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Page 2AThe Battalion/Monday, August 29, 1983 opinion Politics may be in retired general’s plans cati by Wanda United Press International WASHINGTON — It began a year ago when Pete Dawkins, who has excelled at everything he has ever done, was in bed for six weeks because of back surgery. Now, one of West Point’s most lumi nous graduates, 1957 Heisman trophy winner, Rhodes scholar, musician, Prin ceton Ph.D. and the Army’s youngest re tired general is looking to new vistas, and despite abundant speculation, he is not yet willing to commit himself to a political career. Dawkins, 45, dressed casually but im peccably in a blue shirt open at the neck, tan slacks and loafers, sat on his patio and talked about what led him to retire from a brilliant military career and about whether he may run against Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., in 1984. “The fact is I have no plans to run for political office. I’m certainly not going to launch off at this point right now into a political campaign. That’s not where I am.” He weighed his words, and his entire manner during several conversations up to and including a 45-minute interview were convincing evidence he would plot his future with consummate care. His caution was clear even in refusing to rule out a 1984 race. “Again, I’m un easy in framing my comments that way,” Dawkins replied. “Since I haven’t de cided what I’m going to do, it’s very diffi cult logically to rule out anything. But the fact is, I sure don’t plan on it.” When Dawkins was an all-America halfback, enthusiastic supporters pre dicted that he was a cinch to become Army chief of staff some day. They were underestimating him, in the eyes of Sen. William Cohen, R-Maine, who counts Dawkins as his best friend. “I think he’s the quintessential candi date, if he should run,” Cohen said. “He’s going to make a wonderful president.” But Cohen said Dawkins should not run for office now, but go into business for four or five years. The two men and their wives, Judy and Diane, just spent a weekend whitewater raf ting on the Ken nebec River in Maine. Reflecting on his changed life, Daw kins said, “It was triggered a year ago when I had back surgery It took me out of action for six weeks. My life has been, particularly the last 10 or 12 years, one of very busy times, each day trying some how to grapple with the challenges of that day, not really standing back and questioning broadly where it all is fit ting.” The surgery followed a tennis injury that left him with excruciating pain. “Suddenly I began to think about things,” Dawkins said. “If you’re lucky, at my age, you have 20 or 25 vigorous, ac tive years to invest. And you have an obli gation to make that choice consciously, not simply to keep doing what you’re doing because you’re doing it, but to be convinced that for you that’s the most important thing to be doing. Women apathetic to Reagan by Helen Thomas United Press International President Reagan is running into ob stacles in his quest for the women’s vote. He and his aides are puzzled at the negative reaction to what they view as generous efforts to increase opportunies for women in the federal government. Presidential spokesman Larry Speakes said the president’s record of female appointees to high-ranking fed eral jobs is unmatched in history. The administration’s showcases are two Cabinet women — Transportation Sec retary Elizabeth Dole and HHS Secretary Margaret Heckler. f4e also named Sandra Day O’Connor as the first woman justice of the Supreme Court and Jeanne Kirkpatrick as the first Editor Hope E. Paasch City Editor Kelley Smith Sports Editor John Wagner News Editors Daran Bishop, Brian Boyer, Beverly Hamilton, Tammy Jones Staff Writers Robert McGlohon, Karen Schrimsher, Angel Stokes, Joe Tindel Copy editors Kathleen Hart, Beverly Hamilton Cartoonist Scott McCullar Photographers Brenda Davidson, Eric Evan Lee, Barry Papke 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. woman to head the U.S. delegation to the United Nations. But the White House is learning that the problem is much broader, and that Reagan’s oppostion to the Equal Rights Amendment hurt his image with the modern-day American woman who be- Thepolls show there is a “gender gap” in Reagan's pursuit of the women’s vote and 10 percent fewer women approve of his job perfomance than men. lieves there is still discrimination in many areas. More than a year ago, Reagan ordered a review of all federal statutes that might include discrminatory language. 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 telephone number of the writer. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holi day and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Columns and guest editorials also are 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 (409) 845- 2611. 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. The Justice Department has con ducted the intensive search, calling on all agencies to point out laws that discrimin ate against women. So far, three quarter ly reports have been made to the White House, but no action has been taken and the reports have not been made jmblic. Barbara Honegger, a Justice Depart ment special assistant, delivered a blow to the administration when she described as a “sham” Reagan’s efforts to eliminate discrimination in the law. She wrote in The Washington Post that Reagan had backed off on the Re publican Party’s 40-year commitment “to the broadest constitutional protection for the civil rights of American women — support of the ERA.” If anything, she said, the administra tion has narrowed the interpretation of existing statutes forbidding sex discrimi nation. Moreover, she saidno action has been taken to eliminate sex discrimina tion in federal regulations. White House officials were stung by her attack, and so were Justice Depart ment officials. At the Justice Depart ment, Ms. Honegger, who has since res igned, was described as a “disgruntled job seeker” and dismissed as a “low-level” staffer who hardly anyone had heard of. In the conclusion she wrote, “I don’t think Ronald Reagan gives a damn.” The president went out of his way two weeks ago to apologize to the Federation of Business and Professional Women af ter they were turned away from the White House gates when their scheduled tour was abruptly canceled. Reagan sought to make ammends