OBSERVER. pr4 A Journal of Free Voices A Window to the South Emni May 15, 1970

The Yarborough defeat Anti-nigger, anti-Mexican, anti-youth Austin, Houston (Rives Dyke of Houston) that The reasons for Sen. Ralph used to produce "The Port Arthur Story" Yarborough's defeat at the hands of Lloyd in 1954. The film, which was shown on Bentsen, Jr., in the Democratic primary are television and at political meetings, linked multiple and complex. Maury Maverick, Yarborough to a strike in Port Arthur, Jr., summed up many liberals' feelings on which the filmmakers said was the election when he said, "It was communist-influenced. It showed empty anti-nigger, anti-Mexican, anti-youth, and city streets and implied that the citizenry of sock-it-to-'em in Vietnam." Port Arthur was so scared by the strike that no one dared to come outdoors. (It The day after the primary, Yarborough was later learned that the streets were and Bentsen agreed that the decisive issues empty because they had been filmed very were government spending, busing, law and early in the morning.) order, and Yarborough's votes against Carswell and Haynesworth. YARBOROUGH'S MEDIA people Yarborough said that during the last few say he spent $250,000 on radio and days of the campaign, Bentsen's charge television advertisements. "Our budget was that he had voted against a resolution to thin, spelled THIN," Yarborough aide allow prayers in public schools hurt him Larry Goodwyn emphasized. The television more than all other issues combined. The spots were shown with frequency only in Yarborough staff thought Bentsen's the last week of the campaign. No funds advertisements asking Yarborough, "What's were expended on outdoor advertising. wrong with prayer?" were so damaging Bentsen has not said how much money that they hurried the senator into a hs spent. Yarborough staff members insist he must have invested at least a million television studio at 9:30 p.m., the night before the primary, to tape a response. On dollars in radio and television. In addition television spots in Austin, San Antonio, to that, Bentsen's billboards were seen and Waco, Yarborough explained his almost cheek to cheek throughout the position on prayer and pointed out that state. almost every church group in the state had The most controversial of Bentsen's endorsed his vote against the bill in advertisements showed film clips of violent question. demonstrations in and Washington. "Violence-60" begins with Reflecting on Bentsen's campaign, approximately 15 seconds of the sounds of Yarborough said, "Anybody who lays five violence — screaming, people running in to ten million dollars on the line and the night along city streets. Then Bentsen's organizes his campaign this skillfully can —Photo by Larry Murphy voice says, "That was the violence in win. They did a smart job. They were Ralph Yarborough Chicago spawned by supporters of Eugene taking polls every few days and everything McCarthy during the Democratic they ran across that was unpopular with that came up unexpectedly. Bentsen convention. Sen. Ralph Yarborough people, they'd put on TV. They'd dredge accused Yarborough of running out on the endorsed McCarthy for president. Did he up one thing like Carswell and drum on it vote.) represent your views when he backed for three or four days, and by the time "When [your opponents] take a big lie McCarthy?" There are more sounds of we'd swing into position to answer it, technique . . . a new one every few days, violence — the noise of sirens, people they'd immediately jump into something you're put on the defensive," Yarborough yelling — as the film shows flames shooting else, like busing." (The senator said he explained. He said the primary was a repeat out of the second-story of some buildings. voted against compulsory school busing of his 1954 campaign for governor. Bentsen's voice continues: "That was but that one day he missed a Saturday, vote Bentsen used the same public relations firm violence in Washington during the moratorium last fall. Senator Yarborough those establishing national parks. He said The vote totals were not complete when endorsed the moratorium. Did he represent he has been reduced to tooting his own the Observer went to press, but they were your views on these demonstrations? I horn for years, and that this becomes complete enough to point up some don't think his actions represent the difficult for the public to accept when they interesting trends in electoral viewpoint of the people of Texas. That's can't read about it in their own politics. This year 4.1 million Texans why I'm running for the newspapers. registered to vote. Approximately Senate against him." The campaign was a "perplexing thing," 1.6 million voted in the Democratic and Yarborough protested the use of the Yarborough said. "The apathy was very Republican primaries for senator. With violence spots to both the Federal great and it was difficult to get people to reports from all 254 counties, 230 of them Communications Commission and the Fair say they would turn out. Some people complete, Bentsen had 803,441 votes to Campaign Practices Committee. A few think it was the events of 1968 — the Yarborough's 714,692, a percentage of 53 television stations refused on their own to assassination in 1968 of Robert to 47. Less than 40% of Texas registered run the advertisements on the basis that and of Martin Luther King. The war and voters went to the polls. they were in bad taste. riots caused people to be kind of Many counties that liberal-labor It was such treatment of issues that led shell-shocked and make political campaigns candidates traditionally have relied upon Chuck Caldwell, one of Yarborough's top seem relatively low-keyed." (lid not come through for Yarborough this campaign advisers to conclude: "They year. In 1954 when Yarborough was really sold fear and then people voted their running for governor, his strategists figured fears in the traditionally Democratic rural C ITING "LEAKS FROM financial that if he broke even in the state's four big and small-city counties." Goodwyn said circles," Yarborough said Bentsen's cities — Houston, , Fort Worth, and that Bentsen, in effect, charged that the campaign budget was $6.5 million. Ten San Antonio — he could win the election. Democratic Party "is now the party of days before the primary ended, Bentsen They were relying upon strong support violence. How do you say you discriminate reported having spent $488,099; from the rural areas where populist between free speech and violence when the Yarborough reported paying $82,536, a sentiment prevailed. This year Yarborough other man is saying you can't and saying it spending ratio of approximately five to won Houston by at least 20,000 votes, lost effectively?" one. Dallas, San Antonio, and Fort Worth by Bentsen declined to estimate the full not terribly large margins. He did not break I n retrospect, reporters asked cost of his primary campaign. "I had a very even, but he did okay. Still, he lost the Yarborough what his thought processes difficult problem of identifying myself," election by almost 90,000 votes. were when he decided to endorse he said. "Obviously that takes money." He Texas has approximately 500,000 labor McCarthy, speak out against the war, and hopes his fall race ' against Republican union members, a strong majority of whom cast votes that he new would be unpopular Cong. George Bush will not be as traditionally vote Democratic. But this with many Texas voters. "Well," the expensive, but that is probably wishful spring Yarborough did . not sweep the labor senator answered, "you vote the right vote. thinking. Bush reported a preliminary vote. As Larry Goodwyn points out, labor You don't wait and say, 'Well, will I get expense account of $124,888, more than is now a part of the American middle class. elected on this.' You don't vote the venal RY's, and his primary opponent, Dr. Its members are protective of their new vote, you vote the right vote and hope you Robert Morris of Dallas, is an material well-being and fearful of the social can get the story to the people. And if they ultra-conservative who offered him no real and political upheaval that is convulsing have enough money against you, you challenge. Fund raising will be complicated the country. As a result, as one RY staff can't." in the fall by the fact that Bentsen and member complained, "The labor skates are The senator complained that over the Bush will be trying to tap the same going over the hills in droves." years, Texas newspapers have never told conservative tills. Liberal money, of course, In 1968, one could see cars in the about the good bills he passed, such as will be staying at home. labor-dominated counties of Jefferson and

EDITOR Greg Olds BUSINESS MANAGER ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kaye Northcott C. R. Olofson THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE Ronnie Dugger OFFICE MANAGER Irene Wilkinson Contributing Editors: Elroy Bode, Winston Bode, Bill TEXAS Brammer, Gary Cartwright, Lee Clark, Joe Frantz, Larry EMERITUS BUSINESS MANAGER Goodwyn, Harris Green, Bill Hamilton, Bill Helmer, Dave Sarah Payne Hickey, Franklin Jones, Lyman Jones, Larry L. King, Georgia OBSERVER Earnest Klipple, Larry Lee, Dave McNeely, Al Melinger, The Observer is published by Texas Robert L. Montgomery, Willie Morris, James Presley, Charles Observer Publishing Co., biweekly from @The Texas Observer Publishing Co. 1970 Ramsdell, Buck Ramsey, John Rogers, Mary Beth Rogers, Austin, Texas. Entered as second-class Roger Shattuck, Robert Sherrill, Edwin Shrake, Dan Strawn, matter April 26, 1937, at the Post Office John P. Sullivan, Tom Sutherland, Charles Alan Wright. at Austin, Texas, under the Act of March A window to the South 3, 1879. Second class postage paid at A journal of free voices We will serve no group or party but will hew hard to the Austin, Texas. Single copy, 25c. One truth as we find it and the right as we see it. We are dedicated year, $7.00; two years, $13.00; three to the whole truth, to human values above all interests, to the Vol. LXII, No. 10 May 15, 1970 years, $18.00, plus, for Texas addresses, rights of man as the foundation of democracy; we will take 4%% sales tax. Foreign, except Incorporating the State Observer and orders from none but our own conscience, and never will we APO/FPO, 50c additional per year. Air- the Democrat, which in turn overlook or misrepresent the truth to serve the interests of mail, bulk orders, and group rates on • incorporated. the Austin Forum- the powerful or cater to the ignoble in the human spirit. request. Advocate. The editor has exclusive control over the editorial policies Change of Address: Please give old and contents of the Observer. None of the other people who and new address, including zip codes, Editorial and Business Offices: The are associated with the enterprise shares this responsibility and allow two weeks. Texas Observer, 504 West 24th St., with him. Writers are responsible for their own work, but not Austin, Texas 78705. Telephone for anything they have not themselves written, and in Form 3579 regarding undelivered 477-0746. Editor's residence phone, publishing them the editor does not necessarily imply that he copies: Send to Texas Observer, 504 W. 472-3631. agrees with them, because this is a journal of free voices. 7

There will be a runoff in Houston for impeachment because of his sending U.S. college campuses to issue an emotional plea • State Sen. Criss Cole's old seat. troops into Cambodia. Impeachment for a cleaner environment. He estimated James P. Wallace, a liberal lawyer, led in a would make Vice-President Agnew that the effort would cost $100 billion field of three. Donald R. Shipley, an president. over the next ten years. "If anybody is In Austin, John Henry Faulk staggered by that, let me remind you we assistant district attorney under Carol • Vance, joins him in the runoff. sponsored a resolution, which was have spent $100 billion in Southeast Asia thwarted in Faulk's precinct but passed in in the past 10 years, and that has not • Conservative Rep. Joe Shannon, Jr., of Fort Worth pulled ahead of liberal the precinct meeting held at the county improved the state of mankind," the State Sen. Don Kennard, Fort Worth, for a courthouse, proposing Nixon be censured senator said at UT-Arlington. runoff. State Rep. Doyle Willis was not far by the Senate for invading Cambodia. Yarborough quoted a Smithsonian behind. Many of his votes are believed to Faulk's resolution contended that neither Institution executive as predicting that have been cast by anti-Kennard liberals, the Constitution nor the Gulf of Tonkin 75% of bird and animal species will be many of whom may reenter the Kennard resolution authorized Nixon's sending wiped out in the next 25 years if pollution fold for the runoff. troops into Cambodia. The Constitution, continues at the present rate. • State Sen. D. Roy Harrington beat he contended, requires that Congress back a strong challenge by former declare war; the Gulf of Tonkin resolution Barnes defends record Beaumont Mayor James McNicholas. applies only to nations that "request The rural votes in Tarrant County assistance," and Cambodia did not ask that • • At UT-Austin, Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes saved conservative Tom Creighton, troops be sent; under international law, answered hostile questions about his Mineral Wells, from losing his Senate seat sending troops across a border un-asked is pollution record. He admitted that as to Walter E. Steimel, a liberal lawyer. an act of war. speaker of the House he had not helped in Jack Hazlewood, a relative of Sen. • • Gov. Preston Smith attended the the passage of many proposed Grady Hazlewood, Canyon, goes into convention that passed this anti-pollution bills (see Rex Braun's a runoff leading Mack Sherman to decide resolution. However, Smith left before it comments elsewhere in this issue), but said the heir to Grady's West Texas district. came up. Later the same day, Smith sent he helped pass all the anti-pollution • Sen. Wayne Connally, Floresville, President Nixon a telegram saying he legislation introduced in the Senate last easily beat liberal Erasmo Andrade. thought Nixon's action in ordering troops session. • San Antonio Reps. Glenn Kothmann, into Cambodia "shows courage and Barnes defended the oil industry's a liberal, and Lamoine Holland determination in view of current vocal depletion allowance but added that he appeared due for a runoff for the Senate opinion." could not defend the industry in the area seat of the late V. E. (Red) Berry. Smith agreed in advance that his forces, of pollution control because "it has not • State Reps. Hudson Moyer, Raul now in control of the State Democratic been interested enough in the Muniz, and Burke Musgrove were Executive Committee, will honor the environment." retired. Rep. Felix McDonald appeared to delegation choices made in the precinct Students asked the lieutenant have lost to former Rep. Lindsey and county conventions. • governor several questions. Rodriguez. concerning his views on population control. In 1972 conventions, of course, there • He said he is not sure about his stand on may be quite a different situation legalized abortion but he might favor a tax from the relatively tranquil one last deduction based on families having fewer Conventions quiet Saturday. Two years from now, the children. The latter statement earned him precinct conventions will lead to the the biggest applause of the evening. The Democratic precinct conventions nominating convention of the national • after last Saturday's voting State Sen. Babe Schwartz and Reps. Democratic Party. • were relatively quiet and lightly attended. Neil Caldwell, Frances Farenthold, Most of the state's politicians turned and Rex Braun shared a panel discussion • In Houston, a Democratic precinct • in the University of Houston out for Earty Day April 22. Sen. neighborhood called for Nixon's Ralph Yarborough visited a number of May 15, 1970 5 Ar*OhWa,..4.47,07.0,1A.

