-opinion
January 25 :
Slouch By Jim Earle
“Making an A on your first exam is good, but it’s not all
good. Keep in mind that you want to leave room to show
improvement, so your instructor will feel that he brought
you along during the course. See what I mean?
Reagan advocates
military pay freeze
by Maxwell Glen
and Cody Shearer
Ronald Reagan had an opportunity to
take the long view of defense expendi
tures last week, but instead donned
lenses ground for shortsightedness.
Rather than cut a weapons system or two
in his effort to reduce deficits, Reagan
took the easy way out and proposed a
military pay freeze.
Most observers agree that the pay
freeze alone would not damage Amer
ican military readiness in the short run.
Military salaries have become competi
tive with their civilian counterparts in re
cent years. Since 1980, in fact. Congress
has approved three consecutive annual
pay hikes — 11 percent, 14 percent and 4
percent — and was expected to do so
again this year.
Meanwhile, the recession has made fu
ture pay increases less essential to milit
ary recruitment. “Given the fact that
more people are trying to get in the
armed forces than can be accommo
dated, (the pay freeze) would not prevent
armed forces from meeting recruitment
or retention goals,” said Martin Ander
son, architect of the All-Volunteer Force
and former Reagan domestic policy
chief.
But Anderson conceded that the pay
freeze will have an impact, particularly
on those currently in the lower ranks.
Many military personnel rated between
E-l and E-4 (from recruit to corporal in
the Army, for example) are already living
at subsistence levels. To get by, those with
families regularly take second jobs — if
they can find them.
In fact, almost 5 percent of the active
Army’s 900,000 personnel worldwide re
ceived relief last year, a rise of more than
40 percent from 1981 levels. Army re
cords also show that 20 percent of the
Army’s active-duty soldiers could use
financial assistance for rent, food, utility
bills and required travel.
According to Col. Donald C. Rubot-
tom of the Army’s Emergency Relief
Program, most of the $15 million distri
buted in 1982 took the form of interest-
free loans; only 10 percent were outright
grants. “It’s the constant travel and tran
sitional nature of military life that takes
its toll,” said Rubottom.
Soldiers, like everyone else, might be
expected to undergo hard times during a
recession. Reagan’s proposed 7.6 percent
pay hike this year for military personnel,
in fact, seems like a natural place to make
economies in times of 4 percent inflation.
But if the economy picks up, Reagan
will have to keep military salaries com
petitive. By then, his reluctance to cut the
big-ticket items in 1983 will have gotten
the best of him — and us. The B-l, the
Trident and several aircraft carrierers
will be well under construction and will
offer little room for reduction.
Rhetorically, at least, Ohio senator
John Glenn sounds a lot like Ronald
Reagan. In a speech to delegates at Cali
fornia’s annual state Democratic conven
tion, Glenn played on the “let’s make
America great again” theme ex-pounded
exhaustively by Reagan in 1980. Glenn
has also rejected advice from aides that
he criticize the military in the way that
President Dwight D. Eisenhower did
near the end of his second term.
Arkansas’ senior senator, Dale Bum
pers, chided California Democrats last
weekend for parroting President
Reagan’s contention that government is
the problem — not the solution.
“It was a concerned and sensitive gov
ernment,” recalled Bumpers, “that
brought REA to rural America, and
thereby allowed my father to sell electric
al appliances and save his business; that
brought our small hometown water and
sewer systems and paved streets; that
stopped employers from working 12-
year-old children like me nine hours a
day in 110-degree heat for 10 cents an
hour.”
The Battalion
USPS 045 360
Member ot
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Southwest Journalism Conference
Editor Diana Sultenf'uss
Managing Editor Gary Barker
Associate Editor Denise Richter
City Editor I lope E. Paasch
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Sports Editor John Wagner
Entertainment Editor Colette Hutchings
Assistant Entertainment Editor. . . . Diane Yount
News Editors. . . Jennifer Carr, Elaine Engstrom,
Johna Jo Maurer, Jan Werner,
Rebeca Zimmermann
Staff Writers Maureen Carmody, Frank
Christlieb, Patrice Koranek, John
Lopez, Robert McGlohon, Ann
Ramsbottom, Kim Schmidt, Patti
Schwierzke, Angel Stokes, Tracey
Taylor, Joe Tindel
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Chris Thayer
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Graphic Artist Pam Starasinic
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Ronald W. Emerson, Octavio
Garcia, Rob Johnston, Irene Mees
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Washington leaks decisions
by Art Buchwald
This is what is known as the leaky
season in Washington. I’m not talking
about the weather, I’m talking about all
the leaks in the government to the press.
The President has been so angered by
leaks in his administration that he was
quoted in a leak from one of his people as
saying, “I’m up to my keister with these
leaks.”
The Washington leak is not only a way
of government officials communicating
with the press and the public, but it is also
used by government servants as a
method of communicating with each
other.
Let me give you an example.
I received a call from a Treasury offi
cial last week who said, “You don’t know
where you got it, but the President plans
to ask for some very high tax raises for ’85
if we ever hope to get the budget under
control.”
“Why are you telling me?”
“I want the President to know about
very high source in the Treasury.
Sure enough, I got a call from some
one in the White House who said, “Can I
talk to you off the record?”
“That’s what I’m paid for,” 1 told him.
‘T he Treasury is all wet about tax in
creases in 1985. The President has no
intention of asking for them.”
“Why doesn’t the President tell Treas
ury himself?”
“He’s not speaking to the Treasury De
partment because they’re always bring
ing him bad news. If our denial is printed
as a leak about the President being
against taxes in ’85?”
“From the White House.”
