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June 12, 1981 A Journal of Free Voices 75 On a 3-Year Tax Cut Bentsen Joins Reagan's Ten Washington, Austin Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, the Texas Democrat, went over to Pres- ident Reagan's three-year tax cut by appearing at a media event in the Rose Garden as Reagan announced the program by which he means to ride rough-shod over Democratic advocacy of cuts that help low- and moderate-income people. Meanwhile, Rep. Kent Hance, a Democrat from Lubbock, announced he will co-sponsor Reagan's tax bill, much as. Democrat Phil Gramm of College Station co-sponsored Reagan's budget-slashing bill. House Majority Leader Jim Wright of Fort Worth, asked if he was fighting a losing battle as Demodrats announced they would vote for Reagan's tax cut, replied, "Perhaps." Bentsen's defection, compounding his voting with Reagan's budget cuts three times as often as not (see last issue), was especially startling. Former chairman of the Joint Economic Committee of the Congress, 1976 candidate for the Democrats' presidential nomination, Bentsen is up for re-election in 1982. By swinging over to Reagan's tax cut he was taking his basic position before the Texas electorate for next year. Bentsen, Hance, and Sen. David Boren of Oklahoma were the only three Democrats among the ten members of Congress in the Rose Garden showing support for the Reagan bill. Reagan called the ten, including Bentsen, "the leaders of a new biparti- san coalition we are forging. . . ." In the House, members of the 47-member Conservative Democratic Forum showed signs of going along. Cong. Sam Hall of Marshall said the forum Standing Behind the President "holds the balance of power" on Reagan's tax cut and he's ready to go along. - World Wide Photos The Hance bill, which Reagan and the ten in the Rose Garden Republican President Ronald Reagan, U.S. Democratic endorse, would cut income taxes 5% Jan. 1, 1982, 10% July i, Senator Lloyd Bentsen of Texas (behind Reagan), and Dem- 1982, and 10% July 1, 1983. Reagan wanted the Kemp-Roth ocratic Congressman Kent Hance of Lubbock, right, grin for plan, 10-10-10, but has settled for the phase-in. Bentsen has the cameras in the Rose Garden at the White House. vehemently opposed Kemp-Roth and says the Reagan bill "sure Bentsen and Hance were among ten legislators, all but three isn't Kemp-Roth." But Cong. Jack Kemp, the New York Re- of them Republicans, who assembled with Reagan in the publican who ought to be an authority on what is and isn't Rose, Garden to show their support for his flat-rate three- Kemp-Roth, said, "It's about 95% of everything we've been year tax cut. Reagan said the ten were "the leaders" in the working for." new bipartisan coalition he is forging. Bentsen said he was supporting Reagan's tax cuts because the plan includes elements he has worked out on the Senate finance committee. "The concessions were better than a pair of cuff links," he said in an allusion to Reagan's gifts of cuff links IN THIS ISSUE to supporters. "I think we got some very major concessions," The Evacuation of the Poor in Dallas p. 3 Bentsen said. "I think the President has gone a long way to try Whazis? The Democrats Redistrict for the GOP? p. 5 to bring about a bipartisan approach. . . . The three-year is all The Legislature Muffs Bilingual Education p. right. You never get all the things you want." 8 The Best and Worst of the 67th Session p. 9 (Continued on Page 17)

• • — the enemy party. This is what he was The Observer's Position elected to do? In a cat's eye.

IN THE DELEGATION in the House, the Texas Democrats have di- vided about fifty-fifty for and against Flakitis and Locksmile Reagan's brutal programs to soak the Austin But whether Bentsen cares or not, the poor and further enrich the rich. Cong. The Democrats nationally are afflicted nationally-oriented Democrats who gave Phil Gramm of College Station, placed in with flakitis. This is a malady caused by Texas to Harry Truman, John Kennedy, his position of power by Democratic pressures such as Ronald Reagan's elec- Lyndon Johnson, and Hubert Humphrey Majority Leader Jim Wright, betrayed toral college sweep and the conservative are still here. They still care about help- his party by co-sponsoring President tide in the country. The symptoms are ing people through government pro- Reagan's budget-slashing bill. Kent heavy perspiring, dryness of the lips, ir- grams, they believe Reagan's kind of Re- Hance of Lubbock, placed in his position ritability, and phenomenal flaking of the publicanism is the sworn foe of ordinary of power by Jim Wright, betrays his convictions. citizens, and they expect a senator they party now by co-sponsoring the Reagan three-year tax-cut for the rich. Never This might be funny if it didn't result in elected as a Democrat to act like one. again should Gramm and Hance apply to such forced smiles. Psychosomatic Instead, Bentsen first joined Reagan's the Democratic party for offices, honors, specialists we have consulted advise us heartless budget-slashers, and last week or credentials. Where these two are ac- that the frozen toothiness of these smiles he became one of the Rose Garden Ten, cepted as Democrats, there are no Dem- is caused by the energy in the extreme the chosen legislators, three of them ocrats. tension the smiles express. The result is Democrats, whom Reagan has anointed a kind of lockjaw — locksmile, you might as the "leaders" of his new coalition We at the Observer have concluded call it. Readers with a sleuth's instinct against the citizens' interests. Although that flakitis is now so epidemic among will find three examples of Democratic Bentsen vehemently opposed the the Democrats, our task is to monitor it locksmile in this issue. enrich-the-rich Kemp-Roth three-year closely and, toward the end of the year, tax cut heretofore, he journeyed to the record the history of the disease legis- lator by legislator, congressman by con- PPARENTLY LLOYD BENT- Reaganized Rose Garden to array him- A self behind President Reagan and his tax gressman. We welcome the help of our SEN, the Democratic senator from Tex- readers in this health-restoring en- as, thinks his only problem back home is program, which Jack Kemp says is 95% of Kemp-Roth. deavor. We judge that in about eight Republican Congressman Jim Collins of months the reaction against Reagan is Dallas, who is such a right-wing ex- At the very least, Bentsen has flaked. going to be rip-tiding through the body tremist he calls Bentsen a liberal. It is not too much to say that he has politic and a lot of Texans are going to be Bentsen may be opposed by either Col- adopted Reagan's major policies. What so angry about the flakitis, they will see lins or an equally quaint Republican di- might be too much to say, we leave to to it that in many cases it's politically nosaur, State Sen. Walter Mengden of our readers to consider. terminal. Houston. When these two get through fighting over the abolition of the federal In the historic photograph on our So follow along your gutless ways, income tax and the mercy killing of the cover this week, rustled up for us by our Texas Democrats of the legislature and inconveniently poor, the survivor will on-the-ball Washington research direc- the Congress. Some of the people are advance on Bentsen alleging him to be a tor, Katherine Fain, Bentsen stands watching. "The Eyes of Texas" are sure dangerous radical. grinning behind the enemy President of as hell upon you. R.D.

A journal of free voices TET.DB sERvER We will serve no group or party but will hew hard to the truth as we find it (ISSN 0040-4519) and the right as we see it. We are dedicated to the whole truth, to human . ° The Texas Observer Publishing Co., 1981 values above all interests, to the rights of humankind as the foundation of democracy; we will take orders from none but our own conscience, and June 12, 1981 never will we overlook or misrepresent the truth to serve the interests of the Vol. 73, No. 12 7.473tp"igt powerful or cater to the ignoble in the human spirit. Writers are responsible for their own work, but not for anything they have Incorporating the State Observer and the East Texas Democrat, not themselves written, and in publishing them we do not necessarily imply which in turn incorporated the Austin Forum-Advocate. that vve agree with them because this is a journal of free voices. Editor and Publisher Ronnie Dugger Business Manager Cliff Olofson Staff Reporter Mary Lenz Editorial and Business Office LAYOUT: Beth Epstein 600 West 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78701 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Warren Burnett, Jo Clifton, Chandler (512) 477-0746 Davidson, John Henry Faulk, Bill Helmer, Jack Hopper, Molly Ivins, Laur- Published by Texas Observer Publishing Co., biweekly except for a three-week inter- ence Jolidon, Matt Lyon, Maury Maverick Jr., Paula Manley, Greg Moses, val between issues twice a year, in January and July; 25 issues per year. Second-class Kaye Northcutt, Janie Paleschic, Laura Richardson, M. P. Rosenberg, Paul postage paid at Austin, Texas. Sweeney, Lawrence Walsh, Alfred J. Watkins Single copy (current or back issue) 750 prepaid. One year, $18; two years, $34; three CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Alan Pogue, Grant Fehr, Bob years, $49. One year rate for full-time students, $12. Airmail, foreign, group, and bulk Clare, Russell Lee, Scott Van Osdol, Ronald Cortes rates on request. CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS: Berke Breathed, Jeff Danziger, Ben Sar- Microfilmed by MCA, 1620 Hawkins Avenue, Box 10, Sanford, N.C. 27330. gent, Mary Margaret Wade, Gail Woods POSTMASTER: Send form 3579 to: 600 West 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78701.

2 June 12, 1981 The Evacuation of the Poor Development Patterns in Dallas By John Fullinwider Dallas Recently, however, the official guard- tion, public works expansion, and gen- Corporate executives and public offi- ians of that wealth cooked up a plan to trification. cials in Dallas have long prided them- help southern Dallas -- or so they say. West and South Dallas (including Fair selves on the "unique public/private Encouraging Economic Development Park) experienced in the past decade partnership" they claim is responsible in Southern Dallas, the report of Dallas' what can only be called a mass evacua- for Dallas' booming economy, coveted Economic Developinent Advisory Board tion. West Dallas lost roughly 7,000 resi- AAA-bond rating, and legendary lack of released on May 27, will no doubt be cel- dents, nearly a fifth of its total popula- urban problems. This partnership has ebrated and promoted by the bankers, tion.' The predominant force behind this traditionally found its expression in the utility executives, real estate developers, flight was industrial expansion in the office of the city manager, the ultimate and Chamber of Commerce officials rep- area. The city's Office of Economic De- executive, Dallas being the largest city in resented on that board. Whether the av- velopment (which actually wrote the nation governed by a council- erage citizen of Dallas will endorse it is EDAB's report) predicted in 1979 that manager system. another matter. Hard-pressed citizens of West Dallas was "on the verge of becom- The most recent commemoration of southern Dallas may find in this lengthy ing a major industrial area." Indeed, the the cozy relationship between the City- report — at last — their own piece of new proposals will encourage this. But Run-Like-A-Business and the busi- metroplex prosperity. But if these same the office also warned that "as the area nessmen it runs for was the creation a citizens read between the lines and study industrializes, the out-migration of resi- few years ago of the Economic Devel- recent development trends in Dallas, dents will probably continue."2 opment Advisory Board, authorized by they may just as easily find their eviction More than 20,000 residents, a third law to implement "an economic devel- notices. of the total, left the South Dallas/ opment strategy and to advise the city on The board's 20 recommendations have Fair Park area in the 1970's. 3 They did policies and legislation of interest to the their greatest relevance and will meet not leave voluntarily, as city staff business community." A collection of their strongest resistance in Dallas' acknowledged in a study last August. bankers, realtors, landlords, indus- inner-city communities. For people who According to the Department of trialists, and the like, the board repre- live in Fair Park, South Dallas, West Dal- Urban Planning, some of this popula- sents just about everybody in Dallas' las, East Dallas, Oak Cliff, and Oak tion decline "is attributable to dis- profitable marketplace except consum- Lawn, the whole matter of development placement for public projects, some to ers and workers. is fast approaching critical mass. The demolition of dilapidated structures, Perhaps this is why the landscape of scale and shape of future growth are cru- and the rest to the abandonment of development in Dallas is so top-heavy. cial to these communities. these neighborhoods for others which The city presents in miniature the are safer and more attractive."' worldwide economic imbalance between Much of the area looks like a the northern and southern hemispheres. D ALLAS, of course, is the silver battlefield. It is. Eminent domain visited The equator for Dallas is Interstate buckle on the Sunbelt. Its high growth the community like a squadron of B-52's, Highway 30. By any measure — em- and low unemployment rates, relatively running search-and-destroy missions for ployment, income, housing quality, city light taxes, and aggressively pro- the fairgrounds, for the school district, services — North Dallas and southern business atmosphere make the city for the highway department. Housing Dallas are different worlds. From the something of a corporate Mecca. But code inspectors and slumlords followed rural reaches of Kleberg and Pleasant even "the city with no limits" cannot es- with more selective demolitions and Grove to the stricken, struggling neigh- cape the limit of its own boundaries, the burnouts. Increasing crime in the face of borhoods around Fair Park, the people of price of energy, the cost of new urban decreasing city services took care of the southern Dallas are excluded from the infrastructure, the scarcity of water, or rest. wealth of this all-too-wealthy metrop- the competition with nearby suburbs for The face of redevelopment in East olis. the investment dollars pouring into this Dallas and Oak Lawn is known as "gen- region. trification" — the growing movement of A UT-Austin graduate who helped These and other factors (politically in- the professional classes into the central found a bilingual school for young chil- convenient annexations, for instance) city and the resulting displacement of dren in East Dallas, the writer is co- are forcing a shift in the direction of the poorer residents. In .East Dallas this director of the Neighborhood Informa- city's growth from new development in process was engineered wholesale in tion and Action Service in Dallas. He North Dallas to redevelopment in the Fox & Jacobs' Bryan Place and on a has worked as a writer and researcher inner and southern city. Inner-city resi- house-by-house basis such as occurred for the Bois d'Arc Patriots and other dential communities have been drasti- in Munger Place. But for all the hoopla community groups in Dallas and as an cally transformed in the beginning stages surrounding "Olde" East Dallas homes, associate producer for KERA-TV's of this shift. There are three major pat- the area lost more than 700 housing units "Newsday." terns of redevelopment: industrializa- between 1970 and 1978, most of them THE TEXAS OBSERVER 3