Busts of some 70 students and others Day eve told of an immediate 25% • on bulldozing eve followed UH reduction in its products' phosphate president Philip Hoffman's clear-out content, "no-money-limit" research on ultimatum, and were marked by a campus total phosphate phase-out and a careful MAN security executive's personal shinny up a pace because, "No one other than ourselves DEMONSTRATING HIS tree to haul down a bulldozer driver who would accept the moral, ethical and SUPERIORITY OVER had defected to the long-hairs the week financial responsibility for any damage that ANIMALS. before. Sterling Baker failed, and so did the too hasty an action might cause.". man's mother, who begged him by bullhorn to come down. Police searchlights were aimed at his particular tree during the Depository bought scene, reminiscent of ledge sequences from Dallas' famed book depository, the old thrillers. • building from which the Warren "People's Park III" is across from the • Commission alleged President John F. school's University Center, and was Kennedy was shot, was sold to a Nashville, the site of a May 2-3 teach-in attended by Tenn., businessman who describes himself students and non-students, including as a "Kennedy collector." during Earth Day at UT. The liberal panel Country Joe McDonald and the Fish. The Aubrey Mayhew, the successful bidder, frequently was interrupted by militants People's Park III Group demands full paid $650,000 for the building. He said he who demanded to know what the community control of further campus believes it should be made into a shrine but legislators personally had done to combat development, starting with camp-in rights that he doesn't have the time to do so. He pollution. One student urged them to stop on their new site. The group is an approved said he bought the depository building for driving cars and to stop buying "household campus organization. himself because of an "interest in Kennedy garbage" which promotes overproduction. from a collector's standpoint." Caldwell told the group, "The political Mayhew told reporters he has no • truth is that people don't get involved in Air board snooping plans for the building. "The building politics. They allow people with special The Texas Air Control Board is will never be sold; I will never tear it down; interests like the oil industry to dominate • investigating 15 Harris county I will never build it into a tragedy museum politics." Special interests can knock off a companies while litigating against four or anything gaudy, and I don't think I legislator for opposing them. That's how companies. would ever rent the sixth floor," he said. they control the Legislature," Caldwell Roger Priest, the seaman apprentice said. The Texas 'Water Quality Board • . • • from Houston who was court At the San Jacinto Monument, Gov. singled out Austin Mayor Travis LaRue as a polluter "flagrantly violating martialed for publishing an antiwar • Preston Smith called for Texans to newsletter, was given a bad conduct Make the state "free again, free from the everything the board is trying to do." LaRue's laundry business is dumping black discharge, but no imprisonment. Priest, cancer of uncontrolled growth, free from while stationed at the Pentagon, published foul air, spoiled waters and deafening cleaning residue into Waller Creek. LaRue told the board that the carbon black is three issues of OM, which contained such noises — and from the destruction of our suggestions as "Smash the Pig Army" and natural resources." used in the cleaning process to remove loose dyes in the cleaning fluid. He insisted "Today's Pig is Tomorrow's Bacon." The mild sentence came as a pleasant • At least one Texas official thinks one it is non-soluble and that it settles to the form of pollution is under control. bottom of the creek and does not pollute • surprise to Priest and his civilian On Earth Day eve, Ben Ramsey, chairman the water, but he promised to stop the attorney. The seaman could have received of the Texas Railroad Commission, insisted dumping, anyway. six years in prison and a dishonorable that the commission's regulations against discharge. State Ag. Cmsr. John C. White and spillage and pollution in oil and gas Severity of punishment in military • his assistant, Ed Nichols, are partners operations are adequate and effective. • courts varies wildly. Five years ago in in LaRue's laundry. State Sen. D. Roy Harrington recently El Paso, Army Second Lt. Henry H. Howe, revealed that according to RR Commission Houston's air pollution control office Jr., became the first soldier punished for reports, more than 23,000 barrels of oil • estimates that the city's air pollution public opposition to American foreign have been dumped by faulty pipelines on increased during 1969 from 5 to 10% over policy in Vietnam. For participating in a Texas waterways in the past five years, but 1968 levels. Experts said the rate of peaceful demonstration off base, off duty, the commission has never punished an oil pollution abatement has not kept up with and out of uniform, Howe was sentenced polluter. the rate of increase in automobile use, to two years at hard labor. Later the Ramsey said the commission has a field population, and industrial expansion. sentence was cut to one year. force of nine petroleum engineers and 24 Galveston city council has set up a technicians on call 24 hours a day to • new committee to work out inspect offshore drilling and production agreement with East Beach Corporation on practices. giving the public access to public beaches next to the firm's property. The corporation has blocked portions of the Trees come down beach and told council the firm's agreement to provide paid parking for the • Twenty-five of some 100 trees on the University of Houston campus fell to public and one-foot-wide paths to the Tellepsen Construction Company's beach was a "gentlemen's agreement," not bulldozers April 29 to make way for a new a contract. fine arts building, but only after a long • Add Procter & Gamble to Bank of weekend of occupation of the site, dubbed America, Avco, General Motors and "People's Park III" by its ecology-minded other national corporations using full-page tree fans. newspaper ads to respond to confrontation reform tactics. The detergent giant's 6 The Texas Observer low-suds prose in the Dallas News on Earth

PRESCHOOL KINDERGARTEN ALL AUSTIN COOPERATIVE Who's being fooled? PARENT PARTICIPATION 345-0453 Austin, Pasadena without viewing all of its regulatory efforts For the past two legislative sessions, in every field. Regulation of economic 1 1 State Rep. Rex Braun of Houston has led interests in Texas is best characterized by the unsuccessful battle for tougher the classic example of the fox guarding the Good Job, pollution control laws. The conservative hen house. It is a case of philosophical Democrats who run the Legislature corruption at its worst. Blame for this Sen. Yarborough scuttled most of his bills and treated him sorry state of affairs is not easy to fix, but like a hopelessly idealistic, if abrasive, Don public apathy and indifference, when Quixote lamely tilting' at corporate coupled with Texas' monolithic BUMPERSTRIPS: 4 for 50c, 15 for $1, 100 politico-economic structure, has led to a for $3, 500 for $14, 1,000 for $25. Send. windmills. Now Braun has the ironic check and Zip Code; we pay postage and tax: pleasure of watching almost every politician permissive state of affairs that has allowed in the state and nation jumping onto the the special interest polluters to destroy the FUTURA PRESS environmental bandwagon. Here are some environment. 1117 Phone 512/442-7836 of the rather bitter comments Braun made "The economics of pollution control at Earth Day sessions on the San Jacinto cannot be separated from the politics of it, 1714 SOUTH CONGRESS College and UT-Austin campuses: and in our state government money talks in P.O. BOX 3485 AUSTIN, TEXAS "Three years ago when I was first sworn a very loud and persuasive voice. The Texas in as a member of the Texas House of Manufacturers Association, the Texas Representatives, there weren't a handful of Chemical Council, and a host of individual my colleagues who had ever heard the industrial polluters, like Armco Steel, have MARTIN ELFANT word 'ecology,' much less knew its influential lobbyists in Austin during meaning. I was considered something of a Legislative sessions and they spend a great Sun Life of Canada fire and brimstone radical for daring to deal of money on political campaigns. suggest that several of our bluest blue-chip Consequently, they have in the past been 1001 Century Building corporations were using the air and water able to defeat every really effective bill to as a sewage system for their industrial combat pollution that has been introduced. Houston, Texas garbage. Those in the inner circle of the The powers-that-be in the Legislature have CA 4-0686 Legislative Establishment regarded me with played with my anti-pollution measures as the insufferable scorn because I viewed the if they were yo-yos; in the 60th Legislature work of the two Texas agencies set up to they let them pass in the House and get control pollution of the air and water with defeated in the Senate; in the 61st the utmost contempt. I still consider those Legislature they passed in the Senate but agencies as polluter-oriented, but their were buried in the hostile state affairs MEETINGS rhetoric has improved considerably. committee in the House. "In the fall of 1969 when the governor THE THURSDAY CLUB of Dallas meets each "It is with some amusement that I note Thursday noon for lunch (cafeteria style) at the that several of those public officials most had five vacancies to fill on the Texas Air Downtown YMCA, 605 No. Ervay St., Dallas. responsible for blocking my efforts to Pollution Control Board, I wrote him and Good discussion. You're welcome. Informal, no enact tough and effective anti-pollution pleaded with him to appoint five dues. legislation are now behaving as if they had anti-pollution hawks instead of doves. He invented the environment. Ben Barnes, responded by appointing what I consider CENTRAL TEXAS ACLU luncheon meeting. who was then Speaker of the House, to be one and a half hawks, the rest doves. Spanish Village. 2nd Friday every month. From noon. All welcome. bottled up my bills in committees so "The variance situation — the system of tightly and for so long that I only got them granting permits to pollute — has been a pushed through on the floor with his moral scandal, in my opinion. The emission embarrassingly fast gavel after I threatened standards allowed for pollutants by both to expose what he was doing in a press the Air Control Board and the Water CLASSIFIED release. Preston Smith, who was Lieutenant Quality Board are woefully inadequate. BOOKPLATES. Free catalog. Many beautiful Governor at the time, let my bills die in Thanks to federal pressures, the air board is designs. Special designing too. Address: committee without even the decency of a now in the process of revising their BOOKPLATES, P.O. Box 28-I, Yellow Springs, hearing. emission standards so that they will Ohio 45387. "Well, how times change. Barnes speaks measure up to the federal requirements. ANNE'S TYPING SERVICE (Marjorie Anne "The fundamental difference between Delafield, owner): Complete Typing Service, tonight at the University of Texas on the Duplicating (printing, multilith, mimeo, ditto), state laws governing pollution, and Preston action and the mere appearance of action is Binding, Mailing, Public. Notary. Twenty years Smith continually celebrates his role in the nowhere more obvious than in the role experience. Call 442-7008 or 442-0170, Austin. battle against pollution. Texas state government is playing in the battle against pollution. Sham battles, WANTED: Adoptive homes for mixed race and "Escalation of anti-pollution rhetoric by handicapped children. If you have room for those politians allied with the industrial pious rhetoric, celebration of actions which another child in your heart and home call Mrs. polluters is no substitute for thorough and are too little and too late, tough talk Anderson at Travis County Child Welfare, effective action to toughen existing laws against minor offenders while the really big 444-0511. and to enforce those now on the books. I industrial polluters get off with only a wrist-slapping — all these are part of the ASTROLOGY in Houston: Full chart service encourage you to keep a vigilant eye on the available. Special consultations by arrangement. performance-gap of the politicians. . .." game plan. Up to this point it has indeed Edward F. Lacy III — 4026 Bluebonnet. (713) "You cannot obtain a perspective on the fooled most of the people, and I hope that 668-3107. role of Texas state government in Lincoln was right when he said that you regulating pollution of the air and water can't fool all of the people all of the time." Mar 15, 1970 7 South whitey teaches black literature

