Page 2
THE BATTALION
College Station, Texas Tuesday, November 16, 1971
CADET SLOUCH
by Jim Earle
Listen up
The
Bonfire: ‘a senseless and destructive act’
“You’ll hafta remember, it will take a while before his
nervous system can adjust to winning football games!”
Correction needed
There are times when a newspaper blows it. Last week this
newspaper blew it—by the reaction, sky-high. We placed ourselves in an
untenable situation in “Sign burners,” an editorial in which we said as a
matter of fact that members of the Corps of Cadets burned those signs.
We still feel that members of the Corps probably did burn those
signs. Note that we say probably, for that was the key word left out of
the past editorial. It does change things a bit. It was a mistake to leave it
out in the first place and it was a mistake we have learned from.
The intent of the editorial was not to blame the Corps in general,
as some have thought, but to blame certain members of the Corps, as
stated. We do not feel that the editorial, letters, and photo changed the
result of the elections any at all because of The Battalion’s late arrival
at the dorms. For most people, the elections were over before they had
an opportunity to read The Battalion.
Steve Hayes
Editor:
Among our many traditions
here at A&M is the annual bon
fire for which preparations are
now being made. This year, as in
the past, we are going to carry
forth this tradition, a tradition
that compels us to destroy the
few precious trees that remain
on the face of our earth. The time
is long overdue to cast aside the
blinds of tradition and cease this
senseless and destructive act. To
redirect the tremendous energy
that is expended on the bonfire
is not impossible. As a suggestion,
we could transplant one of those
beautiful trees every year. An
awesome array of trees could
stand where there is ashes today.
As university students we have
within our grasp to reshape to
morrow. If our training is con
structive today we can truly make
this world a better place to live
for all.
Jerome J. Hansmann
★ ★ ★
Editor:
I am writing in regard to Mr.
Schronk’s letter of last week and
the comments he made about the
conflict between the civilian stu
dents and the corps. Also being
one of those fortunate enough to
have been here as a civilian stu
dent and a member of the corps,
I would like to add to his com
ments.
There has been no real reason
for the conflict to exist at A&M.
Incidents such as the one concern
ing the burning of the coed cam
paign posters in front of Duncan
have been blown out of propor
tion and used to perpetuate the
conflict.
If A&M students would look at
each other as individuals and not
as civilians, maggies or c.t.’s; the
student body would go a long way
in solving an unnecessary prob
lem.
It is unfortunate that the
actions of a few are misconstrued
to represent those of the entire
civilian body or corps. For awhile
it looked as though the students
had made progress toward a
united student body but now a
negative attitude toward coeds
retards this progress.
Change has been the picture at
A&M the past six years. In
creased enrollment, more coeds,
new buildings and modification Of
University regulations and corps
policies have all been evident.
Prejudice and predators
EDITOR’S NOTE: John Veh-
low is a graduate student in the
division of Wildlife Science. This
past summer he worked for Ralph
Nader, investigating the preda
tory mammal control program
conducted by the US Department
of the Interior. His report, just
completed and sent to the Center
for the Study of Responsive Law,
will be incorporated in Ralph Na
der’s report to Congress and the
American public. This will run
in four-parts.
On May 2, 1971 Jim Steadman,
a high school coach, and conser
vation-minded outdoorsman, was
driving his pickup truck on a
rocky, cactus lined road on a
west Texas ranch. After round
ing a curve, he came upon a
mesquite tree, ornamented in
such a way that turned all his
thoughts away from relaxation.
Dead coyotes and bobcats were
hanging from each limb in a gro
tesque display, supposedly as a
warning to any other carnivorous
animals that might wander by.
The ranch raises few domestic
livestock and suffers little from
depredation, but the foreman and
ranch-hands have neither knowl
edge of nor interest in ecological
principles. As a result, they kill
any coyote or bobcat upon sight,
with complete disdain for the
actual merit of carnivorous mam
mals.
Such prejudice against preda
tory animals has continually
overshadowed accumulating eco
logical evidence of the benefits
provided by these animals, espe
cially to the balance of nature,
and has advanced the develop
ment of a self-perpetuating, bu
reaucratic program of federal
control costing over $8 million
annually, and indiscriminately
killing thousands of wild crea
tures each year.
The gray wolf has all but dis
appeared from the United States,
and the mountain lion and the
grizzly bear are found only in
remote country and in constantly
diminishing numbers. The black-*
footed ferret, which feeds exclu
sively on prairie dogs is nearly
extinct, and the coyote and the
bobcat continue to be labeled as
the ruthless murderers of live
stock. Inumerable species, such
as foxes, martens, and badgers
not intended for control have
fallen victim to control programs
by feeding on poisoned baits or
by stepping in traps or other de
vices. A member of the Presi
dent’s Council on Environmental
Quality'has stated that “during
the past 150 years, the rate of
extermination of mammal species
has increased 55-fold.”