v.. ,. /q - , 1,5.11.,c • single-family houses. 5 Only South Dallas The city's involvement in Bryan Place and Fair Park lost more. went further than merely guaranteeing 0 NE MASSIVE public works Now because of its proximity to the Fox's investment. Many property own- project is proposed in the report, the super-affluent consumers of the Park ers sold cheaply because their properties levee extension of the Dallas Floodway Cities and its "bohemian" flavor, Oak had been cited for housing code viola- from Corinth Street south to the city lim- Lawn has gone through what might be tions. In a sworn deposition in the case its. According to Economic Research called "retail gentrification," in which of East Dallas Neighborhood Alliance Associates, which released an economic homes are renovated into restaurants, vs. City of Dallas, then director of Hous- impact study of the extension last year, high-priced boutiques, and galleries. ing & Urban Welfare Richard Wilson the total cost (including capital costs) to Nevertheless, more than 350 single- testified that accelerated code enforce- the city's general fund for 22 miles of family homes in Oak Lawn were simply ment in Exall Park coincided with and levees and channels on the southern bulldozed in the past ten years,6 and Oak possibly aided Jack Watson's land ac- Trinity would be about $88 million over Lawn apartments are daily becoming quisitions for Fox. 9 Attorneys for the the 30-year finance period.' 7 ERA pre- condominia. plaintiffs established at the trial that dicts that the city will reap about $120 about 1,800 residents were displaced as a If eminent domain is the B-52 of rede- million in revenues and cost avoidances direct result of intensified code enforce- velopment, gentrification is the neutron over the same period, for a net surplus of ment." Overall population declined in bomb. It is dropped with almost surgical roughly $33 million. the Exall Park area by 45% during the precision. In East Dallas, the old ar- Upon closer examination, this surplus 1970's. 11 chitecture is resurrected and praised on turns out to be little more than cost annual tours, but the old residents — That code enforcement may be simi- avoidances at the McCommas Bluff tenants for the most part, big families larly used in southern Dallas is indicated Landfill. The levees would salvage an with small incomes, senior citizens — lie by another EDAB recommendation to extra 300 acres of the landfill and thereby buried in the appendices to city reports. "support maintenance, improvement, save $27.5 million in the cost of solid Each of these redevelopment patterns revitalization, and development of hous- waste transportation to another site and — industrialization, public works expan- ing." This sounds admirable until the another half million in additional site sion, and gentrification — has resulted in methodology is explained. purchases." So the $90 million levee/ the destruction of low- and moderately- According to the report, "to channel system will save the city $30 mil- priced housing, the disruption of long- maintain the quality of the existing lion in dumping costs. established neighborhoods, and the dis- housing stock, more attention should I cite these figures only to show that placement of low- and moderate-income be given to code enforcement ... more the benefits of this or any mammoth de- people from the inner city. Yet these vigorous and systematic enforcement velopment project are not as clearcut as same patterns dominate the Economic . . . (and) changes in state law to in- its promoters would like them to be. The Development Advisory Board's propos- crease the fine for violations."" In costs of pollution cleanup and control, als for developing the whole of southern West Dallas and South Dallas/Fair for instance, are not figured into the Dallas. Park, four out of ten houses are benefit/cost estimates of either the Army classified as substandard." About Corps, ERA, or the city staff — and this A FEW EXAMPLES will illustrate three out of ten are classified as "need- in spite of the fact that all three expect this. ing major rehabilitation or are unfit" rapid industrial growth as a result of for habitation." Undoubtedly code levee construction. Three of the 20 recommendations ad- violations exist, but in the absence of dress the issue of housing. A high prior- Voters in 1973 and 1978 rejected the financing for improvements, inten- ity for the public sector in the short run, levee/channel project by majorities of sified code enforcement is nothing but 54% and 58%, respectively. Despite according to the report, should be the a prelude to demolition. re-evaluation of the Area-Wide Rede- voter disapproval, the current report velopment Program for possible exten- The most promising housing recom- urges the city to "continue support for sion into southern Dallas. This is the mendation in the report is the establish- the levee extension."' 9 Continue whose program through which Fox & Jacobs ment of a non-profit Housing Financing support? In the minutes of citizen obtained a $4 million investment guaran- Corporation under city control which meetings held to help formulate these tee to buy up property in the Exall Park could provide low-interest financing for development plans, there is no mention neighborhood of East Dallas, demolish home repairs and purchases by issuing of support for levees. The levee project the existing housing, and build new tax-exempt bonds. However, the use of was brought up by an industrial devel- homes. If the development proved to be housing mortgage bonds has been se- oper during special "resource group unsuccessful, the city agreed to buy back verely limited by the Internal Revenue meetings" and by a couple of bankers the property at $3.25 per sq. ft. (though Service and will be phased out altogether who noted that "few people supported Fox's agent, Jack Watson, had managed after next year. It's hard to accept this as it. "2 0 to block up the land for an average price the "long term, high priority" option the The city council last spring gave only of $2.14 per sq. ft.). 7 staff thinks it is.' 5 qualified approval to the levees in a reso- Of course, Bryan Place has proved to In the end, the board has to admit that lution urging that Trinity floodway plan- be a success, featured on the front page "the objective of providing affordable ning "go forth on the basis of two possi- of the Wall St. Journal and in the New housing to current residents is a very dif- ble solutions: structural and non- York Times as a model project. But it did ficult one to achieve." The creation of a structural." But the council later re- not turn out quite as advertised. The task force is recommended "to evaluate quested that the Army Corps "continue homes were supposed to be ready in the feasibility of accomplishing this ob- planning . . . a project to extend the March, 1979, for between $30,000 and jective and the problems of doing so. "19 levee system." 2 ' $40,000. 8 When they finally went on the And that's all the report can say about The non-structural approach ad- market last year, Bryan Place houses the most visible, most pressing need of vanced by the Texas Committee on cost $100,000 and up — well beyond the the inner-city neighborhoods of southern Natural Resources involves the pur- incomes of the former residents of Exall Dallas: secure, affordable homes for the chase of a corridor about 200 feet wide Park. people who live there. along the river to create some 1,400

4 June 12, 1981 acres of permanent public open space. Brookhollow and Stemmons industrial moderate incomes, the question is im- It would cause neither residential nor districts, West Dallas continues to suffer mediate and unavoidable: Do the poor commercial displacement. At last the highest unemployment rates in Dal- have a right to live in this city? Affluent count, the structural or levee ap- las County. 29 This paradox should give Dallasites, particularly in government proach would displace 13 residences pause to those who view industrializa- and business, must confront essentially and 15 businesses." tion as a cure-all for generations of ra- the same question, the moral dimensions Of course, the purpose of the levee/ cism, poverty, and neglect. of which they have so far attempted to conceal. channel system is to open up 2,400 I do not mean to argue that the report privately-owned acres of Trinity of the Economic Development Advisory floodplain for industrial development. Board is without merit. Personally, I find The Army Corps of Engineers estimates its least expensive recommendations to SOURCES that the value of this acreage will in- be the most positive: providing technical 1.Population Counts from the 1980 Census by Subareas of crease 20 times, from about $1500 per the City of Dallas, Office of Management Services, May, assistance to small businesses, forming 1981, p. 10. acre to more than $20,000 per acre, even business associations, protecting neigh- 2. City of Dallas Economic Market Share Study, Office of without improvements. 23 With im- borhoods with proper zoning. These and Economic Development, July, 1979, p. 40. provements an acre of land currently in other proposals directly address the 3. Population Counts, p. 10. 4. Fair Park Environs: Existing Conditions and Plans, De- the floodplain would be worth more than needs of southern Dallas communities. partment of Urban Planning, August, 1980, Introduction. $160,000.24 Perhaps this is why local real But the more grandiose schemes appear 5. Market Share Study, p. 46. estate developers are now licking their to be tailored to the needs of large out- 6. Market Share Study, p. 46. chops over the southlands when just a of-state corporations that are fleeing 7. Displacement in Exall Park: Should there have been relocation funding?, Keith Budner, July, 1979, unpublished year ago ERA found "a fairly decided from pollution controls, product liability graduate paper, p. 10. lack of interest in the area." 25 laws, taxes, and organized labor. The re- 8. Displacement, p. 5. port itself would have benefited from the 9. Displacement, p. 6, citing the deposition. 10. Michael Daniel, plaintiffs attorney, conversation with inclusion of labor, environmental, and author, May, 1981. I NDUSTRIALIZATION is the un- consumer interests - none represented 11. 1980 Census figures for tracts 16 and 22.01. examined Good which pervades these on the board. 12.Encouraging Economic Developr6nt in Southern Dal- plans for developing southern Dallas. las, Economic Development Advisory Board, May, 1981, p. From the bank towers to the 43. The establishment of an industrial devel- 13.Dallas Housing Trends in the Seventies, Department of opment corporation, the creation of an grassroots, the lopsided geography of Housing and Urban Rehabilitation, Summer, 1979, p. 29. industrial development team, a strategy prosperity in Dallas is recognized as a 14.Encouraging Economic Development, p. 31a. for inner-city industrial and commercial desperate situation. As in the case of de- 15.Encouraging Economic Development, pp. 38, 39. Encouraging Economic Development, p. 44. redevelopment, and authorized tax caying central city communities, 16. everyone agrees that something must be 17. Dallas Floodway Extension Area, Economic Impact breaks for industrialists form the founda- Study, Economics Research Associates, February, 1980. tion of what EDAB calls "The Solu- done. Still, the unmistakable conse- 18.Dallas Floodway, pp. 3, 39. tion." quence of the major public policy and 19.Encouraging Economic Development, p. 40. private investment trends in the inner- 20. Encouraging Economic Development, pp. 39c, 56c. It is recommended, for example, that city has been the forced evacuation of 21. Council resolutions 80-0866, 3/19/80 and 80 1668, 6/ 18/80. the city market its land near Redbird the poor and the demolition of their Airport to a private industrial developer. 22. Dallas Floodway, p. 6. neighborhoods. 23. Trinity River Project, Project Memorandum #4, Gen- The primary objective of this sale is "the eral Design Memorandum, Main Report, Draft, U.S. Army stimulation of industrial development in If, as I have suggested, the major Corps of Engineers, August, 1979, p. 153. the southern part of the city. "2 6 Fair thrust of the Economic Development 24. Dallas Floodway, p. 37. enough, but the report goes on to say Advisory Board's recommendations will 25. Dallas Floodway, p. 30. p. 7. "the benefits to be realized by this pro- 26. Encouraging Economic Development, have the same result, then the people of 27. Encouraging Economic Development, p. 7. posal are expressed in the objectives." 2 7 Dallas face an urgent dilemma. For those 28. Encouraging Economic Development, p. 17.

In other words, the benefits of indus- struggling to make ends meet on low and 29. Market Share Study, p. 39. ❑ trialization are simply assumed. Perhaps they should be. After all, America's in- dustrial capacity has been the bedrock of its prosperity, and the decline of the country's industrial productivity has precipitated the decline of its economy. Yet in West Dallas industrialization has largely contributed to the out- GOP Woos Minorities; migration of residents - mostly poor, mostly black and Hispanic citizens. EDAB recognizes that this may well happen in southern Dallas, since "reloca- tion assistance for homeowners, tenants The 67th Stalls Out and small businesses" is a key part of its strategy for inner-city industrial devel- opment. "28 By Mary Lenz Will black and brown minorities in It will be widely argued that indus- America fall into their evil clutches, Austin trialization will provide jobs to the un- lured by dreams of districts of their own, employed of southern Dallas and that Will the evil forces of the international but causing actual loss of pro-minority this overrides any concern about pollu Republican conspiracy, driven by mad voting strength? tion or displacement. Again, however, in lust to seize control of the U.S. Con- West Dallas this has not been the case. gress, succeed in wrenching three new Will lovable, old, fatherly, white liber- Despite close proximity to the job-rich GOP districts from the bowels of Texas? als wind up in the junk heap of history as THE TEXAS OBSERVER 5 minorities take control of their own des- white liberals draw districts for the asked. "You ought to dance with the tinies? Will Jim Mattox ever smile again? blacks and browns and let them one that brung you. Republicans ain't Tune in, same time, same station, to (minorities) have the representation brung nobody black since Reconstruc- the special session of the 67th Texas they deserve," Davis said. tion." legislature where these questions will Davis was asked how the Republicans once again be taken up. The only guaran- were able to make such sweeping gains tee is that the debates on congressional in a legislature controlled by Democrats. Slagle's Ideas In reply he insisted anyone who thought redistricting will probably be more in- This is also the point made by Texas teresting than most summer re-runs. the Republicans were doing well was "sadly misadvised." He said he had Democratic Party Chairman Bob Slagle, The failure of House and Senate con- looked "long and hard" for Republican interviewed in Sherman by telephone ferees to resolve their differences as they gains, but they had gained nothing close after he attended a national committee worked throughout the weekend in the to what the new population patterns war- meeting in Denver. He, said Republicans dying hours of the regular session was are making every effort to get five of six ranted. one of the reasons why Gov. William congressional seats in Colorado and Clements had to call the legislators back Black Democrat Paul Ragsdale was three more in Indiana through redistrict- for a summer session. among minority legislators who had no ing. illusions about Republicans goals. He Republican Clements' determination said it was necessary to make sure "They only need to change 26 seats in that the conferees carve out a black con- minorities get their fair share of repre- Congress," Slagle said. "One or two gressional district in Dallas, assuring an sentaticin, "but we must also be mindful congressional seats in Texas doesn't adjacent Republican seat, clashing with of the fact that we're Democrats and we sound like a lot, but when you put it into the determination of Democrats to pro- can't just do untold damage to the Dem- the national pattern, the Republicans tect Dallas incumbents Martin Frost and ocratic Party and have it continue to be a clearly could pick up enough by redis- Jim Mattox, sent conference committee viable party in the state." tricting to make sure Jim Wright never efforts down in flames. becomes Speaker of the House of Repre- Although the Senate plan would have sentatives, which would be a tragedy for The fight over the Dallas districts was protected incumbents Bill Patman, Mat- Texas. one of the most ironic, pitting some tox and Frost, the House plan paired blacks against their traditional white Patman with Lake Jackson Republican "The interesting byplay to that is that Democratic allies while linking some of Ron" Paul to carve out a Mexican- if Republicans should take over the U.S. them with Republicans such as Irving American South Texas district. The House, the frost-belt states will pick up Rep. Bob Davis and Clements himself. House drew a heavily Republican dis- 69 chairmanships and subchairmanships At stake are three new seats in Con- trict for Mattox and cut considerably and the Sunbelt states would lose 69 gress to be added to the Texans' present into the Democratic strength in Frost's chairmanships and subchairmanships 24, only five which are occupied by Re- district. because Democratic incumbents (from publicans. For a while it looked as if Re- Patman regarded his troubles in the the Sunbelt) rank higher than Republi- publicans might take all three of the new House bill as largely the result of a ven- cans. From a Sunbelt point of view that ones, which would have been a good step detta by Rep. Tim Von Dohlen of would be a real disaster." toward the additional 26 seats they need Goliad. However, Sen. Carlos Truan of Slagle said he did not believe Demo- to hold the majority in the U.S. House, Corpus Christi said that in return for crats in the Texas legislature had been and U.S. Rep. Jim Wright's effort to be- Hispanic support in Corpus Christi in thinking seriously of the national impli- come House Speaker would be dashed 1980, Patman had agreed to help the His- cations during work on redistricting this by a Republican majority there. panics carve out a district from which a session. Trying to explain why an ostensibly Hispanic congressperson could be "I don't care what kind of Democrat Democratic legislature favored Republi- elected. Instead, Truan said with some you are, you're being silly if you don't cans in its redistricting, Rep. Betty Den- anger, Patman had supported a bill that look at those facts and pay attention to ton, Waco, said, "These folks would reduced the Hispanic population in the them," Slagle said. "After we got the rather go with so-called Democrats and district by 10%. House redistricting committee to do Republicans than with any good Demo- Patman's wife Carrin, working the some good things a week before the ses- crat. They prefer to play footsie with the Senate for her husband's interests, said sion ended, the Republicans were run- Republicans." the "Nueces South" district would be ning around all day Monday being mad Republican strategy was simple and 73% Hispanic with or without the east and complaining to the Speaker and deadly: Draw district lines to concen- side of Nueces County. As she saw it, complaining to the conservative Demo- trate as many blacks and Mexican- the Senate was out to "get Bill." On crats, saying it was not a partisan issue Americans as possible, giving them a Truan's charge, she said, "There was no and that it was not Democrats versus chance to . elect their own to Congress, agreement. Yes, I know that I at one Republicans but conservatives versus but cutting down on the total number of time discussed that possibility, but liberals . . . I talked to several House Democrats. This is a strategy the GOP frankly that was before we knew the conservative Democrats and said if has been using nationwide. demographics, what the situation was." that's true then what about Dick Slack Davis, who signed on early with While as congressman Patman must (formerly of Pecos) and Jimmy Mankins House Speaker Billy Clayton's team, got strike a balance between Hispanic and (formerly of Kilgore), who voted a hard a seat on the House redistricting commit- Anglo, she said, what some wanted was a conservative line. Who is in their place tee, which he used to maximum advan- sure-fire Republican and a Mexican- (this session) is Republicans. They didn't tage, though he denied that he would American congressman "darker than" spare them, the Republicans beat them even dream his work could help his party Cong. Abraham Kazen of Laredo. anyway. The Republicans and Clements take control of Congress. "If the GOP is so infatuated and so are out to take every seat they can and to "That's not an issue and it ought not fascinated with helping blacks and beat Democrats of any label, and con- to be. The question is fair districts and browns, why don't they come up with a servative Democrats ought to be aware when we are going to stop letting positive program to help?" Ragsdale of that fact." 6 June 12, 1981 Crucial to the redistricting battle is the same political rating it gave Jim Collins, tee chairman) Tim Von Dohlen does 1965 Voting Rights Act, which prohibits "so if Frost is a terrible liberal, than logi- have a severe personality conflict with the drawing of district lines in a way that cally Jim Collins was pretty wild-eyed, Bill Patman," Slagle said. "Some peo- would dilute or cut down on minority too." ple's concern to gut Bill Patman may voting strength. Many Mexican- make it extremely difficult to draw a Frost and Mattox, working the Senate sensible South Texas map." Slagle said Americans in South Texas and many chamber for their causes, responded to blacks in Dallas see redistricting as a the map would really have to be drawn Clements' call for their political scalps. way to carve out districts for their own. in a distorted way to prevent Patman "He needs to be replaced, too," Frost from being elected. Black members of the Coalition for told the Observer, "and I am anxiously Minority Representation in Dallas ac- awaiting the general election next year to When redistricting comes up again in cused both Ragsdale and Houston's Rep. help the Democratic nominee do it." the special session, Slagle said he will Craig Washington of selling out. At one More acidly, Mattox said of Clements, push for a 21-6 Democrat-Republican point verbal attacks nearly turned to fist- "He oughta tend to his own business be- split in Congress and that he could not icuffs involving Washington. fore we tend to his. We've got John Hill accept giving Republicans eight or nine But Washington, who served on the to blame for all this — he should have districts, as Clements desires. congressional redistricting subcom- won." "There are 112 Democrats in the House and they only need 100 votes to mittee, argued that exchanging one There were reports Mattox was having black congressman for two Democrats override a (Clements) veto," Slagle said. trouble because Jim Wright gets along "There are at least 23 good Democrats in was poor arithmetic and that "pack- with Frost, but not with Mattox, and the ing" minorities into one congressional the Senate, so theoretically you could legislature was therefore favoring Frost. override there, too. It's just a question of district was a mistake. Wright visited the legislature this spring. "I'm concerned that we become one Democrats acting like Democrats." society and anything that works toward Mattox allowed he takes stands on Some legislators have accused House that end is a worthwhile goal," Washing- principle and that sometimes this means Speaker Billy Clayton of bending over ton said. "We are sophisticated enough being abrasive, but he added, "The prob- backwards to help Republicans in the re- that we have arrived at the point where lem wasn't so much (as to) Frost as it districting fight. black people can represent white people was (Cong. Phil) Gramm (of College Sta- San Antonio Rep. Matt Garcia said and white people can represent black tion). If we coulda got Gramm outa the "None of it could have happened had the people and brown people can represent way we coulda done all right by me. The Speaker exercised the control which is either or both. Anything less than that is problem was getting Gramm outa south expected by the party he represents. The patronizing." Dallas County. We finally got that done, Speaker . . . (at that point in the Although Clements and other Texas the senators did it. But then we had a proceedings) has almost assured that the GOP leaders have been waving the ban- problem of shuffling around some Congress of the United States will inherit ner of the Voting Rights Act in calling for minorities. You had to give me some from Texas more Republican con- a black Dallas district, Clements did not counties south like Limestone. But to do gressmen than it has now. Maybe it is the appear and did not send a representative that we had to move Gramm's, and they admission fee to the GOP theater by our to a congressional hearing in Austin on wouldn't." Speaker. I'd like to be wrong, but I don't whether the act should be extended. South Texas was the second major think I am." Many Republicans in Congress are ac- congressional redistricting hangup. "I Slagle said he thought Clayton was tively opposing extension of the act. think we have a little bit of a problem simply not familiar with census lines in Slagle said that "in view of Clements' because (House redistricting commit- urban areas. "I don't think the Speaker and Bob Davis' alleged interest in pro- tecting minorities in congressional redis- tricting in Texas, were they sincere rather than hypocrites, it would seem to me they would go ask for an extension of Sign Right Here, Please the act. My executive director testified Austin the House neared its final deci- there for extension." sions on House redistricting. Early Slagle said one problem was that The raw, self-serving truth of the one morning in the Speaker's quar- Democrats in the Texas legislature are redistricting struggles may be bet- ters, an aide said to Clayton, not used to playing partisan politics. ter understood in a single picture "Well, just let 'em sign their "The Senate has guys like Ike Harris (a than through many stories and ex- maps." "No," Clayton replied, "I Dallas Republican who served on the planations. want all their names on one piece congressional redistricting conference That picture shows the powerful of paper." committee) who has gotten along with Speaker of the Texas House of He called in about 100 members, everybody on a personal basis, a nice Representatives, who has life and about two-thirds of the House. guy, and as a consequence (members death power over the members' This took him the better part of the are) used to thinking about, Do I like or legislation and home-district ap- day. Evidently he did not call in not like the guy regardless of party affili- propriations, calling in members those with whom he has little rap- ation," Slagle said. "But any conserva- one by one, showing each one a port. "He didn't call me back tive Democrats looking after their own proposed map of his or her redis- there," said Rep. Paul Ragsdale, hide had better act like Democrats." tricted home district, and getting the black Democrat from Dallas. each one to sign in writing that he "He's not gonna tell people how Mattox, Frost or she approves the district as many signatures he's got, either." Clements recently said Texas would drawn. He didn't need to. The bill as

