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opinion Election coverage in the Soviet Union by Art Buchwald As I predicted six months ago, Yuri Andropov became the new General Sec retary of the Communist Party. But last Thursday was still one of the most excit ing election nights in Russian history. “Good evening. “Welcome to Soviet Broadcasting Sys tem’s election night coverage. I’m Dan Ratevich, and we have tonight Lesley Stahlingrad, Dmitri Brinksley, Igor Bro- kaw, and Ilyich "Moyers, giving you latest results on exciting election for successor to Comrade Leonid Brezhnev, who just went to that great Politburo in the sky. “Lesley, we hear you have early report from Odessa.” “I do, Dan. Odessa polls closed just two minutes ago, and the ‘SBS Exit Poll’ indi cates big victory for Communist Party there. Odessa has always been bellwether for how rest of country will go. The big turnout for Communists in Odessa means encouraging sign for Communist Party in other parts of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.” “Igor, how are we doing in Minsk and Smolensk?” “Our exit polls closed in Minsk and Smolensk indicate possible landslide for Kremlin.” “How do you explain this?” “Exit pollsters found voters very un happy with no food in shops, shoddy con sumer goods, no housing, and rotten winter. They say they voted Communist to send a message to Moscow.” “Dmitri Brinksley, how do you read these results so far?” “Is sign Soviet people are fed up with system and want change. Our SBS break down shows old people are worried ab out social security, women don’t like nuc lear arms race, young people want Soviets out of Afghanistan, and factory bosses are against government regula tions. It always happens in off-year elec tion.” “Let’s go to Ilyich Moyers for in-depth commentary on what this means for pres idential candidates.” “We shouldn’t read too much into ear ly election results, Dan. Although it is now predicted Yuri Andropov, former head of KCB, got 99 percent of votes in his district, he still has an image problem. Andropov is hosehold name in Soviet Union, and while everyone is still scared silly of him, he is dull speaker and has no television appeal. “Konstantin Chernenko was hand picked successor by Brezhnev but is 71 years old and may be considered too young for the job. Moscow party boss Viktor Grishin is dark horse, and De fense Minister Ustinov has built up war chest from military which puts other can didates at big disadvantage when it come to buying television time. At the moment head of Soviet Union is still up for grabs.” “Lesley, you have new results from Ukraine.” “Yes, Dan. The Ukraine, with three percent of the votes in, is going heavily for Andropov. This is one of the places the KCB Political Action Committee con centrated on because farmers were very unhappy with Chernenko’s refusal to buy enough grain from the United States.” “Dmitri, you wanted to say some thing?” “I would just like to say the large dissi dent vote in Siberia that the Pravda News Poll had predicted didn’t materialize. De spite appeals from the ‘Voice of America’ the dissidents stayed home, and that could account for the overwhelming sweep of the Communist Party in Dudinka, where Viktor Grishin counted on a low turnout.” ‘Useful, informative’ leaders conversation by Dick West United Press International WASHINGTON — Over the years, the U.S. government has developed a special code to characterize private talks between world leaders. If, for example, the secretary of state’s discussion with a visiting foreign minister is officially described as “a candid exchange of views,” you can bet they didn’t agree on any thing. As a long-term student of diplomatic cryp tography, I was interested in the delineation put on the chat that Vice President George Bush had with Yuri Andropov, the new gen eral secretary of the Communist party, in Moscow. The two met after the funeral of Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev, and it was re ported they had a “frank, cordial and substan tive” conversation. The general secretary asked whether the vice president was enjoying his visit to the Soviet capital and whether the city was gener ally what he had expected. The vice president replied that he was enjoying the visit very much considering the somber nature of the occasion. He said there had been no major surprises although Mos cow weather was a bit colder than he had imagined at this time of year. The general secretary asked whether the vice president would like to borrow one of those fur caps that Russians wear in winter. The general secretary said he had several fur caps that he had never worn in his closet at home. He said he was pretty sure one of them would fit the vice president. The vice president thanked the general secretary for his solicitude. As yet, however, his head had not become unbearably cold, the vice president said. The general secretary commented that he was happy to hear that. He then asked what it was that a vice president did exactly besides attend state funerals. The vice president gave the general secret ary a complete rundown of his duties and responsibilities. This part of the discussion took approximately five seconds. The general secretary noted there seemed to be some remarkable similiarities between the U.S. vice presidency and the lifestyle of Soviet dissidents sent to Siberia. The vice president replied that compari sons of this type had been made before. The general secretary nodded his appre ciation. He thanked the vice president for- having attended the funeral as head of the U.S. delegation and wished him well in the future. 