Page 2/The Battalion/Thursday, September 26,1985
Another Sgt. York?
A recent study by the Office of Technology Assessment
found that President Reagan’s Star Wars defense program was
ineffectual in protecting the American population from a Soviet
nuclear attack. The report was the latest in a series of strikes
againt the Strategic Defense Initiative. So why does Reagan in
sist on pumping more money into research?
The study found that Star Wars would not protect the entire
country from a nuclear attack, although it would “substantially
increase” our defense capabilities under certain conditions. De
spite the myriad technologies used to make SDI a comprehen
sive missile defense system, it fails to achieve its goal.
Star Wars was planned as a means of protecting the nation
— the whole nation — from a nuclear assault. If it’s not going to
do that, Congress should invest its money elsewhere. Many
other systems could “substantially increase” our defense and still
be an effective bargaining chip with the Soviets.
The SDI program has been a constant thorn in the side of
the upcoming summit between Reagan and Soviet leader Mik
hail Gorbachev. Why should we allow a system which won’t do
what it is designed to do stand in the way of a vital diplomatic
meeting?
In America, if a product isn’t reliable, we don’t keep spend
ing more money on it. We either work out a better plan, or we
f o on to something else. After wasting almost $2 billion on the
gt. York gun, Congress should have learned its lesson about
bad investments.
The Battalion Editorial Board
Mail Call
Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length. 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
be signed and must include the address and telephone number of the writer:
Saving the dorm trees
EDITOR:
This letter is not in response to any
one else’s letter, it doesn’t gripe at any
one, and it doesn’t complain about any
thing. It’s just a bit of good news and a
compliment to Texas A&M.
On Monday morning, September 16,
I was in the hall talking with the custo
dian of our dorm, Linda Martinez, who
informed me that the 60 foot tall pecan
tree in our backyard was to be cut down
because it drips sap onto the postal
trucks that park under it. Neither I, nor
Linda, nor the others in the hall thought
that that was a sufficient reason to cut
down a tree of that size. We called the
Forest Science Department and deter
mined that the pecan tree was probably
about 120 years old.
Not knowing where else to start, I got
on the phone to Tom Wellington, Assis
tant Coordinator of the North Area.
Tom referred me to the Director of
Grounds Maintenance, Gene Ray, who
explained that the tree was coming
down by request of the College Station
Postmaster because it ws an electrical
hazard.
Ray said that he was under the direc
tion of Charles Cargill, Vice President
for Operations. I called Cargill’s office
and left word with his secretary to have
him call me as soon as he could. Fearing
that the work crew would be there any
minute with their saws, and with strong
encouragement from my peers, I put in
a call to the office of the Vice President
for Student Services, Dr. John Koldus,
who also was going to call me back when
he became available.
Within five minutes, Cargill returned
my call and listened to my story. He said
that he had been out of town and that
he appreciated our concern. He prom
ised to make an immediate call to the
Physical Plant to check on the situation.
Right after hanging up the phone, Kol
dus returned my call and got to listen to
the lengthening story.
He said that he would be happy to
follow up on the story with Cargill.
About 30 minutes later, Cargill called
back again and told me that we could re
lax because he had issued an order for
no one to touch the tree until he could
personally investigate it. Well, I talked
to him on Wednesday afternoon and he
said that the tree was to be trimmed
back, to reduce the electrical hazard, but
not cut down. He added that if my call
to his office had been 24 hours later, the
tree would have been axed.
The members of the Hotard Hilton
all wish to extend our gratitude to Linda
Martinez, Tom Wellington, Gene Ray,
Dr. Koldus, and most of all to Chuck
Cargill for all of their help and cooper
ation in this matter.
Often, at a large university like
TAMU, students feel like little more
than a number in some computer. This
event proves that each and every stu
dent can have a profound effect on
what happens at this university if he/she
puts his/her mind to it. The administra
tion of Texas A&M really does care
what the students have to say — all we
have to do is say it.
Once again, to everyone involved,
thanks from the men of the Hotard Hil
ton and our tree!