be better off without Mattox or Frost. That is what Bill Clayton did as passed was Billy Clayton's. ❑ Slagle pointed out that the national Chamber of Commerce gave Frost the

THE TEXAS OBSERVER 7 had any malicious intent," he said, point- dominated by rural senators, giving Dal- ing out that in legislative redistricting Other Objections las only two fully urban representatives Clayton had moved to protect districts of Legislative redistricting was no less in the Texas Senate. Ragsdale said Texas some political adversaries, including Ted traumatic than the battle over congres- was 80% urban, and redistricting ought Lyon of Mesquite and John Bryant of sional lines. The plan finally passed by to reflect that instead of allowing rural Dallas. the House pairs seven sets of legislators, interests to dominate. Some sources said Clayton has been all Democrats. "Everybody who got Slagle thought the Senate had taken swayed by arguments from Republicans paired was in some sense independent of care of itself "in a very able way" in re- that they had helped him in the past and the team," said Bryant. The Senate plan districting and that most Democrats in it was only fair play that they be given pairs four incumbent senators. Despite the House "didn't let their heads be consideration in redistricting. objections that Republicans were being turned" by Republicans. He said the treated far too well, both the House and In discussing the make-up of the House redistricting "was probably a rea- stalemated congreisional conference the Senate gave the automatic traditional sonable bill." committee, Slagle said he thought Davis approval to each other's plans and sent was "out to do everything to gut Demo- them to the Governor. Although Clayton intervened gra- ciously on behalf of Bryant and Lyon, he crats, which is fine — he has a proper As the House debated its own plan, idea of his function. But I don't think Bill did nothing to stop the pairing of San Antonio's Garcia fought the fight Rockdale's Dan Kubiak and Bill Keese Messer (of Belton) was a good conferee to pair two Republicans in Bexar from the standpoint of the Democratic of Somerville, two of the strongest County rather than two Democrats. House Democrats. Party because he is not partisan- "When I read the list of names to be oriented." paired, I considered it unusual that in In another ironic moment in redistrict- Slagle said there were many other the pairs I did not hear the name of ing, Kubiak was able to pass an amend- conservative to moderate Democrats one single Republican," Garcia said, ment to the House bill that would have from the House redistricting committee asking how a traditionally Democratic saved both men's districts, but he over- who would better serve the party on a area like Bexar County could wind up played his hand in a move to reconsider future conference committee. containing "four safe, smug Republi- and table the amendment (freeze it into can seats." place) and lost both that vote and the Sen. Jack Ogg of Houston, chairman subsequent vote which had to be taken of the Senate's panel on congressional "This bill emasculates Democrats .. . again on the amendment. • redistricting, said of the plan's failure, because Democrats have permitted it," "It was very simple, for political rea- he declared. "Why not pair Republi- "Some of my friends here I thought sons. . . . It really failed because Clem- cans? . . . I guess the estates in which would stay with me vanished," he said ents wanted one concept, Oscar (Mauzy) you live are so far from each other that sadly. another. In the Dallas - Tarrant - Denton - you can't put them in the same district." Collin county area, with five con- The Mexican-American Legal Defense gressmen, each side wanted a three-two Ragsdale and other Dallas representa- and Education Fund may file suit against advantage. I think it was a thing to save tives complained that the Senate plan the House plan on grounds that it dilutes Jim Mattox. Mauzy says it was a thing to chopped up four sections of Dallas and the voting strength of Hispanics, espe- save Democrats." put them into districts which will be cially in El Paso. ❑ As Ogg counts it, conceding the two new Dallas area seats to the GOP, the Democrats would have won the new south Harris County and South Texas seats, and if Bill Patman and Ron Paul had been paired as under the House bill, Solons Fan Twice, the outcome of their election would have decided which party gained as a result of the redistricting.. "Paul told me he did not think he could win (re-election) and Bean Their Batter would move to the new Republican dis- trict," Ogg remarked. MALDEF wanted four majority- Austin "Well," Truan replied, "I don't want just Hispanic districts and one "impact" dis- The morning of the decisive debate in any bill, General," and walked on out trict (a district on which a minority vote the Texas Senate on bilingual education, onto the Senate floor without waiting for has impact). Ogg contended that under Atty. Gen. Mark White was lobbying the White's reply. his plan, "we gave them four," El Paso members on behalf of some kind of bill, That exchange contained the legisla- 65% Hispanic, Laredo 64%, the Valley which he realized was necessary to ture's situation on this subject. Truan 80%, and San Antonio (the Henry Gon- strengthen his court appeal, on behalf of was sitting in the catbird's seat because zalez district) 76%, while Patman's the state, from U.S. District Judge of the court ruling hanging over the legis- would have been an impact district, 45% Wayne Justice's ruling requiring bilin- lature. On the other hand, Justice might Hispanic. But then MALDEF wanted a gual education through high school in be overruled or substantially modified by new district, not in Central but in South Texas as a constitutional right. the higher courts. In this complex situa- Texas, Ogg said, so "we began inching it White was standing at the end of the tion, in separate rounds of decision- down, and Patman was getting it in the Senate press table when Sen. Carlos making, first the Senate majority ; then neck. The more south we went, the Truan, the champion of bilingual educa- the House majority shot Truan right out closer you had to come to pairing Pat- tion in the legislature, passed close to of the catbird's seat. Each time he got man and Paul. But it was MALDEF put- him. They fell into conversation, and up, brushed himself off, and looked his tin' the pressure on." White said, "I just hope we get a bill." peers in the eye until they backed down. 8 June 12, 1981 The clearest example of what was majority supported teaching Spanish- thing like a brucellosis control program, going on was the Grant Jones amend- language children English, but not a there's no problem coming up with the ment to Truan's bill for bilingual educa- bilingual program they suspected might money. But suddenly when we have tion. At present the state requires bilin- aim at keeping the student proficient in children who are defenseless and need gual education for English-deficient stu- both Spanish and English. With only the help, suddenly it's not there, it's not dents from kindergarten through the minor difficulty Truan persuaded the there in the appropriations bill." And third grade and provides it optionally Senate to reject the House amendments, that is the way it turned out. through the fifth. This is the system Jus- and in conference, once again, the four- So if Judge Justice's ruling brought tice held unconstitutional and ordered years-only amendment was withdrawn. the solons to bat on bilingual education, replaced by a six-year phase-in of a pro- As finally passed, Truan's bill requires the Senate struck out, the' House struck gram through the 12th grade. The bilingual education through the elemen- out, and fmally Truan,got on first when amendment by the Abilene Democrat tary grades (either the fifth or the sixth, he was beaned for the second time by limited a student's participation in bilin- depending on the school), with optional players on his own team. Whether he gual classes to four consecutive years, programs for school districts that want gets on around the bases to score, or the after which he or she would have to be them through the eighth grade. Snelson game is called because of darkness in shifted to a program stressing intensive said the Senate conferees on appro- Washington, or Judge Justice is declared English. Obviously the present program, priations tried hard, but could get only the winner and bilingual education is in- kindergarten through the third grade, is $57 per student for the program. Rep. stituted through the 12th grade, remains exactly four years long. Garcia had said, "When it's for some- now to be seen. R.D. By the time the Jones amendment reached the floor Truan knew the oppo- nents of bilingual education had set out to kill his bill, even though he had cut it back from a 12th-grade proposal to man- datory bilingual courses through the elementary grades. Senators Look Back Testimony at the committee stage, never disputed in the Senate debate, tended to show that $150 per pupil is about the right amount for adequate On Gains and Ruin bilingual education. Truan nevertheless cut the spending he proposed to $100 per pupil. Sen. Pete Snelson, Midland, an Austin The sponsor of that bill, Ed Howard of adversary of bilingual education, but like In the Senate during the closing days Texarkana, naturally did not share White determined on the passage of of the legislature's closing session, the Parker's view. "I feel good about the some kind of bill, cut this back to $50 by Observer asked a cross-section of the 31 wiretapping bill," he said. "I do believe amendment, the while assuring Truan members what they had accomplished that it is a tool that we need. I get con- that the Senate conferees would try for personally and what were the best and cerned about rights of the individual, and more in the appropriations conference worst things the legislature has done. that's a difficult one to come to grips committee. Truan went along, even The most remarkable response came with. But which is the overriding factor, though present spending per-pupil in the from Sen. Carl Parker of Port Arthur. that or drugs? If that means some incur- program, he said, is $45 per pupil, and This session? "Aaaghr!" he replied. sion of their rights. . . . Now, the inno- about half that stays at the state level. "There was the solid waste act. I did cent, of course: but there's that presump- But how much would he go along with? good things locally. . . . But good this tion of the probabilty that the people Little by little, Senate amendments session, anything really outstanding? (tapped) are under probable cause." chewed at the Truan bill until finally Naw. In the drug bills, the only thing we Howard lauded, too, establishment of Jones came forward with his killer. did that might abate the big-league deal- an adult probation system and most of Truan told the Senate clearly that this ers' activity is the million-dollar fines the war on drugs bills. He said that after proposal gutted the bill; the Senate that can be collected in their property. voting for all amendments to reduce the promptly enacted it. Truan had fought That gets to the folks that pal around 30% interest-ceiling bill to 24%, he voted the amendments of the opponents for with Ross Perot at the Country Club, it for the 24% "reluctantly." hours, but at this point, the fight over, he ain't people sellin' bongs at Oat The Senate's only woman member, seemed relieved. He made it perfectly Willie's." Betty Andujar of Fort Worth, said the clear to reporters that while he would Well, what were the worst things the legislature's chief accomplishment is think about it a day or two, he was pre- session did? "The worst bill I ever voted going home. "I don't believe in the pas- pared to withdraw his proposal entirely. for," Parker said, "was the wiretapping, sage of a lot of legislation," she said. "I This was his hole card. If in disgust he and I did it because most of my con- just service my constituents. I'm not try- withdrew his bill, the message to the stituents wanted it and as a noble exper- ing to do anything." courts, considering Justice's ruling on iment and to see if it will do any good. I She was worried that the law setting appeal, would be unmistakable. White really don't think it will, but maybe it curriculum requirements for the public moved into action to get Jones to will." schools, including Texas history and free withdraw his amendment, which after a This didn't answer the question, what enterprise and its benefits, left enforce- weekend had passed Jones did. was the worst law passed by the session. ment in the hands of the same educa- But then, despite similar pleas by Rep. The morning of the last day Parker ap- tional establishment that's been running Matt Garcia of San Antonio, the House proached the Observer reporter and things up to now. Kids these days, she of Representatives enacted a carbon added, "After thinking about it, I think said, think that what's right or wrong copy of the Jones amendment. Basically, wiretapping was probably the worst bill concerns things like "not squealing on like the Senate majority, the House we passed." their friends." Meanwhile, "our govern- THE TEXAS OBSERVER 9 ment has become a piñata and each other will do more good and help 50% now charged on a loan of $110 down everyone's just in there grabbin' . . ." each other more than tappin' each oth- to 24% on it), but lost that, too. As for concern about the dependent ers' telephones," Wilson said. He was pleased that the legislature in- children for whom Texas provides His work on prisons is a source of Sen. creased pensions for teachers who have $33.80 a month — the 49th lowest Ray Farabee's satisfaction for the ses- been long retired and, in a move to take stipend in the country — Andujar said, sion, especially the establishment of more account of inflation, reduced the "Don't forget that Mother is often get- half-way parole houses. The revision of wage-base period for computing ting other help, food stamps, medicaid, the intermediate court system should re- teachers' pensions from five to three and maybe even rent supplements, so it duce emphasis on harsh sentences and years. He thought it well that the legisla- isn't as bad as it looks. Welfare has be- increase emphasis on swift sentencing, ture raised the welfare ceiling. come a secondary currency in this coun- he thought. He passed a bill increasing For many years liberals, starting with try." penalties for carrying large quantities of Don Kennard of Fort Worth, have car- drugs. His anti-fraud bill concerning ads ried bills to establish a statewide system for "business opportunities" was EN. BOB VALE of San Antonio of juvenile probation for counties that do S enacted. His proposal to modify the was relieved that Clayton's water trust not have their own systems. This session notorious Texas habitual criminal stat- fund did not pass. The legislators can Sen. Bill Meier, Euless, successfully ute, which incarcerates people for life for appropriate only 18% or so of the state's bore this idea into law. Farabee was third-degree felonies such as check- revenues already because of dedicated ready to kill it if the judiciary was given passing, lost, he thinks perhaps because funds, and the trust fund would just put control of it; heretofore, the judges have of resistance from Gov. Clements. He yet more of the money beyond appro- been a powerful negative force against carried the little-noticed abolition of the priation, he said. letting the state executive have control basic Texas inheritance tax. of it. This session Farabee and Meier As for wiretapping, he asked, "What is Farabee sees not as much problem worked out a compromise between these there to prevent an unknown informant two elements that enabled the system to whose name is never revealed and never about the wiretapping bill as some do — "there hasn't been that much abuse on be established and some money allo- has to appear in court, engaging in drugs, cated for it. The system will be run by whether for political espionage or for re- the federal level," he said. He regretted that the sunset process did not result this three juvenile judges and six appointed taliatory reasons or for harassment from non-judges. making a charge, and then the police go session in a more open process for the delivery of health care in Texas. Meier, who has been working on the into a home or business and rummage subject since 1975, said the idea has been around and