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 Hope E. 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, Jan Swaner, 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- 2611. 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. Battalion/Page 2 November 2Z a Slouch By Jim Ea by Elai Bat They linec Drive to hitc fen, watchec Texas Ruby” |e YMCA I Buck Rogers some of then They we Texas A&M years near th< If They wet time to serve if them as so iticular, fount ‘I knew it had to happen. serve. Bernard ( inaii chemia dent at Texa 1944-45 scho University to priest. Today in the Beau Diocese of th Church Ganter, Saturday to v Si. Mary’s Ca He watche Texas Christi ball game, ati at St. Mary’s a church on Sr Ganter, pi |exas, said ht Aggie bishop nas many Agj Letter: Reagan must free cred Bse, or area i eludes more ( i lies. ||* Before be Banter was ; BeartCathol Editor: Dear President Reagan: I request to know why your adminis tration has not sought to work with the Third World Nations to reorganize the debt along the Hamiltonian lines, espoused by Lyndon LaRouche. This reorganzition would free all lines of credit for the large scale industrial de velopment projects required to lift whole sections of the developing sector out of poverty, while creating 10 to 15 million new jobs through an export boom. T here is enough demand for Amer ican technology to provide markets of up to $100 billion annually, more than 197/ to 1978 levels of export sales. This is more than enough to put America back to work, provided that the international economic system can be reorganized to provide the credit needed to develop these markets to their fullest potential. Right now your State Department is doing everything in its power to prevent the Latin American Nations from form ing a debt cartel to reorganize their debt and get the credit needed to finance large-scale development projects. Your State Department is opposing the very policies that can provide millions of American jobs through producing and exporting our way out of the current de pression. I implore you to, for once, fight to create American jobs by developing and expanding our markets by supporting global economic development. When you meet the heads of state of Columbia, Brazil and Mexico, please fol low the policy outlined by Lyndon LaRouche and come back with commit ments from these Latin-American lead ers that will add up to a minimum of $250 billion in orders for U.S. industry. This will break down to 2 million permanent, productive jobs for U.S. workers. The biggest obstacle to this U.S. capit al exports and jobs boom is Latin Amer ica’s $250 billion outstanding debt. T hanks to three years of Paul Volckers outrageous interest rates, which pyra mided the debt while shutting down the ton. He was t sa, Okla., wh state’s t ars ago, he jeaumont. In the days 'exas A&M, 1 mpus was v iday. “School we le said. You have the choice between a $250 billion hole in the interna tional banking system ... and $250 billion in jobs and exports for the United States and global indus trialization. factories and farms that produce real wealth, this debt cannot be paid. T he only way it can ever be paid is to finish the wealth-creating giand development pro jects like Grande Carajas. Yet the IMF and their U.S. banker allies are deman ding that these development projects be shut down “to pay the debt“. The following is what I, and most of the unemployed blue collar workers want you to do. First; When you meet President Figueiredo of Brazil and President Be- tancur of Columbia, you must propose the joint renegotiation of the entire debt of Latin America, on terms that will open Latin American markets to American ex ports again. That means the worthless short-term lOU’s to the banks, turned into long-term bonds al lower interest rates. These bonds* “as good as gold.” Backed byprodi Latin American industry and agrii capacity, provided the United Sj takes the second step. Second; T he moment you it form Latin America, you must anus i “There that the days of the “independent! ludentCenti eral Reserve are over, and dictatel Federal Reserve a new policy ofn ing credit creation to gold-reserve It ury notes issued at between 2 to4pti i n te rest. Th i s c red it will be used sol lending through the privatebailki| tem for U.S. infrastructureinvestM ! _ water development, nuclear ci i riescnp plants, etc., to revive our dying GlclSS6J and to gear up the U.S. capit; industry to service the huge LatinAi [ “ ican market. 9216 N. Main T his is America’s and yourlastdu \ Mon.-Fri. You have the choice between?! I COLLEC billion hole in the international haul Jdflg Post Oal system, a dark ages depression in ited States with a possible civil wk the devastation of Latin America $250 billion in jobs and exports & United States and global industrif tion. My and many other Americans^ ment of you as a moral force and s? man, or as another traitorousjimmfl ter, (who started this damned mess), Mon.-S{ Texa m Of Sir be determined by the above choose. I sincerely request that you respoa to what your dicision is regarding most urgent matter Brian Wilson ' - RfcrwoerH 9w-tbj6G?a^<\ HUINW