BSERVER OA Journal of Free Voices 250 A Window to the South April 14, 1972 Welfare pays Perot's dues questioned in executive session, a courtesy Any man born in the United States of processing firm, Electronic Data Systems, had been profiteering with federal welfare not often extended to private citizens. America is twice-blessed. And he is Four later hearings were held in :public, thrice-blessed if born in Texas. funds in California. While Ramparts was raking EDS muck in California, the however, and the transcripts from the —H. Ross Perot at the Texas Capitol, In tergovernmental Relations sessions reveal that Perot did some pretty Feb. 12, 1971 Subcommittee of the House Committee on slick numbers to get the money to pay his dues. Nothing illegal, of course, nothing as Austin Government Operations was doing an even more thorough job in D.C. The Washington gross and blatant as stealing a welfare H. Ross Perot is a human dynamo. A hearings concentrated mainly on Perot's mother's food stamps. The story gets very self-starter, a go-getter and one heck of a dealings with Texas Blue Cross-Blue Shield. complicated, but in a nutshell: Ross Perot swell fellow all rolled up into one. Why We may never know how Perot justified used federal tax money to develop a data he's even given $2 million of his own the fees he has been knocking down for processing system; he used good old personal money to the Boy Scouts of data processing services in ten state capitalist knowhow to draw up a America. medicare-medicaid programs. He was (Continued on Page 3) You couldn't find a better hero for a. • capitalist fairy tale if you searched every oil rig and anhydrous ammonia tank from the Red River to the' Rio Grande. Ross Perot was the champion paper boy of Texarkana, Texas. He went on to be a model Naval officer, the most successful computer salesman in the history of IBM and, 0 American Dream; a billionaire before he was 40.

THE ROSS PEROT story began, as far as the newspapers and the Republican administration are concerned, when he launched his "Tell It to Hanoi" campaign in 1969. He may not have convinced the North Vietnamese to release a single prisoner of war, but he managed to swing the public's disillusionment with the war to the less domestically volatile issue of bringing the prisoners back home. And America loved him for it. "H. Ross Perot pays his dues," Fred Powledge wrote in the New York Times Magazine, a year ago February. The Times fawned over the fact that he dipped into his hard-earned billion to boost the POW effort and that he spent millions on the scouts and on poorly educated blacks in his hometown of Dallas. But it wasn't until Ramparts printed "H. Ross Perot: America's First Welfare Billionaire" that a journalist bothered to ask the crucial question: Where did he get the money to buy all those pretty packages he never got to deliver to the prisoners of war? Ramparts writer Robert Finch (Oct., 1971) described how Perot's data Illustration by Tony Dubovsky The corning fortnight. • • By Suzanne Shelton APRIL GRAB BAG RODIN — Lovers of Rodin sculpture can view this collection of 84 bronzes and sketches from the Musee Rodin collection in Paris; April 18 through June 18, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

WEBER WORKS — Fifty works by "Max Weber: The Years 1906-1916," covering the years of experiment that led Weber to become first American artist utilizing concepts of Cubism; also retrospective exhibition of works by B. J. 0. Nordfeldt, Scandanavian-born American painter living in Southwest, including 45 paintings and 11 graphic works covering period 1901-1954; through May 14, Amon Carter Museum of Western Art, Fort Worth.

ART FESTIVAL — Twenty-second annual "Vaudeville to Broadway" theme highlighting girl who recently won a Grammy for best Houston Post Spring Art Festival of various art heritage of American theatrical music; Municipal comedy album, in concert; 8:30 p.m., Music Hall, Auditorium, Austin. forms created by students from 30-county area; Houston. April 22 through May 14, Museum of Fine Arts, APRIL 23 Houston. APRIL 17 SHAKESPEARE — "A Midsummer Night's MUSICAL TRIO — Emerson, Lake and Palmer Dream," Shakespeare's lyric comedy on three experiment with their moog synthesizer, organ APRIL 13 levels, including two love triangles and a and piano, along with the group, "Free" (though RAINDROPS MAN — B. J. Thomas, whose play-within-a-play, plus the rustic antics of you pay to see them); 8 p.m., Hofheinz Pavilion, recording of late goes something like "Long Ago, Bottom, presented by Department of Drama with University of Houston, Houston. Tomorrow," in concert with Climax, doing their guest director Jerome Kilty; through April 22, 8 hit recording of "Precious and Few"; 8 p.m., p.m., Hogg Auditorium, University of Texas, APRIL 24 Municipal Auditorium, Austin. Austin. WOODWINDS — SMU Faculty Woodwind Quintet perform as part of SMU Faculty Series; APRIL 14 APRIL 18 Meadows School of the Arts, Dallas. JOE EGG — Josephine, known as Joe, a STALLIONS — The famous Royal Lipizzan 10-year-old epileptic whose father describes her Stallions of Austria that can jump and glide in APRIL 27 as "a human parsnip," is subject of playwright horse ballets, featuring Wolfgang Dellefont on MUSIC MEN — Kenny Rogers and the First Peter Nichols' comedy "A Day in the Death of horseback; through April 19, 8:15 p.m., Edition, in concert; Jones Hall, Houston. Joe Egg," in University drama department's Coliseum, Austin. experimental series; through April 19, Drama BRECHT — "Threepenny Opera," Bertolt Building Theater Room, University of Texas, ICE SKATERS — "Holiday on Ice" features all Brecht's drama set to music by Kurt Weill, Austin. the trimmings, ice queens and clowns and performed by First Repertory Company; through sparkling tutus; what better way to spend a hot April 29, also May 4-6, 11-13, 18-20, 25-27; First OPERA — Pathetic hunchback Jester, known summer day?; through April 23, Coliseum, Repertory Theatre, San Antonio. as Rigoletto, plots and schemes until his Houston. vengeance misfires in Verdi's opera, performed by Fort Worth Opera Association with New York Moon sample APRIL 21 City Opera baritone Louis Quilico and Met AUSSIE FILMS — Australian filmmaker Roger No god was ever soprano Joy Clements; also April 16, Convention moved to make a man from this Center Theater, Fort Worth. Sandall, visiting professor at Rice, best known for his penetrating documentaries on Australian ambiguous dust. aborigines, presents selection of his films; Grace Ross FEIFFER COMEDY — "Little Murders" is Fort Worth Jules Feiffer at his most bitter in comedy through April 23, Media Center, Rice University, Houston. directed by Clifford Ashby, performed by University Theatre; 8:15 p.m., also April 15, MORE JC — "Jesus Christ Superstar" is "back 5:30 and 8:45 p.m., April 16 and 17, 8:15 p.m., Farenthold Reprints University Theatre, Texas Tech University, by popular demand," with national touring Lubbock. company; 7:30 and 10 p.m., Hofheinz Pavilion, Houston. The article on Frances Farenthold from MORE OPERA — "Tannhauser" features one the April 9, 1971 Observer ("A of those love triangles with a goody-twoshoes, a PIANO CONCERT — Albert Hirsh, piano soloist, with A. Clyde Roller directing UH superwolf and a red-hot-mama, sung by Jess Melancholy Rebel") and the editorial Symphony Orchestra perform selections by Thomas, Klara Carlow, and Wolfgang Annheisser endorsement of her candidacy from the Wagner, Rachmaninoff, Webern and Stravinsky in with Houston Grand Opera; also April 16, Jones second annual University of Houston Music March 3, 1972 issue are available in a Hall, Houston. Scholarship Benefit Concert; 8:30 p.m., Jones four-page reprint. Minimum order: 10 Hall, Houston. APRIL 15 for $1.00. Additional copies, 100 each. FOLKLORICO — This is the colorful Ballet APRIL 22 Substantial discounts for orders of 100 Folldorico of Mexico, directed by Amalia JAZZ FEST — Brazilian guitarist Laurindo or more. Hernandez, with 7 5 dancers, singers and Almedia, credited with introducing bossa nova to musicians in dances exemplifying Mexican this country, performs with Billy Taylor, musical heritage; 8:30 p.m., also 2:30 p.m. April 16, director for David Frost Show, plus One O'Clock Please add the 5% sales tax to your Music Hall, Houston. Lab Band of North Texas State University in remittance and mail to The Texas 1972 College Jazz Festival; 2 and 8 p.m., Observer, 600 W 7, Austin 78701. HAIRCUT HARMONY — Eleventh annual Municipal Auditorium, Austin. "Make Mine Barbership" concert with (adv.)

2 The Texas Observer LAUGH-IN LILY — Lily Tomlin, the Laugh-In

of the Bureau.) Calhoon said that, to the Health Insurance (HEW), testified during Perot... best of his recollection, that's not what the hearings that he queried Texas BC/BS (Continued from Page 1) happened. He said he just wanted to gather about the allegation and "it was indicated sweetheart contract; and he snookered up all the materials and put them in one that there was nothing to this situation. some bureaucrats into approving the safe place. This was not pursued further," Tierney contract; and ever since the government At any rate, the records were not said. has been paying through the nose for a destroyed. Evans explained, "There was an Perot worked Blue Shield until just process it paid to develop in the first place. undercurrent among the people in my before another contract was given to EDS The snookered bureaucrats were none branch that when they heard that there in 1968. The contract was a rather unusual too happy to reveal the details of Perot's was going to be a congressional one. Although the government requires relationship with the Health, Education investigation of the EDS contracts that medicare carriers to get prior approval of and Welfare Department. Federal they all said "Hallelujah." To throw away a subcontracts, this one had no such employees who originally called some of document, then, under those approval. There is a standard clause giving EDS' contracts "exorbitant" retreated to a circumstances, that they thought was really the government the right to inspect the position at the right hand of Perot himself. hilarious." : records of a company with which it is There was no explanation during the House Subcommittee attorney James contracting, but the instrument between hearings as to why these originally critical Naughton, one of the government men Texas BC/BS and EDS had no such feds had become staunch defenders of responsible for bringing Billy Sol. Estes to provision. And the contract was approved Perot, but it's not hard to imagine what justice, dragged the story of Perot's success by Blue Cross without competitive bidding kind of pressures might come from a out of the reluctant bureaucrats bit by in violation of government regulations. Republican administration to protect juicy bit. Under the '68 contract, EDS received Perot, a dues-paying member of the Nixon more than $250,000 to develop a data Foundation. processing systeiri for Texas BC/BS. PEROT FORMED Electronic Despite the fact that the government paid Data Systems, Inc., on his 32nd birthday, for the design of the system, it did not get June 27, 1962. The firm didn't have many title under the contract to use the system. PEROT HAS always denied that pretentions then; the members of the there was the slightest tinge of politics in Walker Evans testified that the government board were Perot's wife, mother and sister. should have been given access to the the POW issue. "If I thought there was At first, the company simply bought anything political behind this, I'd be system. "This is the tradition in computer time wholesale and sold it retail. government," he said. "When you pay for a working just as hard for the other side," he Collins Radio was EDS' first client. told the Observer two years ago. Nor, of system or you pay for having anything In 1966 Electronic Data Systeins was developed, you get use of it." course, was there anything political in his still small potatoes and Perot, owning 80 decision to take over the floundering In July of 1968, Tierney wrote a letter percent of EDS' stock, was working part to Texas BC/BS sayind that some of EDS' investment firm, DuPont, Glore, Forgan, time managing Texas Blue Shield's data Inc. Perot himself said he helped DuPont charges were "exorbitant." He said HEW processing division. When Blue Cross would reimburse Blue Cross only "for the out of concern for the national interest. In became the prime contractor for medicaid the fall of 1970, there was speculation on reasonable value of the services provided and medicare in Texas, it subcontracted by EDS." Tierney asked for permission to Wall Street that the collapse of the firm with EDS to do the computer work on the might be the straw hat tipped the whole have HEW audit agents examine EDS federal health insurance claims. records to determine what a reasonable U.S. economy into the slough of Perot received invaluable help at the depression. "I feel strongly that everyone is charge might be. Otherwise, he said, the time from James Aston, a Blue Shield money would be withheld. The out to make every contribution he can to director, who headed the Republic the country," Perot told Fortune magazine government never got access to the records, National Bank of Dallas. According to but Tierney later talked over the EDS (July, 1971). "I'm best able to make my Ramparts, Aston pressured other Blue situation with upper echelon contribution in the area of business." Shield executives to sign a formal contract administrators in HEW and they decided to The purchase was so non-political that with Perot which could be used as go ahead and pay the bill. when Atty. Gen. John Mitchell recently , collateral for the bank. In return for a loan, Tierney said he paid up because he later was hauled into the ITT hearings and asked Aston's bank received EDS stock. It was a learned that it was costing Texas Blue about his meeting with ITT director Felix profitable investment: during the next five Cross $3.05 to process an insurance claim Rohatyn, he said they were talking at a years EDS and its subsidiaries took in more while one state carrier was spending $4.50 donation to the Republican Party at all. than $37 million from medicare and to do the same job and the average Ross Perot was there and they all were medicaid subcontracts in Texas, California, nationwide for comparable plans was talking about Perot's buying DuPont. Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, $3.96. "How can you be paying the One can understand why federal Iowa, Kansas, Indiana and Minnesota. carriers in this nation an average of $3.75 bureaucrats would be reluctant to rat on a EDS is now the largest medicare per unit cost and then say to us that our man who has so much love for his country subcontractor in the nation. (Next in terms costs of $3.05 are unreasonable? Now that that he is willing to spend $55 million to of revenue is Applied Systems is the basic problem we had," he explained. buy 90 percent control of an American Development Corporation which has been "We could no longer sustain our position, brokerage house (which now, by the way, paid the relatively paltry sum of $275,000 since we had a contractual obligation to is expected to be worth $300 million by since 1967.) When Perot finally offered pay Texas the costs they incurred. They 1976). EDS shares to the public in 1968, his 80 had costs under the national average." When the word drifted through the halls percent of the company's stock was worth of HEW that a House committee was going a cool $300 million. E VANS, AN attorney who to investigate EDS, James L. Calhoon, Of course, it was against federal specializes in government contract law and assistant deputy director of program regulations for Blue Cross-Blue Shield administration of government contracts, operations for the Bureau 'of Health (BC/BS) to give a subcontract to one of its told the House subcommittee that the Insurance, ordered all of his section chiefs own employees. The Department of government should not have given in to to destroy their files on EDS. That, at Health, Education and Welfare first EDS. He and William C. Lanning, chief of least, is what Walker Evans, then chief of received word from a former employee of part B systems branch of the Bureau of the contract administration branch, BC/BS in November or December of 1966 testified under oath at the House hearings. that Perot worked for Blue Shield. Thomas Health Insurance, were dispatched to (Mr. Evans has since been transferred out M. Tierney, director of the Bureau of April 14, 1972 3 Dallas in August of 1968 to try to get reducing excessively high data processing access to EDS records. costs and attempt to effect false economies "Practiclly what we did the entire day by pennypinching in other areas. was listen to sales pitches by Ross and his "Texas Blue Shield does not have an staff as to what a wonderful job he could effective quality control program. That is, do if he could take over the whole they do not have a means of routinely medicare computer program," Evans said. ascertaining, on a sample basis or "We left about, well, it was shortly before otherwise, that claims examiners are 5 o'clock and we had achieved nothing. . making correct determinations of coverage Ross was of the attitude that he did not in individual cases," Mullane wrote. want to share his knowledge, his knowhow "Claims are reviewed hastily and with the government; he did not want to shoveled into the computer by the bushel be in partnership with the government. He by clerical employees and rather low level wanted to be competitive and make his examiners. Thousands of determinations that way, but when it came down to are made every week on delicate coverage actually contracting, he did not want any issues; for example, coverage of certain competition." ambulance services, equipment, dental Evans said that when he reported back service, supplies, etc. Yet, there is no in Washington, Tierney, Calhoon and means of checking on the accuracy or Deputy Director Robert Mayne were very quality of decisions made. It almost scares upset about "the fact that this contract one to think about it. had been entered into for such a large "The second example is in the area of amount for such a long term, without us beneficiary services. This carrier receives being asked." 600 to 1,000 inquiries or complaints every Evans pointed out additional curiosities H. Ross Perot day, about half of them on reasonable in the EDS contract. Texas Blue Cross was charge determinations and half on other paying EDS one rate for its private work record. And Lanning discovered that Texas claims questions. This volume has existed and another — higher — rate for BC/BS was charging more than $2 a unit about since the beginning of the program. government work. "There was a for computer processing, keypunching and Yet up to this point, hardly anything has noncompetitive fixed price for medicare verification, while other fully automated been done to handle any of these as and medicaid, whereas Blue Cross work, it carriers were doing the same job for an requests for informal review. Why? Because was on a competitive basis at an hourly average of 65 cents. they do not want to add the staff required rate," he said. John M. Mullane, a Bureau regional rep, to handle these inquiries and complaints Lanning told the committee that he charged in 1968 that although Texas Blue that are requests for informal review, reported to the home office that EDS costs Cross had an overall cost less than the probably at least half of them, as such should have been about half of what the national average, its service was shoddy. requests," Mullane said. company was charging the government. He blamed the situation on EDS. "Perhaps just as serious is the fact that Comparing EDS operation to a similar He wrote, "It is our understanding that a they have never been able to handle their government model computer operation, he significantly higher proportion of their volume of inquiries and complaints determined that it should cost HEW about [Texas BC/BS] unit cost is for data satisfactorily and expeditiously, whether 36 cents to process each payment record, processing than is the case with most other requests for informal review or not, while EDS was charging $1.06 per payment carriers. They do not seem interested in because they do not want to add the 10 or

