THE BATTALION
Page 2 College Station, Texas Wednesday, September 29, 1971
CADET SLOUCH
by Jim Earle
“I’ve won a free trip to Miami that pays for every thing
except travel and room and board!”
Steve Hayes
Pesticides: vested interests
The backlash against environ
mentalists is often formed be
hind the cry of “mass hysteria,”
chiding environmentalists for
overreacting. However, indiscrim
inate polluters often use mass
hysteria and scare tactics, bol
stering their views with institu
tions considered sacrosanct in the
eyes of the public. The case of the
Imported Fire Ant (IFA) exem
plifies this.
The IFA arrived in Mobile, Ala
bama in about 1930. Although its
importation was probably an ac
cident, the IFA, like many im
ports, thrived in its new environ
ment. By 1963, the IFA had in
fested roughly 31 million acres
in nine southeastern states, in
cluding eastern Texas.
Before 1963, the United States
Department of Agriculture had
declared the IFA a pest and ad
vocated its eradication through
use of chlorinated hydrocarbon
pesticides such as heptachlor, diel-
drin and chlordane. However, aft
er conclusive evidence indicated
that the result was not eradica
tion of IFA, but, instead, massive
die-offs of fish and wildlife, these
hydrocarbons were discontinued
for this purpose. Another chlor
inated hydrocarbon—Mirex—was
used instead. Although tests have
shown that Mirex remains in the
food chain for years, that .01
parts per million achieve 100 per
cent mortality of a species of
shrimp larvae living in experi
mental conditions, that it probab
ly affects fertility in birds such
as the Bobwhite, and that Mirex
decreases the thickness of egg
shells, the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture (USDA)
continues to support its use.
Therefore it seems reasonable
to deduce that the IFA presents
an imminent danger to mankind,
if we must resort to such hazards
as Mirex, right? You are, if
you’re from Occidental Chemical
Company, which has published a
“fact” sheet called, “Anything
Alive Potential Prey of Fire
Ant.” According to Occidental,
the IFA has a “lust for the
juices” of nearly all living ani
mals, especially living baby birds.
If unchecked, the sheet states,
“the tiny tormentors,” or “red
devils” as they are later called,
(sounds like a Batman script,
doesn’t it.), “could spread all the
way to Canada,” and “certainly
up to the nation’s capital,” (makes
me worry about the safety of
the President and the Pentagon).
Too, IFA “possesses a cobra-like
sting,” and Occidental goes on to
describe the gruesome details of
deaths of fish and birds as a re
sult of the “red devil.”
Can anything save us from cer
tain death? Yes, it’s super Mi
rex ! And guess who makes Mi
rex? When Occidental was asked
by letter for the sources of its
information and documentation of
its statements, it failed to reply.
The Southern Association of In
formation Officers of State De
partments of Agriculture also
published a sheet describing the
gruesome deaths of persons sup
posedly stung by fire ants.
Yet, studies have shown that
the IFA lives principally on in
sects, has a less potent sting than
the wasp or the bee, that ants
were responsible for only four
deaths in the same 10-year period
in which wasps and bees were re
sponsible for over 200 deaths, that
all documented allergies to IFA
stings had a previous history of
stings, that IFA had no signifi
cant effect on quail populations
(can that be said for pesticides?),
and it seldom attacks unless pro
voked. The evidence continues ad
infinitum.
Then why does USDA and other
reputedly non-partisan institu
tions continue to support massive
pesticide use and fail to refute
such remarks as those made by
Occidental ? The fact is that some
research within governmental
agencies is financially supported
by chemical companies, and some
officials are also affiliated with
Ichemical companies. Obviously,
vested interests exist.
The implications are apparent.
It is time to question those insti
tutions considered sacrosanct.
Public institutions serve the pub
lic best when they remain under
the scrutiny and inquiries of the
public.
As Rachel Carson said, “When
the scientific organization speaks,
whose voice do we hear—that of
science? Or of. the sustaining in
dustry ?
BUSIER - JONES AGE!
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F.H.A.—Veterans and Conventional Loam
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T-Z — September 27-Oct. 1
MAKE-UP WEEK
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Civilians: Coat and Tie.
Pictures Will Be Taken From 8:00 a. m. to 5:00 p,i
NOTE: Bring Fee Slips
To
UNIVERSITY STUDIO
115 North Main — North Gate
Phone: 846-8019
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Listen up
Bicycles called dangerous
Editor:
I would like to draw attention
to a potentially dangerous situa
tion on our campus, BICYCLES.
Never before have I seen so
many bicycles condensed in such
a small area as we have on our
campus this term. If the Wright
Brothers were alive today, they
would get out of airplanes and
back into the bicycle business.