“Well, the person here who gave you
that story is all wet. The President hasn’t
made up his mind about taxes for ’85 and
he’s keeping his options open. But if you
quote me I’ll deny it.”
“Why don’t you tell the guy who leaked
it to me that he’s giving out bum informa
tion?”
out of concrete.”
“Why don’t you just tall upiiJ
ury and tell them that?”
“It carries much more autl
comes as a news leak to you.'
“I’ll get it in on Sunday,"Ip
him.
Sunday morning I got a cal
from my Treasury leaker. “You
conflicting leaks last week
White H ouse about taxes foi'j
Secretarv wants to know whid]
believe.”
“It’s hard to say. Bothleaksc
two of the highest sources on
dent’s staff.”
it.
“Why don’t you tell him?”
“I’d rather he read it in The Washing
ton Post than break it to him. I have my
job to think of.”
I printed the story, attributing it to a
“I can’t because he’s against tax hikes
for ’85 and he’s using the press to influ
ence the President to reject them.”
“And you’re using us to get the Presi
dent to go along with some tax hikes?”
“Maybe. I want Treasury to push for
new taxes so I can get the President’s feet
“Well, how is the Secretar
to set U.S. monetary policyih
are so contradictory?” •
“Don’t get mad at me. Ijust
leaks as they come in. You peo|
figure out which ones to
which ones are red herring's
can do just so much tocommui
sages for you |)eoj4le. Isn't
other way of finding out what
eminent is jilunningtoriobesi
to the press?”
“I wish there were. Butifwti
ted policy through regular dm
one in Washington would acti
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Letters: Minority report questioned
Editor:
Upon reading today’s Houston Chro
nicle, I felt compelled to comment on
some of the statements contained in a
Chronicle article.
The article dealt with Texas A&M’s
plans to increase minority enrollment.
Let me state from the beginning that I
indeed favor such action, and I am not
taking a stand on that issue.
First of all, maybe I missed something,
but as far as I can remember, I haven’t
seen any whites with blackened faces and
feathers on their bodies running through
cafeterias, nor have I heard of any such
activity, and I have been here for three of
the most “recent years” in history.
Secondly, although I believe it is a
good idea, some ACLU lawyer will come
along and sue the University for discrimi
nation or reverse-discrimination for
asking housing applicants if they mind
rooming with minority students. Also, is
the housing application going to ask
minority students if they mind rooming
with minority students?
Further, the question of minority fa
culty members, particularly those of
“Asian origin,” has apparently been
around for some time. I clearly remem
ber last year a questionnaire being circu
lated by a certain mother’s club dealing
with the, as they called it, “problem” of
Oriental faculty members. That ques
tionnaire was harshly worded against
such faculty members. Obviously, the
administration’s viewpoint differs with at
least one mother’s club and probably
some others as well.
Lastly, the Chronicle quotes the report
of President Vandiver’s committee as
saying that the flying of the Confederate
battle flag at the annual construction of
Aggie Bonfire is treason. Come on, really
now, treason? That is going a bit far.
I may not agree with the idology of
slavery, but I am proud of my heritage,
which includes being from Texas, for
merly a Confederate state. Flying the
Confederate flag does not, in my eyes,
advocate racism. Many historians feel
that slavery was not the direct cause of
the Civil War, but merely a contributing
factor.
Back to the wording of the report for a
moment. Webster defines treason as,
“betrayal of one’s country to an enemy to
betray anything to.” So, if the report
does indeed use that word, it is in my
view, way out of line.
The article quotes Nolen Mears as
saying that flying the Confederate flag is
just Southern heritage. I believe he is
right. And as Southern heritage, the flag
ought to be allowed to fly. If flying such a
flag is “treasonous,” how is it that flying
the Mexican flag (one of the six flags over
Texas that occasionally flies over the
Quad) is not? Or more specifically, why
isn’t the flying of the Confederate “Stars
and Bars” (the Confederate national flag,
not the battle flag) in the same display
also “treasonous?” After all, the Mex
icans fought to gain control of our state
and the Confederate States fought only
for recognition.
Kurt L. Miller
Dorm 9
support now more than ever. Asa]
crat, he went to Washington
worked hard to represent bis
tuents. He worked to reducegovfi
waste, to curb government rej
and to reduce taxes. It isobvioustl
Gramm did his job all too well ini
of his fellow democrats. The
democratic leadership (Tip OW
Wright, Ted Kennedy) is trying#
an examjole out of Phil Gr®
punishing him for performingbt
well. n
We elected Mr. Gramm toC# )
three times. We knew where he#
the issues, we liked the job he#
and we want him to keep iiptk'
work. He has proven himselftok
er, a man of his word, a fightera#
est. If more congressman would 1#
lowed his example the troubles(
tion has today would not exis 1
Gramm’s party affiliation didno 1
his way of doing a good job at
Rejmblican, I feel he will conli
fight for us in Washington DC
Who is our representative in Co
Phil Gramm or Tip O’Neill? Idc
my representative in Congress
political pujjpet of the liberal lead'
but rather a jDolitical powerhoi#
Phil Gramm. Let’s send a message
O’Neill and friends to quit playbl
tical games with the nation’s futuf
b 1978
Student says
vote Gramm
Editor:
On Saturday, Feb. 12, the electorate of
the Texas 6th Congressional District will
make a choice between Phil Gramm and a
host of Democrats.
I believe Phil Gramm deserves our
tisan politics must become histot)'
nation’s economic ills are tobeso'
By the way, Tij), is there an
wrong with being an america'
rather than a Democrat or RepJ
Moreover, Tijj, keep your nose
Texas politics and quit botheri":
congressman, Mr. Phil Gramm. V 1
Gramm on Feb. 12, 1983.
Mark Cdl