EDITOR Kaye Northcott BUSINESS STAFF CO-EDITOR Moll Ivins Sarah Boardman THE EDITOR AT LARGE Ronnie Dugger Joe Espinosa Jr. Contributing Editors: Winston Bode, Bill Brammer, Gary David Giffey TEXAS Cartwright, Lee Clark, Sue Horn Estes, Joe Frantz, Larry Madeleine Leeds Goodwyn, Harris Green, Bill Hamilton, Bill Helmer, Dave C. R. Olofson Hickey, Franklin Jones, Lyman Jones, Larry L. King, Georgia Earnest Klipple, Larry Lee, Al Melinger, Robert L. The Observer is published by Texas OBSERVER Montgomery, Willie Morris, Bill Porterfield, James Presley, Observer Publishing Co., biweekly from Charles Ramsdell, Buck Ramsey, John Rogers, Mary Beth Austin, Texas. Entered as second-class C). The Texas Observer Publishing Co. 1972 Rogers, Roger Shattuck, Edwin Shrake, Dan Strawn, John matter April 26, 1937, at the Post Ronnie Dugger, Publisher P. Sullivan, Tom Sutherland, Charles Alan Wright. Office at Austin, Texas, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Second class postage A window to the South We will serve no group or party but will hew hard to the paid at Austin, Texas. Single copy, 25c. A journal of free voices truth as we find it and the right as we see it. We are One year, $7.00; two years, $13.00; dedicated to the whole truth, to human values above all three years. $18.00; plus, for Texas interests, to the rights of man as the foundation of addresses, 5% sales tax. Foreign, except • Vol. LXIV, No. 7 April 14, 1972 democracy; we will take orders from none but our own APO/FPO, 50c additional per year. conscience, and never will we overlook or misrepresent the Airmail, bulk orders, and group rates truth to serve the interests of the powerful or cater to the on request. Microfilmed by Incorporating the State Observer and Microfilming Corporation of America, the East Texas Democrat, which in turn ignoble in the human spirit: incorporated the Austin Forum- 21 Harristown Road, Glen Rock, N.J. Advocate. The editor has exclusive control over the editorial 07452. policies and contents of the Observer. None of the other Change of Address: Please give old people who are associated with the enterprise shares this and new address, including zip codes, Editorial and Business Offices: The responsibility with her. Writers are responsible for their and allow two weeks. Texas Observer, 600 W. 7th St., Austin, own work, but not for anything they have not themselves Texas 78701. Telephone 477-0746. written, and in publishing them the editor does not Postmaster: Send form 3579 to necessarily imply that she agrees with them, because this is Texas Observer, 600 W. 7th St., Austin, 7•4411t0.7 a journal of free voices. Texas 78701. 15 people that would be needed to do it." Richardson wrote again, saying that the Mullane said in the letter that Texas Social Security Administration (which is Blue Shield had never staffed up to its under HEW) approved the contract prior to for budgeted level. During the subcommittee his letter of Dec. 6. There were some hearing, he said he feared "somehow EDS contractual alterations allowing HEW to had caused them to reduce" the staff so look at some EDS records, the secretary READING... that Texas BC/BS would have unit cost said. And Richardson once again pointed Titles listed below, and all others stocked by lower than the national average. EDS' data out the tight spot the government is in: the Texas Observer Bookstore, are offered to processing costs were significantly higher "The only alternative was the approval of a Observer subscribers at a 20% discount. than the national average, and the general subcontract with another firm with no The Texas Observer Bookstore pays for the cost of the program was reduced by previous experience in the installation or postage and handling. Amounts shown are the understaffing. operation of a medicare data processing discounted prices, plus the 5% sales tax. system. In view of the critical claims processing situation experienced by URING A subsequent To Order D Arkansas Blue Shield and the particular investigation in 1970, HEW auditors found management support needs of this carrier, Please circle desired book(s) and return list that Texas Blue Shield and EDS were with your name, address and remittance to increasing the cost of the medicare the Social Security Administration did not the Texas Observer Bookstore. program through a number of practices believe it would have been in the best interest of the over-age-65 people in Are you interested in receiving a more that could be either innocent errors or complete list of titles available from the Texas callous deceptions. The practices were Arkansas to have contracted for an Observer Bookstore? occurring not only in Texas but in most of untested service," Richardson wrote. the other eight states where EDS does data processing for medicare and medicaid. In S O ROSS PEROT and Electronic Paperbacks Texas, EDS was charging for processing an Data Systems continue to flourish. They have a valuable service to offer and they'll BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED extra 3,000 claims a month by taking KNEE (Brown) $1.64 claims that required further investigation sell it to the government as many times as THE FEMALE EUNUCH (Greer) $1.64 off the books rather than holding them in a the government will buy it. EL ESPEJO: THE MIRROR: SE- pending status. After the claims were There is a bill pending in the Senate that LECTED MEXICAN-AMERICAN would close up the loopholes in the LITERATURE (Romano, ed.) .. $2.48 checked out they were reprocessed as new CRISIS IN THE CLASSROOM: THE claims. EDS was inflating the workload access-to-records clause and require REMAKING OF AMERICAN EDU- count from 7,000 to 10,000 monthly by subcontractors like EDS to open their CATION (Silberman) $2.06 manipulating the internal control numbers books to federal auditors. The House SAL SI PUEDES: CESAR CHAVEZ subcommittee is in recess, but there is a AND THE NEW AMERICAN REVO- on certain claims requiring investigation. LUTION (Matthiessen) $2.48 The Bureau of Health Insurance found strong possibility that it will resume its ANYBODY'S BIKE BOOK: AN ORIG- that these practices were followed by EDS investigation of EDS this spring. INAL MANUAL OF BICYCLE in California, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, While Texas newspapers gave very little REPAIRS (Cuthbertson) $2.52 space to the EDS hearings, they did give MARIHUANA RECONSIDERED: A Massachusetts, New York and PSYCHIATRIST'S ANALYSIS OF Pennsylvania. All were ordered to correct Perot ample opportunity to defend his MARIHUANA IN AMERICA the claim procedure. The auditors business practices. Perot claimed there was (Grinspoon) $2.06, estimated that these and similar nothing to the hearings, just jealousy on GROW YOUR OWN: AN INTRODUCTION the party of some lower echelon TO ORGANIC GARDENING discrepancies resulted in an EDS (Darlington) $1.47 overcharge of a million dollars in fiscal government officials who "couldn't find a HOW TO TALK BACK TO YOUR 1971. starter button on a computer if they TELEVISION SET (Johnson) $ .80 While the House hearings were in formed a committee." SIDDHARTHA (Hesse) $1.05 "What you never read," Perot told LET THEM EAT PROMISES: THE progress, HEW approved a tenth contract POLITICS OF HUNGER IN for Perot, this one for processing Arkansas Margaret Mayer of the Dallas Times Herald, AMERICA (Kotz) $1.64 medicare-medicaid claims. As in all of "was that everything we did was better Perot's federal contracts, except for Texas performance than anyone else was and Kansas, the Arkansas agreement was showing. The more we saved, the more we Hardbacks with EDS Federal, a subsidiary of EDS, were criticized." rather than with the parent company. Perot said in the Herald that HEW and THE CLOSING CIRCLE: NATURE, the Social Security Administration were MAN AND TECHNOLOGY (After the government started agitating to (Commoner) $5.84 see EDS'. records, Perot simply set up nagged by the thought that EDS was TEXAS UNDER A CLOUD: STORY another, hollow corporate entity to sign making huge profits. He said the SSA OF THE TEXAS STOCK FRAUD the contracts. The work is still done mainly systems manager told him that they could SCANDAL (Kinch & Procter) . $5.84 build a system for $240,000 that would be THE BIG THICKET: A CHALLENGE by EDS, but the government is given access FOR CONSERVATION (Gunter) $10.50 only to EDSF records.) so successful it would put EDS out of IF THEY COME IN THE MORNING: Rep. Bill Alexander of Arkansas, a business. "They built it," Perot is quoted VOICES OF RESISTANCE member of the Government Operations as saying. "It cost $3.5 million and they (Davis & Others) $5.84 haven't been able to compete with us yet." TOWARD A DEMOCRATIC LEFT: Subcommittee, wrote to HEW Secretary A RADICAL PROGRAM FOR A Eliott Richardson in November, urging him All Perot would say about EDS profits is NEW MAJORITY (Harrington) . $5.00 not to approve the Arkansas contract or that they are "generally in line" with those any EDS or EDSF contract unless it of other data processors. Representatives of Texas BC/BS (Non-Texas addressees exempt from contained a clause for "examination of all 5% sales tax included in these prices) pertinent records, including the records of appeared three times in executive session related firms." before the House subcommittee. Their Richardson's first reply on Dec. 6 comments, of course, are not part of the THE TEXAS OBSERVER assured Alexander that he was "looking public record. Gene Aune, a BC/BS BOOKSTORE into" the matter and that no contract vice-president, said that the company would be approved "without the inclusion would prepare a comprehensive response 600 W. 7, Austin, Texas 78701 of a provision to authorize the examination to this article after it is printed. K.N. of such records." Then, on Dec. 22, April 14, 1972 5 tr • The lobby wins again Austin retirement. At the time, Mutscher was trog; that Daniel would re-appoint Heatly The Texas House of Representatives, expected to take over as head of the beer when elected in '73. Daniel people moaned that great elephant of reform, did labor lobby. But he didn't. And he didn't like in disbelief when this conspiracy theory and labor mightily, bellowing great gales of the idea of a rival, so he offed Price from was repeated to them. rhetoric, moaning under the lash of public the team. Price in turn deserted Mutscher's opinion and heaving under the necessity sinking ship after the Sharp scandal broke. for change. And the elephant did at last But he didn't go far. Price did not, unlike produce — a mouse, in the unpreposessing the man who is now his chief rival, stand form of Rayford Price of Palestine. with the Dirty 30 on the key ethics and H ALE'S REFORM record • has Poor Price seems to have been born to reform votes in the regular 62nd session. some twinges of superiority over Price's. be an anti-climax. After all the rot, the Nor did he break with the lobby. Prior to the 62nd session, Hale had not bitterness, the injustice and the pain of the The oil lobby, the chemical lobby and only supported but actually introduced Mutscher regime, after that Greek tragedy the Texas Manufacturers Association were such measures as limiting conference with twang in Abilene, what do we get? openly supporting Price's candidacy for the committees. In addition, the 20-year House Another Mutscher. A Mutscher speakership. Ben Barnes was not openly veteran is skilled in parliamentary uncorrupted by power, to be sure, but with supporting Price's candidacy. At one point, procedure and questions of legal nicety. the same brand of earnest mediocrity and Price said he'd spent $50,000 on the But he was indisputably a Mutscher man. with the same damn lobby behind him. speaker's race. After he won it, he said it The Filthy Five decided to go with Zan Our beloved statehouse being what it is, was only $10,000. Holmes of Dallas rather than do the obviously sensible thing and vote for Hale. the reformer's choice in the speaker's race Meantime, a weird stop-Price coalition Holmes, a black from Dallas, has dreamy was a team member supported by Gus developed. The man playing the erstwhile reform credentials: member Dirty 30, not Mutscher, Tommy Shannon and Bill role of Rayford Price was Price Daniel, Jr., running for re-election, minister, soothing, Heatly. Try explaining that to the sports (note the possibilities for confusion non-devisive personality. One of the Five fans back home. in the last name of the former and the first said, "I just can't forget Hale standing up name of the latter: that too played a small ONCE UPON a time, Rayford during the redistricting debate and saying role). Daniel Jr. is a moderate-liberal who went he knew it was a bad bill, he knew it was Price was a Mutscher man par excellence. with the Dirty on some clutch votes last unconstitutional, he knew it was unfair, it During the 61st session, Price was not only session. But the Filthy Five of the Dirty was unfair to his own district, but he was Mutscher's chairman of the powerful state Thirty, that well-justified group of going to vote for it anyway. Because he'd affairs committee (a post later so notably paranoids, don't much trust Daniel Jr. made a commitment. To Gus." filled by Tommy Shannon) but was also Daniel started his campaign for the the only House member of the wedding speakership last session on a flat reform One of Hale's crosses was the support of when Mutscher married Miss America of platform. Price's platform got more Mutscher himself. Mutscher called Price a 1964. But in late 1970, Price announced reformist as time and indictments went "Judas." Another was the presence of the that he was starting a campaign for the along, culminating in a post-conviction Houston Post's redoubtable Henry speakership contingent on Mutscher's stand that would do Sissy Farenthold Holcomb, who sat on a bench outside a proud. committee meeting one day and heard Hale 6 The Texas Observer Daniel Jr.'s people knew they couldn't plot Mutscher's triumphant return to get their man elected this go. Their strategy power. is to pick up on all the shiny-new reform Tom Moore of Waco made the anti-Hale votes expected in the 63rd session after the case for the Filthy Five. "Last session some rough beast people finish throwing the bums out. So of us witnessed, in whatever. small way we they needed an interim speaker to hold the I think the ideas developing could, for the principles of reform. We said fort for a bit. Also in search of a in Rough Beast are the that pragmatism is not necessary where fort-holder was a motley crew of Mutscher most interesting to live honor, dignity and decency are at stake. men and sometime-independents, who with politically these days. We said that compromise is not were scrabbling for a temporary footing. Maybe Rough Beast is the conscionable where honor, dignity and Thus did Jim Nugent, Carl Parker, Jake only political magazine decency are at stake. And the people Johnson, et. al., come to join the Daniel, around which has original- believed us. What will we say to them now Jr. forces in support of DeWitt Hale of ity and fiber.—Norman Mailer if we become pragmatic? What will we say Corpus. A key part of Price's vaunted to them now if we compromise?" Rough Beast is the most reform platform was to remove Bill Heatly original journal of ideas on from the appropriations chairmanship. The Curtis Graves of Houston, who is the American scene of re- Duke of Paducah was pro-Hale. silver-tongued on his good days, said, cent yea/S.—Robert Nisbet But Heatly finessed the Heatly issue by "Your candidates are governed by vanity resigning the night before the special and ask, 'How does it look?' Your BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY session began. Hale had refused to say he candidates are governed by selfishness and would remove Heatly from his ask, 'What does it profit me?' Your ROUGH BEAST chairmanship. There were a number of candidates are governed by expediency and 1522 Conn. Ave., N.W. people saying they preferred an interim ask, 'How does it affect me?' But my Washington, D.C. 20036 speaker, but they couldn't stick Heatly at candidate is governed by conscience and ❑ I enclose $6 for 12 issues any price (no pun intended). So Heatly asks only, 'Is it right?' " made the Ultimate Sacrifice. They went down to flaming defeat, of Name Heatly's resignation probably carried far course. Holmes got 17 votes, not all of Address less weight than it was intended to. For them real "conscience" votes. Jack City/State Zip one thing, the reaction of some hard-core Hawkins, a very senior representative, drew Dirties was to immediately assume that another 10 votes, mostly from members Daniel Jr. had made a deal with the old who needed a chance to cop out. In the bitter aftermath, the Dirty 30 (or more precisely, the Filthy Five) got blamed for Hale's defeat. By some. A few. Hale supporters said, nah, nah, the run with PARTY/PEOPLE'S PARTY Holmes hadn't made any difference or had NEW actually picked up some Hale votes. John Hannah, who is Daniel Jr.'s campaign VS. manager, said he wasn't sure the Holmes run had made any difference. But he would have preferred to run with Hale flat-barn THE TEXAS ELECTION CODE the first time before anyone had a chance Yes, that's right, we're going to sue! The provisions of the Texas election code to scope out how the land layed. Carl are so restrictive against NEW PARTIES and minority parties that we must go to Parker of Port Arthur said he had done court if we hope to get on the ballot in November. some post-election counting and found six The provisions of the code as it reads today pertaining to this are -as follows: Price votes that would have gone Hale on a first-run basis: enough, of course, to have 1—We must gather 22,358 signatures on petitions (1% of the vote for changed the 77-65 outcome. governor in the last election). 2—We must gather them between May 7 and June 26 (a total of fifty days). Another uncertain factor was the effect 3—We must gather them only from those who have not voted in the primary. of the public vote. The House spent much (Almost everyone we talk to does intend to vote in the primary.) longer arguing about whether to have an 4—We must have the voter registration number on the petition. (In a open or a secret ballot than they did preliminary test only 22% could locate the number.) actually voting on the speakership. 5—The authenticity of each signature must be notarized. (The best way here Farenthold and other liberals joined the is to have each canvasser a notary public.) pro-Price forces in pleading for an open As you can see the combined effect of this virtually excludes anyone from ballot on the "politics is the people's gaining ballot status. It's a classic example of the "Ins" using the law to keep the business" principle. But Hannah, Parker "Outs" out, but because it is so obvious a case of denial of "due process" it is very and others made the practical argument: vulnerable to constitutional challenge. In fact a similar law in Georgia was declared the lobby was sitting in the gallery unconstitutional last September by the U.S. Supreme Court (Jennes vs. Fordson). watching: the new speaker wasn't the only On the advice of our attorney, we went out with petitions which simply asked one who would take note of who done people whether they believed the NEW PARTY should be allowed on the ballot. We right by him and who done wrong. The tried to get registration numbers but we deliberately went out before May 7 and did speaker has power with which to punish not notarize. Here's what happened: and reward, the lobby has money to give or to withhold. One member estimated that 1—Almost everyone we contacted signed. 10 votes for Price would have gone to Hale 2—Almost everyone intends to vote in the primary. if the lobby hadn't been able to find out 3—Only 22% could locate their registration number. how the votes went. But that's impossible 4—It took approximately 22 volunteer hours to get 253 signatures. 5—Direct cost in organizing, printing, travel and miscellaneous expenses was to prove. approximately $250 ($1 a name). A far more graspable and obvious factor Again on the advice of our attorney we presented these petitions to the Secretary was the role of the Republicans. Ten key, of State. He has turned them down with a letter explaining why. On the strength of very key as it turned out, Republican votes this and by the time you read this report .. . went for Price. It's the kind of situation a We will have filed suit in federal court against the Texas Election Code. minority party dreams of: an almost even And now a note to all of you who consider yourselves Texas Liberals and/or split leaving the minority party to decide Radicals: the balance. Price's first post-election press If the primary turns sour and you find yourself with virtually no surviving conference did not augur a new day of candidates in November, remember: The TEXAS NEW PARTY/PEOPLE'S PARTY forthrightness. He denied that he had made is your political insurance if we are on the ballot. a deal with the Republicans. But he had The battle against this unjust election code has just begun. We need more made a deal with the Republicans. In petitions signed and we need a modest amount of money. If you can help in either addition to the "recognition" which Price sign below. admitted having granted to the Republicans, the deal included minority caucus' staff and some key committee To: NEW PARTY, 3704 Drexel Dr., Dallas, Texas 75205 (214) 521-0207 appointments for Republicans. M.I. I want to help: April 14, 1972 7 Name #ripcitz' Address Since 1866 City State The Place in Austin Zip Tele