Undoubtedly, many people still
believe animal populations would
be better off without predators.
The classic example of this mis
conception is the fiasco of the
Kaibab Plateau. This area, lo
cated on the north rim of the
Grand Canyon in Arizona, was
made into the Grand Canyon Na
tional Preserve in 1906. All pub
lic deer hunting was cancelled
and a systematic elimination of
predators began under the title
of “game protection”. In the
next 25 years 781 mountain lions,
30 wolves, 4,889 coyotes, 554 bob
cats, and an unknown number of
eagles were slaughtered. The
deer population flourished . . .
and flourished. By 1924 the orig
inal herd of 4,000 had multiplied
to one of 100,000 That winter the
vegetation was finally exhausted,
the land was stripped of all
green, and deer starved by the
thousands. By 1940 the herd had
dwindled to 10,000 deer. As a re
sult of overgrazing, the capacity
of the range (Kaibab) to support
a given number of deer had de
creased by two-thirds. The Kai
bab incident taught us the merit
of predators. A deer herd subject
to predation is more apt to be a
vigorous herd, free of disease and
starvation, and more likely to
stay within the carrying capcity
of the range; thus a quality habi
tat is more easily sustained.
Scientific evidence constantly
and consistently has demonstrat
ed the worth of predators and
has proven that prejudices
against these animals are un
founded and unnecessary.
Yet as the wool growers are
quick to point out by example,
we seem to learn very slowly by
our past errors.
Tomorrow: predation and the
livestock industry.
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, Services Building,
College Station, Texas 77S43.
Members of the Student Publications Board are: Jim
Lindsey, chairman ; H. F. Eilers, College of Liberal Arts ;
, White, College of Engineering
student newspaper at Texas A&M, is
ge Station, Texas, daily except Saturday,
Monday, and holiday pei
The Battalio:
lege Statior
, Auvsnucijr, and holiday
May, and once a week during summer
on,
published in College Station,
Sunday, Monday, and holid*
as, daily except Saturday,
eriods, September through
;hool.
MEMBER
The Associated Press, Texas Press Association
The Associated Collegiate Press
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
dees, Inc., New York (City, Chicago, Los Angeles and San
Servic
Franc
ig rate turnished on request. Address:
The Battalion, Room 217, Services Building, College Station,
Texas 77843.
The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for
reproduction
otherwise credited
origin published herein. Rights
matter herein are also reserved.
Second-Class postage paid at College Station, Texas.
EDITOR HAYDEN WHITSETT
Managing Editor Doug Dilley
News Editor Sue Davis
Spo'rts Editor John Curylo
Assistant Sports Editor Bill Henry
Many other changes too numer
ous to mention have occurred.
Why not a change in the atti
tude students have for one an
other? After all the university
is the students.
George Howard ’69
★ ★ ★
Editor:
After reading the most recent
issues of the Batt, I decided to
write a letter of a different na
ture to the “Listen Up” column.
I for one do not have any com
plaints or criticisms of A&M. I
chose to attend this university
of my own free will, accepting it
as it is. Granted changes are
needed and are being made. They
go with progress. I think that
changes can eventually be made
which will satisfy the old, the
present, and the future Aggies
through compromise.
In my opinion, Texas A&M is
a great school. The traditions are
a tremendous part of A&M and
help to create a bond for those
students who desire such a bond.
However, some students do not
feel it is important to have such
bonds. It is no crime for them to
feel this way. I think that those
students who enjoy participating
in the traditional activities and
those students who do not should
be able to live on this campus
peacefully, if they just accept
each other.
Almost everyone wants peace
in the world, but they can not
understand the basic reasons for
the existing international con
flicts. If we could all learn the
value of compromise now—on this
campus, and on those across this
country, maybe our generation
could contribute something to
ward that “world peace” everyone
talks about so much.
Rebecca McKee ’74
★ ★ ★
Editor:
Much was said last week on
the hassle with a certain College
Station official who would not
allow students to register for the
Dec. 14 City Council elections.
Gregory Holman and student
leaders such as John Sharp and
Layne Kruse put up a valiant
fight and won a partial victory.
The Battalion wrote a clever edi
torial which described the petty
politician. This was followed the
next day by one which lambasted
the Aggies for not registering to
vote in the aforementioned College
Station election.
I feel that it was most impor
tant that students have the right
to vote in the election and I would
advise anyone with a real interest
in it to register and vote on De
cember 14. Still I don’t feel, as the
editor did that it is a major crisis
because only 60 students register
ed for the election last Thursday.
I am registered to vote in my
hometown as are, I hope, most of
the students here. While I am
extremely interested in what hap
pens in elections there, as well as
state and national elections, I am
not very concerned over a College
Station election which will put a
man on the City Council for four
months.