By James Giles "I doubt that many people when I saw Martin Luther King fight his Denton first battles for justice in the South, my An acquaintance tried recently to have had as segregated alienation from lingering belief in white direct-dial a friend in iVew York. An supremacy was complete. The fangs of unfamiliar male voice answered: "Yeah." a background as mine," "Bull" Connor's dogs severed Bowie's last Confused, my friend said. "I was calling for hold over my mind. The emancipation Susan . . ." "She don't live here no more." black lit professor admits. remained, however, strictly a mental one "If you see her, will you tell her that until last fall. Kathleen called from Dallas and —." The Briggs wouldn't get out of the car in voice, now sharp, broke in, "I won't see LATE ONE afternoon I was her. She's white, ain't she?" "Yes." "Well, Bowie, Tex. . .." 1 ). So, for 23 years I lived, never seeing any blacks. suddenly asked by a member of the NTSU I ain't." As Kit tried to end the English establishment what I thought conversation, the stranger had one more about the validity of black literature CAN'T remember when I first line: "You're from Dallas? I thought you courses. Thirty years ran through my was a South Whitey. Well, peace, sister." actually heard the word Negro — nobody said anything but "nigger." All my high mind. I said that I thought these courses I teach English at North Texas State. I were not only valid, but necessary. "In was born and grew up in Bowie, Tex. I school teachers (except for one who was considered eccentric anyway) who even fact," I added, "I wish to hell that I had have two degrees from TCU and a Ph.D. been able to take one." A few days later, I from the University of Texas. What is mentioned the subject at all assured us that we were lucky to grow up in Bowie where received a note appointing me chairman of significant about all this is that Bowie is a committee to draw up a proposal for located in Montague County, one of the "those inferior niggers don't exist." I can remember one of my high school classes such a course. Our committee submitted few remaining all-white counties in Texas the proposal to the teachers of advanced (and really all white — no blacks, no being interrupted by a note from the principal's office, urging us to watch an courses, who were to vote both on the Mexican-Americans, nothing but Wasps), course itself and the various suggestions we and TCU, when I was a student there from SMU-San Francisco University basketball game and to be for SMU because they were made about how it was to be taught. 1956 to 1961, was still a segregated school, We based our arguments for the with the exception of the Brite School of all white boys, and San Francisco's team was "a bunch of niggers and chinamen." necessity of the course on four points: the the Bible — a beautiful example of texts for American literature survey Southern racial schizophrenia. Thus, only And, as was the case with most small town Texas boys of my generation, Bowie was courses used at NTSU included no black when I began studying in Austin at the age writers; major white writers in America of 23 did I really encounter any blacks, the the cosmos to me. I can, however, remember seeing and being strongly reflect the American black man either not experience wasn't overwhelming even then. at all or in a distorted manner; the major I .did know a few black jazz musicians, but attracted and puzzled by the exotic appeal of those all-black musicals that I saw in the black writers have undeniable literary among the English department teaching merit; and such a course would answer assistants, with whom I spent most of my Bowie Majestic; Lena Home singing "Stormy Weather" was the student demand for "relevant and time; there was one Negro girl so somehow exciting. Anyway, even though TCU was meaningful courses." As suggested course light-skinned that unless you had been told content we simply listed nearly every . I doubt that many Americans have had segregated, when I left Bowie, I left for at least an abstractly liberal education. Some American black writer we could think of as segregated a background as mine. (on the theory that, when presenting a For a few years, when I was very young,, eloquent and enlightened teachers and reading Richard Wright, James Baldwin, controversial idea to academics, the most my family lived in Henrietta, Tex.; and effective tactic is the "verbal blitzkrieg"). there was a little black boy whom I played Langston Hughes, Ralph Ellison — all of this theoretically freed me from the Bowie In the meeting it became evident that with in the alley behind the grocery store the course itself was going to be no syndrome. It took a while, though; when I where my father worked. But after a while, problem in the voting. NTSU's new saw Jim Brown run through TCU's finest I discovered that the people in the store president had made it clear that he wanted all of one afternoon in the Cotton Bowl, I thought that our playing together was the course, and its adoption was a foregone realize now that I was seeing proof of what funny, and then the black boy quit coming conclusion — even though the professor Eldridge Cleaver calls the white man's around. I don't remember his name. who had originally asked me about the stereotypical "Supermasculine Menial." Except for the few Henrietta years, course, joined by two or three others, however, there was Bowie; and, I realized Austin, John Kennedy, and Martin Luther King did, however, complete my delivered an emotional speech against it, now that I grew up in an abnormal society calling it something like a return to the which I, of course, took to be the norm. mental emancipation. At UT, even though my fellow TA's were virtually all white, kind of segregation we have gotten away Occasionally, a car with blacks would stop from here in Texas and implying that the at a filling station; and some of the high they were all liberals too; and it is difficult (unless you happen to be Frank Erwin) to content of the course simply could not be school boys would encourage the town made academically acceptable. However, idiot to curse and threaten them. But hang around the UT campus and not receive some degree of enlightenment. some related points were unexpectedly Bowie's reputation was and is known controversial. In the committee proposal, among Texas' minority groups — Negroes And, like so many others of my generation, I became emotionally involved in politics we asked that "the course eventually be never attempted to eat in any of the taught by a black man." On a hand vote, for the first time mainly because of JFK; restaurants or stay in any of the motels (in this proposal was defeated, 27-14. It was he did represent what I had come to see as Goodbye to a River, John Graves describes also attacked, like the course itself, as a humanitarianism and civilization. And, the time when his black friend "gentle Bill return to segregation (though one of the 1. John Graves, Goodbye to a River (New best men in the department allowed as how 8 The Texas Observer York, 1960), pp. 220-221. that argument puzzled him, given the fact that there were no blacks in the room ) or you know what it says. Don't make me say chilled me: "I think I solved my problems the department — at that time). it." "What does it say?" "All right. It says with Mr. Smith yesterday. Now I just need The decisive blow to the proposal came that to white people we wear a mask and to work out some things with you." when a key spokesman for the grin and sing and look happy, but When we met later, she shocked me: she establishment delivered a speech against underneath we hate your guts." "Is that felt that Mr. Smith was talking too much in the proposal, averring that he could not be true?" I asked, "It was always true until class, that I was allowing him to "get away a racist since his wife is a non-wasp, but recently." "What changed it?" "Watts, we with illogical statements," she resented it, that he wanted his son to be able to teach took off the mask in Watts. Now you white and the class resented it, and furthermore this course some day. Since the man's son people wear it." "How?" "Because of the she had talked to Mr. Smith the day before is not yet out of public school, his problem civil rights acts, you have to hire us and and told him all this. Mr. Smith had seemed irrelevant to the immediate give us jobs and other stuff, but you don't assured her, she added, that he was question. Nevertheless, the majority of really like us any better than we ever liked uncomfortable in the role of "black those present were convinced. After the you."Class discussion became integrated at spokesman that you force him into" and meeting, I overheard another establishment that moment. that he would not "try to dominate the type saying that, while she opposed the From then on, the class was the most class any more." Moreover, she named course, "We were trapped by history." I stimulating and enlightening teaching several other black students who resented didn't point out that the American black experience of my life. There were debates my allowing Smith to say the things he did. man has been "trapped by history" for over DuBois (Mr. Smith objected to the "Besides, he had no right to say the other more than 300 years. (In fairness, I must Talented Tenth theory: "Any time a black day that he didn't trust you," was her mention that, possible acting on higher r intellectual appears, he is given money and concluding charge. (In explaining Du Bois's orders, the department did attempt made successful by white society and "veil" metaphor, I had tried a pedagogical unsuccessfully to recruit a black faculty therefore separated forever from the trick on Mr. Smith. "Do you trust me?" I member.) ghetto. He can't be a leader."); Washington had asked him, conficently expecting him ("Was he a complete sellout?" "Hell yes," to say he did. Then I was going to say, "But you shouldn't, because you don't know me. And very few blacks have ever HE NEXT CRISIS occurred T had a chance to know whites in America, some days after the meeting when a "I wondered if he was saying and DuBois is saying that personal ranking departmental member assured a acquaintance must precede trust in any forum of black students that neither to himself about me, human relationship." But when I asked the Malcolm X, Eldridge Cleaver, nor any other A real sweet ofay cat, question, Smith simply answered, "No," "polemicist" would be taught in the thereby blowing my whole routine.) course. This incident resulted in a but a little, Somewhat dazed, I tried to tell the girl considerable loss of faith within the NTSU that she and Mr. Smith and all my students black student community. but a little frantic." had the right to say whatever they thought Despite such tempests, it became clear in class discussions, though I honestly that someone had to teach the course this didn't think Mr. Smith was making fall. The non-racist's son still not being said Mr. Smith and nearly every other "illogical statements." ready, one other member of the committee black student there. "But he did start a I spent that weekend first contacting the and I were asked if we would teach it since school," asserted some white students); white students whom I had taught before we had written the proposal. With Richard Wright (I liked Native Son, as did and asking them if they were upset about misgivings about my background — in most of the white students. "Oh man, he Mr. Smith or anyone in the class. They Bowie and in black literature — I agreed, as doesn't really show you what the ghetto is were all baffled by my questions. Then I did the other committee member. We like. One rat doesn't make a ghetto, but toured Southeast Denton (the town's decided on a chronological approach — you white liberals want to believe that if ghetto) finding the specific black students Frederick Douglass to the present. Were we you can kill one rat, you can cure the going to teach Malcolm X and Cleaver? Of the girl had named and asking them if ghetto," asserted Smith and two other anything about the class was upsetting course. How? It was simple to order the black students); and, of course Malcolm them. books directly from the book store. No and Cleaver ("Aren't they unnecessarily one from the department said anything One man was great. I caught him shaving suspicious of whites? Don't they hinder before a date. "No, sir, I think the class is about our order; through regular channels any dialogue by their insistence upon we ordered Dark Symphony (an going fine. What are you worried about?" I racially separate organization for progress? told him that a student had said that Mr. anthology), Up from Slavery, The Souls of Why must the 'collective white man' prove Black Folk, Cane, Native Son, Blues for Smith was talking too much in class and anything to anybody? Why don't blacks dominating it. "Man, that's just the way he Mister Charlie, Invisible Man, Why We just accept it when I say that I'm not Can't Wait, and The Poetry of the Blues. is. He talks a lot and says a lot. He's read prejudiced?" chorused several whites. "Oh, every damn thing in the world. Besides, The class began with one nervous South I think that the weight of historical proof whitey facing a group of about 25 anybody can talk in there who wants to." does rest on the white man. After all, As I was leaving, the student, his face still students, around 60% white, 40% black. slavery, segregation, Selma. Besides, it is covered with shaving cream, asked, "Dr. For the first week, only the whites would true that white money has historically Giles, why didn't you wait until Monday to participate in class discussion. I really got taken over organizations devoted to black ask me this? It's not all that serious. That uptight. Was my racial liberation strictly progress," asserted one white student. Mr. class is going to be all right." As I walked theoretical? Was I doing or saying Smith and the other blacks simply to the car, I wondered if he was saying to something wrong unkowingly? nodded.) himself about me what Baldwin had said Early in the second week, we were about Norman Mailer: "a real sweet ofay discussing three poems by, of all people, THERE WAS ONLY one cat, but a little frantic." Paul Dunbar. "Which of these is the best destructive incident during the semester. Finally, on Sunday, I got Smith on the poem?" I asked. " 'We Wear the Mask' " a One Friday about six weeks into the phone. Yes, the girl's approach on campus black student whom I shall call Mr. Smith course, a bright white coed called my had upset and angered him. No, he didn't said, "Why?" "Because it says something, office and said that she wanted to discuss feel that I was "forcing him to be any kind and the others are sell-out dialect poems." some problems about the course with me. of spokesman or anything." Was he "What does it say?" "Oh, you know." We made an appointment for that "Come on, what does it say?" "Oh man, afternoon. Then she said something that May 15, 1970 9 upsetting me with his comments, as the girl people to care about. this and that, disappearing, reappearing. had said? I told him that he certainly was Brown hands emancipated a hundred years not and that he should feel free to A couple of years ago I was visiting in ago, still reaching out into the white world continue in class discussions as he wished. Bowie. It had just been announced that the from the kitchen. "Okay then I will." Later, talking to my town was to get a badly needed new post IN SAN ELIZARIO I stood in the 'wife, Mr. Smith said: "Do you realize how office. As I lifted a cup of coffee, I heard a doorway of an old abandoned building, few people, white or black, that I would Bowieite declare that the post office was east of El Paso, gazing out into the fading dare tell that I didn't trust? That takes simply a trick of Lyndon's to get "niggers summer afternoon. The shadow of the some trust!" into Bowie as workers and then leave them building had finally begun to jut into the The class is over now; and, for me there to live." I started to ask a pragmatic small clearing out front, making a smooth anyway, it was a success. I have never question: "Do you really think," I wanted layer of suggestiveness over tranquil, five learned as much about myself, about to say, "that, given Vietnam, inflation, o'clock dirt. I stood there, watching a teaching, and about a body of literature student unrest, and revolt from within the colony of bees swarming in the pale form any other teaching experience. I party, LBJ is spending a lot of time sunlight — and behind them, in a ditch, a think it was a success for most of the plotting the infiltration of blacks into red-winged blackbird that rode contentedly students — anyway, I know that I have Bowie?" But I didn't, because I knew that on the top of a thick, swaying reed. never taught a class with so much electric the answer would have been yes. It still and exhilarating discussion and so many To the left of the clearing the San would be. Well, peace, brother. ❑ Elizario Catholic Church was resting in its own quiet splendor, its white sides gleaming in the sun. From time to time pigeons would wheel suddenly from its Elroy Bode's Notebook roof and head purposefully, almost violently, into the sky — as if carrying El Paso case but its essence, its hum and its space, urgent dispatches to the moon. MICROCOSM: A man stands looking at a its full and final reality. You must know it As I kept looking about, watching the willow sapling on an early spring morning so intimately that when you finally put it day end, I noticed a row of telephone poles — hands in his pockets, bending forward down in words it not only is that very crossing a cotton field. Telephone poles: from the waist a little as he peers closely thing you are trying to describe but is that how long, I wondered, had it been since I for a sign of greenery. He lives on a slope thing as related to all other things. To had really looked at them? . . . I considered of the Franklin Mountains and from his compromise at any place along the way is them a moment, in their neatness and front yard he can look out across flat to leave some part of the thing back in life symmetry, and decided that they were still desert lands to the horizon — literally, to or in memory and therefore bring the thing in pretty good shape; that they had the end of the earth. to the page fragmented — an emotional managed, over the years, to retain a This bending, squinting man does not deformity or a mere piece of information. wholesome telephone-pole integrity. I know if he is upside down, in relation to Most of the time it is not possible to wanted to salute them in my mind as stoic Venus, or right side up, in relation to Mars. achieve such wanted clarity, such honesty partners of the land. Such things are not his concern and he of feeling and vision — indeed, such After a while the west wind began to would be the first to tell me so if I walked perfection. You always know this, of rise. It moved along, stirring the over into his yard. He is a human being, a course. Thus, to glimpse through a cottonwood leaves, touching the grass, citizen, and home owner of El Paso, Texas, suddenly opened door the heart of until finally the afternoon seemed ready to and that is quite sufficient for him. Earth, something important — and to know that it contemplate itself again in another long Mars, the universe — all of God's marvelous is truly the heart — and then to have the private moment before dark. I heard dogs Tinker Toys: Why, he knows they exist, of door quickly close again: that is the main barking in the distance; crickets began to course, but so what? There is certainly despair in writing ... How to get one's make their first tentative noises from the nothing you can do about them. They are foot in the door and keep it open just a ditch ... Yes, I thought, deeper moods are not fit subjects for a person's thoughts. But little longer in order to do the telling: possible now: over there, beyond the a tree, now, beginning to bud — that's that's the problem of a lifetime. church, that white school building is different. That's something a man can get —We delight in every variety of nature becoming intimately involved with elm tree up close to and touch: something he can shade ... And — Jesus God, it is almost understand. except human. We marvel at flamingos, Grand Canyons, zebras, pyramids, boa too much: there is the smell of wood —Sunday: corridor of silence through an constrictors, yet we are immensely critical smoke, and the sound of a piper cub idle world. Sunday: day of emotions, when of people who are not Exactly Like Us. humming along the horizon... . As I stood there, sunk in peace, I had your senses are drawn most strongly into —The typical artist flicks his ego out like use as a child, when your mind swings out the overpowering urge to do something a snake's tongue to touch his surroundings. about the scene before me — to transfix it, of groove and suddenly finds itself involved If things feel safe he will remain a while with meanings, perspectives ... It is almost somehow, so it would not be lost; to take and rattle his tail winsomely. However, if the mood of the silent mountains and the true to say that Sundays have made me the air seems hostile he will attack blindly, who I am. whistle of dove wings and give them their without provocation, whoever is near, or proper immortality. Yet it was like all the else slither back haughtily into the —It is easier to be kind to dumb animals other times when the essence of life underbrush. than to smart ones ... Does kindness seemed to be rising like vapor out of the always involve an unconscious sense of —Experience is simply chaos presented ground and I was almost physically hurting superiority? in a straight line. with the pain of knowing that such good moments were dying unheralded, — ... The utter honesty which must be —At 18 everything matters. At 28 certain things matter. At 38 a few things uncelebrated: I watched and felt and involved in writing, with this honesty accepted the truth: that no one could ultimately meaning the same thing as matter. At 48—will anything matter? perpetuate bliss. clarity and tone. You cannot attempt to So, until dark, I remained in the tell of a thing unless you know it — not —Dark hands reaching from the cook's doorway of the crumbling adobe house — vaguely or in part, not just the facts of the window of a cafe bearing clean stacked bathed by the cooling air, mildly cheered plates, a hot lunch, washed glasses. Negro by bees, feasting on the sadness and the 10 The Texas Observer hands glistening with dishwater, bearing elegance of the quietly living earth. ❑

