Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 30, 1983)
Page 2/The Battalion/Friday, September 30,1983 Watt’s remarks similar to Butz’s By Dick West United Press International WASHINGTON — Human reaction to new pesticides, drugs and other che micals can pretty well be predicted by testing toxic substances on laboratory mice. Too bad there isn’t an equally reliable way of testing the toxic comments of in terior secretaries. Not that James Watt, the current occu pant of that office, is the first Cabinet member to poison political wells with his sense of humor — if that’s what it is. Rumors that Watt gets his material from Howard Cosell are duly noted. It is, however, Earl Butz, the former agricul ture secretary, who comes to mind when we cast about parallels and precedents to the controversy over Watt. Butz, you’ll recall, was obliged to res ign after he was quoted as telling a racist joke — if that’s what it was — aboard an airplane. Granted that Butz’s cabin on the air craft was devoid of television cameras of the type that recorded Watt’s witticism — if that’s what it was. Granted also that Butz may have be lieved he was speaking privately, whereas Watt presumably was aware he was appearing before a Chamber of Com merce audience. Nevertheless, the political repercus sion from the punch line was deemed even more adverse than the fallout of acid rains upon the plains of Canada. So Butz had to go. At this writing, it appears that Watt has weathered the storm stirred up by his gaffe. His big mistake was applying such terms as woman, black, Jew and cripple to the membership of a coal-leasing advis ory board. Had Watt been referring to the ticket balancing qualities of prospective vice presidential candidates, his remark might have passed unremarked. In their formative stage, presidential slates tend to be almost as diverse as the “Twelve Days of Christmas.” It is nothing uncommon for nominees to be reported considering as their running-mates four calling birds, three French hens, two tur tle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. In that framework, Watt might have been marked down as merely making a bid for the leaping lords vote. Now back to those mice. The White House at first gave the im pression it was reserving judgment on Watt until on the duration and intensity of the flap over his utterance became evi dent. How much more politically safe it would have been for President Reagan’s aides simply to say a final decision on whether Watt should resign was being delayed pending further laboratory tests. Indeed, once the boys down at the lab have the capability of anticipating public reaction to Cabinet-level humor, there is no reason to expose mice only to jokes and off-cuff quips. Various programs and policies, such as the ones being f ollowed in Central Amer ica, also could be tested for political toxic ity in advance. If mice sampling increased aid to El Salvador, for example, engaged in an in ordinate amount of squeaking, or de veloped malignant tumors, that proposal could be expunged before Congress was exposed to it. Reagan trip depends on political struggles by E. Michael Myers United Press International WASHINGTON — President Reagan’s decision to visit the Philippines in November will be based on the out come of violent political struggles being waged in the streets of Manila. The demonstrations against the reg ime of President Ferdinand Marcos have cost more than 10 lives. The crackdown by his security forces shows no sign of easing, and Reagan’s security dominates all other considerations in allowing the one-day visit. Reagan’s possible reluctance to leave town if Congress is still in session notwith standing, chaos in the streets of Manila or a poor security environment will be the basis of the judgment on going ahead with the visit or canceling it. It’s understood the visit could not go forward if the Marcos regime is definitely implicated in the assassination of opposi tion leader Benigno Aquino,or if it blocks an objective investigation of his murder. The administration wants to avoid any action that would further weaken Marcos if a verdict is still out on his regime’s possible role in Aquino’s death. And a premature, poorly reasoned cancella tion, without a definitive answer on Mar cos’ complicity, could still amount to a judgment of culpability. Another consideration is the vital U.S. security interests in the Philippines, Clark Air Base and the Subic Bay naval facility. These bases are strategic Amer ican assets along the sea and air lanes of Asia. No longer does the United States have such assets in Vietnam — they are ports to the Soviet navy now. A Reagan visit to the Philippines can be judged by Marcos’s opposition as Amer ican support to the embattled leader. If an anti-American regime ultimately com es to power in the Philippines, Clark Air Base and Subic Bay may go with Marcos. The United States has seen this before. President Carter’s administration sup ported the dictatorial shah so long that support doomed any chance of possible accommodation with the radical Islamic revolution that seized control of Iran. The Battalion ■P iji USPS 045 360 Mcmlvr