listen to all that's said. The A bedrock conservative from Wichita to get away from just declaring a trouble- potential for abuse is so much greater Falls, Farabee nevertheless thought the some youth a delinquent and sending than the potential for success. . . . law authorizing a 24% interest ceiling him to Gatesville and to find "alterna- "What is to prevent an over-zealous was bad. He tried to prohibit variable tives to incarceration," specially-tailored officer from carrying the dope in there rates on loans of $25,000 or more, but programs to address problems like and dropping it there? I have had clients, lost that. He wanted to scale up the size truancy and the youngsters who are one who swears all day long he never of bucket-shop loans to lower the rates classified "in need of supervision." The would use marijuana, a respected man," on them (for example, from the 40% or legislature provided start-up money of $7 who had this happen. "They wanta get at million for the new system this year. somebody, they'll have an unknown un- Meier carried two of Clements' five named informant and then they'll go in drug bills, including the one making it a there and plant the drugs. They've done Editor's Note felony for anyone 18 or over to pass that," Vale said. "The informant is usu- Austin drugs to anyone 17 or younger, even as ally a sleazy character." much as two or three marijuana ciga- A senator reported to be suffering The regular session of the legis- rettes. The wiretap bill, which Meier from terminal cancer, John Wilson of La lature adjourned without acting on supported in Senate debate, he calls "a Grange, was proud that he achieved the congressional redistricting, the se- real victory for law enforcement." The appropriation of $8 million into local al- rious need for college construction Criminal Justice Planning Fund, he coholism and drug-abuse programs. He funds for institutions outside the pointed out, is more major than it ap- was also proud of his $5 duck-hunting Permanent University Fund, the pears; for instance, these funds paid for a stamp, the revenue from which is dedi- medical practices act, and the false store-front fencing operation in cated to the preservation of waterfowl Clayton water trust fund plan. Fort Worth that led to many arrests of habitat. "I'm a waterfowl hunter, and it's Gov. Clements has called a 30-day people selling stolen property. added a lot to the quality of my life," he special session July 13 on these said. subjects except college construc- Meier felt, though, that there was far tion and on revision of the prop- too little legislative involvement in Wilson was pleased that attempts to spending the $26 billion state budget. curb money-market funds and to allow erty tax code and repeal of the state ad valorem tax. Next issue "The Legislative Budget Board spent all chain retailers into insurance were the money before the legislature got here killed. The crime bills were more show we shall run a topic-by-topic sum- mation of the regular session's and then gave us a budget and said 'see if than substance, he said, requiring you can cut it 25%,' " he said. triplicate prescriptions "a joke" that may outcomes. In the context of the catch "a few doctors," but that's all. forthcoming special session, we Freshman Republican Mike Richards shall be dealing further with the of Sugarland exulted in the passage of "Unless we make some changes in our legislature's unfinished agenda, Clements' law and order bills, and he society," he said, "we'll probably have other than congressional redistrict- said, "we did the teachers right." the crime and drug problems continue," ing on which we focus in the cur- changes like bilingual education, helping rent issue. — Ed. juveniles, programs against alcoholism. JOHN TRAEGER, the senator from "Better morals and a better respect for Seguin, was pleased teachers are now all 10 June 12, 1981 guaranteed access to term-life insurance, systems that are not common carriers whether their local school districts pro- will not be classified as utilities (and thus vide it or not, by the legislature's provi- will not be regulated by the state). sion for an insurance pool for them. He McKnight contended he had no con- Border Studies thought this could provide insurance to flict of interest here because his gas lines about 11,000 retired teachers not now "just carry my stuff." It is lines that covered. Traeger also rejoiced about the carry others' gas that are affected, he enactment of the bill carried by Sen. seemed to be arguing. The new law "lets Kent Caperton, Bryan, which provided fields sell you gas when there's only one due-process guarantees for teachers. system rather than everyone buying their Traeger himself handled one of the bills own system," he said. setting up mechanisms concerning ra- He blamed Clements for "waving his dioactive waste. hand" to defeat the program to set up a "I think it's a been a good session," fund to finance college construction out- Traeger said. He's never worked harder; side the Permanent University Fund. as chairman of the finance committee, he "Most of the crime bills are good," but said, he passed 45 bills and handled not wiretapping, he said. another 47.' "The whole session I didn't Mexicano play poker once, and I got to the Quorum Resistance Club only twice," he said. (The club is a A 15-YEAR legislative veteran, local hang-out for politicians and lob- Sen. Lindon Williams of Houston, in the Southwest byists.) handled the Agent Orange legislation, "The Sacred Right He regretted the water trust plan putting the state on the side of Vietnam of Self-Preservation" failed; he said "it's obviously a water veterans who believe they were damaged By Robert J. Rosenbaum plan," despite its sponsors' denials it was by the insecticide used there. "The fed- Here is a vivid account of the protest that. He thought the House-passed pro- eral government is sittin' up there and violent resistance of mexicano posal to entirely lift the welfare ceiling frankly not doin' anything" for these residents of the United States against would have been rejected by the voters, veterans, he said. (After the Texas ac- Anglo-American encroachment and whereas the Senate's proposal, which tion, the U.S. House passed a bill of domination in Texas, New Mexico, prevailed, to limit welfare spending to similar import.) Williams also sponsored and California from 1848 to 1916. 1% of the state budget "will pass." a bill intended to hurt the Vietnamese Rosenbaum has written a history from Under the 1% proposal, as Traeger fig- shrimpers in their competition with na- the "bottom up," using oral history ures it, the ceiling would go from its tive fisherman on the coast by setting a and mexicano folksongs along with a present $80 million to about $220 million daily 2 p.m. curfew on shrimping, but' it wide range of local documents, at present budgetary levels. failed. The big open-Gulf shrimping archival materials, and Spanish- firms. did not want it, he said. language newspapers. An East Texan, Sen. Roy Blake of $14.95 Nacogdoches, was satisfied with passage Williams makes a charge against of his bill providing stricter and tougher Speaker Bill Clayton that might rever- requirements for unemployment com- berate next spring if Clayton runs for The Border pensation in Texas. He regretted the de- statewide office. According to Williams, Economy feat of his measure to provide localities Clayton killed legislation to sell $250 mil- lion in general bonds needed to continue Regional Development $50 million to repair bridges and roads. in the Southwest He thought that changes in the county the veteran's land program. By Niles Hansen property tax appraisal system made it "The Speaker got it tangled up in more palatable and that to be honest, leverage on behalf his HJR 33," the The borderlands region represents a most dislike of the system has been water trust fund plan, Williams said. "He unique laboratory for international caused by local officials' application of it wouldn't let it go through. . . . He killed cooperation. Both sides of the border it over there. He has shut down a pro- exist in a symbiotic relationship that rather than by the system itself. frequently is neither appreciated nor San Antonio's cagy Glenn Kothmann gram for 1,221,000 veterans in this understood in Mexico City or Wash- state." Williams said he wrote Clayton a said, "I play mostly defense up here. . I'm ington. Hansen analyzes the border not a strong advocate of a lot of legisla- letter soberly confronting him about it, economy in terms of the historical tion. I believe people who govern least but got nowhere. All this could be espe- role of Mexican labor in the South- cially serious for Clayton if he runs for govern best." But, "We've passed some ' west and finds that Mexican labor, crime package bills that I think are land commissioner, since that official whether legal or undocumented, has good." He could not divine why a Dem- runs the veterans' land program. been a valuable asset in the growth ocratic legislature would carve out three Legislation to set up a veterans' hous- and development of the economy of new Republican congressional districts. ing loan program along lines similar to the Southwest. "My good friend Jim Mattox got raped in the land program was handled by $17.95 cloth, $8.95 paper Dallas," he said. Even "the dean of the Kothmann. At his request Williams tried Senate," Sen. Chet Brooks of Pasadena, to pass it through, but it lost. "didn't get a (congressional) district he Musing in his office the day after final can win," Kothmann marveled. adjournment, Sen. Jack Ogg of Houston, A gubernatorial candidate among the - the new president pro-tern of the Senate, senators, Peyton McKnight of Tyler, said, "Some people were saying last sponsored a bill that passed to deregulate night (during the ceremonies installing gas-gathering systems, one of which he him) that I never vote consistently. owns. The measure, covering pipeline- Maybe it's because I'm a lawyer, maybe University of Texas Press to-pipeline sales, says that gas-gathering it's because I don't have any convic- PO BOX 7819 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78712 THE TEXAS OBSERVER 11 tions. I hope that's not it, because I do bill, he believes, makes it more feasible Rep. Dan Kubiak of Rockdale, who have on some issues. I listen to both for Texans to buy houses by expanding wound up being paired with Rep. Bill sides and sometimes I'm convinced by the availability of credit. He is distressed Keese of Somerville, said he thought the the force of this argument, sometimes that the increase in the biennial state redistricting bill was the worst legislation the other." budget, $5 billion, is almost as much as passed. He agreed with Davis on the in- He was pleased that his last-days' ploy the total state budget ten years ago. clusion of khool finance in the appro- priations bill enabling legislators "to lock to get a higher hontestead exemption for As for the state's 232,106 dependent out dollars for teachers' and public em- Harris County than for the rest of the children who have been receiving $33.80 ployees' salaries before anybody else state eventuated in a higher exemption per month from the state, Leedom de- grabbed it out of the bag." The salary statewide (up to 40% to 1984, up to 30% cried thinking that the solution to so through 1987, and up to 20% thereafter). hikes were not enough, but represented many problems is "just more money." progress, he said. "The last three days, you know," he He lamented the fact the legislators said, "if anybody wants to get mean made "no effort to really get tough with . . ." On this, he did, with a minifilibus- the father who's not paying his child ter that achieved its purpose in 20 or 30 support." 90% Hurt minutes. "I guess the worst is the interest rate Ogg thought the bilingual education "After all," Senator Leedom said, bill and the best is raising the constitu- bill salubrious. He didn't agree on "somebody screwed somebody. We tional ceiling on welfare," said Houston wiretapping, "though I didn't do much to ought to track that guy down and be sure Rep. Craig Washington. stop it because it was futile." that he pays his child support." Oth- erwise, he said, "you have this little old Actually the legislature passed "a Among the bills Republican John Lee- woman on a fixed income paying taxes to whole bunch" of bad laws, Washington dom of Dallas is proud of passing is one support some guy out havin' a good said. "Most of the bills we pass don't do that lets officers seeing an assault in time." anything, but of the ones that pass that progress stop it immediately without fall into the hurt or help categories, 90% having to leave the scene to get authority He's going to do something about this of 'em hurt somebody. They're on the to stop it. He approves of the various problem, Leedom said. "I'll be calendar every day." anti-crime bills. The 24% interest-rate back." R.D. "The worst things are the tremendous number of bills passed under the guise of law and order which will do nothing but fool the public into thinking they are bet- ter off," said Rep. Debra Danburg of Houston. She said the anti-crime meas- The Worst of the Best . . . ures had been tried nationally by the Nixon administration and have already failed. Danburg said the legislature Er, Best of the Worst? "exemplified the whole problem of peo- ple who claim to be conservative and for limited government, but vote consis- Austin heck of a lot." She said the bill setting a tently for government intervention so It was the best of times, it was the 24% ceiling on interest rates for con- long as it is in favor of multinational cor- worst of times. sumer loans was "the most abominable" porations. They believe in limited gov- Well, no. Maybe it was the worst of piece of legislation, with the priorities ernment until it comes to the woman's times and the somewhat less bad of evidenced in the appropriations bill a right to choose or the use of telephones times. Or — scratch that .. . close second. for communications of which they dis- Maybe it was the not - very - good - in - "I think Jim Hightower described the approve." general of times, and the not - as - abso- session quite properly, 'rape, rob, and Danburg said the legislature passed lutely - terrible - as - it - could - have - been - pillage.' It has been, it really has been "very little" good legislation, though she but - close of times. that," Denton said. felt good about staving off most of the 20 Anyway, it was the regular session of Rep. Bob Davis of Irving said he anti-choice abortion bills floating around the 67th Texas legislature and it left more thought one of the best things accom- this session. than one lawmaker scratching his or her plished was dealing with school finance Rep. Ernestine Glossbrenner of Alice head and wondering just what of any in the appropriations bill, rather than as a said her favorite bill this session was the benefit was accomplished for the people separate measure. He said passage of the one granting teachers not covered by of Texas. bilingual education bill was the worst be- continuing contracts the right of due When asked by Observer reporters for cause it is tantamount to saying that process if they faced dismissal by their their opinions as to the best and worst "Mexican-Americans are incapable of school boards. She called this "landmark legislation passed this session, moderate learning English," which Republican legislation" because previously teachers and liberal House members frequently Davis says is an insult to their intelli- without contracts in many smaller towns cited redistricting, 24% interest rates, gence. and rural areas could be dismissed with and wiretapping as the worst bills, but Rep. Fred Agnich, Dallas, said pass- no reason. She also said it was "a good many of them were unable to think of age of the bills in the Governor's crime day for me" when the House voted to anything of major significance they package, including wiretap and oral con- switch funds for air-conditioning state would nominate for best. fessions and stiffer penalties for drug buildings to providing services for "I can't think of anything good just sales, were the best moves, and "I really abused children. right off the bat," said Betty Denton of don't think this session has passed any Glossbrenner said the worst bills were Waco, "We haven't been able to stop a really horribly bad bills." "all those bills infringing on a citizen's 12 June 12, 1981 (Advertisement)

El Salvador: A flashpoint in U.S.-Mexican relations?