GOOD FOOD L Send me petitions (25 names per page). GOOD BEER ❑Enclosed is $ 1607 San Jacinto per month until Nov. 1972. 477-4171 DI pledge The second-called special session

Austin simple-majority re-referral. The current Given the rate at which legislators were system gives enormous power to being indicted and investigated during the committee chairmen and allows the lobby three-day special session, it's just as well to simplify its work by concentrating on they adjourned when they did. the committee chairmen. Jim Nugent's First, former Rep. Walter Knapp of Rules Committee also forced Price to Amarillo was hit with charges of theft and compromise on his plans to cut the number misapplication of funds. Seems that during of standing committees from 46 to 25. The the spring of 1970, he withdrew $1,200 in committee structure will be so reorganized, stamps from his contingency expense fund but not until January, 1973. the same day he bought a pickup truck. All Limited seniority in the committee told, Knapp withdrew $9,807 in stamps structures was also passed. Half the from his expense fund during his two years membership of each committee will be in office, $6,000 worth during the month appointed on a seniority basis, thus giving before his term expired. The charges "lifers" such as Hale, Heatly, Nugent and against him are not expected to help him in Atwell a considerable edge. The speaker his race for district attorney in Amarillo. will appoint the chairman and Then the Travis County attorney's office vice-chairman of each committee, but once announced that it was investigating a little a member gets an assignment, he will serve trade=off between Sen. David Ratliff of for the remainder of his tenure in the . Stamford and Rep. John Allen of House. Only the Appropriations, Revenue Longview. Seems they hired each other's and Tax and House Administration children and put the kids' salaries on their Committees are the speaker's to name expense funds. House Speaker Rayford Price anew in entirety at the beginning of every Next, Rep. Paul Moreno, who is trying session. to get the governor and the Smith and his grand jury are having a Price commenced by naming Bill Finck lieutenant-governor impeached for their merry, if befuddled time in the heart of the the new chairman of appropriations. Give misdeeds, wound up in hot water because whichy thicket, the contingency expense the man a big cigar. he asked several House 'colleagues to records. With something approaching awe, And then in no time flat, lickety-split, contribute postage stamps to his senate Smith points out that the Legislative Audit the Legislature passed McKool's primary campaign. Moreno, a Dirty 30 from El Board is comprised of the speaker, the financing bill, which they could have done Paso, said, "At the time I made the chairman of revenue and taxation (Jumbo and should have done last session and they request, I didn't know it was against the Atwell) and the chairman of appropriations were told then by the secretary of state law. That's a bad thing for a lawyer to (Bill Heatly). On the Senate side, the that the filing fee system would be admit." lieutenant-governor, the chairman of the declared unconstitutional but they didn't Finance Committee and the Chairman of listen and it was and that was one reason State Affairs. The auditor is their why they had to have this special session. I NTEREST IN nepotism got to employee. And the other reason they had to have it be an in thing. The Houston Chronicle ran "It's really pathetic," muttered Smith. is an even grimmer tale of irresponsibility. a front-page story about the fact that Sissy "This cracker-barrel system." For seven (7) years now, the Legislature Farenthold's children had worked in has known it had to comply with the legislative jobs. Since relatives of legislators federal Highway Beautification Act or lose working in legislative jobs are commoner THE CONTENT of the special 10 percent of its federal highway funds. than ticks on a hound, it's anybody's guess session itself was going relatively smoothly There were 10 other states in the country as to why the Chronicle front-paged the because, according to both Briscoe and that didn't have acceptable billboard and Farenthold kids. In fact, during the last Farenthold, Preston Smith and Barnes junkyard controls this year, but Texas was session, a Sunday supplement magazine ran made a deal. Smith didn't want any of his the only one that had no controls at all. a cuddly-warm story about a controversial appointments (e.g., Raymond When the billboard controls were finally father-daughter, togetherness-in-the-capitol Vowell to head the Vending Commission) passed in the special session, under the deal. Travis County Attorney Ned Granger dragged through Senate hearings and final, absolute threat of a fund cut-off by said it's illegal for state officials to hire Barnes didn't want to face the tax problem May 6, they were the nethermost minimum each others relatives. Senate Secretary before the primaries. still in compliance with federal law. No Charlie Schnabel said he sees nothing Credit where credit is due: Rayford billboards within 660 feet of an Interstate wrong with relatives of state officials being Price got through more rules reforms in or U.S. highway. But there is a catch-22. hired by other state officials: he says it's two days than anyone else has been able to As has already been amply proved in states done all the time. How true. Ned Granger's do in years. Perhaps the single most signal that tried to get by with minimum wife works for Charlie Schnabel. reform was the passage of joint compliance, all that happens is that Meanwhile, Bob Smith, that redoubtable House-Senate rules that will finally limit billboard people start putting up huge, prosecutor, was working on still other cases the power of conference committees to super-billboards just beyond the 660-foot related to legislators. Of one remarkable adjusting the differences between House limit. episode of which he knows, Smith said in a and Senate bills. Price did have to back And when the Legislature, in its wisdom, voice of slightly strangled incredulity, "I down on some of his reform plans. He had had accomplished these two great feats, its can't find any law to prosecute him under. promised the Dirty 30 in a Wednesday members adjourned and quite naturally ran It's in the constitution that he can't do night meeting to get re-referral by a simple around congratulating one another for that, but there's nothing in the penal majority. As it stands now, it is almost having had the most brisk, efficient, code." impossible to get a bill referred out of an responsible, productive, co-operative and unfriendly committee to a friendly one. altogether lovely session in anyone's recent 8 The Texas Observer The lobby went full force against the memory. M.I. women soft, sweet and cuddly," said Wright denies fatherly Mayor Wes Wise. The campaign to have the state buy • Mustang Island and turn it into a busing authorship public park suffered another setback recently. The Parks and Wildlife Prof. Charles Alan Wright, UT's Commission — by •a vote of 2-1, with three • resident constitutional scholar who is abstentions — voted to cancel its contract frequently mentioned as a potential Nixon Political to buy part of the island. supreme court appointee, went to Conservationists claim that Mustang Washington to "help study the Intelligence Island, which is near Galveston, will soon constitutional problems involved in be a prime target for commercial Nixon's busing speech," he said. The exploitation. They say also that flattening the sand dunes on the island will increase Observer was told by a Washington source Gus Mutscher has a new pair of that Wright wrote the speech itself. But, • light-framed glasses that are a vast Corpus Christi's vulnerability to tidal says Wright, "I did not help in the improvement. First time in years anyone waves. Their opponents say that there are preparation of the speech." has been able to see his face and pictures of enough parks near Corpus Christi, and However, the Administration had hith now look in focus. another park is not needed. The only vote in favor of the arranged for Wright to give a backgrounder Rep. Carl Parker of Port Arthur is on the legal aspects to a select group of establishment of a park came from • sporting a truly elegant new Captain Washington reporters. There was a snafu Commissioner liarry Jersig, the only Tuna wristwatch given him by the Dirty and instead of the five specialists expected, member left over from the Connally years. 30. Parker earned his "Charlie the about 25 journalists showed up. According Tunafish" nickname during the regular Tomas Rodriguez and his wife, who to one who was there, Wright refused to session because he's "never at a loss for • were wounded by Dallas lawmen as come out of an inner office and the words." they searched for the killers of three Administration refused to ask him to deputies last February, have lost their reconsider. Instead they rang in an HEW Both the Hale and the Price camps damage suit against the lawmen. • put forth their cleanest faces during federal expert. Wright himself says that the U.S. Dist. Judge Robert M. Hill ruled that Administration decided not to let him nominating procedure. Young the the lawmen's entry into the Rodriguez legislators, who were roundly ignored speak to the reporters in view of the apartment was legal, that the officers had mix-up. during the regular session were suddenly probable cause to enter and that the arrest thrust into the spotlight since no one could raid was reasonable. What ho, at long last a debate in call them "top Mutscher lieutenants." And • The lawmen were in search of killers, the offing. Maybe. Lt. Gov. Ben any side that could dredge up a Dirty who were later found in the apartment Thirtian to speak for it, put the fellow Barnes first issued the challenge to his next door. They burst into the Rodriguez right out front. Neil Caldwell and Sam opponents in the gubernatorial race to apartment either .with or without warning, Coats did the Mr. Clean bit for Price. debate on the issues back at the depending 'on whom you believe, and shot beginning of the campaign. Dolph A liberal who was drowning his both Tomas Rodriguez and his pregnant • Briscoe has also been saying for some sorrows in beer after the speakership wife Bertha and terrified their nine time that he welcomed debate and Sissy vote noted: "I have gone against Heatly at children. Rodriguez, who does not speak Farenthold has been trying to take them least 200 times in a row and lost every English, got his own gun and fired at the both up on it. She finally issued a time. For once in my life, I'm on the same officers breaking into his apartment that written challenge to both of them and side with him and I lose again." night. He faces charges because of that they agreed to start negotiating on action. Rodriguez' attorney said he would television time. Gov . Preston Smith said New graffito in the john at Scholz': • "Free the Abilene Three." definitely appeal Hill's decision. he would not participate and noted that Moral: do not live next door to killers' those who are behind in a campaign Sexy Rexy Braun, the women's • hiding places. always want to debate. rights' champeen from Houston, says now is not the time for all good women to There was an extensive shake-up in Secretary of State Bob Bullock sit on their duffs, as it were. Braun, • • cheerfully predicted that he hadn't speaking to the Harris County Women's the Dallas police department at the the chance of a snowball in hell if the Political Caucus, noted that the E.R.A. will end of March and everyone connected with Senate took up the question of his con- not take effect for two years even after it is it vigorously denied that it had anything to firmation during the special session. But he finally ratified. But Texas will have its own do with the case of John McKee. John rather wished that the guv would send it E.R.A. on the ballot in November that McKee, the head of Big D's Crime over — along with more than 300 other outlaws discrimination on the grounds of Commission, was one of the city's more pending confirmations of Preston Smith race, color, creed and national origin as prominent law and order freaks. Until it appointees, not to mention the tax bill and well as on grounds of sex. If passed, the was discovered that he was actually a 1929 the appropriations bill. A number of cru- Texas E.R.A. will take effect immediately. deserter from the U.S. Navy living under an sading senators have rashly vowed that WEAL, the Women's Equity Action alias and that he had allegedly been • swindling and embezzling funds from the they will no longer vote to confirm any League, went before the Dallas City Texas Scottish Rite groups. McKee, a 33rd appointee unless there has been a full-dress Council recently to point out that only 20 degree Mason, is now under indictment for hearing on the appointment. Bullock fig- percent of the city's employees are women ured the 300-plus would keep the Senate and that, of those, 67 percent make less those alleged crimes. Word in the All-American city is that all occupied until well after May 6 if all those than $7,500 annually. WEAL's research kinds of folks knew about McKee's past busy reformers keep their word. indicates that only one of 35 department chiefs is a woman and only 3 percent of record for a long, long time before it broke A friend of Bullock's on the House side, publicly. There are lots of masons in following the new Mutscher-inspired vogue the city's blue collar force is female. Dallas. for quoting the Bible, suggests Psalms 50:9 The group's campaign to get women to the senators. "Thou shalt not take a better treatment in Dallas didn't go over bullock from the house. . . ." very well with the city fathers. "I like my April 14, 1972 Filling Ben's shoes

