Page 2/rhe Battalion/Wednesday, April 6,1983
opinion
Forum productive,
but needs polish
The MSC Endowed Lecture Series in
augural address, “The Future of the
Western Alliance,” presented a unique
opportunity for Texas A&M. It is not
often that such well-known, experienced
and influential people visit our campus.
The lecture series committee should
be commended for its efforts. After sev
eral cancellations from moderators, they
did a good job in getting Marvin Kalb, a
capable, articulate moderator.
In addition to the lecture series com
mittee, former President Gerald Ford,
former British Prime Minister Edward
Heath and former West German Ghan-
cellor Helmut Schmidt also deserve
thanks. Having the three men meet in
such settings and share the wealth of
their experiences was valuable for Texas
A&M and the Western Alliance.
But, even with the success of the
forum, the lecture series committee will
no doubt learn from some of the mistakes
it made, including a biography in the
program that referred to Kalb as Ber
nard Kalb.
The committee also needs to improve
its dealings with the press. There were
constant mix-ups in times and places in
regard to access to the men. In some
cases, our photographers got better
cooperation from the Secret Service
agents. Other local media expressed
similar difficulties.
The idea of the series is a valuable one,
and it should be continued. We hope bet
ter preparation can alleviate problems
with future forums.
Soviet choices and
arms control policy
by Robert Shepard
United Press International
WASHINGTON — President
Reagan, as did his predecessors, has had
to formulate an arms control policy in the
midst of a continuing and spirited public
debate about what the right course may
be.
Leaders of the Soviet Union are in a
much different position, of course, but
that does not mean they are spared
equally difficult decisions. High on their
list must be the question of how to deal
with Ronald Reagan.
The Soviets can negotiate with him
seriously on arms control, or delay in the
hope that political forces will force
Reagan to change his stance, or they can
try to wait until Reagan is out of the
White House.
“The Soviets have a very difficult deci
sion to make in terms of strategy,” Sen.
Joe Biden, D-Del., a member of the Sen
ate Foreign Relations and Intelligence
Committees, observed last week.
The United States and its NATO allies
are preparing to deploy 572 nuclear
armed missiles in Europe begining late
this year. Reagan has said that deploy
ment could be delayed or limited if the
Soviets agree to some reduction in their
existing missile forces.
Opponents of the U.S. missile deploy
ment are vociferous both in the United
States and in Europe, giving the Soviets
hope that the West can be talked or bluf
fed out of the deployment.
The Soviets could decide to bank
heavily on that possibility.
“They can do it that way and find that
resolve may be there to deploy,” Biden
noted. In that case they could “lose out on
any prospect of getting arms control.”
They would then have to deal with the
accomplished fact of NATO missiles
pointed at the Soviet Union.
“Or what they could do is decide it is
more advantageous for them to move
now with this administration,” Biden
said.
“If they don’t move soon, if there is not
some progress soon” the there may be no
chance for agreement for some time,
probably not until after the 1984 pres
idential election, Biden observed.
“And then what do they have? They
have to make a guess — Ronald Reagan
runs and there is a 50-50 chance he will
be re-elected again.”
“I don’t think it’s as easy for them to
wait and see if they can derail (deploy
ment). They may find themselves in a
worse position if they do that. I would
suspect that it’s not nearly as simple as it
may seem on the face,” Biden said.
Other observers suggest a Soviet pact
with the conservative Reagan administra
tion would offer the Soviets more cer
tainty than they could expect from a dif
ferent administration. Jimmy Carter
signed the SALT II treaty, but conserva
tive critics raised such objections it was
never submitted to the Senate for ratifi
cation.
It is unlikely Reagan and his nego
tiators would ever be accused of giving
away too much to the Soviets. If he were
to give his assent to an arms treaty and
submit it to the Senate, ratification would
be almost assured.
The situation would be similar to
Richard Nixon’s decision to resume nor
mal relations with China. Had a liberal
Democrat — say George McGovern —
tried to do the same thing, he would have
touched off a political firestorm.
Reagan’s congressional critics com
plain he is surrounding himself with
arms control advisers of a decidedly haw
kish bent. If the Soviets perceive the same
situation they might feel the time for an
arms agreement is now, before the hard
liners become any more entrenched in
the administration.
And despite congressional objections
and efforts to slow the rise in defense
spending, Reagan has managed to
launch a major rearmament program.
Even if Congress makes some cuts this
year or next, the weapons building prog
ram has the momentum to continue for
the next several years. The Soviets will
not slow that buildup by refusing to
negotiate seriously or acting more bel
ligerent in world trouble spots.
Slouch By Jim Earle
“An armadillo carrying case — you’re kidding. You are
kidding, aren’t you?”
Fires that
destroyed
CHICAGO...
<£*<783 DAH/ratibAtCHi
Batters up ... baseball deals
by Art Buchwald
The income of baseball players seems
to be getting more attention from the
media than how they play the game. Pret
ty soon we can expect to hear the sports
announcers on television describing a
contest like this:
“Coming up to bat is Paul London, the
million-dollar wonderboy right fielder.
London, who became a free agent last
year, is the highest priced left-hander in
baseball. His deal is, every time he gets to
first base, he receives a $ 1,000 bonus and
a new automobile.