By ROBERT KRUEGER white paper on Communist influence in El Salvador only docu- On Jan. 5 then-President-elect Reagan extended a symbolic ments the obvious. abrazo, or embrace, to Mexico's President Jose Lopez Portillo Of all aspects of its foreign policy, Mexico has for years been on a bridge over the Rio Grande joining Mexico and the United proudest of its independence. Mexicans remember offering States. In the traditional exchange, the Mexican president pre- sanctuary to Leon Trotsky and to the Shah of Iran, and be- sented Reagan with books on Mexican history, and the U.S. friending Salvador Allende's Chile when the United States re- President gave Lopez Portillo a rifle. Some cartoonists found jected it. One way, often the only way, in which Mexico can the gifts, as presidential adviser Richard Allen said of the meet- manifest its independence from its powerful neighbor is to be ing, "rich in symbolism." demonstrably independent of U.S. policy. To hold the respect Cartoonists and gifts aside, however, Reagan wisely showed of his people, a. Mexican president must show some distance or sensitivity to Mexico's pride and international importance by aloofness from Washington, just as a U.S. President must show meeting Lopez Portillo before any other head of state. In June interest in lessening that distance. This poignant reality is but there has been the two-day meeting in Washington, and the one consequence of the disparity in military, economic and po- presidents will meet again. The question that arises is: Can the litical weight between the two neighbors. new Administration maintain its sensitivity to Mexico's unique Is friendship then impossible? No, for we can maintain both hemispheric position despite that nation's opposition to Rea- friendship and a good working relationship by keeping our own gan's efforts to highlight El Salvador as a place of East-West priorities clear and by recognizing that, where there is no ideological conflict? chance of accord, it is neither good manners nor good diplo- macy to expect it. If so, the Administration must first understand that winning The question is not our policy in El Salvador. Allegations of Mexican agreement on our policy toward El Salvador is impos- Communist aid from Cuba and Soviet satellites to Salvadoran sible. Because Mexico lost half its territory to the United States insurgents are undeniable. And Reagan undeniably has a man- and has no hope of recovering it, it is profoundly suspicious of date from the American people to take a firm position against U.S. military activity or assistance anywhere in Latin America. Communist expansion. But neither he nor Lopez Portillo re- Mexico is also the only country in this hemisphere that never ceived such a mandate from the Mexican people. Attractive as broke diplomatic relations with Cuba or engaged in an eco- it may be in military and logistic terms to "send the Soviets a nomic blockade against it. If forced to choose, Mexico will side message" via El Salvador, it is not equally attractive in terms of with Cuba. It sees Cuba as sharing in its history of suffering hemispheric politics. The Administration should keep its El U.S. aggression and economic domination, and as linked with Salvador policy as separate as it can from our relationship with Mexico by culture and experience. Until now, Mexico has iden- Mexico. tified itself sympathetically with the concerns of Cuba without Lopez Portillo seeks to balance left and right in his diplo- in any way embracing the Soviet Union. To most Mexicans, macy. One day he receives Gen. Walters; the next day he meets being pro-Cuba does not mean being either pro-Soviet or pro- publicly with a Cuban official. One week he praises Castro; the Communist. If Washington implies that, by identifying with next week Mexican government officials report that purchase of Cuba, Mexico is embracing the Soviet Union, we may be en- U.S.-manufactured military aircraft is imminent. Lopez Portillo couraging an embrace that neither we nor the Mexicans want. seeks to balance his relations. Reagan must do the same. The actual ties between Mexico and the Kremlin are few. In 1979, for example, total U.S.-Mexican trade was 1,000 times Mexico has profound importance to the United States. It is greater than that between Mexico and the Soviet Union. The our third-largest trading partner; in fact, our trade volume with Mexican government urgently wants not to have this hemi- Mexico tripled during the last four years. Mexico is fifth in sphere become a place of ideological warfare and East-West world oil reserves, and could rise to second place before the end conflict. of the decade. And it is also our neighbor, with whom we are Another reason Mexico will never side with us on El Sal- linked by blood, culture, history, land and destiny. We must not vador is that its government feels obliged to support, verbally if allow a desire to "show the Soviets" or "draw the line" to cloud not financially, most revolutionary 'movements in the hemi- our judgment on priorities. Nor can we allow our legitimate sphere. While Mexico has a non-revolutionary social structure interest in the well-being of the people and government of El today, it has a revolutionary past and a great pride in the Mexi- Salvador to affect unduly our relations with a nation many times can revolution. The political party that has governed Mexico for larger than El Salvador and on our border. more than a half-century is called the Party of the In- The days ahead may subject U.S. poliCy to criticism from stitutionalized Revolution. The Mexican government is com- Mexican officials and vituperation from the Mexican press. If mitted to the notion of social revolution, and finds it politically so, a proper respect for our own priorities would counsel mod- unacceptable and ideologically untenable to oppose the Sal- eration in response and magnanimity in attitude. One of the vadoran guerrillas. best-known dichos (sayings) of former Mexican President Be- We have sent Gen. Vernon A. Walters; former deputy head nito Juarez is "El respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz" (The of the Central Intelligence Agency, to Mexico with documents respect for the rights of others is the basis for peace). identifying Communist involvement in supplying arms to El Salvador. To us, the documents are condemning; to Mexico, Robert Krueger was U.S. ambassador-at-large and coor- they are irrelevant. Mexico expects insurgents against an estab- dinator for Mexican affairs from July, 1979, to February, 1981. lished oligarchy or fledgling junta to look for arms not in the Previously he served two terms as a member of the House of United States but in Cuba. From that perception, the U.S. Representatives from Texas. He lives in New Braunfels, Tex.

This essay first appeared in the March 9, 1981 Los Angeles Times. Reprinted by permission. (Here slightly adapted.)

A Public Service Message from the American Income Life Insurance Co.—Executive offices, Waco, Texas—Bernard Rapoport, Chairman of the Board right to privacy like wiretapping, This was Garcia's fifth term in the Orange bill as one of the best passed. triplicate prescriptions, and requiring pa- House, and he said this session was the The bill, by Rep. Larry Don Shaw of rental consent for abortions." She con- worst one he has participated in — "and Big Spring, allows the state to file suit sidered the bill cutting unemployment there is not just a faint line of demarca- against the federal government for not benefits "an anti-woman bill and an tion (between it and previous sessions), providing medical records or reports anti-family bill. It is hard to understand on there is a gap wide enough to drive a Agent Orange to veterans who seek such that all those pro-family groups do not Mack truck through." Redistricting col- support it." information. It requires doctors to sub- ored every action of the House as mem- mit reports on Agent Orange patients to Rep. Von Dohlen of Goliad said he did bers were promised safe districts if they the State Health Department. not get much time off redistricting work went along with the Speaker's team, he said. "It was pioneering legislation, vital to consider other areas, but he did think and the first time a state did something the generic drug bill, allowing pharma- Agnich, however, felt it had been a like that," said Gaston. "I'm proud that cists to substitute generic for name- much more harmonious session than any Texas passed it." brand drugs, was one of the better laws of the six in which he served. "While "I think one of the worst things that passed. He also said wiretap was one of redistricting was a painful process, it was the best, "helping solve one of the most happened was the interest rate in- nothing compared to 1971 which was ab- crease," said Paul Ragsdale of Dallas, "I vicious conditions which exists in our solutely brutal," Agnich said. society — the problem of drug traffick- think it was terrible. But what have we ing." done that was worth a damn? That's a Agent Orange little more difficult, trying to re_ member San Antonio's Matt Garcia said the re- out of all this maze of junk." districting bill was the worst bill passed "By and large I have never seen a ses- this session because it showed "total in- sion which turned out so much garbage Ragsdale said one of his most satisfy- sensitivity of leadership to input from which is going to be harmful to the future ing moments was when the House voted members of this House." He said redis- of this state," declared Rep. Frank Gas- to pair Dallas freshman Steve Wolens tricting ought to be taken out of the ton of Dallas. He said the worst legisla- with Rep. Lanell Cofer. Wolens had orig- hands of the legislature entirely. tion considered were House Joint Reso- inally been paired with Ragsdale. "It was lutions 33 and 111, the Speaker's water an overwhelmingly popular amend- the legendary and higher education fund plans, both of ment," Ragsdale grinned. Cofer toward which were killed. If those .had passed, the end of the session had accused Gaston said, they would have mortgaged Ragsdale of threatening to kill her, and RAW DEAL the state and made new taxes inevitable. she was among Dallas blacks angered by Steaks, Chops, Chicken "We have a water problem and it must the work of Ragsdale and Washington to open lunch and evenings preserve two Democratic ipcumbent 605 Sabine, Austin No Reservations be solved, but you can't solve it by put- ting surplus revenue into a water fund congressmen at the expense of a black with no ceiling." district. Ragsdale said the most significant as- "The Miracle of the KILLER Gaston and others cited the Agent pect of the session "was not legislation at BEES: 12 $enators Who Changed all, it was Bob Davis. I must applaud Texas Politics," by Robert Heard. Bob Davis who served as a catalyst to "Heard has done Texas history a bring cohesion to the Democratic party. valuable service with his sparkling Quite frankly Davis' efforts to reappor- account . . . probably in human tion the whole state by himself brought innys unprecedented unity to the Democrats." COPYING SERVICE ' terms the most dramatic legislative episode in modern times. Teachers g "One of the worst ones was the inter- of Texas government and history Copying • Binding est rate bill. It was horrible," said Irma could have their students read this Rangel of Kingsville. "The triplicate pre- book with much benefit as well as Printing • Col& Copying scription bill was terrible. Wiretapping is enjoyment . . . Heard's accounts of Graphics •Word Processing horrible." the Bees in hiding are the pure gold Asked what she saw on the bright side, of real history." Austin • Lubbock • San Marcos she replied, "It hasn't been very bright. – Ronnie Dugger Bexar County and El Paso redistricting Texas Observer . . . they're true Texas heroes .. . many wonderful photographs, in- REBIRTH OF RADICALISM: cluding several previously unpub- LESSONS FROM THE 60'S FOR THE 80'S lished, of the nine Dora McDonald An Evening with Bees in their hideout . . . (On book store shelves) It ought to be, right DAVE DELLINGER beside the Alamo books." anti-war activist, former defendant in the Chicago 7 trial, author of REVOLUTIONARY – Bryan Woolley NON-VIOLENCE and MORE POWER THAN WE KNOW. Dallas Times Herald Wednesday, June 17 Thursday, June 18 University of Texas Honey Hill Publishing Co., 1022 University of Texas At Dallas, Green Bldg., At Austin, Academic Bonham Terr., Austin, Tex. $8.98 Room 2.302 Center Auditorium by mail, including tax and postage. 8:00 PM 8:00 PM • Available in some book stores at $7.95 plus tax. For information call the American Friends Service Committee, Austin (512) 474-2399.

