Page 2/The Battalion/Wednesday, July 6, 1983 Controversy continues over Carter papers * by Helen Thomas United Press International WASHINGTON — Much as the White House wishes it will all go away, the furor over the purloined Carter debate briefing papers is not expected to die down immediately. At his news conference, President Reagan was bombarded with questions about the proprietary of his aides in obtaining and using documents that were prepared for President Carter for his de bate with Reagan. But he deftly sidestepped the issue of whether it was right or wrong. At the same time, Reagan said that politics “should be above reproach.” Meanwhile, Carter aides are suggest ing that “dirty tricks” may have been in volved. Around Washington, speculation runs rampant on who might have passed the documents to the Reagan camp. So far, no one has come forward to claim the honor. Nor has the White House identified, publicly at least, any one who might have had a hand in secur ing the secret papers on strategy and tac tics. The mystery is how four administra tion officials could have received such papers without anyone recalling how they got them. Reagan himself said that he did not know that they existed and only learned about them from reports in the press. Capitol Hill life differs little from state legislature by Ira R. Allen United Press International WASHINGTON — Most of the old Southern power barons who made laws in back rooms over bourbon and bran- chwater are gone, but Capitol Hill still is a plantation. The Greek columns, the lush greens wards swarming with plebian tourists, the patricians who orate at length on the Senate floor, the backslapping and camaraderie, the amiable way a congress man will chat with anyone who recog nizes him. Staff members are paid whatever their lords and masters want to pay. There are no equal opportunity or health and safe ty laws that apply, and good field hands are rewarded with comfortable, high- paying jobs close to the power. The outward serenity of life on the Hill can mask the rampant ambition that causes each of the 100 senators to look in Namely, anything newsworthy that happens in Washington or the rest of the world can be learned within 45 minutes on the Hill. either starts in Congress or finds its way there in a hurry, and most issues take at least 10 years from inception to final ac tion, generating more accusations, hear ings, debates and recriminations than can be consumed. Ending a six-year term covering the Senate, I have been blessed with good stories — not so much the budget and tax and defense battles, nor the social issues of abortion and school prayer. But what raw meat did come from feuds between senators, or rackets committee hearings with hooded witnesses and testimony that Jimmy Hoffa was “ground into little pieces like hamburger and dumped in a swamp.” Even a story on the impeccably tended Capitol gardens produced a truism: “They spread 40 tons of fertilizer on Capitol Hill every year, and that doesn’t even include what’s in the Congressional Record.” Beyond the stories themselves, what will be missed is the collection of silver- tongued devils who provide the press gal leries with memorable words and enter taining orations; people such as Pat Moynihan, Bob Dole, Howard Baker, Barry Goldwater, Orrin Hatch, Charles Mathias, Alan Simpson, Bill Proxmire, Ted Stevens and Paul Tsongas. Early in my career, I was sent to cover the mirror each morning and see a future president of the United States. Or at least hear the staff sharecroppers tell him so. Covering Congress is a reporter’s dream — regular hours, long vacations when members leave for “district work periods” and, above all, the eagerness with which 535 lawmakers and 20,000 staff members will talk. ... things aren’t all that different on Capitol Hill than in the state legislatures that are so often laughed at. Since everyone has an ax to grind for his boss, the truth quotient is lower than a reporter might like, but the sheer volume of documents, press releases and leakers amounts to an embarrassment of riches ■— so much so that a good part of any day is spent gleefully batting information away. I he ease with which information can be obtained led to a formulation by this columnist that should be of help to new comers in the Capitol press corps. Name ly, anything newsworthy that happens in Washington or the rest of the world can be learned within 45 minutes on the Hill. If a rumor cannot be confirmed in that time span, it simply is not true. the Maryland legislature and given direc tions — “look for the cash register with a dome.” After reporting on these congression al creatures for precisely the length of a senator’s term, I have been gradually dis illusioned, mostly because things aren’t all that different on Capitol Hill than in the state legislatures that are so often laughed at. Like any rule, there is an exception. For those not favored by the well-aimed leak, it did become impossible to confirm last fall that Sen. Edward Kennedy was indeed dropping out of the presidential race. Thus, an important corollary to the theory is that a scoop can last only 45 minutes, except when it involves Con gress itself. Capitol Hill is a breeder reactor of good stories. Every imaginable issue The members frequently are state- house alumni all too willing to barter their statesmanship for campaign contri butions. Too many continue to indulge in petty egotism and ask, “What’s in it for me?” instead of “What’s good for the country?” The ground rules are the same as in the state capitals. It just takes more clout to hit one out of the ballpark. Personalities loom larger than issues, which is understandable because a politi- can can change his stripes but not his character. They are, in sum, just like your town council members or delegates to your general assembly —just a little bit smar ter and a whole lot luckier. The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member ot Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editor. HopeE. Paasch City Editor Kelley Smith Sports Editor John Wagner News Editors Daran Bishop, Brian Boyer, Beverly Hamilton, Tammy Jones Staff Writers Jennifer Carr, Scott Griffin, Robert McGlohon, Angel . Stokes, Joe Tindel Copy editors .... 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White House aides are chagrined. De puty press secretary Larry Speakes first dismissed the briefing book questions, saying there was no inquiry in the White House. Then he passed off the issue as Around Washington, specula tion runs rampant on who might have passed the documents to the Reagan camp. not aid Reagan in the debate with Carter and that he would have triumphed anyway. On that score, the president got a boost from Speaker Thomas O’Neill who agreed that Reagan would have won the election because Carter was unpopular, he said. He also seemed to agree with the president that it was “much ado about nothing.” by something that is “done in politics,” and not too unusual. But some aides wish they had never seen the papers. They insist that they did Nevertheless, questions remain un answered, and with the Justice Depart ment conducting an inquiry, it appears the White House will be answering more questions as time goes one. Carter aides are saying they believe that more than the debate books left their _ ign premises. If that is t, plot will thicken. The president, meanwhile saw ethical question: “I think thatca! mg has always, in the eyes of the™ had a kind of a double stand '> s Ed ^ have deplored it. And there areil ^ pie who’ve said — people that are wise totally honest — have said, they hear about something, they’, “Oh well, you know, politics.’ “Well, 1 don’t happen to befe tics should have a double standai said. “No. I think it should beal proach. And there shouldn’tbeun things done in campaigns, ever, things as accusing the other candi tieer I in I iVells |be bn wor work ys acing Really ures i holdi brodu being a racist, and things likethaffhe .. HEY HEY HEY. CMCKKE BABY lets wrr UR GRIILSE III prime age. Jhe D fejly ha< le w< s and Frit uulay. But the onday ali •deaths,; Id said numl fifteen were ,m struc