“On the mound is Too-Tall Dawkins,
who was given the Empire State Building
as a bonus when he signed up with the
New York Yankees. Dawkins, who owns
210 Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises,
made an unsuccessful bid to buy Sears
Roebuck last week with the trust fund set
up for him by George Steinbrenner.
Strike one.
“The infield is expecting a bunt. Third
baseman Pedro Cappello, who earns Si
million a year doing commercials for the
Wallin Savings and Loan Company, is
playing in close. Don Kirby, the shortstop
who made $750,000 last year and held
out this season during spring practice be
cause they wouldn’t renegotiate his con
tract, is covering second base. Dawkins
winds up — here comes the ball, London
swings — it’s a line drive over Pablo Her
nandez’ glove into right field, and Lon
don is safe on first. Hernandez and Lon
don have the same business manager and
they seem to be having a heated discus
sion on a tax shelter they’re both in.
“1’he next hitter is Ron Dirksen, who
gets a big ovation from the crowd. Ron
has a golden parachute deal with the Red
Sox. If he is ever traded or hurt, he still
gets $500,000 a year for 10 years, plus 10
percent interest on his money.
“Hernandez has gone over to speak to
Dawkins. Apparently London just gave
Hernandez a tip on a high-tech stock,
and he wants to talk it over with Dawkins,
so they can call their brokers after the
inning is over.
“The umpire hasjoined the group and
he is writing down the name of the stock.
Dirksen is at the plate and play is resum
ing. Dawkins throws a fast one over the
corner and it’s called a ball. Catcher Sam
Francisco, who does light beer commer
cials for the Sudsy Brewing Company, is
protesting the call. The umpiretcil
to put his mask back on.
“Here comes the pitch —agrd
to second baseman Bip Doctorwl
tried to corner the copper mark
week — he tags London andthenik
to first for a double play.
“Two out, and Fernando Grav®
es to bat. Fernando was notex[
play today, when his private Gulfi
111 had engine trouble in Tampi
fortunately he hitched a ride
fielder Max Newman’s Lear
suited up in time.
tnigj
lid L
“...The count is 3 and 2.
shakes his head to the catcher !
either mean he doesn’t like thepiii ; lces
led for, or Dawkins doesn’t wanti
into a condominium deal catcher!
cisco is developing in Fort Laudti y
Dawkins throws, and Gravas swing
misses for a strikeout. Thesideisn
and Dawkins has earned the h zed
State Building from George Steiii .—
ner today.
“Here comes the Red Sox ft
Arnie Ballow, who’s record in porl
futures this year is 20 and 1.
Letters: Nuclear power
Editor:
In response to Rube Williams’ edito
rial entitled “Nuclear energy — the Great
Debate 44 : Rube, just how safe is nuclear
energy? Is nuclear fuel only hazardous to
those who “stroll through a containment
building” or somehow manage “to eat
uranium 44 ?
tion needs (given this premise) is an
“Equalization of Opportunity” bill, which
would prohibit all private business reor
ganizations and activities except those
permitted by the government. This
would insure that no needy soul would
unjustly lose his or her job unnecessarily
under the heel of the pursuit of the
“Almightly Dollar.”
question
Easter thanks
Editor:
\re^
ibou
Naiti
: ear
reel-
lust
Duel
Dnly
lersi
Laurels to the Texas A&MUni't
Century Singers, under the direciii
the very talented Patricia F
formed and presented an outsiait
program of Easter music at
Lounge on Wednesday night-®
Have you ever wondered why so many
states have refused to let the federal gov
ernment bury nuclear waste in their
backyards? Radioactive waste, even in the
smallest quantity and in the most stable
burial grounds, is a highly dangerous en
tity.
Furthermore, given mankind’s pre
sent state of cognitive imperfection, is it
not possible that a series of mistakes
could be made in the building, inspection
and operation of a nuclear disaster? Was
the Three Mile Island accident a mere
anomaly and must we, the public, live
with the threat of repeated (and possibly
more disastrous) anomalies?
Can nuclear energy proponents begin
to understand why people all over the
globe are frightened and why some cry
“No Nukes! 44 ? Why nuclear power is no
longer seen as an energy panacea and
why many people are turning to the soft
energy paths (and are making them
work).
In mankind’s stream of energy con
sciousness, nuclear power has played a
crucial part. A part presently controver
sial and certainly fading.
Larry Mutter
Dennis Burns
Susan Bulmer
Graduate students
Growth and change
Editor:
I was pleased to see Mr. Art Buch-
wald’s satire piece on April 1, on one
particularly dynamic aspect of our eco
nomy: growth and change.
I completely agree with what appears
to be Mr. Buchwald’s point, given that
personal security is more valuable than
personal liberty. Obviously, what this na-
Of course government would play an
active role in this bold new plan, making
certain that complete objectivity and fair
ness would be exercised in its inforce-
ment. Why, just look at what a job the
government has been doing for so long in
other regulatory and social areas, like the
Environmental Protection Agency or the
Social Security program ...
Frank Knickerbocker
306 Redmund
strange circumstances — competing
noisy departure of International? 1
participants.
Five A&M cadets accomparf
group with trumpets, trombone!
French horn. Father Bill Brooks#*
rator. Such pretty women, hani
men, beautiful voices — anyone
so very proud of this group.
Hope it’s an annual affair—malt
a Blessed Easter.
Helen Job
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