however, he told me the company may one day enter the arcade field with a game that preserves the form and “spirit” of Monopoly. For what it may be worth, the tournament was held in a section of the gallery devoted to traditional, or lifelike, paintings. In Monopoly, “Vermont Avenue” still has a depressionlevel $100 price tag. Which isn’t terribly lifelike. That sum would hardly buy a of time blue chip in today’s Atlantic City casino: Indeed, most Monopoly prices pjf 1 are closer to a teenage player’s wee|lj wance than to ocean resort property, ©1982 by NEA. Inc ‘Next time around, I want to be HI you — protected from life’s realities'