By Burt Solomon polluters, or sue government agencies." Hobby served for a year and a half on the Austin state's Air Control Board. The race for a new young-dynamic-lieu- Hobby recently released a poll showing tenant-governor is still wide open. that he is in the race. He predicts that he Four major candidates, and several and Connally ("if his name were Wayne minor candidates, are in the running. At Smith, there wouldn't be any problem") the present time, State Sen. Wayne will make it into a run-off. Accordingly, he Connally is generally considered to be reserves his harshest criticism for Connally: leading, but it is unlikely that anyone will "A senator who voted for the bread tax, get the Democratic nomination without a against the 18-year-old vote and signed the run-off. The other three major Democratic floor report recommending the Sharp bills contenders are Bill Hobby, Ralph Hall and forfeits his right to consideration for higher Joe Christie. The minor candidates are Bill office." Jones, Curtis Ford, Robert E. McCord, Hobby expects to find his strongest Troy Skates and John Armstrong Standlea. support in Harris County, East Texas, and There are no Republican candidates. Mike the Gulf Coast. Alewitz is running on a Socialist Workers Party platform. La Raza Unida has put up Alma Canales, the only woman in the race. Bill Hobby Hall ceiling." He also shies away from personal Ralph Hall's campaign manager describes Hobby or corporate income taxes. "I'd like to Hall as "moderate, real moderate." Hall, avoid them," he says, "unless there's state senator from Rockwall, calls himself a Bill Hobby, the editor of The Houston absolutely no other source." A corporate "true moderatei" who came to Austin Post, is about as clean-cut as they. come. income tax, he argues, just gets passed onto "without any affiance or owing anything to George Wallace isn't the only man around the consumer in the form of higher prices. anyone, no support from labor or from the who combs his hair with a pompadour. A And a personal income tax — well, no Texas Manufacturers Association." The couple of months ago, he got into trouble politician in Texas will touch it with a euphemisms tend to make one conclude with some professional politicians by ten-foot pole. that Hall will be battling for the erecting billboards saying: "Elect a good conservative vote in the primary. He has man, not a good politician." So sorry, said Hobby does have one fresh idea, a tax on wealth. "One area that we ought to put himself into the position of saying Hobby, after the pros complained, I meant things like, "I 'don't think my [labor] "not just look at," he suggests, "is to levy the ad a good politician." Didn't mean record is as bad as a lot of people think it to insult all those good men, etc., etc. valorem tax like it's supposed to be levied. Levy it on all property, not just real estate is." His new billboards proclaim: "Bill Hall spends a lot of his time explaining Hobby will make a good lieutenant — stocks and bonds and bank accounts and other forms of wealth." some of his past actions. Two in particular. governor. Honestly." He is trying to One was his vote in favor of extending the capitalize on a Mr. Clean image in this Hobby seems. to be the urban, sales tax to food. (The bill was passed by a supposed year of the "outs." cosmopolitan candidate. With a father who one-vote margin in the Senate in 1969 and He maintains, along with the rest of the was governor, and a mother who was then was defeated in the House by a vote non-incumbent world, that "the thing that Eisenhower's first secretary of Health, of 147-0 after a massive public outcry.) most concerns everyone in the state is Education and Welfare, Hobby is no Hall now regrets the vote. "It was ethics, confidence in government." Aside stranger to social and political problems. definitely a political mistake," he says, "I from the more obvious indiscretions, such As editor of the Post, wouldn't do it again. But I would rather as those which recently upset a dozen he believes himself more attuned than the other candidates to vote wrong than take a walk like Joe people in Abilene, Hobby says that the the needs of urban problems. And Texas, Christie did." Sharpstown mess points up the problems in he says, is now overwhelmingly an urban The second vote from the past is the state governmental procedures. He attacks state. Sharp banking bills. Hall was chairman of his three major opponents for their hand in the committee which floor-reported the getting the Sharp banking bills through the Hobby was chairman of the Senate bills without ever considering them. Some Senate in one day — Hall and Connally for Interim Committee on Welfare Reform, observers lay part of the blame for the signing the committee report sending the which published a comprehensive report on bills' easy passage to Hall, arguing that bills to the floor, and Hall, Connally and the welfare situation in Texas, entitled senators have to take the word of the Christie for voting for them without Breaking the Poverty Cycle in Texas. The committee chairmen as to the merits of a knowing anything about them. report outlined a plan to restructure and bill; if the committee chairmen don't do As for ethics, he laughs at Hall's attempt modernize the state's welfare system. their job, it isn't done. Hall answers that it to style himself the great crusader for clean Among the committee's recommendations has never really been established that the government. "As far as I know," Hobby were free day-care centers for welfare Sharp bills were, in fact, bad bills. He says says, "none of the other candidates have families, a statewide food-stamp program, also that with the 55 pieces of legislation complied with the existing ethics law." extensions in free health care and a the special session had to consider in 12 Concerning the problem of taxation, strengthening of child-support laws. To days, it was not possible for every bill to be Hobby doesn't seem to be much closer to a ease the pollution problems which have considered thoroughly. Hall lays some of solution than anyone else. "On the sales particularly plagued the urban areas, the blame to Preston Smith, arguing that, tax," he says, "we're at or near a practical Hobby favors enactment of "a class action with so much legislation to pass upon the bill, that would permit private citizens to 10 Senate had to take the governor's word The Texas Observer directly sue companies they think are that the bills were good ones. Hall thinks that a lot of these internal Corps programs, a day-care system, and an problems could be solved by annual increase in the minimum wage would all sessions of unlimited duration. He also ease the problems of poverty, Hall says. proposes that there be a 10-day period Hall looks a bit like John Connally between the introduction and passage of around the cheekbones. But it's a shaMe legislation. Hall says these reforms would for Hall that there's a real Connally in the insure more thorough consideration of race. Because they'll both be fighting over legislation and would make it less likely the same votes. The only way for Hall to that something like the Sharp mess would get them may be to out-Connally Connally. happen again. And that's not easy. Hall, along with every other state pol this year, styles himself the ethics candidate. In the last session he sponsored a bill to force full financial disclosure by all Christie legislators and elected state officials. But The left end of Joe Christie's bumper Christie and Connally amended the bill to sticker has a big star with a big orange add all state officials, both appointed and arrow coming out of its center pointing elected, to the requirement. This, charges upward to the right. It's the kind of Hall, weighed the bill down and killed it. symbol that would lose Gloria Steinem's Joe Christie Hall also has sponsored legislation which vote. But in Texas it might work. (Christie would make it a felony for a lawyer in the says there's no male chauvinism intended. providing for oral confessions and Legislature to practice before state It's just an arrow pointing out from a rising breathalyzer tests. governmental agencies. star, 'cause that's where he's from, Rising But Christie's not a conservative either. Hall seems to have broken away from a Star, Tex.) He walked away with labor's endorsement strictly conservative position on welfare. Christie, state senator from El Paso, at the recent AFL-CIO convention in Otto Kerner would be proud of his comes across as a forceful and tough Galveston (Obs., Mar. 17). He attacks Hall statement that, when he thinks of poor politician. He has a strong mind about and Connally for their support for the people, "I don't see fat lazy people, but most issues, and he isn't scared when grocery tax. And he strongly backs a people who were born into that people disagree with him. He has a corporate profits tax. It's about time, he environment, and people who can't find a disarming honesty about him, and will says, that the corporations started paying job." He strongly favors day-care centers as probably share the Mr. Clean vote with some of the costs of the state. In addition "one of the most important steps we can Hobby. to the labor vote, Christie has strong take to ease the problems of the poor." He When the Observer asked Christie to support from the chicano community in El favors also "a liaison between the Texas respond to charges made by Hobby and Paso and he recently received the Employment Commission and the Hall that he "took a walk" on the vote that endorsement of the liberal Harris County Department of Public Welfare to make jobs ended the liberal filibuster on the grocery Democrats. Tony Proffitt of Christie's staff available, to make welfare the beautiful tax issue, Christie thought for a moment says that Christie beat out Bill Hobby at word it once was." An extension of Job and said, "Yeah, I did." And then he the Democrats' meeting on an explained that he did so because he overwhelming voice vote of "about 2,000 thought it tactically wise and that it would to 5." lead to the bill's defeat in the House. That sort of straight-forward style is a bit In the field of conservation, Christie has sponsored legislation creating the jolting. During this political year, when Guadalupe Mountains National Park, the integrity is a magic word, Christie comes Hueco Tanks State Park and the Mount off well. Franklin Wilderness Park. But the thing he Christie calls "the mess in Austin" the most likes talking about is his bill which principal issue. He supports new ethics put the Texas horned toad on the legislation, and has made public his most endangered species list. "Don't laugh," he recent income tax return. One reform that says, "stuffed horned toads were being Christie is pushing is a change in the sold in tourist shops all over the country." committee structure of the Legislature which he says would prevent the On April 8, the candidate has scheduled recurrence of the Sharp banking bills a canoe expedition down Armand Bayou, fiasco. There are now 27 standing near the NASA complex, south of committees in the Senate, and each senator Houston. There'll be canoe races starting serves on at least a half-dozen committees. from the Bay Area Park and a picnic in the Consequently, Christie says, most bills park to dramatise what a fine recreational never receive thorough committee area the bayou would make and to show consideration, and a lot of bad bills slip what a fine outdoorsy lieutenant, governor through. As lieutenant-governor, Christie Joe Christie would make. says, he would appoint only 10 or 12 committees, a move which would Christie has support from a lot of streamline the legislative process. different people, ranging from chicanos to Christie's not a liberal. He talks about cops. He gets it by listening well and by past support from the Texas Municipal remaining receptive to diverse ideas. But he Police Association, and says "I was the gets it also because he is forceful and original candidate who ran on the principle honest about his opinions. He has a of law and order." At the recent Dripping Muskie-stlye appeal, and will be attractive Springs Reunion, Christie took out a full to those looking for a Muskie-style page ad in the program which emphasized candidate. his strong record on law and order issues. Ralph Hall He has successfully sponsored legislation April 14, 1972 11 Photographs by Roy Hatnrie Fioreword by Walter J. Hiekel

