PRESS CLIPS rarlaZit" ss 718 WEST 5th ST. AUSTIN, TEXAS 78701 41169;5 Caller Corpus Christi, Texas JUN 2 5 1979 Costly symbolism What's the most appropriate response to an energy crunch? Why, slash appropriations for energy research, naturally. Such, at least, seems to be the reasoning employed by Gov. Bill Clements as he skipped through the bills ship- ped to him by the just-con- cluded session of the Legisla- ture. For reasons with which no one is entirely conversant just yet, the governor vetoed an appropriation of $989,328 for the Center for Energy Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Now, if there were some readily apparent explanation for the governor's action, that would be one thing. If the pro- gram were a massive boon- doggle; if its administration were inept; if the work it was doing were being duplicated elsewhere, then the veto would make some sense. But what the governor appears to be concerned with more than anything else is . . .uh . .well . . .symbolism. That's right: In explaining why he trimmed a total of $5.2 billion from UT-Austin's bud- get, Clements declared, "It was symbolic. It will cause them to pause and rearrange their priorities." Indeed it will. In the case of the Center for Energy Studies, it may also derail some sound and valuable research into what is arguably the most ur- gent problem on our national agenda. Ah. well: At least symbolism has been served.