Paul Hudson
President, Hotard Hilton
Incomplete art
EDITOR:
I think you have done the arts in
Bryan and College Station a disservice,
in last week’s AT EASE. “The arts” con
stitute a lot more than those few things
you covered — a local museum, stage
plays presented locally, art exhibits, and
painters...
Art is also concerned with other types
of creative effort — such as wood, glass,
metal and other types of crafts, like
those which are often displayed by
craftsmen in the local malls. Those dis
plays are not only a vital part of the cul
tural scene in this area, but a living,
changing museum.
Then there are the arts which are not
commonly on display or for show. For
example, the efforts of writers, poets,
and even researchers — they’re all in
tensely creative efforts, no less so than
works displayed in museums or played
out in concert halls or stage theaters.
As far as that goes, the arts can even
be taken to construe other aspects of
culture — the old southern tradition of
courtesy and friendliness, such as that
shown by strangers encountered most
anywhere, by local shopkeepers and
people in other service-related occupa
tions. Or the pageantry of a home foot
ball game, when everyone dresses up ni
cely and spends a Saturday afternoon
having a good time.
Even the way students on campus and
the editorial staff of The Battalion are
concerned with such international
events as apartheid and nuclear prolife
ration ... a considerable amount of ef
fort being required for people in a small
community such as this to relate to, and
get involved in such events; which, with
out the art of caring and sharing, would
have no real significance!
William H. Clark H
Opinion
A bil
lartmei
jnent ol
[icket b
exas
AVednes
If pa
of such
Dei
Biownii
Brow
ity of p
jicket Ek
the dep
propose
hasn’t y
the Athl
the bill.
1 The !
duction
intends
FarmAid
Did it do more harm than good
I; “Mos
how to
said in a
I Thinl
I author it
Jure by
profess*
enmer
Wear
The heroes of
today are not Su
perman or the
Masters of the
Universe. After
all, what did these
superheroes do
for the starving
kids in Africa?
Nothing. The
real heroes of our
day are Aid Con-
The FarmAid concert, because it is
closely associated with the Live Aid con
cert, indirectly projects a poor image on
farmers.
icating time and money to thesto
is something to admire.
Camille
Brown
certs. They sweep in overnight when the
world is on the edge of trauma and
within days the problem has a budget.
But there are problems with our
heroes. It’s no secret that millions of
dollars raised by Live Aid may at least
partially go to waste. The money raised
by the benefit sent thousands of pounds
of grain to poverty-stricken villages in
Africa, but a failing transportation sys
tem there prevents the food from get
ting to the people. That’s one detail con
cert promoters couldn’t anticipate.
The most recent Aid Concert also has
a few catches.
FarmAid concert promoters had two
goals in mind: raise money to directly
benefit needy farmers and publicize the
nation’s farm problems.
It was a noble effort, but a cam
paigning politician couldn’t have slung
thicker mud into the faces of American
farmers.
Think of Live Aid and the words “po
verty,” “starvation” and “tragedy” come
to mind. Live Aid was a charity drive to
help the helpless. America’s crop farm
ers should hardly be thought of as pov
erty-stricken or helpless.
This poor image will at least sub
consciously effect the healthy, whole
some image that farmers have enjoyed.
The overall affects of the concert will
be damaging to the farmers’ cause, even
though the publicity generated by the
concert may buy them some attention.
In the long run, a bad image will undo
the immediate rewards of fast cash and
publicity.
This is not the the type of aid farmers
need.
But the planners of these garga
fund raisers need to be more a P 0 l> te *y
Deciding what to do with the mos -[7^
not the only problem that shou .
J U . *4.U T* 1.. : LCdI /
dealt with. It only takes an image) countri*
lem or a transportation failure!
turn the success of these fundt for dre;
Promotors need to think
implications of such an event
they are engulfed by its fame.
We’re in an age where an im
mean the difference between win
the presidential race or losing it.
in an age where a flip of the dial!
Headline News channel will briti
plight of America’s farmers andtli
termath of disaster in Mexico
ing room for the price of a two mi
commercial break during “Cagnei
Lacey”.
Dr. H.O. Kunkel, dean of the College
of Agriculture, said he had mixed feel
ings about the concert.