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"This text-and-picture plea for the still-surviving areas of the Published by Big Thicket wilderness by Dr. Gunter, a North Texas State JENKINS University philosophy professor who grew up in the Thicket area, and gifted young photographer Roy Hamric, is a unique PUBLISHING and comprehensive presentation of the scene." —Publishers Weekly COMPANY 4"1." Please accept my order for copies of THE BIG 1 THICKET at the discounted price of $10.50, which is a special THE TEXAS 20% discount to Observer subscribers. This price includes the 5% sales tax. OBSERVER Name Street

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properly." Trevino, a chicano school in Mercedes. Mike Alewitz, the Socialist Workers' Canales is only 24 years old and the candidate for lieutenant-governor, says that Texas Constitution requires that the the Socialist Workers' campaign "is an lieutenant governor be at least 30. She says activist campaign. We see our campaign not this age discrimination is one of the simply as a vote-getting thing," but also as primary reasons she decided to run for a way to build a leftist movement in Texas. lieutenant governor. If her name is not put They are now working to gather the on the ballot, she says she may file suit to 22,000 signatures needed to get on the challenge the constitutionality of the law. ballot. n Alewitz supports free abortion clinics, a 100 percent tax on industrial polluters, a free breakfast program for school-chilren, Love never knows when minority control of minority shcools and a to leave — how to say farewell — refusal by the state to cooperate with the what vows to forget. federal government in any way whatsoever Grace Ross until the war in Vietnam is over. Both Fort Worth political parties, he says, are capitalist April 14, 1972 13 parties, and the only way to oppose capitalism is to build a movement outside of the two-party system. He urges people Wayne Connally on the left not to support liberal FRANCES RENOLDF7TH41)(x), Democrats, such as Frances Farenthold, needs your help. because anyone in the party of Lyndon COnna11y Johnson and John Connally "is siding with Wayne Connally, you see, has this Restore honesty and the oppressors rather than the oppressed." brother. And, on the table in the lobby of decency to Texas government. his Austin headquarters, there is a copy of Alma Canales, La Raza Unida candidate, the Dun Review, the publication of Dun has received the endorsement of the Texas Send your contributions to: and Bradstreet. That about sums it up. Women's Political Caucus (Frances Connally, state senator from Floresville, Farenthold also received their seal of Farenthold for Governor strongly supports right-to-work laws. "In approval.) She is a native of McAllen and P.O. Box 66, Austin 78767 my opinion," he says, "there is no more went to school at Pan American University (paid adv. important civil liberty than an individual's in Edinburg. Before coming to Austin to 0000000000 right to work, whether or not he belongs to work for La Raza, she taught at Jacinto any particular organization." This stand, of course, is not popular with the unions. His long-range solution to the ethics problem is an increase in legislative salaries. He says ethics legislation is generally unworkable: "legislating morality has never worked." But "increasing pay to a reasonable level will attract a more professional group to the Legislature, and a reasonable salary will reduce personal pressures to accept obligations contrary to public policy." Connally has been much involved in the school funding problem. In the last legislature, he introduced a bill to have the state take over full funding for the Minimum Foundation Program (Obs., Mar. 31). Now he says he wants to go beyond that, "to expand the Foundation School Program to make it a total support system for a quality program and, to a reasonable degree, limit local enrichment in order to meet court tests." Such a program would GALLERY 600 be a step toward equal quality education. The Observer was unsuccessful in a five-week attempt to interview Connally. Contemporary Paintings, Sculpture, Prints Bill Jones, a fifth candidate in the Democratic primary, is a businessman from Odessa. Jones, who has the look of a rejected Supreme Court nominee, supports THE FINEST TRADITIONAL FRAMING more "realistic" deadlines for industrial polluters, a comprehensive water plan for Custom Plexiglass and Custom Welded Frames West Texas, greater emphasis on technical and vocational training, and annual sessions 600 West 28th, - at Nueces . . . phone 477-3229 of the Legislature. He says that the Legislature must be run "on a businesslike basis, if the state government, a $3.5 billion a year business, is to function Mutiny on the Texas Clipper

By Stephen Harrigan Texas Clipper heads out of port to Europe refute "the contention that the students or the Mediterranean or somewhere else, are potheads and alcoholics and moody providing important on-the-job experience. and introspective." This last statement may Somewhere in the Gulf The Academy is open to males from 17 to seem inconsistent in light of a recent dope 22, it is ten years old, and the only school raid on board the Clipper, for which the Galveston of its kind on the Gulf Coast. dean gave his official sanction. There are no pelicans on Pelican Island, So far so good. ' But not everyone is Given that the situation at TMA is a and for at least one human visitor the content about TMA, most notably two hopeless melage of such allegations and absence is understandable. It is an "island" professors who recently authored a 29-page counter-allegations, of facts covering up in the Texas Gulf Coast sense, a drab report attacking the virtual existence of the facts, one could do worse than admire the five-mile area of sand and scraggly Academy, with specific indictments of its cutting edge of bitterness that has risen up vegetation, missing linkage with Galveston administration, its atmosphere and, the amid the blandness of official regime and by perhaps a quarter mile of sluggish water, cause celebre, the sea-worthiness of the procedure. Dempsey and San Martin and a though this fact is remedied by the Texas Clipper. The report was written number of dissident students, armed with presence of a drawbridge. some months after the men, Joseph G. San "facts" at least as effective as the As with most Texas leeward islands, it is Martin, a naval architect and marine administration's, have gone further, have as easy to assume that Pelican Island was engineer, and Paul Dempsey, an English raised the level of their attack to tone, have dredged into existence by man as wrought and government teacher and the school's brought style and anger to Pelican Island, by the hand of God. It has that aura of humanities department in general, were and one senses that the truth of the matter having been the cause or effect of relieved of their duties at TMA amid a lies more in their rage than in the someone's industrial dreams, the vestiges of confusing flurry of ill-will and accusations. administration's orderly defense. which are still visible in the bright yellow Of all the charges made in the report, A few "germs of truth": mounds of sulfur across the bay in the stability of the Clipper is the one most 1) Last summer's cruise would have Galveston's back yard. All around, it is directly refuted by the administration, very resulted in mutiny had the cadets elected land that has been used unkindly, even its possibly because of a recent Coast Guard to go ahead with a proposed work strike. natural aridity has been claimed and made investigation, the impending results of The strike was prevented largely through over. which the powers seem to await with the efforts of San Martin and Dempsey, Rising from the graceless surface of the untarnished confidence. But San Martin, who were subsequently accused of inciting island, starkly visible across the summit of whose subversive appearance is confined to the disturbance they had just quelled and the drawbridge, is the Texas Maritime a neatly trimmed but still controversial were read the regulations regarding mutiny Academy, or more properly Texas A&M's beard, seems skeptical of the Coast Guard's as, apparently, an implicit warning. College of Marine Sciences and Maritime infallibility, as well as the administration's But the grievances still remained Resources, of which TMA, as they call it, is search for a moot point. His charges that unsettled. Cadets estimated that they were the most conspicuous subsidiary. The the ship is too old for service (it dates from paying $1.25 an •hour for the privilege of campus of TMA consists of three or four 1940 or so), that it is a fire hazard, that it spending a third of their cruise time brand-new buildings shaped conspicuously has inadequate ballast and a dilapidated painting the ship and performing other odd like plain boxes, though the main building power plant are, after all, the convictions jobs. They were made to rigidly conform does have a sort of grudging blockhouse of a naval architect, one who seems on to rules of conduct openly violated by architecture whose severity has already good terms with his own judgment, if not some of the officers, subjected to verbal taken over the appeal of its newness. with his superiors. abuse in almost every port (if they were Docked in front of this edifice like But there is discontent with the ship in not restricted to the ship) from inhabitants someone's lakeside yacht is a 15,000-ton other areas as well. San Martin and whose hearts were not lifted by the sight of converted cargo ship, the Texas Clipper, Dempsey see it as a metaphor for TMA's American boys in uniform. And uniforms the centerpiece of a controversy that has military and academic incompetence, as a were all the cadets were allowed to wear. now reached full rage on the campus. breeding ground for the disillusionment On the same cruise,. a student who had and frustration that a good many of the been confined to the ship because of a late cadets seem to be experiencing. It is also an project was finally allowed a few hours THE TEXAS Maritime Academy uncomfortable place to live, and for the 71 shore leave if he did not go past a bar at is a four-year training program for those students now attending TMA, it is all they the end of the quay. He had to be drug who "possess the desire to become the have by way of residence. During most of back and sedated, after attempts on his leaders of tomorrow in the maritime the year, when it is not on cruise, the ship own and others' lives. Moody and industry," an accredited course of studies is used as a dormitory and all cadets are introspective. culminating in a Bachelor of Science required to live there (to the tune of a 7 There have been changes since the Degree in either marine engineering or p.m. weeknight curfew for freshmen). San summer; from now on seniors may wear marine transportation, its main objective Martin and Dempsey allege that the ship coats and ties in foreign ports, others must being to provide trained officers for the offers little but boredom and neurosis, that wear official blazers; longer liberty hours merchant marine. "The highlight of the the psychologial toll it exacts from the have also been arranged. These school year," as the brochure puts it, "is students is in a large measure responsible improvements were made some seven the summer cruise." Every summer the for the Academy's slipshod state. months after the crisis that necessitated them; In time for the next cruise, on which After Steve Harrigan wrote a fine, sensi- San Martin and Dempsey will be tive piece on armadillos for Rolling Stone, DEAN WILLIAM H. Clayton, who conspicuous by their absence. the Observer searched him out and found recently replaced the allegedly infamous 2) There is an official reason for Joseph him toiling in the textbook section of the Admiral Craik as superintendent of TMA, San Martin's dismissal. He was absent from University Co-op in Austin. In his spare admits, out of a reluctance to deny all of the ship while on watch in Copenhagen, at time he writes fiction and mows lawns. the report's allegations categorically, that it which time a safety valve on the main contains "germs of truth, twisted and boiler "went off," as the official report 14 The Texas Observer distorted and exaggerated." He hastens to puts it. San Martin, acknowledging his negligence, stresses that the incident was far from being critical, that his dismissal (which was later overturned by A&M, even though he still feels enough pressure to resign) was a result of a history of non-conforming attitudes on his part, dating back to the spring semester of 1971, when he first raised the question of the ship's stability to Admiral Craik, who PEACE informed him that it was up to him to prove the charges since he had made them. At the same time Dempsey wrote a letter to the Coast Guard asking for a study of inclination of the Clipper. The Coast Guard's reply, based on extrapolated data, TEXANS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEND A MAN TO stated that Dempsey's letter was "without merit" and both Dempsey and San Martin CONGRESS WHOSE ENTIRE LIFE IS A DEDICATION TO PEACE were reprimanded for "going outside of AND JUSTICE . . . proper channels." San Martin's favor with the administration reached an even lower ebb when he questioned the dismissal of a secretary who was corresponding with one of the cadets, from whose mailbox, San Martin alleges, Admiral Craik removed a letter and read incriminating passages at a faculty meeting. 3) Dempsey's case is nebulous, the more so because he is not at liberty to discuss it, BEN G. LEVY pending a hearing. Dean Clayton says he has no information on the matter, since it happened before his time. The record seems to indicate that Dempsey had been the school's resident irritant, a man for whom magnetic north is definitely not . . . FOUNDER OF THE ACLU IN TEXAS, PAST CHAIRMAN OF military conformity. The speeches and THE ACLU AND THE HOUSTON COMMITTEE TO END THE field trips which he sponsored for his government class and the encouragement WAR IN VIETNAM. he provided for active political participation provoked a memorandum BEN G. LEVY IS TRYING TO RETIRE INCUMBENT from Admiral Craik, which went a little like this: "As a furtherance of paragraph 4 NEANDERTHAL CONGRESSMAN BOB CASEY, HARRIS COUNTY above [concerning TMA's political 22ND DISTRICT, AN OUTSPOKEN HAWK. neutrality] there shall be no field trips of cadets unless such field trips are directly connected with our primary mission IN ORDER TO GET OUR MESSAGE TO THE VOTERS OF THE [maritime education] ; also, approval for 22ND C.D. WE NEED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM ALL any field trip must be obtained in advance PARTS OF TEXAS. from the superintendent." An example of the sort of circumstance that conspired against Paul Dempsey, NOW IS THE TIME TO VOTE FOR PEACE. RUSH YOUR forcing feeling into dissent and CONTRIBUTIONS TO: independent thought into subversive attitudes. He was "not part of the faculty team," he was playing by the wrong rules. LEVY CAMPAIGN 4) Three fires have broken out on the 2244 W. HOLCOMBE BLVD. Texas Clipper since it returned from the HOUSTON, TEXAS 77025 cruise. The most recent one almost took MARTIN ELFANT. CHAIRMAN the life of a cadet whose oxygen bottle contained only 10 minutes of air instead of 30. Fortunately, the cadets put the fire out with only one such mishap, even though much of the other emergency equipment was vandalized or stolen or malfunctioning. The administration holds the student body responsible for the equipment damage and suspects arson. What this implies about the success of military discipline leaves room JUSTICE for a whole new set of paradoxes, but it's better to leave that alone for the moment. If it was cadets who were responsible for the fire it was also cadets who brought it