Here's how they refer to The Texas Observer

Dallas, After All in other parts of the country:

The Texas Observer "A respected journal of dissent."—THE NEW A journal of "considerable influence in Texas YORK TIMES MAGAZINE, March 2, 1969 public life."—THE NEW YORK TIMES El Paso's 'Other America' BOOK REVIEW, Oct. 22, 1967 . . . that outpost of reason in the Southwest ..."—NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS, ". . . that state's only notable liberal publica- The Texas Observer April 11, 1968 tion ..."—THE WASHINGTON POST, Nov.

LOVE, DEATH, 25, 1968 AND THE ASTRODOME "No doubt the best political journal in the state."—THE REPORTER, Nov. 30, 1967 "The conscience of the political community „„ in Texas ..."--, Nov. , •:Noi, • With "influence felt far beyond the state ••• , The Texas Observer borders."—TI ME, Sept. 27, 1968 20, 1965 The Politics of HemisFair-- And of San Antonio ". . . delights in exposing the peccadilloes of "Copies find their way to the desks of the the Texas establishment ..."—The PRO- mighty and even into the White House."—ST. The Texas Observer GRESSIVE, November, 1968 LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, July 25, 1965 The 's Fall-out Here's how The Observer is usually identified when unavoidable) in the Texas press:

The Texas Observer ``-- "the Texas Observer" "an Austin-based biweekly" "the ultra-liberal Texas Observer" "a small-circulation newspaper" With

Chronicia? — The Texas Observer And here, perhaps, is why:

The Observer "voices dissent to almost every power bloc or politician of consequence in the state, from far left to far right. ... Time and again since its first appearance in 1954, the Observer has cracked stories ignored by the state's big dailies and has had the satisfaction of watching the papers follow its muckraking lead."—NEWSWEEK, March 7, 1966 Panhandle People Hear the Dump-LBJ Drive But... The Texas Observer a national reputation isn't worth much unless it helps you, the occasional reader, decide that Close-ups of the Oil Industry you need to be reading The Texas Observer regularly.

If you share the disappointment of many citizens who feel that their daily newspapers don't The Texas Observer always provide adequate in-depth coverage of events and issues that matter, you should %man, . 0. 4.1• consider joining the community of Observer readers—now 10,000 strong in its 15th year. May the Lobby Hold You In the Palm of Its Hand If, after a few issues, you feel that the Observer has not been faithful to its promise—to adhere =n1=7E, to the traditions of responsible journalism in telling the truth about the mysteries and myths of Texas life and politics — you may receive a full refund on your subscription; or merely tell us to cancel your bill.

Enter 1 - year subscriptions, at $7.30 each (including 4 14% Texas and Austin sales tax), for:

name (please print) name (please print)

I street street I

1 city state zip city state zip Read the Observer I [ ] send gift card announcement [ ] send gift card announcement regularly. [ ] remittance enclosed [ ] bill me • Subscribe for a THE TEXAS OBSERVER 504 West 24th St. Austin, Texas 78705 friend.

x•rs0V4k, V44 ' UT sides with GM management

General Motors awarded only seven of its part of an effort to make the corporation By James Welch 13,000 newest franchises to non-whites. more responsive to the community as a General Motors, by producing and whole. It reflects the feeling that Austin marketing the Corvair long after its corporations must serve interests larger General Motors products contribute 35% dangerous design defects were known, has than their stockholders. Because General of the total annual air pollution in the demonstrated a callous disregard for the Motors is the world's largest corporation, United States. General Motors has the welfare of its customers. its decisions affect us all — yet they are worst record of the major car The Board of Regents of the University made behind a chrome curtain by invisible manufacturers regarding auto safety. of Texas recently gave the management of men insulated from social pressure, too General Motors has been indicted by the General Motors a unanimous vote of often more interested in corporate profits Justice Department for conspiring with its confidence and a mandate to continue its than public needs. competitors to suppress the development past practices. The story of this expression of anti-pollution devices for automobiles. of approval of GM's conduct is the story of TO INJECT consideration of vital a breach of the trust placed in the Regents social and ecological factors into GM's The writer is a third year law student at by the people of Texas. decision making process, Campaign GM has the University of Texas and associate On March 25, a group known as the proposed three changes in the management editor of the Texas Law Review. After .he Campaign to Make General Motors structure: finishes his studies this spring, he plans to Responsible (Campaign GM) began (1) amend the certificate of join Ralph Nader's new public interest law solicitation of proxies for three proposals incorporation to include a statement to the firm in Washington, D.C. to be presented at the annual meeting of effect that the corporation should take no the Board of Directors of General Motors action which is detrimental to the public 12 The Texas Observer Corporation on May 22. The solicitation is health, safety, or welfare, or contrary to the laws of the United States or any state in which the corporation does bu .siness (2) increase the number of directors from 23 to 26, the additional three members to be representatives of the public rather than the closed circle of GM management

r, olorP (3) establish a shareholders committee • 110:1ri, ;of!' A , for corporate responsibility which will '1. 11 , C1 11'" ;1, make recommendations to the shareholders

. (1.1ekiN 4 ‘''‘. 11•`". with respect to the role of the corporation in modern society and how to achieve a proper balance between the rights of shareholders, employees, consumers, and the general public. The University of Texas System was of necessity involved in this campaign for corporate responsibility — it owns about 67,000 shares of GM common stock, an investment of approximately $5 million. It could not avoid these issues merely by ignoring this solicitation, because the Securities and Exchange Commission had ruled that two of these proposals (nos. 2 and 3 above) must be included in the management solicitation — proposals which, incidentally, GM vehemently rejected as unsound and unfit for shareholder consideration. Indeed, stash the trash Chancellor Harry Ransom was sent a HELP KEEP TEXAS LAKES AND Campaign GM Proxy Statement on March RIVERS BEAUTIFUL 25 under cover letter suggesting that the entire university community be consulted What do you do with the cartons and cans and with regard to the voting of the proxies. containers that are left after that wonderful lunch By the first week of April, the campaign was well underway within the university on the boat? itself. Telephone calls by Joe Tom Easley, Hang on to them; even if it means taking them second year law student and managing home before you find a litter barrel. editor of the Texas Law Review, to F. 0. If you don't litter, nobody will. Shelton, vice chancellor on investments, trust and lands, confirmed the University's ownership of a large block of GM common UNITED STATES BREWERS ASSOCIATION, INC. stock. Shelton indicated that the Regents 905 International Life Bldg., Austin, Texas 78701 had delegated to him the authority to vote the stock and that he would follow the established policy of always voting with management. In addition, he indicated in no uncertain terms that public directors had no place on the GM Board where they would merely interfere with the operation How our money's invested of the company. Executive Vice Chancellor for Fiscal Affairs E. D. Walker affirmed The following description of UT's University Permanent Fund. The fund Shelton's statement of the University's holdings is reprinted from the April 29 was established in 1876 under the Texas general policy on these matters. Walker Daily Texan: Constitution, which granted an initial stated that any deviation from the More than 100 different securities are 1.2 million acres of land from the public established practice could be made only by routinely administered by the Office of domain to finance facilities. the Board of Regents. Easley and I applied Investments, Trusts, and Lands, if In 1969 the Permanent Fund owned for — and were granted — an appearance "routine" can be said to apply to 2.1 million acres of land in 19 West before the Regents at their April meeting investments totaling more than $541 Texas counties. Most of the land is in Austin. million for the 1969 fiscal year. under grazing leases. About one-third of University stocks are a diversified lot, the land is under oil and gas leases — a ranging from Allied Chemicals to Xerox major source of royalty ever since the M EANWHILE, SIMILAR advances Corporation, from Coca-Cola to Clorox. Santa Rita No. 1 blew in back in 1923. were being made by Campaign GM Most of the major oil companies are The income from stocks and representatives at many other educational represented, including Gulf, Mobil, Shell securities in the Permanent Fund, institutions. At Harvard, student response and Texaco. Insurance companies known as the Available Fund, is the was so overwhelming that the (Travelers Corporation), chemical chief source of revenue for university administration was forced to withdraw an companies (Union Carbide), utilities construction. initial declaration that Harvard proxies (Bell Telephone) and airlines (American Thus, the decision to build new would be voted with management. At Airlines) are just a few of the stocks classrooms on the university campus Michigan, students demanded and got owned by the University. depends in part on the Dow-Jones assurances that shares would be voted in These stocks are part of the Industrial Average. accord with the results of a student-faculty referendum. GM management sent a representative to debate a Campaign GM minute presentation, Mr. Ikard questioned disillusioning. Campaign GM at the member before a faculty-student council at us for about five minutes regarding the University of Texas was an attempt to MIT. The council requested that MIT stock actual instigators of the campaign (the make the system work. Great care was be voted for the Campaign GM proposals coordinators of the proxy solicitation were taken to work through channels and pursue after the debate. At least one University of named in the material distributed prior to administrative remedies properly. In the California regent publicly endorsed the the meeting). He then restated the final analysis, our proposals were cast aside proposals. Editorially, the Washington Post university's policy of either voting with having been afforded none of the open and the Detroit Free Press urged support of management or selling the stock if consideration by the university community the movement. confidence was not warranted. The regents they so clearly deserved. Vice-Chancellor In advance of the Regents' meeting, a then, without discussion, unanimously Walker has sent us a letter praising us for memorandum stating the position of rejected the Campaign GM proposals, putting forth a rational and intellectual Campaign GM with specific regard to the In a Texan interview some days after the student proposal (and by implication UT shares was submitted for distribution vote, Regents Chairman Frank C. Erwin, suggesting that this is preferable to the to members of the board. The essence of Jr., explained that it is the board's policy politics of the streets). He asks that we not the document was that the university, as a to vote with management because the interpret the regents' resounding rejection state institution, invests funds only in trust board administers university stocks as equivalent to a deaf ear on their part for the public and could not, therefore, technically owned by the Texas (and by implication suggesting that their close its eyes to the social costs of its Legislature. "Since too many opinions are rejection does not mean that we are left investments. The university could not involved in how to vote, such with the streets as the only alternative). My consistently espouse the highest academic publicly-owned securities, the board only response is "Why not?" cannot afford to engage in proxy fights," ideals on the one hand while sharing in the May 15, 1970 13 profits of these detrimental activities on Erwin said. the other. On the day before the meeting, According to the Texan, "The Regents the university newspaper, The Daily Texan, administer the stock within the so-called ATHENA ran an editorial describing and endorsing `prudent man rule.' The rule, common to MONTESSORI SCHOOL the campaign. most states, requires trustees of public Leo Nitch, Director American Petroleum Institute president securities to act as would a 'prudent man' NEW NORTHWEST LOCATION Frank Ikard, also chairman of the Regents' in the administration of their duties . . . If 7500 Woodrow Land and Investment Committee, the regents lose confidence in a certain Phone 454-4239 introduced us to the meeting of the stock, they simply sell and buy another." Regents. Easley carefully detailed the The summary dismissal of the GM issues proposals and outlined the broad and by the Regents is disappointing on two overriding social and ecological levels. Most grossly, the university as a #ripi z' whole was deprived of what may be its implications inherent in the decision to be Since 1886 made. I described the effects of the most effective weapon in the battle to save decision on the university itself, attempting society and the environment. Judicious use The Place in Austin to allay both the fear that a vote in favor of the economic power inherent in of these proposals would constitute a investment decision making on the scale GOOD FOOD precedent for open debate on all future involved here could have a significant proxy votes regatd less of their nature and impact on corporate behavior, particularly GOOD BEER the fear that passage of these proposals when, as here, there is coordination 1607 San Jacinto would result in reduced profits for GM and between many institutional investors. consequently reduced revenues for the On a somewhat less visible level, too, the GR 7-4171 University. After listening to our 15 rejection of the Campaign GM proposals is Weinglass describes Chicago trial