Greg Nordyke ’72
★ ★ ★
Editor:
As all Aggies will recall it was
only a month ago that mention
of Gene Stallings was accompa
nied by snide and/or rude re
marks. I must admit I myself
made a few. This was at a time
of great disappointment (so far
as our football hopes were con
cerned) for the football team and
all Aggies, including Gene Stall
ings. Students and exes alike
were calling for a replacement
for him.
In the last four weeks our for
tunes have changed. I was in
Houston Saturday with many Ag
gies to watch the game and was
quite proud to be an Aggie. We
won. Now I think back to some of
the things I said and heard said
about Gene Stallings and my pride
is lessened. I think of how narrow
minded I have been. I also ask my
self if everyone else has simply
forgotten what they said last
month now that we are winning.
I ask them now to look at them
selves and see how it feels to say
one thing when we are losing and
another when we are winning. I
also ask them to join me in con
gratulating the Aggie football
team and staff on a remarkable
comeback.
It takes desire and courage to
keep trying after a poor start.
Our team has this. I know that
on Thanksgiving they will be try
ing as hard as they can to beat
the hell out of t.u. I hope that
this letter may cause other Ag
gies to realize that the team and
coaches need their support—win
IBRYAH
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PEANUTS
or (especially) lose. Sometimes it
takes more of an athlete and a
person to see his mistakes, learn
from them, and try to correct
them. The team has. I hope I
have and I hope everyone who
pulled out their dusty “Gene Stall
ings for President” stickers has,
too.
Pete Davis ’70
★ ★ ★
Editor:
I was shocked at Mr. Buratti’s
advocation of full enforcement of
the University’s Alcoholic bever
age policy. Its enforcement in
College View and Hensel would
put an extra burden on the al
ready overworked apartment
managers. After all instead d
studying they spend their evf
nings trying to see if any 0 a e j
breaking other nebulous rules u
it is.
Also I feel sorry for Mr. %
ratti or any one else for th
matter who decides that sinii
they can’t have something the/]
try to deprive others of it. Hor
ever, I feel that some good woul
come of this incident if Mr, h
ratti’s letter was forwarded li
Dean Hannigan since this univa
sity is always looking for so®
one who is willing to stay i
nights figuring out new ways]
put the screws to the students,
John Brieden 72
1M NOT DIZZ^ ANYMORE..,
MY STOMACH DOESN'T HURT..
I'M ACTUALLY HUN6RY!
BURGER HUT
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CALL 822-3737
GIVE THE NATION
BACK TO ITS PEOPLE
John W. Gardner, Chairman
Common Cause
Former Secretary
ot Health, Education and Welfare
Who said citizen action is futile? Populism in the
nineteenth century left an indelible mark on the
nation. Citizen action won the vote for women in
1920 and brought the abolition of child labor. The
labor movement, the civil rights movement, the
peace movement, the ponservation movement — all
began with concerned citizens. If we had waited for
the government or Congress or the parties to initiate
any of them, we’d still be waiting. Try to think of a
significant movement in our national life that was
initiated by the bureaucracy. Or by Congress. Or by
the parties.
For a while, we lost confidence in our capacity to
act as citizens, but the citizen is getting back to his
feet. And citizen action is taking on a tough minded
professional edge it never had before. Never has our
society needed more desperately the life-giving
spark of citizen action. We must make our instru
ments of self-government work. We must halt the
abuse of the public interest by self-seeking special
interests.
The special interests buy favor through campaign
gifts. What flows back is literally scores of billions of
dollars in tax breaks, in lucrative defense contracts,
in favored treatment of certain regulated industries,
in tolerance of monopolistic practices. And the tax
payer foots the bill.
To combat such pervasive corruption, we must
strike at the two instruments of corruption in public
life —money and secrecy.
To combat the corrupting power of money, we
must control campaign spending and lobbying, and
require full disclosure of conflict of interest on the
part of public officials.
To tear away the veil of secrecy, we must enact
freedom of information” or “right to know” statutes
vyhich require that the public business be done pub
licly. And that’s only a beginning. We can regain
command of our instruments of self-government.
To accomplish this, each citizen must become an
activist, especially the college student with his
newly acquired right to vote. He must make his voice
heard. Common Cause, a national citizens’ lobby,
was created to accomplish just that. It hoped to en
roll 100,000 members in its first year, and got that
number in 23 weeks! On its first anniversary, it had
200,000 members.
• It was the chief citizens’ group lobbying for the Constitu
tional Amendment on the 18-year old vote.
• It joined with environmental groups to defeat the SST.
• It brought the first real challenge in a generation to the
tyrannical seniority system in Congress.
It helped bring the House of Representatives to its fiist
recorded vote on the Vietnam War.
• It has sued the major parties to enjoin them from violat
ing the campaign spending laws.
There is much more to do. And the time to do it is
now. The American people are tired of being bilked
and manipulated. It’s time to give this country back
to its people. For additional information, write Com
mon Cause, Box 220, Washington, D.C. 20044.
This space is contributed as a
People Service by The Van Heusen Company
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