April 14, 1972 15

under control at a very real risk to their consequently must affect an approximate And adversity is all around. Even the own lives. 1950's appearance. administration will tell you that. The Texas 5) Two years ago there were 123 cadets Clipper is not an ideal dormitory, they say, at TMA. Now there are 71. `Adversity strengthens one' but it provides excellent experience for "Approximately half the entering freshmen It's not an easy matter to estimate the those interested in adapting to hardship, left at midterm this year" says the report. number of malcontents among the cadets and in any case it will have to serve until a Dean Clayton maintains that this is because at TMA. By and large the student body dorm can he built, since off-campus living of stricter scholastic standards. Dempsey does not seem given to an excess of is destructive to military atmosphere. and San Martin think otherwise. The emotion about their condition. The few I moody and introspective syndrome again. talked to at any length seemed strangely FROM THE exterior, the Texas For 71 students there are 46 instructors reasonable and sedate, with a noticeable Clipper does not appear particularly and four armed security guards (there is lack of rhetoric. The impression received is dreadful, it's even rather picturesque, and soon to be a police car to patrol the that the grievances have been weighed as it first comes into sight could easily be Academy's 500 yards of asphalt). against ultimate results, and moderation mistaken for the battleship Texas if your There are no women cadets, though has guided the choice. Which of course mind still retains the billboards you've women have applied. General Order 87, makes the intensity of bad feeling all the been passing all the way to Galveston. which one student describes as a local more visible. It is a revolution marked by But once inside, you see that it's old. version of Catch 22, provides that TMA is caution and quiet outrage, even a sort of Ugly old. The deck slopes down from the for men only. There are no blacks enrolled good taste that pervades the bitterness but bow like an anti-gravity house, the lighting at present, even though Galveston has a does not dilute it. is weak and the walls, everywhere, are cold large black population. The school receives "Most are afraid that all this publicity steel, sometimes with mournfully faded a subsidy for each student if it follows the will hurt their chances of getting a job," a prints hanging off them, still lifes of provisions of G.O. 87. This inducement has senior confided. "They just want to get out extinct plants on paper that is crumbling not so far been able to swell the Academy's and forget about it." But a good many are under the frame. ranks to an optimum enrollment. not staying quiet: recently visiting The dining hall looks like a late thirties 6) The last time the merchant marine dignitaries were met with hand-outs at the movie set, overstuffed blue and red chairs wore uniforms was in World War II. school stating cadet grievances and in a pretentious restaurant atmosphere. Students at TMA are required to adhere to proposals. The "bar," which sells no alcohol and is a military existence that serves no real It is, as these things go, a very straight open only during the cruise at 15-minute purpose other than internal discipline. campus uproar. Dope and alcohol seem to intervals, features white paint on the gray They are not allowed the Navy's liberated have no place, and are regarded with little metal walls. grooming standards (even though the respect, as something that one is "driven The rooms are gray, no doubt about system is adopted from the Navy's) and to" by TMA's living conditions. "Adversity that, and in consequence are covered with strengthens one," one of the school's enough posters to make them look like 16 The Texas Observer unofficial mottos, is not yet an axiom. parodies of the average college dorm room. TEXAS UNDER A CLOUD by Sam Kinch, Jr.. and Dr. Ben Procter STORY OF THE STOCK FRAUD SCANDAL • A Full Account of the Stock Fraud Scandal • Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes and the Texas Senate • Gov. Preston Smith and His Connection with the Scandal • How the Present Legislative System Permitted the Scan- • Speaker Gus Mutscher and the House of Representatives dal to Occur • The Relationship between the Texas Legislature and the • Specific Recommendations for Reform Scandal Presenting many new and hitherto undisclosed The tenor of the book is neither liberal nor con- facts, this book offers the first full step-by-step servative, Democratic nor Republican: it is a fright- account of the Texas stock fraud scandal. Based ening exposé, but written in a scholarly and objec- on official reports and on exclusive interviews, it tive manner. Fully illustrated, the work is a fas- presents evidence for and against each leading cinating, readable account of one of the most in- state official and politician, with many startling credible events in the history of our state. It is new discoveries, and with a detailed explanation one of the most important books ever written of how such an event could occur in the Texas about Texas—a book that should have an imme- political system. Great emphasis is placed on diate impact on Texas politics and a lasting influ- specific recommendations for legislative reform. ence on all future legislative reform movements.

JENKINS PUBLISHING COMPANY NAME Box 2085 • Austin, Texas 78767 Please accept my order for copies STREET of TEXAS UNDER A CLOUD at $6.95 per copy. Texas residents add 5% sales tax. TOWN STATE ZIP The view from the portholes, which can't be opened, is either the TMA campus or the sulfur factory across the bay. Country Karma There is no air conditioning. Already in mid-spring the rooms were stuffy enough American culture, rivaling the flower to bring out anyone's claustrophobia. One generation's most grandiose fantasies. It key fits all the rooms. might also be very heavy, we thought .. . The engine room is dirty and "MADDENED REDNECKS STOMP incomprehensible, as it should be probably. HIPPIES TO DEATH!" a headline to It looks as if it could blow up any second, gladden any copy editor's heart. What but that's an unfair judgment for a layman would 60,000 good ole boys do to a few to pass. Still, the thought of all those stray deviates? And the huge crowds... . boilers and rods and valves in bed with you the traffic . . . what about rain? My God, every night is not likely to cause pleasant those quagmire country roads. . . . dreams. "THOUSANDS LOST IN MUDSLIDES — "Have you ever been aboard an MOB STRANDED — RUMORS OF American merchant ship that has CANNIBALISM. . . ." carpeting?" asks Lt. Karl Fanning. Thursday night there had been a big Well, no. One of the finer touches of the press party in Austin where the Reunion Texas Clipper is the carpeting in the promoters watched us and our fellow lounge, and that's something. journalists swarm like locusts over a buffet Fanning is a graduate of TMA, now a of free barbecue. There were lots of member of the faculty, well-respected, flunkies and Dallas PR smoothies affecting apparently, by most of the students, not a kind of mountebank - chic (double-knit for his views but for his zeal. suits and silk ties, cowboy boots and velvet "This school is a fantastic place" is one pants). The promoters, however, were of his views. fairly urbane, likable guys. One of them, Another is that TMA has a lot of Ed Allen, said the Reunion's total expenses problems which will only increase with talent, production, security, etc. — publicity. "Progress is slow." Fanning is would cost about $375,000. Sixty angry about the "half-truths" in San thousand folks a day, paying $10 apiece Martin's and Dempsey's report, about the for a one-day ticket or $25 for a three-day exposure they've had and the damage they ticket, would bring a gross profit of over a could do to the school. Photo by Dean Rindy million and a half bucks. This was big time "I've had phone calls from dozens of money and would guarantee an annual ex-students saying what the hell is going on extravaganza — a "superbowl of stars," the down there. They can't understand it. The By Dean Rindy press releases said. ship is 100 percent better than when I went to school." with Big Boy Medlin But here we were on Friday, alone on Fanning's answer to the school's the highway, though traffic should have problems is stricter discipline, a firmer What Rough Beast, It's Hour Come been stacked up for miles. The Hill emphasis on military behavior to build Round at Last, Slouches Toward Country stretched away in dusty green character. Dripping Springs to be Born? vistas — devoid of human life. Cows and And there is really no answer to that, goats watched impassively as we zoomed because it's us against them, the knot of Dripping Springs by. An hour before we had been paranoid military logic won't ever be untied by an "Let's see," mused Big Boy, gobbling a about Ku Klux Klan Kamikazees lurking outsider. The schools of thought are barbecue beef sandwich and sipping a on the side roads in shotgun-filled '68 squared off and ready to rebound their canteen of J. W. Dant Bourbon. . . . "Fear Chewy pickups. Now we were getting arguments against the other's refutations, and Loathing in Dripping Springs strung out because we hadn't seen a and the mentality of each is inconceivable Heavy Vibes in Dripping Springs. . . ." soul. . . . to the other. But the system in power may be losing, As we drove along we kept thinking of if only because it has lost two of its most Hunter Thompson, the underground genius Sobering reality valuable professors and the respect of a who wrote "Hell's Angels — The Strange substantial amount of its students. Some of and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw The Reunion turned out to be a natural the charges, no doubt, are indeed distorted Motorcycle Gangs." Thompson's specialty high: fun-filled, sun-splashed, tickling the and exaggerated, some are being acted was bizarre, destructo trips; and there senses and boggling the mind. The trouble upon by Dean Clayton; but most of the were, after all, certain ominous possibilities was that not many people came. charges are being "looked into," encrusted in the Dripping Springs Reunion. . . . with layer after layer of bureaucratic good We knew it was bombsville, moneywise, cheer. Which won't change the fact that a But here we were — hurtling through the when we lugged our gear over the last ridge lot of people know that it's not as good as badlands about 20 miles west of Austin, on Friday afternoon and saw the Reunion they say it is. E doing 90 in Belmer's beatup station wagon, grounds spread out in a vast, natural The Dripping Springs Reunion was amphitheater below us. It was a shallow Nobody strums supposed to be a kind of Redneck bowl amidst low, dusty hills. A good Olympiad, a country-western Woodstock, a wooden stage was on the far side of the Sing welladay with three-day outdoor festival with 20 Bass beginnings: bowl; and on the stage was Bill Monroe, blockbuster acts (Roger Miller, Merle the father of bluegrass music, playing Dawn operas down Haggard, Willie Nelson, Hank Snow, etc., a mandolin and singing in a high, unearthly, Into blues; nobody fantastic conglomeration of stars). Dances; day drums soul-satisfying tenor voice. But instead of Down into words; Nobody knew what was going to Nobody strums. —Si Dunn happen. It might be an epic event in Aprz114, 1972 17 enormous throngs, there were only two or three thousand people lounging around on the rocks and dirt. It was hardly enough for a respectable South Texas undertakers' convention, and the producers were already getting pale. The combined total of cops, performers, production crew, groupies, press and other free loaders easily outnumbered the paying customers. The dusty roads leading to the Reunion were quiet. The acres of parking spaces were still. Buzzards circled idly in the west. "Well, our fans are working people," said a hopeful promoter. "They'll start pouring in on Saturday." But Saturday and Sunday the crowds didn't exceed 8,000 a day, despite magnificent shows. Apparently the Reunion promoters, who spent lavisly on their production, ran out of cash before they could mount the saturation ad campaign that would have stirred up the country music nuts and brought them into the hills. Despite gallant promises to the contrary, the magnitude of the disaster (plus rumors of unpaid bills) make another Photo by Dean Rindy Dripping Springs Reunion seem unlikely. was relaxed, country funk — with Hank Snow in the air, or the marvelous, intricate her's will start twitchin' like a watch When worlds collide bluegrass of Lester Flatt, Don Reno and spring. . . . Say, you kids free lovers?" Jimmy Martin ricocheting from rock to I drew myself up. "That little lady is my Sociologicly, the Reunion was an rock. wife," I said. "She took me in two years amiable encounter between two rival The weather was dry and warm. The ago when I was broke down on drugs and civilizations — Middle America meets the slopes of the Reunion bowl had been booze. Made a new man of me." Freaks. About 30 percent of the audience bulldozed and not a blade of grass "Oh, no offense. Have another beer." He was Austin hippies ... barefoot, remained. Clouds of chalk-white dust sounded disappointed. long-haired, dangerous radical ideas, the billowed up and blew constantly. Groups slavering mad dogs of Wallace and Agnew's and families sat on blankets or in portable Security fantasies. But everybody got along fine. It lawn chairs, sharing cold beer out of communal ice chests. People stood up and One reason everybody got along so well 18 The Texas Observer sang and clapped as the music moved them. was the small army of cops standing A fat man wandered through the crowd around waiting to trounce any poor fool yelling in a Ritz cracker and Georgia gas who got out of line. The Dripping Springs 'station accent: "Get your 25-cent hippie Reunion was the first big event coming CLASSIFIED psychedelic balloons!" under the jurisdiction of a new state law BOOKPLATES. Free catalog. Many beautiful I wandered around with an Austin friend designed to thwart pagan rock and roll designs. Special designing too. Address: named Alicia. We met a lot of people and festivals. So out of political necessity and BOOKPLATES, P.O. Box 28-I, Yellow Springs, talked to them about free love. We their own innate paranoia the Reunion Ohio 45387. discovered that Middle America, for promoters went heavy on law and order. whatever reason, was obsessed with "free At the main gate there was the surreal MARJORIE ANNE DELAFIELD TYPING love," a phrase which loomed up luridly in spectacle of shotgun-toting guards SERVICE: Complete Typing Service and Editing. their conversations with freaks. We welcoming you in for three days of hearty Duplicating (printing, multilith, mimeo, ditto), discussed the subject with a bank fun and frolic. The entire Reunion site was Binding, Mailing, Public Notary. Twenty years experience. Call 442-7008 or 442-0170, Austin. president, a 40-year-old divorcee from surrounded by wire fences patroled by Johnson City and with a bunch of teenage armed deputies on horseback. The security WE SELL THE BEST SOUND. Yamaha pianos, cowboys who were more or less groveling people never hassled anybody. They were guitars; Moeck-Kung-Aulus recorders; in the dust and drenching themselves in quite courteous, but the constant sight of harmonicas, kalimbas and other exotic Boone Farms Strawberry Wine. .44 magnums and .38 police specials instruments. Amster Music, 1624 Lavaca, Austin. We met a great mailman from produced some heavy vibrations. 478-7331. Pflugerville and had a passionate discussion The sheer quantity of deputy sheriffs about Buck Owens, whom he contended pretty effectively quashed the dope scene. THURSDAY DISCUSSION GROUP meets at was a clown and a showoff who didn't take We smelled the scent of marijuana only noon weekly at the YMCA, 605 North Ervay in his music seriously. Then the conversation three times during the entire weekend — Dallas. No dues. Everyone welcome. turned to the inevitable. surely a record for an outdoor music festival. CENTRAL TEXAS ACLU luncheon meeting. "That little hippie gal of your's sure is The Rennaissance, 801 Rio Grande. 2nd having fun," he said. We looked at Alicia, The cops, though, were playing it cool. Monday of each month. From noon. All who stood about 20 yards away, swaying Saturday night, while Roger Miller sang, welcome. serenely to a tune by Willie Nelson. Belmer was standing behind the stage with a couple of Old Deputies. A pop-eyed, McGOVERN photo button: $1. Mobile: $2. "Yep," he continued. "She'll just stand crewcut Young Deputy, obviously a zealot, Proceeds to campaign. McGovern Committee, there watchin' and grinnin'. Then one little rushed up to report "the odor of P.O. Box 472, Vermillion, SD 57069. foot'll start to tap, and that little butt of marijuana" in the crowd. The Old Deputies mumbled something about reporting it to eighth or ninth can of Lone Star, the light Reunion, Tom T. Hall was the only one headquarters, and the Young one left. One took on a rich, amber, Renaissance hue. who brought the entire crowd to its feet of the Old Deputies spat. "Hell, shit!" he Shadows filled the bowl; a cool wind blew; yelling and shaking, when he sang a said. "Wouldn't be worth the trouble." the moon rose. At night, when the violet country rocker called "Me and Jesus." and red stage spots flicked on, everybody The backstage scene was an unfailing Still, there was an awful lot of security. settled down for seious listening. treat: Country-Western groupies in velour About 50 yards from the stage were two My favorite act was the Earl Scruggs hotpants, with bat-wing eyebrows and high, spindly steel towers that supported Review, which played both Friday and beehive frosted bouffant hair . . . cringing floodlights and spots for the stage lighting. Saturday nights. Scruggs came out of toadies from record companies . . . big time At night, between acts, the operators nowhere 25 years ago to revolutionize the radio entrepreneurs (One greaseball kept would sometimes sweep the white art of banjo picking. Now, after a quarter saying over and over "I've got 50,000 watts spotlights over the crowd, as if they of a century as a country superstar, he is in Tulsa. I've got 50,000 watts in Tulsa."). suspected we might try to make a break for still evolving musically. He and his sons, . Kris Kristofferson hugging Rita it. In the dark ... with the lighted fences Randy and Gary, are touring the country Coolidge, a very big pop star with whom he ringing the rim of the Reunion bowl .. . playing a kind of bluegrass rock — blues seems to have a meaningful relationship. bleak, neon lit rows of port-o-cans on the • riffs and rock rhythmic patterns integrated . Hank Snow wearing a crummy toupee upper slopes ... strings of bare bulbs with traditional bluegrass melody lines. and makeup so thick you could hardly see disappearing into the blackness toward the The Scruggs music will put your body all the age lines. parking lots . • . the searchlights . . . the on automatic pilot. Friday night a bunch mounted posse ... it looked like we were of kids started dancing to it in spontaneous • Fleeing the lasers in some weird kind of experimental Texas joy right in front of the stage. The Reunion There is a subtle delight that comes prison farm, where the inmates stayed up management soon squelched that, however. upon people when they are free in fine all night hooting and stomping to country No dancing. Somehow the American power weather and full of sunshine and booze .. . music. elite has gotten the idea that too much a sort of communal high. Dripping Springs "They're restless in Pit Nine tonight, unregulated fun is dangerous for the was that kind of event. Total strangers had Warden." masses. Besides, you have to pay a higher good times together. Jokes were told. Love "Well, Johnson, play some of those old entertainment tax to the state, if you let affairs were commenced and Gene Autry records. If that doesn't work, the people dance. consummated. By Sunday night, three-day we'll lay on a Buck Owens album and show Another standout was Charlie Rich, a veterans vibrated with a kind of stoned 'em who's boss." magnificent, white haired, fortyish piano glow made up of sunburn, beer, fatigue and player who straddles the line between music. Digging the scene country and blues. Rich has had country We left late Sunday night, after most Banjos jangled and fiddles wailed. hits and rock hits — the best known of people had already departed. In the dark Doomed love and faded hearts. Departed which was "Mohair Sam," a really good the tower searchlights, magnesium white, lovers. Desperate adulteries in dim-lit bars. tune and a teen canteen classic. He has a splashed over the barren hillsides like laser Loretta Lynn sang about being a coal voice like Ray Charles and a fine, funny beams, picking out eerie little knots of miner's daughter. Kris Kristofferson feeling for jazz, blues and country soul. stragglers. The empty Reunion bowl offered fables of melancholy hitchhikers Roger Miller and Dottie West gave good, looked like a moon crater filled with beer and wasted speed freaks. sophisticated performances. And Willie cans. A sea of beer cans glittering in the Every day the sun was pure, white, hot Nelson and Waylon Jennings were great. searchlights. We scuttled away over the Texas. But in the afternoons, after the Though he wasn't the best singer at the hills like science fiction refugees.