Austin Every witness and inciting speeches, the government after During their Texas tour, Chicago Seven the government called interviewing 700 people was not able to member Abbie Hoffman and his attorney come up with a single witness who as not Leonard Weinglass spoke at the UT-Austin was a policeman, an FBI agent, branch. Weinglass' talk at the UT Law a part of the police establishment to testify School gives a new dimension to the legal a paid informer, an undercover against the eight defendants. proceedings at Chicago, which some Some of the paid informers who observers have called the political trial of agent, or a tool of Mayor Daley. testified were, I think, the most interesting the century. and in many respects some of the most courts have always been the final frightening people to come into the determiners of what constitutes probable courtroom. One man ... is a . . . The government had interviewed cause for a search. . . . The government $25,000-a-year advertising executive who more than 700 witnesses and had put more gave ... reasons why [this new wiretap was enrolled by the FBI to become a paid than 350 witnesses before a grand jury and procedure] is necessary. ... [T] he informer. The scene of the approach was, had worked on the case for seven months president has the constitutional power to symbolically enough, a Little League when it returned the indictments. We had authorize electronic surveillance as he ballfield, where [the man] was umpiring at to create a structure that would provide us deems necessary to protect the nation second base, and the FBI agent who with a competitive force to the FBI, the against hostile acts of foreign powers. [The solicited him was calling balls and strikes. Justice Department, and the squad of U.S. extension of this theory attempted [The man] testified that they met after a attorneys in Chicago who were handling successfully by the government in this case game one night and they were talking the government's side of the case. held that] the president also has the about the dangers and the perils with The question was, do we go out and hire constitutional power to authorize which the country was faced. As a patriotic attorneys to assist and investigate, electronic surveillance to gather gesture he agreed to become an informer detectives, secretaries, and a staff so that information concerning domestic for the FBI. we would have a comparable structure? organizations which seek to attack and He commuted every day from his very The conclusion that the defendants subvert the government by - unlawful comfortable New Jersey suburban reached was that this was to be [an means. residence to New York. After he worked anti-establishment] movement defense, How does the government justify this he would then go to various churches and strictly within the movement and without position? In recent years there have been colleges in the New York area, where he the aid and assistance of people who increasing numbers of instances in which would listen to speakers. Mostly his customarily function within the federal troops have been called upon by specialty was the National Mobilization establishment. So we undertook a trial of the states to aid in suppression of . Committee to End the War in Vietnam. He five months' duration without a single domestic disorders, and if he has would go to their meetings and listen to secretary. People within the movement intelligence gathering powers five or six speakers, leave the meeting, go would come into our office and type with internationally to aid the troops in their out into another place and write on the one finger all night.... international combat operations he must back of an envelope his impressions of There were 16 people who worked with have the same powers domestically to aid what was said, go home and telephone the us full-time. Nine of us lived in one the troops in their domestic FBI and give the FBI the names of all the apartment. Many of the people slept on the engagements. .. . speakers and his general impression of what floor and in the hallway. Witnesses would [The attorney general certified that he they said. He was paid, however, $10 a come — we called in 113 — from the had determined that wiretaps on seven of meeting. Apparently his patriotism didn't movement from all over the country, and the defendants were necessary and that the carry him that far, that he was willing to there was always an extra sleeping bag in court had no power to inquire further on render this service free of charge. The most the closet.. .. this matter.] Judge Hoffman bought that curious thing that he would do was after One of the motions [we filed] involved and that was the end of it. ... Judge each meeting he would submit a voucher to wire-tapping. The government came into Hoffman's law clerk resigned in protest the FBI for his subway toll and bus fare. court and admitted that it had wiretapped over Judge Hoffman's ruling on the matter The second informer was a CBS seven of the eight defendants. The of wiretapping. .. . [T] his case is newsman from San Diego. He worked for a government also admitted that under all unprecedented in terms of its wiretapping CBS affiliate out there. ... He did existing precedents the wiretaps were not aspect. It has been entirely overlooked in television news editing for CBS at the same legal; however, they took the position for the reporting of the sensational events of time he was being paid over $5,000 a year the first time in a court of law that the the trial. But I think in many respects that by the FBI to act as an FBI informer-agent. attorney general has the right to arrogate this might be the most dangerous, or the You can wonder about the quality and the unto himself the decision to make a most potentially dangerous, aspect of the content of the news editing in the San wiretap of a citizen on information trial. .. . Diego area when it is being handled by men available to the attorney general which the who at the same time are being paid attorney general need not disclose to a E VERY WITNESS [the $5,000 by the FBI to be an FBI court of law. All a court of law may do government called] was a policeman, an functionary. under those conditions is inquire of the FBI agent, a paid informer, an undercover He worked in a neat way. He had full attorney general whether or not he has agent, a newspaperman who was paid by press credentials and when someone would probable cause. If the attorney general says the police to gather information, or a come to speak at any of the universities in he has probable cause the court may not member of the Cook County organization. the area he .. . would go in as a member of inquire further. Out of all of the hundreds of people who the press with CBS credentials and a little This is a radical departure ... since the were on the streets and all the hundreds of tape recording machine. He would sit in people who were in the parks who heard the press section down close and hook up 14 The Texas Observer these many so-called subversive speeches this microphone with CBS letters on it and record what the speaker would be saying who sent letters of commendation to reason why we asked that question. The and send the tapes in to the FBI. various underground papers... . women who assisted us and worked around He went to San Diego State Teachers Salzberg provided the FBI with more our table with us were movement women College, where he heard Dave Dellinger than 1 0,000 pictures in three years. He was who did not wear brassieres. As it worked make a speech to a group known as the being paid over $7,000 a year by the FBI. out two of the jurors after the trial was Resistance. He recorded that, , he ... He too had full press credentials and over indicated that they were very transmitted it to the FBI, and it was was permitted all the privileges of a press offended and very upset by that fact, so I introduced into evidence against us.... photographer.. .. think the question had validity. I think a The third paid informer was a real shock lot of the questions that we asked Judge to us and a real surprise. I think maybe the WHEN JUDGE Hoffman went to Roffman to ask the jurors upset him only surprise witness the government pick the jury, we submitted 75 questions because he didn't understand the nature of actually had. His name is Louis Salzberg. that we thought he should ask the jury.. .. who we were. He was the official movement We asked Judge Hoffman to ask the Secondly, after Judge Hoffman locked photographer for three years. One month prospective jurors how they felt about up the jury and delivered the jury to the before the trial he had lunch with Abbie women who don't wear brassieres. Judge custody of the U.S. marshals, we took the Hoffman in his house. He was set up in Hoffman got very annoyed at that business and assisted by Dave Dellinger, question. There was a very particular May 15, 1970 15 position based on Jessica Mitford's book Allen Ginzburg came to testify about his government rested its case. Immediately Guilty As Charged, that a jury who is in poetry and about what he had seen in the schedule changed and we went from the exclusive control and custody of the Chicago and about his studies in oriental 10-6 and sometimes 10-6:30. We would marshals will begin to identify with the philosophy and religion, and explain that run through six to seven witnesses a day marshals and through the marshals with the he saw the county destroying the best of and we would be staying up all night United States government. . its youth. interviewing witnesses and putting them on So we proposed that a staff of marshals We brought in Jacques Levy, the in rapid fire one after another. When the be developed made up of one U.S. marshal, producer of "Oh, Calcutta" but who judge saw that we weren't slowing down he one Yippie, one Black Panther, one before that was the chief clinical then ordered us to go into Saturday marshal from the National Mobilization psychologist for the Menninger Clinic. He sessions, so we started doing this not only Committee To End the War in Vietnam, has a Ph.D. in psychology. He testified at five days a week but six days a week. Then and one person who was a campus activist. length about his observations as to what he ordered us to appear at 9:30 on But I just don't think Judge Hoffman was was developing in the country with respect Saturday instead of 10 to cut us back still willing to accept any proposal like that as to its restrictions, its prudity on nudity, its an extra half-hour.. .. being a serious proposal. prudity on honest and open sexual So we were forced to interview witnesses Of course, we coupled that motion with relations, and .he gave all the clinical bases all night the night before. We were then a motion which we repeated many, many for all his observations. He told why he had going into the fourth month of the trial times — that the jury be permitted to go to leave the clinic and why he wanted to and we were all near exhaustion and it was home. We would waive any constitutional get into theatre and why he thought being heightened and aggravated by the appeal that we had arising out of [their theatre was one means of projecting people •restrictions that were being imposed and exposure to] publicity because we felt we and the insanity of the way they were being made more tight week by week. stood to lose a lot more by having that jury approaching their personal lives. So by the 90th day of the trial we were locked up [with U.S. marshals]. ... We brought in Ed Sanders, who was a all under extreme tension and pressure and [On Moratorium day in October] the poet-philosopher-musician with the Fugs. exhaustion and frustration. There had been defendants came to the courtroom a half He testified about some literature he had no theatre in the courtroom up to that hour before the trial was to begin. There written and tried to explain it. point. was no one in the courtroom but a few The government delighted repeatedly in On the 93rd day the judge revoked Dave marshals. The defendants spread out an bringing out the obscenities the defendants Dellinger's bail. Dellinger said, "Oh, American flag on the defense table. The supposedly used. It was paraded time and bullshit!" and then he went to jail because marshals looked on, they were all time again and it really did sound foul he was too dangerous to be outside, using encouraged, they thought finally the when the prosecutor would stand up and that language. That was the straw that defendants were coming around. Dave shout those obscenities as if they were broke the camel's back [and from that Dellinger stood . up and began to read from something that was scribbled on a point on the defendants resorted to a list of war dead. Everybody in the bathroom wall when in fact they were part theatre] . . courtroom was standing. He read a certain of a literary work by one of the We were going to present a very straight, number. Then next to the American flag defendants. lengthy, detailed, structural defense. But as was placed the flag of the National So we were trying to answer all this as we saw the events as they evolved in the Liberation Front because the Moratorium best we could. We called 113 witnesses and courtroom we saw what Judge Hoffman observance was to be for the war dead on we laid it bare, going right down through was doing. We knew that much of our both sides. Dave began to read the casualty music, Phil Ochs singing "I Ain't defense would not be permitted. So the list from the Vietnamese side. He was in A-Marching Any More" was a statement of nature of our tactics was altered to suit the the course of reading from that list when the movement and I think relevant to their conditions in the courtroom. ... the marshal seized the NLF flag and also defense because they aren't marching I certainly am not in favor of disruption the American flag and took both out of the anymore. It is part of their whole as a [courtroom] tactic. I think that when courtroom. background and psychological makeup. a defendant is using a disruptive tactic then Judge Hoffman came in then. The court And Judy Collins singing "Where Have All it indicates that at that point the lawyer no was called to order. .. . When the jury was the Flowers Gone?" that is also part of the longer has much control. If you are brought in Dave rose and asked Judge movement. The press thought we were defending a very highly political person Hoffman if we could have just a moment putting on a show, a circus. They thought