Kunkel said that while the concert
put the special problems of farmers in
the public light, he doesn’t think the im
pact will be strong enough to do any
thing.
And, he said, “It hasn’t helped the
reputation of farming as a career.”
The effort and concern of those ded-
We’re in an age where casual asw
tions are easily made, such as Live
with FarmAid, by the headline
readers of America.
Bright t
ary tol
der The
DUt to “s
say ‘He)
Amei
But,
come tr
use thii
method
come tr
Lear)
“It’s!
and ha\
he said,
to do.’”
Leary
history c
That means more attention inui
taken when planning a major even
ensure that a well-established reps
tion is not damaged.
Camille Brown is a seniorjow
major and a columnist for The Bn
ion.
1*
Here they come
to Aid the day
Everytime I
open the paper,
someone else is
getting the “Aid
syndrome.” First
we had Band Aid,
then Live Aid and
then FarmAid. A
concert in Califor
nia is planned to
aid AIDS victims
— AIDSAid per
haps?. Don’t get me wrong, I think ben
efit concerts are great events which
demonstrate concern for the sufferings
of our fellow man. But let’s not stop
there; let’s keep the ball rolling.
I want to appeal to musicians every
where to pick up their instruments and
start their own Aid show. Here are a few
suggestions to get things going:
• StudentFinancialAid — to help
destitute victims of the tuition hike.
• OldAid — for the elderly who can’t
get adequate health care.
• AmericAid — to pay for a national
debt counseling program.
• OrangeAid — to help the Florida
orange grower whose crops were
stricken by the winter frost.
• LemonAid — to feed starving used
car dealers.
• MaidAid — for low-income do
mestic workers.
• GatorAid — to save endangered al
ligators.
• Fade Aid — for people who habit
ually put too much bleach in their wash.
• Lone Wolf McQuadeAid — for
viewers forced to watch bad Chuck Nor
ris movies.
• BladeAid — a benefit concert for
out-of-work surgeons.
• AfraidAid — for people who live in
constant fear of crime.
• MarinAid — to help unemployed
gourmet chefs.
• CoolAid — to aid frostbite victims.
• WadeAid — for people who can’t
swim.
• Neutered and SpayedAid — to help
oversexed cats.
• BarracAid — for the armies of
Third World nations who have trouble
establishing front lines.
• MedicAid — for injured ambu
lance drivers.
• DelayedAid — for people who
don’t want aid right away.
• DismayedAid — for the terminally
upset.
• ParadeAid — for protestors with
out a cause.
• HearingAid — to help the deaf.
• PersuadeAid — for out-of-work
propagandists.
• CharadeAid — for unemployed
mimes.
• PrayedAid — for struggling evan
gelists.
• GradeAid — to help students on
academic probation.
After all this Aiding, the bands are
going to need help too. Send your con
tributions now. Help AidAid.
Loren Steffy is a junior journalism ma
jor and the Opinion Page Editor for
The Battalion.
The Battalion
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Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
The Battalion Editorial Board
Rhonda Snider, Editor
Michelle Powe, Managing Editor
Loren Steffy, Opinion Page Editor
Karen Bloch, City Editor
John Hallett, Kay Mallett, NewsEditots
Travis Tingle, Sports Editor
The Battalion Staff
Assistant City Editors -
Kirsten Dietz, Jerry Oslt
Assistant News Editors -
Cathie Anderson,Jan Peif
Assistant Sports Editor I
Charean Willia®
Entertainment Editors •
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Art Director. Wayne Grabein
Copy Editors Rebecca Adait
Mike Davis, SarahOatti
Brad WhiW
Make-up Editor Ed Cassava)
Staff Writers : Tamara Bd
Meg Cadigan, Ed Cassavoy
Cindy Gay, Done Hal'
Paul Herndon, WendyJonnsoi
Tammy Kirk, Jens Koeph
Trent Leopold, Mary McWhorter
June Pang, Tricia Parker
Brian Pearson, Lynn RaePovet.
Marybeth Rohsner, Gigi Shams)'
Frank Smith, KennethSui)
Scott Sutherlani
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