ot Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editqr Hope E. Paasch Managing Editor Elaine Engstrom City E''>tor Beverly Hamilton Assistant Cmy Editor Kelley Smith Sports Editor John Lopez Assistant Sports Editor Joe Tindel Entertainment Editor .... Rebeca Zimmermann Assistant Entertainment Editor Shelley Hoekstra News Editors Brian Boyer, Kathy Breard, Tracey Taylor, Kelly Millet- Photo Editor Eric Evan Lee Staff Writers . Brigid Brockman, Ronnie Crocker, Scott Griffin, Christine Mallon, Michelle Powe, Ann Ramsbottom, Stephanie Ross, Karen Schrimsher, Carol Smith, Angel Stokes, John Wagner, Kathy Wiesepape, Wanda Winkler Cartoonist Paul Dirmeyer, Scott McCullar Photographers Brenda Davidson, Michael Davis, Guy Hood, John Makely, Dean Saito 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 matter should he 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 telephone number of the writer. 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. Editorial Policy 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. 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. 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. ... .1 AM BEING ADVISED ON GCAL BY EVERY KM) OF MIXTURE...I HAVE A BLACK, A WOMAN, CRIPPLE/ HAW m HAtW. ...AND IM BEING ADVISED BY THE VHiAGE IDIOT/ \ a IHEGOTT Vmm WSUCWl ■ is ' Letters: Albritton bell debated Editor: I noticed the plans for the Albritton Bell Tower call for an arch at the base through which the Lawrence Sullivan Ross statue can be viewed. However, nothing will be visible through the arch if that trash dumps ter at the back of Lot 44, between the Coke and YMCA buildings, is not removed. I hope someone presents the University with a gift to relocate the dumpster that has been there for at least the past two years. Well, to everyone out there who doesn t already know, Texas A&M has such a radio station and has had one for the past 10 years. I am referring to KANM 99.9 FM. To tune in to the wide variety of music offered by this student run organization, all you need is a cable running to your stereo; KANM is carried by both cable networks. Brent Boyd ’85 Library books wanted KANM 99.9 FM is geared towards the people who get bored with the same top 40 music that is played on the commercial radio stations every day. A regular listener can expect to hear a wide variety of music ranging from new wave to old rock — from new rock to jazz. Along with this variety of music, commercials are so few as to be neg ligible and DJ time on the air is also minim al. What KANM 99.9 offers, in effect, is Editor: “Wake up” D. Kuldell Patty. It was obvious from your letter youli your rock and roll, but you seem tob problem entertaining opinions other4 ermine whether th your own. I know you are not alone inf vice will be com in opinion because I hear from your kind ery Sunday evening. Most, notalloftl are simply rude as was your letter, whether or not you choose to believei receive a lot more calls from listeners! love jazz as much as you love rock. Editor: I would like to offer the following opinion to Mr. Ford D. Albritton Jr. ’s gift of a “Bell Tower” for Texas A&M University. Years of support for the Somoza reg ime in Nicaragua, despite Carter’s conde mnation of his human rights record, helped poison relations between Washington and Managua and opened the way for a Cuban and Soviet presence on the mainland. Washington has expressed its confidence that the Marcos government will proper ly investigate the death of Aquino, shot to death by a reputed criminal on his arrival at Manila Aug. 21 after three years of exile in the United States. Mr. Albritton: Books! Books, not bells is what Texas A&M needs Mr. Albritton. The “class” in “world class university” does not come from bells and bell towers — even 130-foot, 35-belled bell towers don’t give a university “class” — It comes from it’s graduates. Graduates that have had the benefit of a good library. Even with one million plus volumes in it’s collection, Sterling C. Evans Library is still sorely lacking. I can only speak for the areas I use, Architecture; Art; Literature; Sociology; Psychology; are all deficient. Those of us attending A&M, working our hardest to get a good education need books- not bells! Books to expand our minds- knowledge to carry with us when we leave A&M! Not bells! Not something else to add quality to “University Life“. Not more bricks and memories. Please give us some thing more critical to our lives beyond A&M. B-O-O-K-S Mr. Albritton not B-E-L-L- S! KANM is run voluntarily by students and if the DJ’s don’t sound like profession als, it’s because they’re the same people you go to school with. Their job is to take re quests and play what the listeners want to hear, and because there is no set format, requests generally get played quickly. DJ’s work 4 hour shifts and music styles change with each DJ. Thus “listener-responsive rock radio station” is exactly what KAN M is. Tune in for a week and listen to the wide variety of commercial-free music that each DJ makes available and chances are you’ll become a regular listener. In response to your suggestion to the Sunday night jazz altogether,” I v be a fool to think I could please everyli and I don’t