who is very sensitive to an injustice of silence to honor the war dead. That was it was a joke. They couldn't comprehend perpetrated against him by the system, he considered to be a disruption and Dave was the seriousness and the legality of what we will — because the strength of his own given a 30-day sentence for contempt for were trying to do in the courtroom. feelings — speak out, and there isn't much that. The press widely reported that we you can do about it. ... It wasn't had brought into the courtroom in front of OW THERE was also theatre in something that was rehearsed or the jury the NLF flag and started to read N the courtroom, . Abbie Hoffman walked programmed, and that was true of all the the war dead to the jury. Of course, none in with judicial robes on, he walked around actions. So you just have to deal with of that occurred [before the jury]. . the table a couple of times then stepped in events that unfold around you in a front of the jury and he unzipped his robe courtroom. We did not precipitate these I N AN EFFORT to educate this and under his robe he was wearing the events, we didn't plan them. jury as to who the defendants are, what uniform of a Chicago policeman. To give you an indication of the nature they are about, what they mean when they I know it is hard to justify that kind of of the defendants' behavior, they had to use the rhetoric of the movement we called behavior. I think you can look at it from stand on over 470 occasions when Judge before the jury, I think, the leading many ways. I think the fact that Abbie and Hoffman entered and left the room over spokesmen in the country for the the rest sat through a long and very tedious 103 days. And they stood on each and movement. We wanted to show that the harrowing experience is to their credit. By every occasion with but five exceptions. movement is not what the government then, the 95th day of the trial, let me Those five exceptions they were cited [for claims it to be — that is, violent — but is explain to you what had happened. rather just the reverse, an attempt to end contempt.] They all revolted while Bobby The government had put in its case on a Seale was chained to his chair and could the violence, and is an attempt to restore straight 10-4 schedule. It would start at 10, not stand. We explained to Judge Hoffman some measure of peace and humanity to break at 12:30, start at 2, and break at 4. that if Bobby Seale could not stand, the the country. There was no exception to that schedule. defendants felt compelled to remain seated 16 The Texas Observer We lived with it for 21/2 months. The with Bobby. So we were trying the best we could. We true. Bobby had the transcript. He stood they were attacked, reminding them that were not trying to be disruptive. up and asked Judge Hoffman for the right the party is one of self-defense. He told (In a speech the previous night in Austin to cross-examine. Judge Hoffman refused. them to cool it — he used those words. Weinglass discussed more fully the nature At that point Bobby insisted on his right Then Judge Hoffman entered the room of Seale's behavior in the Chicago to question the witness since he was the and the assistant U.S. attorney got up and courtroom. Weinglass recounts that Charles only one in the room who could defend told Judge Hoffman that before he came Geary, the lawyer who represents the Black himself. Otherwise he was going to be sent into the room Bobby Seale had made an Panthers, of whom Seale is a member, had away for ten years. ... [T]he marshal inflammatory speech. Bobby Seale jumped been hospitalized a few days before. Seale seized Bobby and pushed him down in his up and called him a liar and also called him asked a continuance but Judge Hoffman seat. Bobby fell to the floor and there was a racist and a fascist. Bobby was again refused.) a scuffle. Judge Hoffman called a recess. seized by the marshals and again thrown to When we came back there were a number the floor. This went on for another day of Panthers in the audience. Bobby stood and a half. Judge Hoffman finally said very S ANY OF you who have even A up before Judge Hoffman came back to the summarily, "Take that man out." [ Seale been to traffic court know [Weinglass bench and told the Panthers that they were eventually was bound and gagged in the said] , that as usual procedure the first time not to do anything in the court if he were courtroom, then later sentenced to serve a your case is called you are given attacked but they were to fight only if term in jail for contempt.] automatically one adjournment if your lawyer is ill or for some other reason cannot appear.... Goodnight Shadow, [Judge Hoffman] then did a very unusual thing. He went through his papers and he saw where four other attorneys had Goodnight Pat signed on as part of our defense team. By Pat Conway These four lawyers helped us prepare Austin pretrial motions. ... There was never any SGT. PRESTON: I'm going to have to intention that these men should try the ride to the Fort for help . . . A Review case. Judge Hoffman, however, held that YUKON KING: Grrr-bow-wow-wow! they were lawyers and he wanted them to Ruff! represent Bobby Seale, who had never SGT. PRESTON: Yes, King — what is it, heard of them. happening, and the thrills and laughs boy? continued right along until H. V. Judge Hoffman ordered the U.S. YUKON KING: Bow-wow-wow! Kaltenborn greeted us with "good evening marshals to go out across the country and SGT. PRESTON: He's trying to tell me everybody . .," and gave us his expert arrest these four lawyers and bring them in something . . . Yes, King? analysis of the news. to be counsel for Bobby Seale. Mike Tiger YUKON KING: Rruff! Bow-wow-wow! My memories of those magic moments was walking back from a seminar at UCLA SGT PRESTON: He's saying ... he were recently refreshed by Austin law school and was intercepted by two should go in my place. I should stay here. restaurateur and raconteur Jim Walls, who marshals. He was handcuffed and brought You're right, King! gave me the book, The Great Radio to Chicago. The other three lawyers, upon Hell, every adventure-loving kid in Elgin, Heroes. hearing this, appeared voluntarily. Tex., knew King was right after hearing the Walls is a kindred spirit when it comes to The four were put into custody and first bow-wow-wow! Long experience in vintage radio and 78 rpm records. Once, he were told to sit at our table with the front of the radio had taught us that it was even had a short fling as a radio star. The marshals standing behind them. They were the dauntless King who was responsible for station was KCNY in San Marcos, and the given yellow pads and a pencil and were bringing law-and-order to the wicked program was billed as "Jim Walls at the told to defend Bobby Seale. Yukon. King was what you might call the 88." Lake Austin's kindly old Robber "Will Wilson of Sled Dogs." Baron performed every evening for a At the end of the first day, Judge But Yukon King was not alone in the limited, but surely appreciative audience. Hoffman, realizing that this wasn't working never ending fight against evil doers. He But in those days, the Golden Age of out well, lined the four lawyers up at the had plenty of help from the Masked Rider Radio was fast coming to a close. Mary bench. He turned to Bill Kunstler. He said, of the Plains, the Green Hornet, Mr. Noble was slipping out the stage door. Ma `If you can get Bobby Seale to waive his District Attorney, Casey, Crime and Shuffle were left to meddle exclusively rights to Charles Geary as his lawyer and Photographer, and the inimitable Jack, Doc with the lumber business. Trains quit get him to accept you and Weinglass as his and Reggie. arriving in Grand Central Station, and attorneys I will let these four lawyers go I know, because I was there for almost Casey undoubtedly went from flash bulbs home. Otherwise they go to jail.' Bobby every wonderful minute, my thumbs to strobe. Seale did not back down, so the four looped tensely in the straps of my bib The memories survive. Like Jim lawyers were marched out, right out of the overalls, while my mind churned over every Harmon, author of The Great Radio courtroom and into the lock-up. Bail was adventurous moment. Heroes, I had a love affair with radio. I denied. ... have never gotten over it. Many's the A witness would be called by the I T WAS THE Golden Age of afternoon I trotted the two miles home government and Bill Kunstler and I would Radio. The heroes were super real. They from school, speculating all the way on cross-examine him. When the time came, had to be, because the voices sputtering what would happen next in Jack Bobby would stand and ask for his right to from the old Crosley came to life in the Armstrong's fearless struggle against a cross-examine that witness. Motion denied, solitude of your imagination. Only you sinister underworld that snot only he would sit down. That went on for three could imagine the terrifying picture of evil, threatened the very existence of Hudson weeks. and only you knew exactly just how tall, High, but our nation, and that damn well Finally, in the third week, one witness strong and noble were the heroes. At night, included Elgin. Every lad worth his salt was called to testify directly against I slept better for it. I knew the gangsters, could sing the rousing theme: Bobby. We knew that what he said wasn't smugglers, owlhoots, vicious Huns, and the "Wave the flag for Hudson High, boys, the truth. He testified about a speech that Yellow Menace were in check. Show them how we stand! Bobby gave of which we had a tape We listened to radio every day at four recording. What [the witness] said was not o'clock. That's when it really started May 15, 1970 17 Ever shall our team be champions, woes of Helen Trent, Judy and Jane, Stella would believe that the Aces of the Airways Known throughout the land!" Dallas, and Our Gal Sunday, who was could be destructible. Especially such Austin attorney Sam Houston Clinton, learning that life could be hell for a girl Enemies of Evil as the Shadow, Mr. Keane, another fan of the Golden Age of Radio, from a small mining town. In the end, Richard Harding, Sherlock Holmes, Ellery does one of the finest renditions of these however, we learned that "Life Can Be Queen, Gang Busters, Official Detective, heroic stanzas that I have ever heard. Beautiful." and Richard Diamond. As a boy in Bastrop Most of us in those days were ready also Those were the heady days of radio County, I never dreamed that I would one to blend our voices at the closing of the when a boy could twist the dial and travel day become the "Top Agent" who would program when the Hudson High glee club enchanted roads to WOAI, and WFAA, and send these super heroes out on their urged: KPRC, and KGKO. If the old radio started various assignments while awaiting "Won't you try Wheaties7 to squeal and sputter all a young electronic anxiously back at the studio while they They're whole wheat with all of the engineer had to do was reach over and prowled the airways to combat the evil bran." fetch it a good swat and the fine tuning that lurks in the hearts of men. Well, I did, but I must admit that I was was done. I remember my father doing this strictly a premium convert. The only thing once during one of Henry Howell's T HE TIME WAS the early 1950's, that enabled me to endure the pasteboard newscasts from San Antonio. The and I was moonlighting while in the Army quality of the cereal was the knowledge interference disappeared and Howell at Fort Bliss for station KSET in El Paso. that with each mouthful I was closer to returned to our living room with: "Thank Although the station later disagreed, this getting an Official Jack Armstrong you, Bill," a few words of appreciation for was a good deal for KSET. First, they did Pedometer or an Official Jack Armstrong the announcer who had just completed a not have to hire another full time Secret Signal. The Secret Signal turned out commercial. But my father, whose name announcer. Second, I worked cheap. The to be a cardboard flashlight of dubious was also Bill, was firmly convinced that reward was not money. The reward was to quality. Some days I wished I had eaten those words were meant only for his ears be there in the evenings when the networks the carton and sent away the Wheaties. and the neat technical stunt he had just fed the shows in their regular time slots. I performed to keep Howell on the airways. taped the shows and saved them for the Big M ANY AN OVALTINE Shaker I had my Texas Radio Heroes, too. They Mystery Bloc to be aired each Sunday Mug was raised on high in those days as we weren't cut from the same cloth as afternoon in what must be considered a awaited the latest adventures of that little Superman and Buck Rogers, but they were marathon of mayhem, misdeeds and chatterbox, Little Orphan Annie, who entertaining. Who can forget "Super murder. The bloc ran almost six hours. leaped lizards while Sandy "arfed" all over Doughboy," W. Lee O'Daniel, and his KSET is a throbbing outlet of 250 watts. the place. And the lineup of stalwarts tireless fight for "Beautiful Texas." Then A station official once told me "that if we moved on. Terry tackled the Pirates; Tom there was "Captain Laxative," Hal Collins, had any more power we'd be broadcasting Mix had all of us Straight Shooters ready and his Crazy. Crystal gang who offered only to coyotes and jackrabbits." The main for volunteer duty. Hop Harrigan and advice on how to stay loose despite the studio at that time was located in a glass Captain Midnight patroled the skies, poised tensions of war. In the mornings it was the enclosure in a downtown restaurant where for rugged, two-fisted action. Early Birds from Dallas and Ernest Tubbs the "big stars" were allowed to perform. Our heroes were legion, and they were "Walking the Floor Over You" from My chores were performed at the not exclusively confined to the Cereal KGKO in Fort Worth. KSKY in Dallas transmitter, which was located in an Operas. Those Soapers had plenty going for began ushering in the new concept of Disc abandoned filling station in the Chamizal them. There was nothing better than to Jockeys, who would one day spell the Section of El Paso. There I taped the stay home from school sick and share the doom of the Golden Age of Radio. "biggies" as they came down from the But in those days of red-hot, tin stove nets, spun records, did the news, read 18 The Texas Observer winters, and screen door summers, who commercials, kept the log, and read the NO CHO C