by putting in a personal appearance, but his remarks offended some of the women. The polls show there is a “gender gap” in Reagan’s pursuit of the women’s vote and 10 percent fewer women approve of his job perfomance than men. His political advisers are aware of the problems. They are soliciting the advice of some prominent women on how to make a better appeal for the women’s vote. Columnist Ann Landers has been asked for advice. Maureen Reagan, the president’s daughter and an ERA activ ist, also has been recruited. With the elections more than a year away, Reagan still has a chance to make many affirmative moves to improve his image with women, but it may require a philosophical change of direction. The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member ot Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference “So Judy and 1 launched on a kind ot II-month odysssey.” Dawkins said the best counsel he got was from House Chaplain James Ford, who previously was chaplain at West Point. thought it was important. 1 was loot forward with enthusiasm to what" ahead. Battalior The Enginee tory Center, wh After a quarter of a century woit July, offers labo to help defend this country, I cametof very strongly that 1 wanted the opp students doing “As you go about this,” the minister told Dawkins, “don’t you dare lose the joy and exquisite pleasure of what it is you’re going to do. There would be a tendency to get so focused on how to make the right decision. Just continually draw yourself to the wonder of what it is you’re able to do.” “I think he’s right,” Dawkins said. So he decided to leave the military, which he did in a blaze of glory at the Pentagon Aug. 1. tunity to be part of facets of Americaii I hadn’t had the opportunity to of, and hopefully, to be as fullye and field the challenges and o nites with as much vigor and enthi as the ones I had dealt with before that. dvil, mechanical engineering. The three-s located on Bizz has 12 conferen allow graduate , , .. . , , ,■ faculty to meet Its really as simple and complti excha 7 nge infon The process continues for Dawt jence room ho who says that he has never beent» people, and that he never had ajobintheJ “that I didn’t feel absorbed everyli japproach wher search facilities (search projects. "It’s pn “I did not leave for the traditional reasons I had not become disenchanted, discouraged, disillusioned about what I was doing, or someone made an offer so incandescent you can’t refuse. “I genuinely loved what 1 was doing. It was personally rewarding, fulfilling, I my ability.” I'm looking at quite a range of thS interchange res f rom the business world to governu — a pretty broad spectrum — at entrepreneurial things, starting my business, to more traditional thing! joining a very large corporation, lis number of quite things.” Bureaucratic birthday an uninspiring event by Dick West United Press International WASHINGTON — From the Roosevelt Center for American Policy Studies comes a reminder that the feder al bureaucracy is now 100 years old. It was a century ago that President Chester A. Arthur signed legislation creating a professional corps of govern ment workers. That truly is an inspiring milestone, although the Center notes that many Americans aren’t exactly in the mood to give our public servants a birth- Under the Civil Service Act passed! years later, only top employees comei go with different administrations, they aren’t allowed to carry guns. The spoils system reached its heii or depth, in 1841. When WilliamHs Harrison entered the White Ho there were about 40,000 officeseekei town. litizens think of bureaucrats as arro gant, lazy, overpaid paper-pushers,” it says, ana I’ll concede the prospect of singing “Happy Birthday” to the Civil Service doesn t really turn me on. Besides that, government regulations being what they are today, we probably couldn't light that many candles without first filing an Environmental Impact Statement. If you must do something appropri ate, take a bureaucrat to luncm. You can list that expense as a tax deduction. The Roosevelt Center makes much of the fact that the merit system created in 1883 supplanted the spoils system. By and large, I suppose, the change has worked out for tne better — particularly from the workers’ standpoint. It used to be that each time the admi nistration changed hands, the streets of Washington would be lined with patron age job seekers. That might not sound much worse than rush hour traffic, but at least mod ern commuters aren’t prone to violence. It was, you’ll recall, a disappointed political job seeker, Charles Cuiteau, who shot President Garfield in 1881. That assassination, as much an anything, prompted Arthur, Garfield’s successor, to press for a hiring system based on merit instead of political loyalty. Battalion I Many changes nice, are plain mester, includi on to football Limited shutt leday of home ill be available t Historians tell us it was Sen. W1 Wpass.JohnL Macy of New York, a friend of Andi ^operations Jackson, who popularized the slogan Nowadays, on a mid-summer m ing, there are nearly that inanysighist lined up to tour the executive mansi i i • • c tinit It you must do someth'll appropriate, take a bureaucnl lunch. You can list that expcn as a tax deduction. the victor belongs the spoils.” What a theme that would make one of the floats in a Macy’s Thank? ing parade! Or what a rallyingcryfori of the presidential candidates! If the merit system were carriedto ultimate extreme, we would doawa) politics entirely. No more presideil ,n Street s to{ don’t come to small rooms,’ sa ton, assistant di search of Texa Experiment Sta The founder planned for fi tried to cater t< Shi on by Rose Mai udents with ide the bus at 1st. “We will run ; milar to the o m. on school d Buses will st nd a half ho ame and will rr ms after the ho are locatet mule routes - ilia Maria — r ff at the Irela icated near tf ill drop off at primaries, nominating conventions debates. Instead, all the candidates wouldt a Civil Service exam, with theonemal the highest score becoming the next idem. Maybe there wouldn’t be a bi[ provement in leadership, but chances! the administration would have differ! types of scandals. Instead of being accused of fill their opponents’ debating points dents would be accused to sneak! peeks at the test questions. udder Comph “We hope a 1 Slouch By Jim Earl WELCOME TO AfcM’S BEST Wlsci ilutuk