Loretta Lynn Rita Coolidge & Kris Kristofferson Photos by Belmer Wright Apri114, 1972 19 If you don't want to bomb Indochina, don't pay for it By Ed Hedemann known to take consciousness-expanding W-4 form) on the basis that as a result of drugs. And they have no ethical qualms the illegal and immoral conduct of the U.S. Austin about killing civilians. government, some or all of the federal Despite Richard Nixon's recent peace This automated carnage costs money, taxes claimed could not be lawfully proposals, the low number of American plenty of money. The federal budget for collected. casualties and the massive troop fiscal '72 is $176.8 billion. Payments for Of the various federal excise taxes, the withdrawals, the Indochina war goes on past, present and future wars make up 10 percent telephone tax is the easiest to and on and on. Air power, bombs, about $110 billion or 61 percent of that refuse and is the one most related to the anti-personnel mines and electronically budget. (This includes expenditures for Indochina war. In 1966 Wilbur Mills controlled weapons simply have replaced national defense and related activities, introduced a bill in Congress to levy the 10 U.S. ground troops and the killing veterans' payments and interest on the percent tax on all telephone service to help continues at the rate of 300 Asians a day. national debt — which is more .than fund the Vietnam war. If a telephone President Nixon said in a press three-fourths war created.) Only about 17 customer pays his or her bill less the tax conference last year, "As we reduce the percent of the budget goes for human with a note indicating why, the telephone number of our forces, it is particuarly resources, 11 percent for physical company will not discontinue service but important for us to continue our air resources. simply will forward the fact of refusal to strikes. ... We have to not only continue If this tax money were not spent on war the IRS. An estimated 100,000 people in our air strikes; we will have to step them materials, it could do a great deal of good. the nation are doing this. up." The 105 helicopters destroyed in Laos last U.S. air based in South Vietnam will be year at a cost of $52.5 million could have FOR BOTH income and telephone closed or transferred to the South paid for 17 health centers accommodating tax the risks are basically the same. The Vietnamese by the middle of this year, but 40,000 people a year. One $25 million B-1 IRS once a year will send a couple of forms the large majority of the bombing will bomber would build 15 fifty-bed hospitals or visit in person [asking for payment of continue to be done by U.S. aircraft and and one aircraft carrier costing a billion the amount due plus 6 percent interest per pilots based in Thailand and on carriers in dollars could buy 67,000 low-cost housing annum] . Often the IRS will stop at that the South China Sea. units. point even if no money is sent the, because it usually costs them more to collect than LTHOUGH THE bomb tonnage it's worth. A HE INDOCHINA war could be Sometimes the IRS will attempt to find dropped on South Vietnam is lower than it ended rightT now, but it apparently won't was a few years ago, the tonnage dropped a bank account or place of employment to be, despite the fact that most Americans get the money. If that fails, the on Cambodia, Laos and the Ho Chi Minh are fed up with it. Congress could stop the Trail makes the total of bombs now government may attempt to auction off war by refusing to fund it, but our timid some property, such as a car or a home. -No devastating Indochina comparable to the representatives shrink from such a decisive 1967 level. In fact, the Nixon such drastic action has been taken in move (after all, there's a war on, as Jules Texas, yet, and only a few cases of administration has dropped more tons of Feiffer recently pointed out). So it's up to bombs on Indochina than were dropped confiscation have occurred across the individuals to refuse, at least symbolically, nation. Although refusal to pay taxes is a during World War II and the Korean War to pay for the bombing of Indochina. combined. Nixon's bomb record now misdemeanor, the government has not War tax resistance can take the mild prosecuted anyone who has made it clear exceeds Lyndon Johnson's. form of filling out IRS form 843 United States has dropped 300 pounds, that he was refusing to pay as a matter of requesting that money paid for the war be principle rather than in an attempt at three hundred pounds of bombs for every returned. Or one can refuse to pay a token man, woman and child in Indochina. Some fraud. A separate note of explanation to $5 or $10 of ins income tax. Some ware the IRS usually will clarify the situation. 500,000 non-combantants have been killed resisters will not pay the percentage going in this war since 1964. And, as General The members of Direct Action are to the war or to the military. Others will encouraging people who refuse war taxes William Westmoreland affirmed before the pay no income tax at all on the theory that House Armed Services Committee last to channel their tax money into an the federal government already has alternative fund. Direct Action has such a year, it's American air power and artillery, extracted some money through other taxes not ground forces, that kills the majority fund called the People's Life Fund. In the and most all of the income tax could be past, proceeds of the Austin fund have of the enemy. construed as a war tax. With the automated battlefield, generals gone to the Austin Free Clinic and to the One of the complications in refusing Committee of Responsibility, which in command of forces engaging the payment is that the withholding system "enemy" study computer readouts instead medically treats war-damaged children puts many people in the position of not from Southeast Asia. of battle maps; pilots who fly missions set owing any additional money in April. coordinates (from signals relayed from Direct Action is organizing a There are a number of ways to circumvent demonstration at the Federal Building in electronic sensors scattered over the the withholding system. Most of them countryside) into aircraft computers; and Austin on April 17. Some of us will require planning ahead. The most common attempt to pass out tax resistance literature the planes fly automatically, releasing their method is to use the recently issued W-4 bombs by electronic signal. inside the IRS office. On April 8 we will be forms, which for the first time allow holding a clinic on the how's and why's of Automated warfare provides the United additional exemptions to be claimed in States with a handy mercenary army. tax resistance. anticipation of itemized deductions. War For further information, contact Direct Instruments do not defect. They are not tax resisters claim the additional 20 Action, P. 0. Box 7161, Austin, The Texas Observer withholding allowance (on line 6 of the 512/471-4362. No-fault hurts poor