Do you want to see an Independent Liberal Senate Candidate on the ballot in November?

First, we must challenge Texas' law requiring Independent candidates to declare their intention to file by February 2nd of the election year. If interested, contact: Mrs. Joyce Shaw 8402 North Bayou Houston, Texas 77017 transmitter dials as required by the FCC. Shadow." "Goodnight Pat." Old Fashioned Bridge All of this was done in an atmosphere as I was not through with radio. There was delightful as a slum in 18th Century a later stint as news director of KBOX in London. In the summer it was worse. A Dallas. But it wasn't the same. The heroes Shoulders hunched meat packing plant was the next door of radio had been replaced by top 40 ankle deep in winter water neighbor. format and "Flying Purple People Eaters." we pass through iron bowels Doing a few comedy skits with a fine talent toward home. named Al Lohman or blooping lines like, —ROBERT BONAZZI P ERHAPS IT WAS because I was "Now for the scores of the Thanksgiving Houston left to my own devices in such dismal Gay Dames," failed to boost my sagging conditions that I took to the morale. GROUP SUBSCRIPTIONS experimentation that led to my being What I wanted was the righteous Lone cashiered out as the "Top Agent" in charge Ranger, true-blue Jack Armstrong, Subscriptions to the Observer can be bought of the Shadow and his gallant colleagues. by groups at a per person cost of $5.00 a beleaguered Stella Dallas, kindly old Mr. year, provided ten or more subscriptions are Except for Sundays, the time passed slowly Keane, the creaking door, lights out and ordered at one time and the copies can be except for an occasional "Sen Sen" that sophisticated man-about town, Mr. mailed in a bundle to a single address. commercial in Spanish. Man is forced to First Nigh ter. improvise. I first gained official station I don't listen to radio much any more. For subscriptions to be mailed to each recognition one night when El Paso Mayor When I do, I guess Arleigh Duff is the individual's home address, if ten or more are Fred Hervey was married for either the closest thing I have to a hero. But it's really ordered at one time the cost for each is just fourth or fifth time. I never met Mr. hard for a "Red Hawg" to replace the $6.00 a year. Hervey, but I thought the El Paso Herald Green Hornet. That's not to mean old If you belong to a group that might be Post characterized him well when it Arleigh isn't a fine country-western disc referred to him as "a well known interested in this — or if you want to jockey. He is. Arleigh's 150 per cent organize a group for no particular purpose hamburger peddlef." Mr. Hervey, I must against Evil, the Commie Conspiracy, except to benefit by these reducedrates — state for the record, also owned KSET.• Weirdos and the other perils of our time, write the Observer business office for sam- Naturally I was concerned about his but somehow it just isn't the same. Maybe ple copies and descriptive materials. happiness and his new marriage. It is for he should offer a box top premium. I've this reason only that I inquired on the air always wanted an Arleigh Duff "Whoopee Please add 4 14% sales tax to rates cited the night of his honeymoon, "I wonder Cushion." above. what Fred Hervey is doing right now." The radio I want is still out there From the response I received from a bouncing around the universe. I can still THE TEXAS OBSERVER station official, you would have thought I here it: 504 West 24th Austin, Texas 78705 had turned radio into some sort of "vast "Valse Triste" and "I Love A Mystery." wasteland." "Brom oseltzerbromoseltzerbromoseltz- Personal Service — Quality Insurance This same official must have been an er. '1 4t insomniac. He was also listening the night I . . . next week our star will be Sonny ALICE ANDERSON AGENCY went through the usual sign off procedure Tufts. Soonnny Tuufffs???" INSURANCE & REAL ESTATE and announced in my dulcet best: "Now "As a bullet seeks its target, shining rails Our National Anthem." I then played the 808A E. 46th, Austin, Texas in every part of our great country are 465-6577 Metronome All-Stars' bop arrangement of aimed at Grand Central Station...." "How High The Moon." Adios KSET. "When it's Ralston time in Texas.. .." Adios "Top Agent" job. "Goodnight "On King! On you huskies..." E May 15, 1970 19 We WILL Wittig In. Win!

Join the fight NOW! BUMPERSTRIPS 20 for $ 1.00 100 for $ 2.50 500 for $11.00 1000 for $20.00 Send check and your Zip Code— we pay postage and tax. FUTURA PRESS Box 3485 Austin, Tex. 78704 PEEL OFF BACK — BLACK, FLUORESCENT RED, & WHITE — ACTUAL SIZE Thoughts on 's election

Lloyd Bentsen's victory was a victory of Yarborough can be of good cheer, because fear, confusion, and reaction. Yarborough's he has done the right thing, and what he defeat was a defeat of courage, patience, has done stays, and he has given us courage and enlightenment. This is clear. Observations that stays. Spending stunning amounts of money, Bentsen hired pollsters to find out what the people hated, and then he hired media What's going on? country in such a convulsion. My own specialists to use him like a television actor The churning around at the University guess is that I. F. Stone is right, that once to say to the people, "I hate what you of Texas is all very interesting, but there is this country slipped into a new fascist hate." He won because of this and because something rotten in the library that is more period, we would not come out of it. We he convinced his fellow rich conservatives important than all the headlines. Charged would get locked into a situation that he would protect their privileges and by the State Constitution to be a controlled by military and corporate wealth. "university of the first rank," U.T. at power, perhaps with the persistence, for The first lesson to be taken by the Austin has slipped from 37th to 50th in show, of vestigial, but dead, democratic country is the power of money in expenditures for books and binding in one forms. This would be a disaster for the elections. This must be stopped. Whenever year, from 1968 to 1969. As Dr. Karl world. men can pollute the essential events of Galinsky, associate professor of classics and As usual, after an historic setback for democracy, elections, by selling slogans an authority on the condition of the the cause of man, there is much searching that distort and falsify the issues at such a library, asks — what is going on here — $13 about for scapegoats. Many are always at rate that there is no way for the people to million for an unnecessary expansion of fault for every complex political or social get a balanced view, we have no the stadium, more than $250,000 for a misfortune. In our present situation, democracy. The first priority for reform in new athletes' cafeteria, and this year less however, it is important, I believe, that we the United States should be reform of the than $150,000 for books for the College of not lose our awareness of the whole corrupted system of controlling and Arts and Sciences! Is this a college or a phenomenon of social change and crisis limiting campaign finances. You cannot gladiators' pit? reform a system by a process that has been through which we are passing. We are penetrated and overwhelmed by the bombarded from all around us every day elements that need reform. by so many events and impressions we are The airways of television and radio living in an entirely new kind of daily Small talk belong to the people. This is well human life. What is important is that in the Don't be put on by all the frothy stuff established. The people are entitled to fair, midst of this continuing circumferential about how mad Lyndon is at his brother equal-time discussions of the issues on their bombardment, we practice the Sam Houston about that book, My Brother airways by the serious candidates, conservation of indignation, we keep Lyndon (Cowles, $6.95). It is a loyal including the serious candidates who may balance in the midst of process and change, brother's book, but more to the point, it is not be official party nominees. Congress and we be patient, not for the urgently a lightweight performance of small talk, must provide the airways free of charge to needed changes, but for understanding. We anecdotes, and observations. There are such candidates for such discussions. There must see into the other fellow with some details and stories that will interest are difficulties. They must be worked out. imagination and compassion and remember any Texan affected by Lyndon's life and Congress must prohibit any non-reported that he, too, is trying to bear and act his various works, but the book's only political spending. The farce of against the anguish, the rage, and the panic serious content is Sam's candor about his "committees" for candidates which do not of our times. brother's techniques of political deceit. I have to report what they spend must end. What we have learned from Ralph guess this candor is enough to have made This is first. Yarborough in his 13 years as senator from Lyndon mad, but it seems to me that Sam The second lesson for the country is a Texas is the power of doing the right thing. told us more about these methods than he warning for these particular times. We are This is not so clear, just now in Texas, as meant to, just by continuing to ramble on. in a period of cultural shock. Many people we pick our ways through our scattered R.D. are alienated, confused, disgusted, and hopes for progress, finding friends. But the frightened. Any public officeholder who power of doing the right thing is. not has taken positions of courage which can defeated. It is one of those powers that BOUND VOLUMES be isolated and sloganeered to anger and stays. We who admire and respect Senator OF THE OBSERVER frighten the people will be in danger politically this year. More profoundly, Bound volumes of the 1969 issues of The however, the country is in danger. As the Texas Observer are now available. In ma- anti-political people of the left and right A-PLUS UNIVERSITY SERVICES roon washable binding — the same as in recent years — the price is $12. win converts and exploit more and more With you in mind: frequently the power of violence, the Also available at $12 each are volumes for possibility of a national mini-convulsion, or • typing the years 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, not so mini-convulsion, increases. This • theses and 1968 — the years of the Observer in its must be what led the sober, careful Senator • resumes present format. Fulbright to warn recently that the • graphic arts dept. country could fall into the hands of a Texas residents please add the 4 1/4% state right-wing dictator. Those who would Our prices are reasonable-our service is good. and city sales tax to your order. Volumes oppose continued work to reform the will be sent postpaid. country had better make the wisest guess Come by 504 West 24th St. (in the same building with The Observer) or call they can on what would happen to the THE TEXAS OBSERVER 477-5651. 504 West 24th Austin, Texas 78705

20 The Texas Observer ..... • ......

, •itfaliftem • ..'.t! . .aw *.A41k\ t ip kawattu,ktift4mtak *11414", l es. ‘ •.,•• ••••rt.Z50* ""k4ww.:swttatrar,,,, vaovattnewo,tval, ; z,440*..*. 1•4410 ,,nat.„.wwoon~.*fto* \ ,"Mt. 5414. 540:v5. *,s4ft. '

va • ft wsw\mwsbsavw os*,at • 'wottskikoiowv >amtt 1/4420 ssw 0:004. rnAhlt, 'NM.* xwaof 'UV 'WPItakletAw‘iiitte, 1.0( • , "Uktikak‘V„;a0S ,i0aNneun, Att40sv1

',UMW ,tw3k. tat '1'44„Vel:* 41,14%. ‘kAtftw Att L1,1 Ctitaktku zA•Wie*~4

......

•

•

, - "' '4,4k

\>;

Ave his f des other sitellt majority I. Write tlie-Naticmal 20036.