14 June 12, 1981 was bad. Bilingual was somewhat On the negative side, Wieting said zales amendments, which Parker said watered down. And we've been losing teachers and state employees are "way "were not very palatable basically to the too many we've tried to kill." underpaid" and that the legislature industrial interests in the state" and spends too much for brick and mortar might "disrupt industry." Rep. Chris Semos of Dallas said that rather than for people. He said some the death of initiative and referendum "Compromised" away by the Parker teachers are making so little money they substitute were amendments which and the attempts to repeal blue laws have to take second jobs, and the failure would be negative aspects of the session. would have: of the legislature to address this issue — Required the Department of Water He said attempts to provide for school- was one of the biggest disappointments. ing for children of illegal aliens was on Resources to have a "laundry list" of the plus side, and the water fund would criteria for detefrnining whether a have been good. He said it was good to Wiretap Worst hazardous waste disposal site should be granted a permit; conclude a session with no new taxes. "The worst without question is the — Set special requirements for dispo- Rep. Jerry Benedict of Alvin said the surreptitious entry bill," said Rep. John Bryant, Dallas, "because it authorizes sal of hazardous industrial wastes in a interest rate was the worst bill and, even 100-year floodplain; though he voted for many War on Drugs people to go in your house and plant a bills, they were also bad. He was sur- bug." Though teachers' salaries were — Encouraged industry to consider prised that the Agent Orange bill, a good raised, Texas still has not made an in- the alternatives of recycling and waste one, passed. depth commitment to education, he said. reduction: "We're just down at 40th position or — Allowed a commissioners court to Corpus Christi Rep. Arnold Gonzales below in almost every category of educa- suggest an alternative site when a said the legislature failed to come out tional excellence," he said. hazardous waste disposal site has been with good regulation of chemical waste. "The House passed education for un- proposed within the county. "The chemical companies were too Parker's testimony prompted Rick strong," he said. "It's hard to convince documented children. We lifted the ceil- Lowerre, the Capitol representative for people that chemical waste is dangerous ing for AFDC," said Rep. Gonzalo Bar- the Sierra Club's Lone Star Chapter, to because they don't see the mushroom rientos, Austin. As for bad stuff, Barrien- testify he thought Parker "did not under- cloud." tos named interest rates, a bill instructing juries on state parole laws, watering stand some of the amendments attached On the plus side, Gonzales listed the down bilingual education; he thought the on the House floor." Agent Orange bill, the generic drug bill, wiretap bill the worst of all. The House teacher pay raises, and money for autis- congressional redistricting plan was OR EXAMPLE, Parker declared, • tic children and for diagnosing children "atrocious, obscene. This House over- F with heart ailments. "Gonzales had a restriction against dis- whelmingly Democratic votes to put out posal anywhere you had a 100-year flood a plan with three new Republicans. I Corpus Christi's Leroy Wieting said plain." As a senator from the Golden the legislature passed a number of good nearly resigned that day." The session, Triangle in the frequently swampy, low- agricultural measures, including one to his fourth, was, he said, "the worst I've lying Gulf Coast, Parker said he was provide more money for experimental ever been in . . . the others don't com- fearful this "would stop almost all opera- stations and another exempting livestock pare with this one." tions in my entire district. . . . There's from the property tax. MARY LENZ hardly anywhere on the Gulf Coast that hadn't been flooded at least once in the last hundred years. We let refineries, synthetic rubber plants, fertilizer plants and everything else operate. It does not make sense to mandate that they haul all Parker's Deadly Kidding their waste here to Austin to the Hill Country." As Lowerre noted, the bill "did not veto siting in the 100-year flood plain. All On Hazardous Wastes it did was say if you're going to site there, you've got to do it so you do not waste disposal that had cleared the cause contamination," precisely because By Paul Sweeney House of Representatives in April. With there is so much flooding in these indus- backing from the Sierra Club, the Texas trialized areas. Austin Farm Bureau, the League of Women When it came to the commissioners "Did you know that horse manure is Voters and the Oil, Chemical and Atomic court amendment, Parker charged incor- classified as Class I hazardous waste?" Workers, Rep. Arnold Gonzales of Cor- rectly that the provision meant "com- Senator Carl Parker, a Port Arthur Dem- pus Christi had managed to win approval missioners court could come in there and ocrat, joked during a Senate natural re- of seven tough amendments to the veto that (site) and mandate that you go sources committee hearing, at which House bill introduced by Rep. Jerry to an alternative site selected by them." only two of the eleven committee mem- Clark of Buna. Moreover, Parker warned darkly that bers were present to enjoy his gift for Enter Senator Parker. With less than a this law would encourage graft and cor- comedy. "That would come as a big week to go in the session, before a hur- ruption. A county commissioner might shock to my granddaddy." ried meeting of the natural resources choose a more expensive site belonging to a friend of a commissioner's because While Parker drew laughs with his raff- committee, he presented a bill that he said was "an attempt to blend or to com- the official "wants to make his friend ish sense of humor, there was nothing rich. You might find one bad apple." funny about the way he adroitly disman- promise — and it's strictly my compro- tled House Bill 1407, a potentially strong mise, because it's nobody else's." The And Parker opposed the "laundry list" piece of legislation governing hazardous substitute eliminated most of the Gon- of siting issues on the argument that THE TEXAS OBSERVER 15 the Department of Water Resources (an "We had been led to believe that the that the legislature must have meant for agency that has been roundly criticized legislature would give Texans a new these things to be serious offenses." by a congressional committee for fail- and stronger law governing the disposal ing to enforce the state laws on hazard- In addition, the bill requires a "memo- of toxic wastes," Kramer said. "Except randum of understanding" between the ous waste disposal — see TO 2/15/80) for increased penalties and some mini- Department of Water Resources, the should be trusted "to do what is right mum clarifications, however, this bill is Railroad Commission, and the Health with regard to the safest and most effi- not an improvement over existing law." cient method of waste disposal at the Department to avoid the bureaucratic time with the state of the art." As for the buck-passing at which Texas agencies have frequently excelled. amendment encouraging recycling and CRIMINAL PENALTIES are es- waste reduction, Parker simply called it tablished for violation of certain hazard- However, the Sierra Club has charged "frivolous." ous waste laws. A maximum $25,000-a- that the legislature's appropriations for The Senate committee approved the day fine coupled with six months in the the Department of Water Resources have been stingy, which would mean that Parker version 6-0, with five of the sena- slammer can be meted out for transport- tors, who had not heard the testimony, ing hazardous wastes to an unpermitted little will change despite the supposed increase in state surveillance. arriving to approve and then dashing off location ("midnight dumping," in other to other meetings. When the bill hit the words). Violations involving the "know- Said the Sierra Club's Kramer: Senate floor only Senator Lloyd ing endangerment" of human life could "Under the existing law, we've had Doggett, Austin, cast a dissenting vote. bring penalties ranging up to a $250,000 deadly chemicals spread on the roads of A House-Senate committee on the last fine and five years imprisonment for an East Texas. We've had people killed and day of the session was enlivened by individual and a $1 million fine for a injured when they unknowingly re-used more of Parker's wit, and the panel did company. barrels contaminated with lethal chemi- not replace the amendments he had cals. We've had old, abandoned dump- Brian Berwick, an assistant attorney sites leaking poisons into water supplies, stripped out of the bill. general in the environmental protection Gonzales, who has been waging a threatening not just human health but division, believes that "a bigger stick" fish spawning grounds and wildlife." cleanup battle over a toxic chemical held over the producers and disposers of dump in Robstown with the Orwellian hazardous wastes will act as a deterrent To hear the chemical industry tell it, name of Texas Ecologists Inc. (see TO to shoddy practices. "I think it should though, Texans should be thankful that 4/11/80), went along with the conference make a difference in the kinds of deci- the legislature didn't get carried away committee, but said, "I think we're sions juries give us when we ask them for and hold toxic waste manufacturers and shortchanging the people of Texas." The penalties," Berwick said. "When we say disposal site operators to really stringent Sierra Club was even more critical. Ken we could ask for penalties of up to standards. Jon Fisher, research director Kramer, its legislative policy chairman, $25,000-a-day, but decide to ask for for the Texas Chemical Council — a called the bill "a sham." $10,000, they'll give it to us and realize trade association that represents 88 chemical companies in the state and claims an annual payroll of $1.3 billion and 80,000 jobs — warns that overregula- tion can backfire. "Say you've got a pesticide applicator Subscribe to who has to have a place for his wastes," Fisher explained. "Well, if his costs are too high, he'll dump it down the sewer or the Observer dump it in a ditch." ❑ Dan Balz in the Washington Post, Feb. 21, 1981 — Paul Sweeney, who writes often for the "The Observer is one of the noble experiments in American jour- Observer, worked at the end of the regw. nalism, an underfunded, understaffed biweekly that has been a beacon lar session of the legislature as a staff for endangered liberals in Texas and the scourge of a state legislature assistant for Rep. Arnold Gonzales. that has more often than not acted with cavalier disregard for the citi- zenry. Over the years it has produced not only memorable journalism, but memorable writers: Willie Morris, Bill Brammer, Larry L. King, Ronnie Dugger and others." Immo mom ===== im mil mg m =gm= ow _classified this subscription is for myself I F YOU ARE an occasional reader and ❑ HELP STOP THE MX MISSILE in TexaS would like to receive The Texas Observer ❑ gift subscription — send card in my name and New Mexico. American Friends Service regularly—or if you are a subscriber and ❑ sample copy only — you may use my name Committee is working for disarmament, would like to have a free sample copy or a • • • • peace, and justice. Write AFSC, 1022 W. bth, Austin 78703. one-year gift subscription sent to a friend— ❑ $18 enclosed for a one-year subscription here's the order form: ❑ bill me for $18 ALTERNATIVE POLITICS CONFER- ENCE. June 19-21. Villa Capri, Austin. SEND THE OBSERVER TO— MY NAME & ADDRESS (if different): A.F.S.C. Director Ken Carpenter on El Sal- vador and American Militarism. Psychologist name Peter Breggin (Electroshock: Its Brain- Disabling Effects) on Liberation. Daily Texan editor Mark McKinnon on Press Freedoms. address David (son of Milton) Friedman on Problems with Libertarianism. 21 speakers! Film Festi- THE TEXAS OBSERVER val. Banquet. 3 parties! More! $50. Individual city state zip 600 W. 7th, Austin, Texas 78701 event tickets available. LP of Texas, Box 35432, Dallas, Texas 75235. (512) 454-1522. 16 June 12, 1981 Bentsen Two Special Issues Coming (Continued from Page 1) The Observer announces a tion which our readers believe Hance and others have tried to per- plan to produce a special issue throws significant light on their suade Reagan to go along with a two- on the Texas congressional dele- congresspersons or legislators. year tax cut and a third-year cut pro- gation and another special issue As we are now building files con- vided the resultss -work out as Reagan on the legislature at the end of cerning each such officeholder, says they will, but "smelling blood," this year. we shall also appreciate our Reagan has said no. The concession We invite our readers' assis- readers sending us your own most pleasing to Bentsen is a $2,500 cre- tance in these two projects. evaluations and comments con- dit to eliminate windfall profits taxes on While we read the major cerning any of the officeholders. about $6,000 in oil royalty income. newspapers in the Observer of- The earlier we receive such in- Bentsen and other Texans continue to fice and of course have the stan- formation the better, but it push for a 1,000-barrel-per-day exemp- dard sources, we shall welcome should arrive at the Observer not tion that would increase the tax credit to receiving clippings, dated and later than along toward the end about $5 million per year per royalty identified as to the newspaper, of October, or later only at risk of owner. and other responsible informa- not being timely. R.D. The Hance bill also would ease the marriage penalty, lower estate and gift tinues to call the Reagan plan "a windfall Bentsen and the other Texas Demo- taxes, lower the tax on investment in- for the rich." crats siding with Reagan on taxes may be come, and give tax breaks on deprecia- Wright's explanation of the forthcom- influenced, also, by Reagan's statement tion to business slightly less generous ing defections of his Democratic col- in a closed-door White House meeting, than Reagan's original proposal. The leagues from Texas is that they want to "I couldn't look myself in the mirror in Reagan-approved bill contains no con- be perceived as aligned with a popular the morning if I campaigned against cessions toward poor and middle-income President. Some of them wanted a two- someone that helped me on my pro- taxpayers. A flat-rate cut benefits rich year, not a three-year plan, he said, but gram." Hance is the one who quoted taxpayers much more than poor, which they want Reagan's permission to vote Reagan so saying. When this was inter- is why House Speaker Tip O'Neill con- for it. preted in the press as a Reagan promise not to oppose anyone who voted for his tax bill, staffers clarified: To be favored by the President, Democrats would have Credit Where Credit's Due to support other Reagan programs, for- Austin told Wright he was disappointed eign and domestic, as well. But the idea When he journeyed to Austin to that better use had not been made got across that Reagan would target give a San Jacinto Day speech to of the conservative Democratic Democrats opposing him and leave alone the legislature this spring, House members in the party machinery of those who collaborate with him. Majority Leader Jim Wright of the House. The Houston Post quoted "a high- Fort Worth met with 14 conserva- level Democrat" who would not give his tive House Democrats in the office Wright took umbrage, asking, name saying that the Democrats defect- of Rep. Gerald Hill, Austin. who do you think put Charley ing to Reagan on budget and taxes are Cameras were permitted, but no Stenholm and Phil Gramm and stabbing their leaders in the back. sound. In essence the rightist Kent Hance and Marvin Leath on "These Democrats committed a deliber- Demos told Wright that the Demo- the powerful committees where ate, planned act of betrayal. . . . In many crats' liberal image is killing them. they are? I put 'em on there, he cases they are paying off the ultracon- Rep. Bill Messer, Belton, the said, and I don't appreciate being servatives who financed their cam- sponsor of the 30% interest-rate- charged with any indifference to paigns," the anonymous leader said. ceiling bill (which passed at 24%), your plight. R.D.

DO YOU CARE? Concerned that your air, JOIN THE ACLU. Membership $20. Texas PROFESSIONAL BOOK HUNTER se- food, water are being contaminated by "Fast Civil Liberties Union, 600 West 7th, Austin riously pursues any title, author, subject you Buck" industrial giants? Do you care if the 78701. want. Catalogue 5 "HIGH WIDE & Government regulatory agencies don't regu- HANDSOME" now available. Maggie Lam- late? We need your HELP! Information BACKPACKING - MOUNTAINEERING - beth, 221 Losoya, San Antonio, Texas 78205 packet-$2. Membershipinewsletter-$5. Nu- RAFTING. Outback Expeditions, P.O. Box or call (512) 226-6049. clear, Biological, Chemical Safety Informa- 44, Terlingua, Texas 79852. (915) 371-2490. tion Group (non-profit), 4526 Waycross, COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS — ACORN needs organizers to work with low and mod- Houston, Texas 77035. LET'S TAX THE RICH Bumperstickers. $1 for one, $2 for three. Connolly Enterprises, erate income families in 16 states for political Box 599, Nacogdoches, Texas 75961. and economic justice. Direct action on neigh BOOK-HUNTING? No obligation search for borhood deterioration, utility rates, taxes, rare or out-of-print books. Ruth and John FREEWHEELING BICYCLES. 2404 San health care. Tangible results and enduring re- McCully, ARJAY Books. (512) 263-2957. 2500 Gabriel, Austin. For whatever your bicycle wards — long hours and low pay. Training River Hills Road, Austin 78746. needs. provided. Contact ACORN at (214) 823-4580, Dallas; (817) 924-1401, Ft. Worth; (713) 523- THE SAN ANTONIO Democratic League 6989, Houston; (512) 442-8321, Austin. MOUNTAIN RETREAT & HOT SPRINGS meets the first Thursday of each month. For in private valley. Enjoy room, meals, swim- information, call Jim Bode at 344-1497. ming, sunbathing and exercise classes from Classified advertising is 30¢ per word. Dis- $2.2 daily inch (Massage extra.) Brochure KNOW YOUR RIGHTS, Send $7.95 to Buy- counts for multiple insertions within a 12- from RIO CALIENTE, Box 1-1187(0), ing, Renting & Borrowing in Texas, 2505 month period: 25 times, 50%; 12 times, 25%; 6 times, 10%. Guadalajara , Jalisco, Mexico. Stratford, Austin 78746. THE TEXAS OBSERVER 17 paigning in effect or explicitly against Hobby. Such a Clements-Meier ticket need not have even come up in the long Clements-Hobby conversations during the legislative session; the talk that Meier might run would have raised the possibility of such a ticket in any sage politician's mind. ✓ McKnight was incredulous that the Democratic leaders of the legislature rolled over for Clements the way they did. "Hobby doesn't say anything, doesn't do anything" (about Clements), McKnight marveled. "Clayton doesn't." The denial to Clements of the exclu- sive power he wanted over the criminal justice fund was the only victory over him all session, McKnight said. McKnight led this fight. The Tyler oil-