pretend to. I understand position but I seriously doubt you w even consider anyone else’s. Grant« may not be perfect, but I am light ahead of you in tact. Besides, the “coi cial free block of music” you’re looking on Sunday evening from 7-10 o'clock Libi com by Wanda W Battalion St The Sterling C. rary is offering its Information Retrii on a free one-time duate students wh osing or beginning thesis or dissertati AIRS is a cor system that compili sive bibliography tions that relate to; research topic. Th phy provides title publishers and sin publications such magazine articles, al journals and go' works. “It gives you a initial publications to look up,” Chat reath, head of A You can pick ai from what’s there. AIRS, part of the ferencedepartmen improve the qualit ence services offert A&M students and “We’re looking ways to deliver in services to faculty; ate students,” Gib We hope this (free run) is one step it direction.” The retrieval si been offered for 1 Texas A&M, but first semester it i« free of charge to graduate students, versity library plat the service throuj 1983-84 school yt be reassessed 1 jartment in Decem ATT Do you before Cfi delive October 51 VICTO 3601 TX Ave. I leave it to others to answer yourol accusations. I can only answer for! which I am qualified. I know jazz# know my audience. Finally, there’s a simple solution for animosity you seem to feel towards "Sun Night Jazz”; Buy a tape player! Armando Canales ’84 KANM 99.9 now offers a concert line with information on concerts in Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and B-CS. Just call 845-7596. Science funds wante Larry Chasen KANM Radio Listener wants variety Wayne D. Norman Hotard for move Editor: This letter is being written in response to John Wagner’s article in the Sept. 27 issue of The Battalion that recommends curing the football team’s ailments by “taking ’em out of Cain Hall”.. .“and making ’em live in Hotard.” We residents of the Hotard Hilton are willing to make any sacrifice for the football team, even if it means giving up our plush, luxurious penthouse accomodations and moving to drab, old and run-down Cain Hall. To further our commitment we would not be adverse to trading our SBISA meal tickets and our posh lounge facilities for those distracting elements that exist in Cain Hall. Let it be known that the good Ags in the Hilton have not in the past and will never in the future shirk our duty to stand behind the Fighting Texas Aggie Football Team 100 percent no matter the personal hard ship. Editor: I support many of the comments made by Mr. D. K. Petty regarding the 92-KTAW radio station. Mr. Petty complained of the prattling disc jockeys and the excessive amount of commercials. The station’s for mat seems to dictate the playing of three to four commercials following every two songs. As for the disc jockeys, I am not entertained by their inane remarks. If they would provide a simple introduction to ev ery song, they would appear much more intelligent. Editor: Lore has it that in the olden days scii tists worked in their ivory towers res; ching whatever interested them, i.e, d* pure research. No longer. Nowitseems investigation is so carefully structured i budgeted that the “science" perf only a confirmation or extentionofpretf work, done by technicians. We money avalible to just buy some j! and chemicals and poke around. The newly ( and constently) ret structed biology department is sires that grant money alone should fund fas and graduate students. Hopefully (lie partment, the College of Science, and 1 University will be far-sighted er fund research with no immediate appli tion and of extremely esoteric nature tf members of the faculty. This is thedi* pline of science, from which we think. Mr. Petty indicated that he was general ly satisfied with the selection of music play ed by KTAW. I am not particularly thrilled with the station’s programming, and I often find it difficult to state exactly what is wrong with their choice of music. I enjoy KLOL, KSRR, and KRBE — all are stations in Houston. When I am in West Texas, I like KLBJ in Austin and FM 103 in San Marcos. I am not that hard to please. Susan Ci! rzi F Berry's World Christopher H. Meakin (Editor’s note: This letter was accompanied by 26 signatures.) Radio music debated I am suggesting that the style of KTAW’s disc jockey’s and the station’s programming do not conform with the tastes and prefer ences of Aggies, who are the prime targets of the station’s advertising. The station should reduce the number of commercials, if it can do so and still pay its overhead. Also, KTAW should determine if it is in tune with its listeners’ tastes. The station should conduct surveys of students and citizens in College Station and Bryan. Fin ally, 92-K should do some constructive eavesdropping on the airwaves of Houston, Dallas, Austin, and even Waco. Editor: The large headline for yesterday’s letter to the editor section was entitled, “B-CS in need of a listener-responsive rock radio sta tion.” Mr. Petty is lucky: he has cable radio. I am still a hostage of these hackneyed hi-fi half wits. Jay Martin ’85 “Gimmie a call in a couple of hours, THEM 1 ' decide if we 're gonna play or not."