This delay in responding to your recent demonstrated a total ignorance of how the article advocating so-called "no-fault" auto tort system works in the real world. They insurance was caused by the late arrival of have also shown a callous disregard for the the amicus curiae brief filed by the NAACP Communication interests of the poor. in, the Illinois Supreme Court. That brief The writer in the Observer who made urges the Court to affirm a lower court light of whiplash injuries reminded me of decision holding the Illinois "no-fault" law $115.00 per day; physicians' charges also vary considerably from one area of the Shakespeare's cynical remark: "They jest unconstitutional. The NAACP's brief state to another and from one at scars, that never felt a wound." A stated: neighborhood to another in the same city. whiplash, as anyone who has ever suffered The Court should not be beguiled by The evidence is also undisputed that a from one can testify; is an extremely the fetching label "no-fault" which is person's ability to pay is definitely a painful injury to the soft tissues of the attached to the instant statute. The Court, factor in determining the fees of body. Insurance companies would just love rather, should be sensitive to the gross physicians. Thus, under Section 608 (of to deprive citizens of the right to have injustice to the blacks and the poor who the Ill. Statute) persons with identical juries award them damages for their pain will be deprived of their valuable rights — injuries and requiring identical medical especially the right of access to the courts treatment could receive widely disparate and suffering in whiplash cases. To call that without any compensating benefits. amounts of compensation for their general "reform" is to mock the word. For two-thirds of the present century, damages, depending on purely fortuitous Dave Shapiro, 1200 Guadalupe St., the NAACP has fought hard to attain factors such as where the injury occurred, Austin, Tex. 78701. justice for its people. Significantly, many which hospital was used, what doctor was of these battles have taken place in the employed, and the wealth or poverty of April 14, 1972 21 arena of the courtroom. We have come too the victim. This is discrimination of the far down the road to lose these hard rankest kind, impossible for this court to fought rights under the guise of alleged rationalize, justify or sustain. Tax Time Is Here! social reform." Both the Texas NAACP and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) have condemned "no-fault." The LULAC Resolution points out that, SINCE YOU have on at least two " 'no-fault' discriminates against minority occasions exposed your readers to so much groups living in the barrios and the ghettos, drivel about "no fault" auto insurance, as well as against the rural poor." It states perhaps you will also allow them to read that, "the problem with automobile these words from the Illinois AFL-CIO's insurance does not stem from the fault brief: concept but rather from improper Pain is pain and suffering is suffering insurance practices, including unwarranted whether the victim is able to afford the cancellations of and refusals to issue or finest and most expensive medical renew policies, especially with respect to treatment or just cursory and the least minority group members, and failure to costly treatment. consider lucrative investment income in But It's Not Too Liberals who buy the insurance fixing rate structures*****." company line about "no-fault" fail to recognize that the "threshold" ($500 Late. We'll $ave You! under the Massachusetts "no-fault" law) makes for much easier access to the court LIBERALS TRULY interested in Even if you'll never house for the rich than for the poor. The solving the problems in this area should be get it together by April 15, banker who is rear-ended on a freeway will advocating swift passage of Senator we'll still save you—thanks to easily run up the needed threshold amount Kennedy's bill for national health the new automatic in medical bills because he goes to an insurance, and the prompt passage of state 2-month extension. We'll also expensive doctor, will be given X-rays and legislation abolishing the barbaric concept save you time, worry, and probably sent to an expensive hospital for of contributory negligence and requiring hopefully money too. several days. But the poor, black, brown or unanimous jury verdicts in civil cases. But Call us today. Our rates are white, will in all probability not be able to anyone who calls himself a liberal and who among the lowest, and our work afford the same medical attention, and proposes to diminish the rights of an is of the best. thus will not meet "no-fault's" threshold individual to ask a jury to award him requirement for filing a law suit to recover compensation for his pain and suffering is a Special Hours: dangerous person indeed, as well as being a April 10-14: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for his pain and suffering. April 15-17: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. It was this fundamental discrimination damned fool. (Returns due midnight, existant in "no-fault" as well as the The liberals who advocate "no-fault" April 17 this year.) discrimination based on regional and remind me of those few suckers in the neighborhood differences in medical costs liberal community who in 1965 fell for which was the basis for the Illinois decision John Connally's proposed constitutional People's Bookkeeping holding "no-fault" unconstitutional. That amendment to give Texas Governors decision said in part: four-year terms. Such "reforms" we can do & Tax Service ***(T)he vast disparity in hospital costs without. "No-fault" is another pretentious and physicians' charges throughout the concept cooked-up by the enemies of the (512) 453-2040 State results in a patently arbitrary and people, advertised by the insurance 3201 GUADALUPE, AUSTIN 78705 unreasonable discrimination among companies and designed to diminish the OFFICE HOURS: 9 A.M. TO 1 P.M. persons. ****Hospital rates for rights of the people. Those who have AND BY APPOINTMENT ANYTIME semi-private rooms range from $13.00 to advocated it in the Observer have Maybe I should have been a lawyer WHEN I WAS A KID in high school I might have tried to get myself to law school. Except in those days it seemed impossible, for a Mexican American. As a matter of fact, right now out of 50,000 law school students in this country, there are only 400 with Spanish surnames. High school kids in the Mexican American minority can't see themselves through the seven years it takes to get a law degree. And yet a law degree is the single most important thing a young Mexican American can have today —to help his neighbors, his commu- nity, his fellow-citizens in our Mexi- can American culture, to help them fulfill themselves as equal and valu- able members of the American democratic society. A lawyer in the Mexican Ameri- can community means just about everything in helping my fellow Mexican Americans to learn, grow and flourish, and receive the full protection and benefits of American law and justice. Whether you realize it or not, let me say that for a long time the Mexican Americans in this country haven't exactly had a fair shake in business, jobs, schools and civil rights. Not by a long shot. And it harms our whole country. The Mexican American Legal MO NM MN ai /min Defense and Educational Fund has MEXICAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE a great program to send Mexican AND EDUCATIONAL FUND American students through law 145 Ninth Street, San Francisco, California 94103 school. It does it with money it I want to support the Mexican American Legal Defense and raises itself, and with money that Educational Fund. Enclosed is my check or money order for law schools and foundations pro- ❑ $5.00 ❑ $10.00 [I] $25.00 $ vide to match. Check box if you require a receipt. So I am asking you to help. Don't ❑ get me wrong. There's nothing I like NAME better than being a first-string ADDRESS quarterback. But now I can also see CITY what it means to be a first-string STATE ZIP lawyer. Make checks payable to MALDEF. Contributions are tax exempt. National Office: San Francisco. Regional Offices: Albuquerque, Denver, Los Angeles, San Antonio. Mario Obledo, General Counsel; Jim Plunkett Vicente G. Gonzales, Development Director.

The verdict is guilty April 14, 1972 23

Preston Smith, Ben Barnes and company will have their trial come election day. The BIG THICKET MUSEUM people of Texas will be the jury and the Dialogue verdict will be guilty. Saratoga, Texas Then, possibly, our state government can get about the business of being I do not oppose this because I think that responsive to the people. My God, isn't it one should draw welfare even if he can Open Saturday through about time? work. I simply question that there are jobs Thursday, morning and Claude E. Welch, 1814 Colquitt, available for the ones who can work and I afternoon. Houston, Tex. 77006. doubt that the percentage who could take the jobs available is great enough to justify this vast extension of a bureaucratic Support Your Big Thicket Make them answer organization whose effectiveness is already Association much less than its costs to the state should In the Texas House of Representatives warrant. The TEC, as do many of our other on March 15, 1971, Frances Farenthold agencies, pushes through a great deal of moved for an immediate and impartial paper work on people and calls the investigation of passage of the Sharpstown operation success. •e■ State Bank bills. The chair ruled against What burned me up was that the reply Personal Service — Quality Insurance this; the ruling was appealed to the to my letter came from Nancy Barnes and ALICE ANDERSON AGENCY members, in Record Vote 2 of that day. was mailed from the lieutenant governor's INSURANCE & REAL ESTATE The 30 members who voted to support office with postage paid by the taxpayer. I Frances Farenthold are well known now as wrote the letter to the campaign 808A E. 46th, Austin, Texas the Dirty Thirty. The 118 who voted to headquarters. Are they calling all of his 465-6577 support the chair on that vote do not wish campaign expense "Official State to be identified, and like to talk about Business"? And if it was state business, Other things as they campaign today. why the reply from Nancy Barnes? If this Each of these candidates should be lady wants to be governor, I think that she asked why he voted against the Farenthold should run in her own name. DA PRESS resolution. The voters of Texas deserve a June Knighten, P. 0. Box 7683, 901 W 24th St Austin I direct answer. Longview, Tex. Dave Moss, First National Bank Bldg., Multi copy service. Dallas, Tex. F Call 477-3641 No thanks You reported Dean Harvey Boehm of Blinn College as saying, "Gus Mutscher is the finest Christian gentleman on earth." I MARTIN ELFANT do not care that my sons be either THE TEXAS OBSERVER gentlemen or Christians if Gus Mutscher is on microfilm. Sun Life of Canada the earth's criterion of gentlemanly conduct and Christian service to others. The complete backfile, since You can also include Ben Barnes in my the first issue in December 1954, 1001 Century Building evaluation. ‘vill be available. Louis E. Buck, 3116 Wheeler St., Houston, Texas Austin, Tex. 78705. For prices and other CA 4-0686 information contact:

Letter from Nancy 1 11•11 MS MI ON ------I wrote to Ben Barnes at his campaign Microlihning headquarters opposing his proposal that I We are interested in publishing welfare recipients be required to call at Corporation of I books on Texas, etc. If you have Texas Employment Commission offices for I a manuscript, please write a short their checks. America Ian, (11 THE NEW YORK TIMES outline (500 words or less) and 1'l H,nre,town Road I we will advise you at once if we Family Feed Store C;ItTi Rock. N J. 07452 I' are interested in looking at the I !manuscript. organically grown grains 01 447 3000 4 vegetables and beans 1 PRESS macrobiotic cooking 1 1 Phone 512/442-7836 & lessons 1714 SOUTH CONGRESS II .118 Fry Denton, Texas 1 P.O. BOX 3485 AUSTIN .TE.X 4- I Imposimm======.11 pro-Farenthold letter which the Chronicle As for solutions, they seem rather May choose doctor refused to print: obvious after all the Observer has With reference to "Health Care in Sired by Lyndon Johnson Texas has uncovered. When you have state officials Canada" (Obs., March 3), I would like to spawned a unique and virulent strain of selling their public offices, hiding their stress the fact that the individual has politicians. Commanding enormous wealth dealings with lobbyists and trying to purge complete choice of physicians under The and power they are supremely arrogant in any of their associates who act in the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan. Many the awareness of that power, cynically public interest, it should not require long of my Texas friends and relatives have unprincipled in its use. and deep thinking to determine where the expressed surprise over this fact, as they There is no need to name these men; trouble lies. After that, figuring out what au tomatically assumed that any they are well known. to do about it really gets easy. government sponsored plan would entail The latest in line is Ben Barnes, now a Harvey Katz, Washington, D.C. no "freedom of choice." candidate for governor. Barnes is the Also, the Provincial Government here in heir-apparent of the entrenched political Alberta recently announced that persons order, with its mighty political machine Concerning manure 65 and over would be exempted from and unlimited funds. paying Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan Against this monolith a challenger has In Texas Agriculture for March there is premiums. It seems the economics of the appeared — a challenger armed only with a belly-aching about any cohtrols that might Plan are working quite well — based in part legislative record that is clearly dedicated be imposed on the pollution from feedlots. on the fact that physicians fees were to the interests of the people, and with a They say this would put the price of meat formerly established on the basis of 60 reputation for fighting corruption and out of reach. Actually, the high price of percent collection and under the plan they greed in government. Her name is Frances foods is due mainiy.to the middlemen. are collecting almost 100 percent of their Farenthold, an exceptional woman whose In Buckminster Fuller's universe there is fees. record exemplifies her courage, intelligence Jessie L. Murphree, Box 252, Stavely, and integrity. no such thing as pollution — only resources out of place. Manure in its right place is a Alberta. Every Texan who desires a restoration of valuable fertilizer and has been- so used decency to the government of this state, even before Biblical times. In garden and all who are concerned about the unmet Rejected by the Chronk needs of the poor, powerless and supply marts, cow manure sells for more per pound than what farmers get for milk. unrepresented owe to Sissy Farenthold The Houston Chronicle, it seems, will Mink manure is even more expensive. publish anti-war letters but not anti-Texas their fullest support. establishment letters! Mrs. Helen Boren, 6330 Carnation Drive, it must be admitted that the organic The following is an anti-Barnes, Beaumont, Tex. 77706. farming people are a bit too fanatical in condemning even moderate use of commercial fertilizers. However, 'in their 24 The Texas Observer Fan Mail favor, is the fact that humus formed from During February, the Observer published wastes of biological origin improves the letters from three readers who are unhappy texture of soils and aids in the retention of with the Observer for three different the plant nutritive elements therein — even reasons. For one, it is not sufficiently those from commercial fertilizers. "redneck." For another, it is not sufficiently "solid, liberal, political." The The ready availability of cheap synthetic third reader was upset because Observer nitrogenous fertilizers has not. been an writers complain about ' things without unmixed blessing because it has lead to its coming up with solutions. All three overuse and the disdain of natural manures, criticisms relate to the nature and extent of causing the latter to become a polluting the Observer's political commentary and it liability. Also, since the world's supply of is, of course, a healthy sign that one high grade phosphate minerals is not publication has managed to make people of inexhaustible, manure, sewage, detergents, such divergent views unhappy in this etc.. should he recycled into the soil for regard. What concerns me is that none of theii phosphate as well as nitrogen and potash contents. the three readers bothered to mention, even in passing, the primary mission the Some commercial lawn fertilizers with editors have undertaken, a mission they added insecticides or herbicides stink worse have accomplished exceedingly well. than any natural manure. Here is a tiny biweekly with only two staff writers, who must also double as Edward A. Prill, P. _0. Box 689, editors, that has been scooping the massive Fredericksburg, Tex. 78624. dailies throughout the past year on top news stories. Molly Ivins' coverage of the bribery scandal is one of the most Spring trees complete, incisive and diligent pieces of investigative reporting I have ever read. Trees aren't impossible. For example, Observer articles on the happenings of the legislative session and on financial they're arteries stretched in the earth's hanky-panky of state officials are equally flesh, and their crosshatch of branches commendable. Even more to its credit, the is Observer has gone after the truth and scarcely more intricate than my own. printed it regardless of whose toes would But their buds everywhere pulsing — be squashed in the process. It may not I settle for mystery with their buds. please those seeking support for their political views. But it does a hell of a lot RICHARD E. McMULLEN for truth in Texas. Milan, Mich.