•• • man said that when he and Hobby were talking with Clements about this issue, — Photo by Peter Silva the Republican Governor said about Half an hour before the end of the regular session of the Texas legislature at Hobby, "Bill and I can always sit down midnight, Republican Governor Bill Clements, right, entered the Texas Senate and reach an agreement. We always get and sat at the podium with Democratic Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby, left. After they talked along." in low tones for a few minutes (during which time photographer Peter Silva took "That's what I'm afraid of," McKnight the above picture), Sen. Carl Parker of Port Arthur, who had the floor, was asked said. whether the senators should ask the guest if they should renew their lease (for the McKnight, champing at the bit to run special session). "Senator," Parker replied loudly and apparently jovially, "I'm not ✓ for governor, could hardly conceal that asking any advice from anybody who'll pay seven million dollars for a four-year he was put off by the news that former lease on a building he can't even live in." (Clements spent $7 million to get Gov. Dolph Briscoe has filed a paper to elected; he and Mrs. Clements are not living in the Governor's Mansion, which they are having renovated.) permit him to collect political funds. But as McKnight had heard it, Briscoe did Hobby then introduced Clements to the Senate. Clements said the senators had this only so he could pay for a poll to see been helpful to him — and he to them. Of Hobby, seated behind him as he spoke, if he can run. McKnight hopes Briscoe Clements said, "I particularly want to thank your leader and to thank him for the decides soon, because major conserva- help he's been to me and help he has extended to me at all times." tive givers like Jess Hay, the insurance magnate, are waiting to see what Briscoe Puzzling Out a Riddle in a Mystery does. ✓ If Meier runs for lieutanant governor, ✓ Readers of our last issue will recall dict for his side of $850,000 in cash and Rep. Gib Lewis, Fort Worth, Bill that Sen. Peyton McKnight, the conser- property worth probably $5 million, Clayton's understudy who is generally vative Tyler Democrat, said Lt. Gov. Meier said. (If a contingency fee was alleged to be the leading candidate to Bill Hobby had told Sen. Oscar Mauzy 25%, that would be about $1.5 million; if succeed to the Speakership, theoretically that unless Hobby pushed through the 33%, about $2 million.) But from what might be tempted to run for Meier's Sen- Governor's wiretapping bill, his own re- Meier then said, it appears that he re- ate seat. Rep. Tom Uher, Bay City, election would be in danger; that Mauzy gards this phenomenal fee as a factor claims to have 30 votes for Speaker refused to confirm or deny this for the making it easier for him to run for against Lewis; Rep. Gerald Hill, Austin, Observer, saying Hobby had asted that statewide office. "Sure makes it a lot might run for Speaker if Lewis ran for he keep the conversation confidential, easier to pay the mortgage," he said. the Senate. Rep. Craig Washington, which he said he had; and that Hobby Houston would be a likely progressive flatly denied making any such remark to "I have been thinkin' about it," he said. "I'm going to sit back and try to candidate for Speaker, but Clayton an- Mauzy or anyone else. The Observer nounced before the regular session ad- pursued who said what to whom as far as analyze it. If I make a race it'll probably be for lieutenant governor." journed that Washington will be trying to we could with the principals and others, become the first black state senator since but we ran into the dead-end, as far as Yet another senator, trying to figure Barbara Jordan. our readers are concerned, of off-the- out what Clements could possibly have record information. had over Hobby to induce Hobby to Bentsen's Seat shove through the Break, Enter, and Having been told that state Sen. Bill There is a growing prospect of a brawl Wiretap Act the way he did, concluded ✓ Meier, Euless, an ostensible Democrat within the Texas Republican right-wing that Meier's potential candidacy (pre- who campaigned for Reagan, had won a for the GOP nomination next spring huge judgment as a lawyer and no longer sumably as a Republican) against Hobby could well have been a factor. against U.S. Sen. Lloyd Bentsen. State cares whether he runs for statewide of- Sen. Walter Mengden, Houston, has all fice or not, the Observer approached With Meier running, Clements would but assured Senate colleagues he will Meier about his trial victory and his have a choice of either running on his run, according to reporter Ann Arnold in plans. own and staying out of the lieutenant the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "I really He tried a lawsuit in Tarrant County governor's contest or running in effect am seriously thinking about it," he told on a contingent fee that resulted in a ver- on a ticket with Meier, thereby cam- her. "There's just a couple of bases I've 18 June 12, 1981 got to touch. . . . I think Bentsen is vul- sues with two-thirds of the delegates ✓ Comptroller Kathy Whitmire formally nerable if there's enough money to get elected. The DNC, by shouted voice- announced for mayor of Houston, stress- the story out. I certainly will be the con- vote, cut the size of the conference in ing good business management and call- servative candidate." half and made most of the delegates ing herself a fiscal conservative and a But not all that certainly, for Cong. elected and party officials. A legal chal- progressive on human rights. The in- Jim Collins, the Dallas Republican who lenge is possible. cumbent is Jim McConn; the sheriff, Jack Heard, is running, too. wants to repeal the federal income tax, ✓ "Alamo PAC" raised $70,000 on be- has gone so far as to let "volunteers" half of grid star Roger Staubach running ✓ Texas Atty. Gen. Mark White placed mail out a pitch on his behalf against against Bentsen, and this finally pro- the state squarely behind the rights of "Bentsen's anti-defense, anti-family, and voked Staubach, who has said he will not Vietnamese fisherman who are suing for inflationary voting record." Collins par- run. Roz Cole, his appointments secre- protection from the Ku Klux Klan. tisans who produce ten people to work tary, said Staubach wrote the man whose White asked a federal judge in Houston on his "charter team" for the Senate name is signed to the fund-raising letters, to close two paramilitary camps where nomination are to get "a lucite serving Lt. Gen. Gordon Summer in Dallas, say- the Klan has been training its members tray with the congressional seal." Collins ing "he definitely will not run in 1982 . . . in guerilla tactics. says now he may decide in September. and to let all the people in that office In the opinion of Jack Hopper, editor Collins tried to persuade TV stations know that he's not running, and to please ✓ discontinue what they're doing." Sum- of the Southwest Energy & Utility in various parts of the state to let him Watch, White's legal opinion on con- broadcast reports from Washington free; mer has not responded to Staubach. What Alamo PAC, which means to be sumer appeals from city council rate de- under the circumstances they have cisions "strangled" consumers. State turned him down. involved in other 1982 races, will do with the $70,000 is not clear. law says any party to a rate proceeding ✓ Bentsen said the Clean Air Act seeks may appeal, but White has ruled con- "attainment or an unattainable stan- After compromising with neighbors on sumers may appeal only if the city coun- dard" listing fourteen Texas cities that the plans, Staubach's real estate firm has cil formally grants intervenor status to a his news release said "probably will won zoning approval for a multi-story of- consumer during council hearings. never be able to consistently meet oxid- fice building complex on LBJ Freeway in ant standards under the law," Houston, Dallas. ✓ Sherman Fricks, former No. 2 man, West Orange, Texas City, Clute, Beau- the secretary-treasurer, in the Texas mont, Dallas, El Paso, Arlington, Corpus No Deal AFL-CIO and now business manager of Christi, Austin, Longview, San Antonio, ✓ Although Gov. Bill Clements' an- Pipefitters Local 211 in Houston, was Odessa, and Waco. He said the standard nouncement of the cancellation of the one of four men indicted in Houston on is required 99.9% of the time and that is West Texas land swap was couched in conspiracy and related charges involving too strict. truculent resentment of innuendoes insurance contract bribery among labor about his pal Arco executive Robert 0. officials. This is another ramification of Bentsen is not on the political hit list ✓ Anderson, in fact both Dallas dailies had the Brilab investigations. Others of the National Pro-Life PAC, which has dug up evidence that tended to show the charged: L. G. Moore, regional director poured $500,000 into campaigns since swap might be a bad deal for the state. of the operating engineers union, Harold 1977. The reason is his switch to vote for Anderson would have swapped 190,000 Grubbs, education director of the Local no medicaid for abortions except in life- acres of his ranch in Presidio County 211 pipefitters' training program, and a threatening situations. The committee's for 190,000 acres of UT land in Hudspeth Houston port commissioner, John Gar- chairman said the "reversal" was a County; the state was to make the land rett. All pleaded innocent. ❑ measure of the anti-abortion movement's acquired a park. The sticking point was clout. Because Sen. John Tower, the comparative value. Amazingly, this huge Texas Republican, voted against the swap was pushed by Clements and Land proposition Bentsen supported, the Cmsr. Bob Armstrong and indirectly en- committee has targeted Tower for de- dorsed by the Texas. Senate with not one feat. appraisal of the lands involved. ✓ Speaking in South Texas, Bentsen en- at's dorsed a return of the mandatory draft. Good books in every field ✓ Using their office accounts at first, but JENKINS PUBLISHING CO. f_t_- r.5111 About? planning to depend on funds from busi- The Pemberton Press ness and chambers of commerce as they Parisian Charm. Omelette & John H. Jenkins, Publisher go along, 109 members of Congress, led Champagne Breakfast. Beautiful Crepes. Afternoon Cocktails. by Cong. Charles Wilson, Lufkin, Box 2085 011 Austin 78768 formed a Sunbelt Council to _offset the Gallant Waiters. Delicious Northeast-Midwest Coalition. Quiche. Evening Romance. .\,t1 and Associates Continental Steaks. Mysterious ✓ As per the warnings of member Billie Women. Famous Pastries. Carr of Houston, the Democratic Na- 502 W. 15th Street Austin, Texas 78701 Cognac & Midnight Rendezvous. tional Committee, meeting in Denver, REALTOR wE Representing all types of properties abrogated a resolution adopted by the in Austin and Central Texas In short, it's about everything 1980 national party convention that or- Interesting & unusual property a specialty. a great European style dered a mid-term 1982 conference on is- 477-3651 restaurant is all about. ,,ganr, o5 Life Insurance and Annuities Martin Elfant, CLU 4223 Richmond, Suite 213, Houston, TX 77027 &Age 310 East 6th St. (713) 621-0415 OF CANADA Austin, Texas

THE TEXAS OBSERVER 19 the Senate like flapjacks. "I hope we don't have to take a test on what we're Observations passing," he said, "Why, a little while ago we took Texas right out of the busi- ness of inheritance taxes. Ray Far- `No, Not the Informant,' abee's bill. And who knows it?" Certainly most of the press did not; but some of the senators did. I asked The Senator Is Informed Sen. Lloyd Doggett, Austin, if he knew that the Senate had just voted to abolish Austin statement," Howard repeated emphati- the basic Texas inheritance tax, costing Senator Ed Howard of Texarkana was cally. the state $18 million a year in revenues. He did not know it, but he said he had standing at his desk, his. aide, Allen "I have read your bill, senator," I said, Hedges, with him. The Senate had just "and it does not say that." told Farabee he'd vote for it. adjourned. Earlier in the day the Senate "Did we — ?" he started to ask, and had passed Howard's Break, Enter, and Turning to address his aide, who was paused. Wiretap Act of 1981, assuring .that it standing fussing with some papers at the would become law. In the debate, How- senator's desk, Howard said to him, "Yes," I said, "you passed it." ard had informed the assembled and lis- "This is the question Ronnie is posing: Is "Then I voted aye," he said with a tening Senate that the anonymous infor- the informant required to make a sworn sort-of chuckle. mant on whose information breaking, en- statement?" Leedom quoted Sen. Carl Parker's tering, and wiretapping would be ap- "No, not the informant," Hedges re- saying that when he first came to the proved would have to make a sworn plied to him. legislature he vowed he was going to statement. To the contrary, according to read every bill introduced. But that be- testimony at committee hearings and my "Oh!" Howard said. He turned to me. "Thank you, Ronnie," he said. came, he was going to read every bill he own reading of the bill, only the officer voted for. Now, Parker said to Leedom, making the affidavit for the judge would The Senate sponsor of the new law his goal is to read every bill he sponsors. have to swear to it; the informant, the that explicitly authorizes the police to source of the information, would not. break and enter homes did not know that As Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby sagely per- ceives, judicial and legal processes are "Senator," I said to Howard, who had it does this on the basis of an unsworn governed by rules that have to be ob- drawn away from his desk upon my ap- informant. served, but the parliamentary process proach, "you said in floor debate that the On the last day of the regular session proceeds by consent. Rules are agreed informant has to make a sworn state- Sen. John Leedom, the Dallas Republi- upon, but unless some legislator chooses ment." can, was laughing, during an interview, to invoke them, the legislature can do "The informant must make a sworn about the bills that were flipping past whatever it wants to, practically speak-

in the Texas Catholic Herald, "let the Refugees from blood-drenched El Sal- name of Corpus Christi be given to a vador are being jammed into jails in vessel, such as a hospital ship, whose South Texas, arrested as illegal aliens. The World purpose cannot be mistaken and whose All the jails in the Valley have been filled use will reflect the noblest concern and to capacity. Obviously the Salvadorans From Texas care for the welfare of mankind as did are political refugees and as such entitled the Christ." (Corpus Christi means Body to haven in the U.S., but the Border Pa- The United Presbyterians, USA, meet- of Christ.) The naming was condemned trol is not so classifying them. In San ing in Houston, overwhelmingly adopted also by Archbishop John Wheaton of Antonio the authorities have told the a call for a mutual U.S.-Soviet freeze Hartford, Conn., Bishop Daniel P. Riley federal government to stop putting its "on the testing, production, and deploy- of Norwich, Conn., and Msgr. Francis J. prisoners in the city's jail. ment of nuclear weapons." Commenting Lally, U.S. Catholic Conference social on this was a native of Fort Worth, Jan development and world peace secretary, Two Texans were among the 14 dead Orr-Harter, who has become the 26- who said responsible government offi- when a military plane crashed landing on year-old assistant pastor of West Park cials "have blundered badly." the aircraft carierNimitz, Airman Arturo Presbyterian Church of New York City, Two youths from Vietnam graduated Hinojosa, 25, of San Antonio, and where she had been appointed a "peace as high school class valedictorians in Marine Capt. Steve E. White, 27, an minister." "Something historical has Dallas and Austin. Nam Dang and his Aggie who was buried near College Sta- happened today," she said. She pre- family fled Vietnam in 1975. He spoke no tion. White's brother said he told him dicted that the freeze will be voted on English when he entered the seventh several times he was not afraid of dying, later this year at the Unitarians' national grade at Highland Park High; he finished but worried about killing others. convention and by the Episcopal general at the top of his graduating class. He Ceilings of ten more Austin schools convention in 1982. plans to go to medical school, probably have been found to contain from 1% to The Bishop of Corpus Christi, Thomas at Harvard, where he has been accepted. 35% asbestos, which causes cancer or Drury, has said it would be inappropriate Two years ago 16-year-old Tu Anh Ngoc asbestosis. . . . Of 5,000,000 cans of pos- to name a new nuclear attack submarine Tran left Saigon by boat, fearful of sibly contaminated mushrooms distrib- the "Corpus Christi," which Sen. John drowning, knowing little English. She uted by Oxford Royal Mushroom Prod- Tower, R.-Tx., had arranged. "If the city finished at the head of her class, with a ucts of Kelton, Pa., about 19,000 have is to be truly honored for its association grade-point average of 97.2, at Lanier been traced to grocery stores in the with the Navy," Bishop Drury is quoted High School in Austin. Houston-Galveston area. ❑

20 June 12, 1981 ing. Thus, zip, zip, zip, bills pass in the final days of a session like cars zipping down a freeway. But every now and then, zip, zip, zap. Senator Ed Howard of Texarkana may explain to his constituents, and even to victims of unjust breaking, entering, and Printers — Stationers — Mailers — Typesetters surveillance, that he just didn't realize that the Governor's bill, which he spon- — High Speed Web Offset Publication Press — sored in the Senate and passed, had that gaping loophole in its "protections." But Counseling — Designing he will not be able to explain this to his- . • tory. Copy Writing — Editing Appreciations II Trade Computer Sales and Services — . We spend too little time, we motley Complete Computer Data Processing Services — scouts of the maybe future, appreciating — each other. Phony appreciations, ulterior appreciations, saccharin appreciations abound — and betray themselves at once, usually by their excess. Out here 1,0.IED PR IN Thy° *FUTURA on the often lonely plain, hailing each 0 TRADES U NION COUNCIL 0 PRESS 7 AUSTIN other from time to time across hazy dis- TEXAS tances, we should take the time to cross over and embrace. Now, take Mike Ethridge of Houston. I stop to salute him only because Barney ILI LURIA Rapoport thought he should be appreci- 512/442-7836 1714 South Congress ated. Most of the time people chuckle a little when they see Mike . . . "Oh, P.O. Box 3485 Austin, Texas 78764 there's Mike!" "Same old Mike." Same old Mike, because like as not he's there — at the state convention, or the ragtaggle rally of the liberal Demo- crats, or the turnout to hear Ralph, or Sissy, or Bob, or whoever — with a sign. Not just any sign: a sign he has made himself, knowing he would carry it him- self. Mike's signs! They're as much a part of the Texas progressive movement of the mid-twentieth century as Ralph Yarborough's orations or Dave Shapiro's long memory or Molly Ivins' howlers. "Absolutely," says a liberal friend of mine, "without those signs appearing it's not a Democratic convention. People say `When's Mike coming?' Where's Mike?' It's part of our experience of a conven- tion." I can't remember even one of those slogans — neither can my friend. CHEESECAKE Mike makes them up about the issues ON THE RIVERWALK and the candidates and the officeholders. Often he decorates the slogans with pic- tures of donkeys or elephants. You look at the sign of the day and laugh, and watch Mike moving through the people, sign held high in one hand, handing out cards with the other, and sure enough, this is Texas, and these are the liberals. His latest enthusiasm is a certain can- didate he has in mind for high public of- Serving sandwiches to seafood, fice. He and his wife are ready to plunk from 11:30 until 11:30 every day of the week; down $1,000 to help get the thing going, Open till midnight in the Metro Center, then they'll contribute $100 a month to keep it going. That's the kind of people. San Antonio, Texas That's the kind of people. R.D.