Please do not misunderstand, I
realize that bicycles are great to
keep in shape, convenient to get
to class on, leave a positive effect
op th^. environment, and have
numerous other-advantages. It is
the careless way? the two-wheeled
vehicles are operated that I ob
ject to.
For years auto operators, pe
destrians, and competent bicyclists
have operated on campus with
little trouble with traffic flow.
This term you will easily note
bicyclists racing up-and-down
sidewalks and streets. This new-
breed of cyclist will narrowly miss
pedestrians, dare a car to run
over them, operate in the oppo
site direction of correctly-flow’-
ing traffic, and numerous other
violations mean nothing to them.
Someone is going to get hurt
—then it will be too late!
One other suggestion. Why not
charge a nominal parking permit
fee for these bicycles. They are
obstructing traffic flow far more
than cars or motorcycles who must
pay.
Preston Izard ’72
Editor:
On page 5 of the Sept. 23 issue
of The Battalion appears a most
disgusting photograph of David
Seymour sitting upon his mini
bike. The caption informs us that
this seven year old child already
has a string of seven traffic vio
lations.
It strikes me as strange indeed
that his parents were thoughtless
enough to give him the bike and
then let him continue to drive it
despite repeated violations. Even
more strange and ironic, The Bat
talion, spokesman for the A&M
A follow-up article is in order
suggesting police action and per
haps carrying a photo of the de
linquent parents. My personal
feelings are that the bike should
be taken away from the child un
til he can legally ride it. Should
the parents fail to comply with
this demand the bike should be
confiscated and the parents fined.
Dr. James Shapiro
We don’t condone the child’s
actions—we thought them rather
funny. We apologize if we weren’t
in good taste when we ran it, but
still we don’t think that there
was any particular reason not to
run it.—Ed.
Editor:
This is my first semester at
Texas A&M University. I have
noticed people smoke and put the
ashes and cigarette butts on the
floor of classrooms, also they
bring their soft drink into class
and leave the empty cup there.
They not only make classrooms
dirty, their smoke bothers others.
I have not noticed any sign of
“no smoking or beverage” in the
classrooms. Why don’t they put
such signs there ?
Mojtaba Yazdi
Bulletin Board
will meet at 7:30 in the lobby of
the Memorial Student Center.
Thursday
Cephid Variable Science Fiction
Club meets in the Ballroom at
7:30 to see films.
Panhandle Hometown Club will
meet in the Social room of the
Memorial Student Center at 7:30.
Austin Hometown Club meets
in the Memorial Student Center
rooms 2C-D at 8.
Eagle Pass Hometown Club will
meet in room 2B of the MSC at
7:30.
Laredo Hometown Club meets
in room 3B of the MSC at 7:30.
Mid-Jefferson County Home
town Club meets in room 2A of
the MSC at 8.
Motorcycle Club will have a
film in room 201 of the old Vet
erinarian school at 7:30.
Tonight
community, has chosen to publi- Orange County Hometown Club
cize and thereby apparently con
done this unfortunate situation.
Cbe Battalion
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of
the student writers only. The Battalion is a non-tax-
supported, non-profit, self-supporting educational enter
prise edited and operated by students as a university and
community newspaper.
LETTERS POLICY
Letters to the editor must be typed, double-spaced,
and no more than 300 words in length. They must be
signed, although the writer’s name will be withheld by
arrangement with the editor. Address correspondence to
Listen Up, The Battalion, Room 217, Seiwices Building,
College Station, Texas 77843.
Members of the Student Publications Board are: Jim
Lindsey, chairman ; H. F. Filers, College of Liberal Arts ;
F. S. White, College of Engineering; Dr. Asa B. Childers, Jr.,
College of Veterinary Medicine; Dr. W. E. Tedrick, College
of Agriculture; and Layne Kruse, student.
Represented nationally by National Educational Advertising
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Francisco.
The Battalion, a student newspaper at Texas A&M, is
pulblished in College Station, Texas, daily except Saturday,
Sunday, Monday, and holiday periods, September through
May, and once a week during summer school.
MEMBER
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Mail subscriptions are $3.50 per semester; $6 per school
year; $6.50 per full year. All subscriptions subject to 5%
sales tax. Advertising rate furnished on request. Address:
The Battalion, Room 217, Services Building, College Station,
Texas 77843.
The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for
reproduction of all news dispatchs credited to it or not
otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous
origin published herein. Rights of republication of all other
matter herein are also reserved.
Second-Class postage paid at College Station, Texas.
EDITOR HAYDEN WHITSETT
Managing Editor Doug Dilley
News Editor Sue Davis
Sports Editor , John Curylo
Assistant Sports Editor Bill Henry
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PEANUTS
By Charles M. Set
PEANUTS
HOW'S THIS FOR A BEAl/TlFOL
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RETURNING TO THEIR COW HOUSE
THOSE FARM W0RPS
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