SURANCE concentrate only on electoral politics. I'll return to this point in a minute. tamp Petaeta A Valedictory I HAVE often heard it said in the last couple of years by Texas writers The Presidio... that they have felt keenly the need to be A ustin liberated from the spectre of Bedichek; I am, as of this issue, resigning the Dobie, and Webb; that the intimidating tap& levy Observer editorship. The decision was not effect of those three remarkable men's easy, of course; such decisions never are. reputations must be cast aside if new But I feel it necessary to leave, given my ground is to be broken in Texas letters and Military Justice conception of the nature of this thought during these quite new times. I publication and my view of my own needs very much feel that the Observer is in a is to Justice and of the role I want to play in public similar position; that the Dugger days must affairs. be ended and a new era begun for the I think most people who read the Observer. Willie Morris, during his two-year as military Music Observer know that it is the property now editorship sought, I believe, to carry on in of Ronnie Dugger, that his considerable the Dugger tradition. I have already said is to Music investment of his quite singular talents that I so sought. But it will no longer do. by ROBERT SHERRILL established the paper, that there would be Please understand, I love and revere no Observer today were it not for him (and Dugger greatly. He is the person who saw ;* f.) , t for the selfless contribution of money potential in me that even my parents and I given by a number of Texas liberals, most never had suspected. No longer do I notably that splendid and good woman, consider my professional future as "Robert Sherrill's account of Mrs. R. D. Randolph of Houston). Mrs. consisting, as before, of editing weekly the sham of courts-martial and Randolph two years ago conveyed newspapers (an honorable task); instead, I of the harsh, dehumanizing ownership of the paper to Ronnie for 81, think I am up to writing books, publishing treatment afforded military pris- as we reported at the time. articles in the most important of our national periodicals. This is Dugger's doing, oners should inspire national It is, in my view, Ronnie's quite special his great gift to me. I hope to prove worthy outrage." — SENATOR GEORGE relationship to the Observer that has of that. A. MCGOVERN become a problem for me and — at least so long as I remain as editor — for the paper It is said, in the masthead of the Observer, that "The editor has exclusive "The author has told it like itself. When I assumed the editorship in early control over the editorial policies and it is.... I fear that a high per- contents of the Observer. None of the centage of those who read the 1967 I privately determined to make the transferance noticeable as little as possible. other people associated with the enterprise book will refuse to believe it." shares this responsibility with him." But, - GEN. DAVID M. SHOUP, It pleased me greatly when, as much as 12 or 13 months later, people still were really, as I have found out, this statement former Commandant of expressing surprise on learning that Ronnie is true only so long as the editorial policy the U.S. Marine Corps. no longer was editor. I considered that a generally comports with what it has been compliment to my abilities. since the paper was begun in December, "A chilling analysis of what But I have, in the last couple of years, 1954. can pass for justice in a military begun to try moving the Observer into new I first learned this in a rather traumatic system swollen and made cal- directions. The going has been a bit sticky. way in November, 1968, when I wrote an lous by the Vietnam war." There were, of course, scattered but editorial urging our readers to turn their —MIKE WALLACE, CBS News unmistakeable signs of restiveness among back on the presidential candidacy of the readership as I sought new ways. But Hubert Humphrey. Our printer horsed "A remarkable book. In cit- by and large the longtime Observer readers around with that issue and the post office ing chapter and verse of mili- remained on the paper's subscription rolls. did likewise, their combined efforts tary stupidity, venality and And some others were added. delaying distribution of that issue until brutishness, Sherrill really goes But there have been a number of things I after the election. Then Ronnie expressed beyond the stockade: he's tell- have wished to do with the paper that I grave concern, in the most dire terms, ing us about the street." have not done. Part of the reason for my about the paper's future because of that -STUDS TERKEL not carrying through was my uncertainty editorial. At that point I began to wonder at the way things are going, my confusion just how free this Journal of Free Voices as to just what is happening politically and really is. I was quite intimidated, yet was socially. But, I believe, the primary reasons ready to quit on the spot rather than to for my hand being stayed these past recant or to modify my views in any way. months has been my sense of this paper's Such, I thought, was the independence traditional devotion to electoral politics. demanded of an Observer editor. I still believe deeply in the importance It wasn't necessary that I resign, as it of electoral politics, of who it is we select turned out. Most of our readers didn't like at the ballot boxes to represent us in public the editorial, but they respected (and, offices. Yet I have come to believe, most indeed, I believe, rather admired, in a At all deeply, that good people, particularly grudging way) the Observer editor's right bookstores those to the left of center politically, must to say what he thought. We lost about 35 $6.95 now turn at least part of their social and subscribers (about 25 of them in one labor political attention to some additional union local which received its papers in a Harper & Row sectors of the public arena, and not bundle from us) and gained about 25 new 1-f-1 subscribers directly attributable to the 1817 New York, N.Y. 10016 22 The Texas Observer Humphrey editorial. A net loss of ten subscribers. That was a tribute to our politics with an attention to the politics of Ronnie's. Altering the thrust of the paper subscribers, I thought at the time, and my organizing communities (working with faith in the idea that the along lines I would wish would, I think, Observer was a people as people, not as potential voters) require a considerable change of Ronnie's free and independent thing was and to the politics of confrontation. I have conception about the paper's role. He has substantially, but not wholly, restored. sought to show liberals, who constitute tolerated and to some extent approved of Since that time, particularly during the most of our readership, what the New Left the leftward movement of the paper since past year or so, I have become increasingly radicals are all about, as best as I've been 1966; but I wish other things to be done dubious of the relevance of electoral able to learn. and didn't believe I could pull them off in politics. I have come to wonder, in There have been complaints about this this context. response to the pointed and apt deviation from the paper's historical role; This is all moot now so far as I'm questioning of the new radical leftists, but there has been much interest concerned. The decision has been made. what difference has it made — in East expressed, too. That - has gratified me, Austin, in West San Antonio, in the But those concerned about the paper's barrios proven to me that the term "liberal" does future do need to consider the question of of the Valley, in South Oak Cliff, in the connote open-mindedness. This has girded ghettos of Fort Worth, in the wards of Ronnie's relationship to the paper. There me against the charges that the paper has may in fact be no remedy for this Houston — what difference has it made lost the way. situation. But perhaps a stronger who has been elected to the Legislature, to The Observer has not lost the way. I Congress, to the presidency? It has personality will be able to lead the really do not think so. I believe, quite Observer away from its worthy past mattered some, of course. But not so much simply, that "the way" is now wholly lately as, say, ten years ago, or twenty, or towards a more relevant future. I earnestly different for people who wish a just hope so. thirty. society. We must pay attention to the It has come to seem apparent to me, in radical left movement; its better aspects — As matters developed, further discussions between Ronnie and me did the past few months, that people who care the majority of it, I believe — have much to not take place. After our early April talk, about our society, about other people, teach us. It will not bring about a new he left town for the better part of three must at least consider seriously the American revolution; but it will, I think, questions raised about electoral politics. I regenerate and constitute much weeks and I did likewise in late April for my first vacation since 1958. A few days suggest that the efforts spent in registering of the basis for the new liberalism that is so after I left Austin Ronnie phoned me in voters, getting out the vote, working in a desperately needed in Texas and in the politician's campaign headquarters every nation. Dallas to say he was going to regard our earlier conversation as my resignation. That two or four years might better be spent If the Observer is working in the to continue in the was that; what more could be said? He barrios and ghettos, every forefront of Texas and American reform it day, seeing what the people who live there must devote considerable attention to the didn't wish to handle the matter by phone think their problems are and what we radical left movement, not embracing it but I urged him to tell me the essence of what was on his mind. might do about it — not by casting a vote wholly and indiscriminately, but gleaning but by casting ourselves — ourselves — into from it what is good sound, humane, and the fray. I have considered fighting the decigion valid. but I believe that might do nothing more Further, I think the time of concerned Believing all these things, I conferred in than adversely affect an institution that is people might also better be spent parading early April with Ronnie, telling him in doing more good than most these days. when a parade permit is arbitrarily refused general terms of the doubts I had about the Anyway, I am tired and not up to the on political grounds (as in Austin in the way things were going for me and for the struggle involved in bringing about a case of the parade to protest the Vietnam paper. I regarded that conversation as a restructured Observer. But I do commend — now Indochina — war) or gamboling in a prelude to further discussions Ronnie and I to those still associated with the paper park when official repression threatens (as would have. It was my hope that the paper consideration of a new structure and new in Dallas in the case of Lee Park) — to could be turned more fully into the directions for the Observer. ,show our officials — our officials — that, channels I believe necessary and I I trust that no one will read this column when they do not understand or when they recognized that this would take much as an attack on Ronnie; if so, you have do not really want freedom, that we are, discussion on the part of those associated grossly misinterpreted what I am saying. by God and by the Constitution, going to with the Observer, given our prior The Observer needs to change; Ronnie have freedom; that it is going to be insisted dedication to politics-as-usual. Dugger is and for 15 years has been the upon and practiced by people, and all the Among the things I would have Observer. That is the situation. It is for more so when such freedom is being proposed, had further discussions ensued, love of him, of his respect for truth nibbled away at by the refusal of a parade would be that the Observer become openly spoken, of the Observer, permit or the threat of repression of people and of the cooperatively run; that is, that each person four years time I was privileged to serve the who wish to spend a Sunday in a park. who works for the paper (there are paper that I find the courage to say these It is in these areas where, I think, our presently six, including editorial and difficult things. priorities really lie today. As well as in business staff) would have a say in basic electoral politics. But elections take our decisions as hiring and firing, the thrust of I close now with the customary but time up for a few weeks every couple of editorial and business policy, who gets paid heartfelt expressions of gratitude to those years. These other matters are day-in, how much, and so forth. In this way, I I've worked with in the past four years, day-out concerns, and I believe those of us, believe, the paper could keep abreast of the particularly Ronnie, associate editor Kaye those relative few of us, who still care must times and not be the reflection of a single Northcott, office manager Irene Wilkinson, give these matters some of our attention. individual. and Cliff Olofson, our business manager, whose devotion to the Observer is I must in candor admit that my unsurpassed; Cliff is the reason the O, BELIEVING such, what do S problems in working my will here have Observer made money last year for the first you, as editor of the Observer do — with a been ones mainly of personality — my own publication whose history is one of time in its 15-year history. Thanks also to and Ronnie's. I am not the dynamic sort of the others in the office and out who have devotion to electoral politics and covering person that he is and so have found it that most irrelevant, inhumane, and made my association with the Observer so difficult to push the Observer into areas I pleasant, educational, and rewarding. obscene of institutions, the Texas have felt necessary to deal with. Most Legislature? I have been in good company, doing often, day in and day out, I did have full work I have believed in. G.O. Well, I have sought to combine the control of the Observer; but I was ever Observer's historic interest in electoral mindful that ultimate control was May 15, 1970 23 invite any and all to give me the benefit of person who hires the editor and business their advice and counsel now. I especially manager and with seeing, in general, that invited qualified journalists to get in touch the economic resources of the paper are A response I with me promptly. protected, well marshalled, and well In response to Greg's statement, perhaps applied. The only area where my general I should say several things. responsibility for the business continuity I Without exceptions or reservations, Greg of the paper has touched on editorial has had "exclusive control over the content has been in direct regard to legal It was with regret that, on April 27, I editorial policies and contents of the matters that could involve the economic accepted the resignation of Greg Olds as Observer," just as I did when I was editor resources of the paper. editor. He has seen the Observer Observer and as Willie Morris did when he was editor I regard my role in the Observer as a through the most difficult national period and as the next editor will. Any contrary trust and I have kept this trust and plan to of civil torment since the American Civil statement would not be correct, and it continue doing so. Observer has War. From this period, the would not be fair to the Observer. In my general conception of the emerged whole and sound as a Before Greg came to the Observer, we Observer, its attention to electoral politics self-sustaining enterprise for reform. I both had it explicit between us, in writing, does not and should not preclude its think few people could have borne the that his relationship to me would be as attention to activities and concerns of frustrations and dilemmas of editing the mine had been to Mrs. Randolph, that is, those who are not interested in such Observer during this hellish period with the that the editor would have exclusive politics, and the converse should also be stability and balance Greg has. We have control over the editorial policies and true. This is an ear of new directions, in known throughout the violence and contents of the Observer; the publisher and out of electoral politics, and I rejoice repression of these years that the editor of would have ultimate control of the paper, that it is. There is no reason why the was a good faith person the Observer but could exercise it only by firing the Observer should not pay attention to both whose fidelity to his principles and to editor. I have never violated this electoral politics and the other forms of non-violent humanistic values would not be relationship, as those who have tried to social change to which so many good shaken out of him. The recent award from people are dedicated. the Texas Institute of Letters to Greg and influence Greg through me know. the Observer for his revelations on the I would add to Greg's discussion of his In the cause of independent journalism, McCrocklin dissertation points to only one editorial on Humphrey-Nixon that I did I believe the editor should run the editorial and qualified of his accomplishments on the paper. not, of course, read it in advance, and, side of the Observer, Now, he is moving on, which leaves the having read it after it was published, journalists should put it out. That is the fortunately somewhat reduced summer defended his right to publish, without any way it has been, and that is the way I think work-load on our able associate editor, consultation with me, any editorial he it should continue to be. The people who on the editorial and Kaye Northcott. As owner and publisher of wanted to, including that one. I did not put out the Observer business sides cooperate closely and daily the Observer, I am taking this juncture at agree with some of it, but of course that is affect each other. It could not have an occasion to look over the Observer's my right as a person. in a hostile environment situation and discuss its future with those My responsibility as publisher is the survived —Ronnie Dugger who are interested in it. Our permanent responsibility that goes with being the otherwise. editorial staff of two persons having been halved by Greg's resignation, I will be making some decisions in the near future. I 24 The Texas Observer Likes new Observer look

The new format looks great. The whole paper does too. Willie Morris, Harper's Magazine, 2 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10016. Dialogue James Vowell, an Austin filmmaker with professional experience in typography and I design, is mainly responsible for the Observer's new format. He calls it "upbeat bookish."—Ed. Forget Killeen

I think you can take the town of Killeen Green ruffles reader off the list of towns deserving gift subscriptions for their libraries. I don't Re: "Unruffled and flourishing," (Obs., think they would welcome TO. The other April 17). day I took in the old copies of Harper's, The last of your critics is Green. The New Republic, and The Texas New York is the name of his scene. Observer thinking that as a private's wife I When his logic falls short cannot afford a gift subscription for them He is sure to resort in each of these three areas of their need, To carminative sphincter and spleen. but I would be happy to donate my copies Tom Sutherland, 707 South Oak, as the next best thing. They smiled and Arlington, Tex., 76010. said thank you, but in the weeks gone by, they have yet to meet the public. Maybe Harris Green's byline on that book there is something to library science. . . . review, by the way, was inadvertently Mrs. Craig Davis, 803 E. Dean, Killeen, dropped by the printer. —Ed. Tex. 76541.