THE TEXAS OBSERVER 21 • 9)10)4 • .1411 • OtV914111311111111 0VMMIAtillkMlaillt: NOTICE I now have a new hotel in Washington! My partner and I sold the Commodore Hotel in December of 1980 . . . but this is to advise my Texas and Observer-reader friends that the newly refurbished St. Charles Hotel is now in full operation at 1731 New Hampshire Ave., N.W. Our toll-free number is 800-424-2463. Named after my Bastrop, Texas born grandfather — who later became a "St. Tammany" • Convenient location near the politician and judge in New York, it's located only Dupont Circle Metro stop, 21/2 blocks from DuPont Circle, 21/2 blocks from the Washington's embassy district, Q Street Metro stop, 1 block from the National major convention hotels and Women's Democratic Club, 2 blocks from the business centers Institute for Policy Studies, and 4 blocks from the S • Coffee shop open for breakfast, Democratic National Committee Offices. So it luncheon and dinner ought to be "handy" for many of you visiting Washington. • Spacious redecorated rooms • • Parking- . • Anyway, staying with us at The St. Charles or • not, come on by and say "hello." Exclusive neighborhood near fashionable Connecticut Avenue • Rates: Single $35-45 • Chuck Caldwell, President Double $45-55 • St. Charles Hotel Corp. Extra persons in room at •• 1731 New Hampshire Ave. N.W. $10 each • Washington, D C. 20009 • Group and government rates on (202) 332-2226 request • Dick Coloney, Manager • Weekend package and long term • 800-424-2463 rates available • Some Day You'll Discover • The St. Charles Hotel - • Why Not Now?

• 1731 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20009 800-424-2463 AAA'. Ctitretre. t! . **ICC* Ceert irtreetrerrer.. • . kt 22 June 12, 1981 The Only Voice sanity and simple decency? — Greg Cal- vert, 706 W. Lynn, Austin, Tx. Your article on the "Break, Enter, and Wiretap" bill [TO 5/29/81] is the best Where Is Salvation thing I've read in the Observer in a long time. . . . It was a dark day for Texas Your editorial, "What's the Differ- when Perot and Clements got their way ence?" [TO 5/15/81] was just what the on that. What is appalling is that the Ob- doctor ordered. The first Administration since the Great Depression not to give at server appears to be the only voice in the state telling the people what their legisla- least lip service to the objective of crops unsuitable for the local climate? eliminating poverty, Reagan and his ture has done to them. Should industrial users consume virtu- crowd — if not stopped — will surely It is a slim consolation to know that ally unlimited amounts of water? Should lead us to oblivion. And the Democratic this law will undoubtedly fall of its own urban/suburban residential property Party has lost its soul. Where is salva- weight once a few of these overzealous owners continue to grow grass, shrubs, tion. — Otto Mullinax, 11806 Cheswick flatfoots push it to its logical conclusion. and trees suitable for tropical areas? St., Dallas 75218. At that point, I suspect the Court of Much of Texas is semi-arid. How Criminal Appeals will declare it uncon- much longer can Texans continue to at- I just read your position paper, stitutional. (This sort of optimism may tempt to alter the course of "Mother Na- "What's the Difference?" Damn, broth- be fatuous, I know, but what else have ture?" I believe reasonable, rational er. Welcome back. — Peter Williamson, we got?) analysts will agree that "agriculture" — Atty., 333 Clay, Suite 2300, Houston Patrick Bishop, 8723 Link Terrace, urban, suburban, and rural — must re- 77002. Houston 77025. flect the geographical reality. Texas Is Semi-Arid Charles R. Knerr, Ph. D., Asst. Pro- The Desert Exercises fessor, Dept. of Political Science, Ar- I very much enjoyed the recent piece Thank you for recognizing the long- lington Tx. 76019. term implications of Speaker Clayton's by Lyman Jones on the USREDCOM water plan [TO 5/15/81]. However, a Where Is the Outcry? exercise in the Ft. Bliss/White Sands much more fundamental question re- area [TO 4/17/81]; for some reason I had mains: Should the state and the various It is difficult to believe that any legisla- missed or dismissed in passing any ac- local governments in Texas meet each, tive body could be so venal as to enact count of it in the service journals I con- every, and all demands for an extremely that piece of legislation (the wiretap bill) tinue to follow. scarce and dwindling natural resource? [TO 5/29/81]. And where are we to find I did find the implied tie-in with Al Should farmers and ranchers in the water the outcry which would shame those Haig's concurrent trip to the Middle East deficient areas of Texas continue to grow lunatics back into some semblance of a bit sophomoric, but my appreciation of

largely through progressive Protestant churches,) 923-4506, meets on call; Mental Health Assn., 2nd & 4th Tue., 335-5405; NOW, 3rd Thurs., 336-3943; The Social Cause Calendar Senatorial Dist. 12 Demos, 2nd Sat. or 2nd Wed., 457-1560; Tarrant Cty. Demo Women's Club, 2nd Sat., 451-8133, 927-5169; Tx. Coalition of Black TEXAS FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL Progressive Organizations Demos (F.W. chap.,) 1st Tues., 534-7737. The Texas Folklife Festival will be held at the (The assistance of Margaret Carter is acknowl- Institute of Texan Culture in San Antonio Aug. 6-9. In no hurry, the Observer is building up lists of the political organizations we regard as progressive, edged with thanks. This listing for Fort Worth is Spanish, Lebanese, Czech, Indian, Filipino dances; preliminary.) Alsatian, Jewish, Wendish, Greek, Cajun, Japanese, their meeting evenings where that is applicable, and Swedish foods, for instance. Four days; as many as a phone number for each, in Texas cities. The editor LONE STAR ALLIANCE 100,000 attend. invites communications recommending organiza- tions for inclusion, by city. The Alliance is made up of member groups op- DELLINGER IN DALLAS, AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO posed to nuclear power. The groups, not listed elsewhere: Anti-war activist Dave Dellinger, former defen- ACLU, 224-6791; Women's Political Caucus, dant in the Chicago 7 trial and author of Revolution- 2nd Tues., 655-3724; Civil Rights Litigation Dallas: Armadillo Coalition, 1st Wed., 348-0005; ary Non-Violence and More Power Than We Know, Center, 224-1061; Citizens Concerned About Nu- Comanche Peak Life Force, Wed. wkly., 337-5885. speaks on "Rebirth of Radicalism: Lessons from the clear Power, 1st & 3rd Weds., 655-0543; Com- Austin: Citizens for Economical Energy, 474- '60's for the '80's" Jim 17 at UT-Dallas, Green munities Organized for Public Service (COPS), 4738; Tx. Mobilization for Survival, Sun. wkly., Bldg., 8 p.m. and June 18 at UT-Austin, Academic 2nd Th., 222-2367; Demos. for Action, Research & 474-5877; Univ. Mobilization for Survival, wkly., Center Aud., 8 p.m. Sponsor AFSC, Austin (474- Education (DARE), rsch. volunteers needed, 4th 476-4503. 2399). Wed., 674-0351; Latin-American Assistance (local programs on behalf of Guatemalan government, reb- Houston: Mockingbird Alliance, 747-1837. els in El Salvador, etc.,) alternate Sats., 732-0940; Fort Worth: Armadillo Coalition, 927-0808. MUSIC FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Mxn.-Amn. Demos., 3rd Mon., Walter Martinez, The Zilker Posse is an effective environmental de- 227-1341; NAACP, 4th Fri., 224-7636; Organiza- Bryan: Brazos Society for Alternatives to Nu- fense group in Austin, formed as a Political Action tions United for East Side Development, last Tue., clear Energy, 822-1882. Committee. To pay off the Posse's debts from the 824-4422; People for Peace, 2nd Th., 822-3089; Nacogdoches: Pineywoods Coalition, 218 W. recent Austin ciy council election, there will be a Physicians for Social Responsibility, 1st Mon., Dr. Austin St. benefit concert June 17 at Fiesta Gardens 5-11 p.m. Martin Batiere, 691-0375; Poor People's Coalition with Jerry Jeff Walker, Asleep at the Wheel, and Tex for Human Services, 923-3037; Residents Orga- AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL Thomas and the Dangling Wranglers. nized for Better and Beautiful Environmental Development (ROBBED), 3rd Tue., 226-3973; S.A. Contact persons for Amnesty International in Demo. League, 1st Th., 344-1497; S.A. Gay Al- Texas; Dallas, U.S. Group 189, Renee Berta, 915- UT-SPONSORED OUTINGS liance, last Wed., Metropolitan Comnty. Church, 584-4869, and Group 205, William H. Winn, 214- For people who like a structure to their outdoors 102 S. Pine; Sierra Club, 3rd Tue., 341-5990 United 361-4690; Houston, Group 23, Ann Chastang, 6006 ventures, UT-Austin's division of recreational sports Citizens Project Planning and Operating Corp. Saxon, Houston 77092, and Eileen at 869-5021, x42; is sponsoring a dozen trips this summer, nature (federal funding), 3rd Mon., 224-4278. Beaumont, Group 221, Karen Dweyer, 420 hikes, canoe trips, birdwatching, plant-watching, Longmeadow, Beaumont 77707; Austin, Group 107, hunting for animal tracks. Cost $5 to $15 for UT FORT WORTH Cindy Torrance, PO Box 4951, Austin 78765; Re- people, others welcome at a slightly higher fee. 512- ACORN, (11 nghbrhd. groups), 924-1401, board gional membership coordinator, Rita Williamson, 471-4523 (Ms. Doering). meets mthly.; IMPACT, (telephone chain, works 512-441-8078 (weekends).

THE TEXAS OBSERVER 23 Postmaster: If undeliverable, send Form 3579 to The Texas Observer, 600 W. 7th, Austin, Texas 78701

contact anyone in this community for the "other side" of the story. And the Ob- server's failure to list even a contact phone number for the proposed locally- sponsored action (which, in fact, was a casualty of all the sniping) implies that it was only the cancellation of FOR's rally, and not the proposed locally-planned Jones' comments on USREDCOM/RDF conservatives." Had your FOR source event, that was of interest to the progres- more than compensated for that. Unless been more forthright, s/he would have sive community of Texas. special circumstances demand it, creat- reported that our concern was that the In the interest of better process and ing another military headquarters when "outsiders" do advance planning in con- understanding in the future, I hope that you already have one that is capable of junction with locals, and be open to the the possible future action hinted at in the tackling the mission involved usually effect that particular actions would have calendar note (which we had not heard of makes about as much sense as creating on the local community. before) is not planned without an attempt additional funding to "throw at" social We have recently been "hosts" to a to include the local progressive commu- problems. civil disobedience action (undertaken by nity in the planning process. The couple of nit-picks I have are not people who deliberately chose not to at- Betty Wheeler, 1008 S. Madison, intended to snipe at Lyman Jones; I tempt to communicate to the public, Amarillo, TX 79101. think he did a pretty good job. For one through any form of mediawork, the pur- thing, the contemporary military often pose of their actions), and to a group of use the word "click" to mean a kilometer planetary peace bicyclists. We are re- — they're quite metric, you know. I'm a spectful of the various religious, IN THESE DAYS little less than comfortable with the philosophical, and political perspectives OF RISING PRICES comparison of our desert hell-holes with and strategies of those that pass through AND CONSUMER AWARENESS their counterparts in the Middle East. Amarillo because Pantex is here, and in The deserts of Afghanistan (which take my view the local progressive commu- OUR NAME SAYS IT ALL up most of the country) and southern nity has been very responsive, both in a Iran can outdo ours in sheer gosh- material and an emotional/intellectual ilki&SOCII MAGAZINESIREMIRDS awfulness any time of the year. Our way, to the passers-through (particularly hell-holes have been spared centuries of those in the civil disobedience action). Drop in and you may be very surprised You'll overgrazing by goats and camels, for one discover a wide array of new and used hardcover books. Yet not all who pass through are re- on an incredibly long list of subjects You'll find an thing, and the natives tend to be friendly amazing selection of back issue magazines. Some are sponsive to the precarious status of a real collectors' items Records. too, to fit many musical in New Mexico. I am sure that there are tastes. All at half price or less , And you thought we were small progressive community in a very lust second-hand paperbacks' a goodly number of Russian military of- isolated and conservative environment. ficers who have found out how tank To report that we are fearful of "possibly transmissions stand up in the area, even OUR 17 STORES IN alienating conservatives" is to be com- THE HEART OF TEXAS without taking the tanks into the notori- pletely ignorant of the actions that local WORK HARD TO ous "Desert of Death" in the Southwest. residents have taken with regard to Pan- I am all too painfully aware of what it tex for which they have paid very high SAVE YOU MONEY costs the taxpayers for our military to personal prices (for some, loss of jobs). DALLAS HOUSTON run one of these exercises; I'm also con- Our concern is not avoiding the aliena- BIG MAIN STORE. 1408 I-1,1e Park 4528 McK.nney Houston, To 76541 scious of how much it could cost us if tion of conservatives, but rather avoiding Dallas, To 75205 820 Farm Rd 1963 DOWNTOWN. Austin Mire Houston, Tx 77090 they did not run them. the creation of an atmosphere that makes across from E. Centro College KILLEEN 711 Elm Dallas, To 75202 3327 Rancor it difficult for progressives to survive and FORT WORTH Killeen, Tx 76541 Richard R. McTaggart, Col., U.S. 3306 Fa•rtield N RICHLAND HILLS build community here. 6301 Camp Bowie Blvd) 6327 Grapevine Hwy Army (Ret.), North Ranch, Menard, Tx. Ridgica Shpg Cntr Hignetay 26 Fort Worth, To 76116 N Richland Hots, To 76118 76859. Consensus is difficult to reach, Particu- AUSTIN RICHARDSON MAIN STORE 1514 Lavaca 508 Lockwood larly over long distances. Yet it is dif- Austin, To 78701 8.chardson, To 75080 6103 Barnet Rd SAN ANTONIO Austin. Tx 78757 ficult to understand that people in Dallas 3207 Broadway 1914E R.eerside San Antonio, To 78209 Retort from Amarillo Austin. Tx 78741 who felt so strongly that they should 4408 Caliaynan Rd FARMERS BRANCH San Antonio, Tx 78228 come to our community for "Freeze the Farmers Branch Shpg Cntr TEMPLE VdilPy View & Jose, In The process by which progressive 2700 S Loop 7.63 Farmers Branch, To 75234 Arms Race" Day were unwilling to Tempts Square people and groups interact deserves our GARLAND Temcie, Tc 76501 spend one single hour of advance time in Eastgate Shpg Cntr 1560 N W Hwy WACO attention and care, and your note on the 607 N Valley Mills Or Garland. To 75041 Amarillo to attempt a reconciliation of Waco, To 76710 proposed Pantex action in the Social our differences. However, so long as dis- Cause Calendar [TO 4/17/81] illustrates regrettably poor process as well as poor regard of the local community can be jus- reporting. tified by implying that the local commu- ANDERSON & COMPANY nity is reactionary and thus not worthy of COPPICE First, the reader is told that a "rally an attempt to reconcile differences, such and teach-in" was to be replaced by an TEA SPICES disregard no doubt will appear to be TWO .113PPERSaN SQUARE "environmentally-oriented" forum. The more a sign of political correctness than AUSTIN, TEXAS 7W131 implication is that the local group wanted a sign of disunity. 512 453-1533 to avoid the larger issues of the arms I personally felt trashed by the note in Send me your list. race. In fact, our plans focused on disar- the Observer, not only because the Ob- Name mament and conversion issues. server's source showed a clear prefer- Second, we are accused of resenting ence for public criticism over any Street "outsiders" coming in on "our turf with genuine effort to reach consensus, but City an action that might possibly alienate also because the Observer felt no need to Zip 24 June 12, 1981