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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 1971)
WHHnummMam Page 2 College Station, Texas Thursday, November 18, 1971 THE BATTALION Ul Listen up LEVI’ Regarding the Bonfire and ecology Editor: In recent days it has been diffi cult to read an edition of The Battalion without encountering letters from people concerned about the Bonfire. I feel there definitely are more productive channels available for the manpower and time now ex pended on the Bonfire. I heartily support those who offer alterna tives. However, some have indicated the cutting of trees for use in the bonfire is a form of environment al degradation. I must move to question this. The land in and around College Station, now referred to as the "Post Oak Belt,” was originally a savanna — a grassland matrix with trees scattered throughout. Early settlers wrote of the lush grass and scattered trees. Unwise land use practices such as cultivation of land not suited CADET SLOUCH for agronomic production, and overgrazing by cattle resulted in the disappearance of this grass cover. Post Oak and other trees invaded the area previously oc cupied by grass. The removal of grass fires as an environmental factor by the white man gave the trees added protection and allow ed them to survive. The resulting vegetation is re ferred to as "thicketization” rath er than a forest. It is easy to identify the veteran trees that were a part of the climax vege tation. The grass fires effectively pruned the lower branches and it may be several feet to the first limb. My point is, the situation en countered in wooded areas around College Station today is not nat ural (climax). It is a disturbed situation resulting from man’s misuse of his environment. To restore this land to maximum by Jim Earle production, the removal of most, if not all of the trees is necessary. Therefore, cutting the trees is often beneficial. If the veteran trees are left, the area is quite scenic after removal of “scrub” trees. Nevertheless, it would seem that using old houses and/or trash for the Bonfire would both help the community and project a better image for Texas A&M University. Brown Collins ’69 ★ ★ ★ Editor: This letter is in reply to the editorial by Steve Hayes concern ing the Amchitka nuclear test. Needless to say, the editorial was one sided and did not even try to present the side of the A.E.C. Noticeable by its absence was the fact that the blast went exactly according to A.E.C. predictions. Also, Mr. Hayes’ remark that it was “the world’s largest un derground nuclear H-bomb” is in error. According to Newsweek magazine, the Russians in the past 13 months have detonated two underground nuclear blasts “of proportions similar to or greater than” the Amchitka test. The Russians have also set off an above ground test which was ten times larger than the Am chitka test. It should be noted that above ground testing is much more hazardous than under ground testing. Although an au thor may put personal opinions in an editorial, he should not be allowed to distort facts. The author was correct in as serting that this particular H- bomb might not be used on the Spartan ABM; however, he once again failed to explain that the fundamental technology of the final version will be the same and knowledge gained from this test would certainly not be wasted. The editorial also asked the question, “Is there really any way to say that this blast will have no effect on the next one, ten, or twenty earthquakes and tidal waves?” The strength of the surface wave shock is used to determine whether or not tidal waves will be generated. Al though shock wave theory may not be perfect, it is probably more accurate than whatever ho cus-pocus Mr. Hayes used to in sinuate that tidal waves will still occur. In conclusion, I would like to say that I considered the edi torial to be full of half-truths and what-ifs. Richard Klapper Thank you for your informa tion on the size of the bomb — we were mistaken in that sense. About the tidal wave effect, however, there seems to be a miisunderstanding. While the surface wave shock determines the initial wave, the bomb may “Fve already had a student who wants to leave early for the Texas Game! Aren’t they playing here this year?” Giving a damn Bruce Clay, a senior in the Corps of Cadets, has filed suit against the City of College Station because he has not been allowed to run in the City Council elections—except as an unofficial write-in candidate. The city charter has a real property requirement that Clay could not fulfill. Several members of the Student Senate and just interested students have gotten the local voter registrar to comply with the law and accept student registrations for the City Council elections. These two incidents point up something that has been appearing more and more this year—the students give a damn. You can hear it as they talk in groups around campus, you can read it in letters to the editor, you can see it in their actions. At long last the students of Texas A&M University have started to shake off their “traditional” apathy. Time and again we see students caring about things. We see them recruiting blacks to come to A&M, we see them finding constructive alternatives to the Bonfire, we see them becoming concerned about what is happening to their money. It is a fascinating thing to watch—A&M maturing, changing and growing. It gives us great pride and happiness to see it. Steve Hayes Feds and predator control The Federal Government first became involved in predator con trol programs as a result of World War I. Congress appro priated $125,000 tax dollars for the protection of cattle to be used by our allies, and our own troops. As is often true with Federal programs it outlived its cause and eventually developed as the main business of the US Fish and Wildlife Services. In its first 20 years, the program was aimed at determining the best methods to eliminate predators for the think ing that prevailed was if you de creased predators, the amount of game would increase. The bounty system was formed, but this only reaped the surplus predators, and did little to change the ecological balance of the pre dator-prey relationship. Strych nine and thallium were next used for poisoning predators. However, not until WW II, with the devel opment of sodium monofluoro- acetate, (Compound 1080) did mass distribution of poisons gain great impetus. As might have been expected, programs, expen ditures, and criticism spiraled. Thus, the Department of the In terior did what we have learned to expect of any bureaucracy, they formed a committee, the Leo pold Committee, to be precise to study the situation. In 1964, the board submitted its unanimous report to the Secre tary of the Interior, Stewart Udall, stating “that control as actually practiced today is con siderably in excess of the amount that can be justified in terms of total public interest.” Further more, the Committee included in its report, the opinion that, “. . . the program of animal control . . . no longer is a balanced compo nent of an overall scheme of wild life management . . . Far more animals are being killed than would be required for the effec tive protection of livestock, agri cultural crops, wildland resources, and human health. This unnecessary destruction is further augmented by state, coun ty, and individual endeavor . . . the Branch of Predator and Ro dent Control, bears scant relation ship to real need and less still to scientific management.” Among other things the Leo pold Committee called for estab lishment of legal controls over the use of certain poisons. But two' years later, nothing had changed, and in fact the di rector of the bureau which over sees the predator control program stated that he did not feel obli gated to the report. And five years later it was noted that there were no significant changes any where in the predator control pro gram. The costs of the predator control program continues to spi ral, the number of destroyed wild life increases, in spite of the de creasing number of sheep raised. It is a tragic irony that the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, the agency which helps to maintain the predator control program, also maintains the offi cial endangered species list as well. It is by the actions of this bureau that many of the animals (i.e. kit fox, black-footed ferret, bald eagle) are added to their lists. As a result of an over employed bureaucracy, most dis trict field assistants have ration alized their predator control pro grams as the saving grace of the livestock industry. Control has become a way of life for these agents. An agency with over 700 field agents and supervisors is simply not staffed to handle an occasional program, but a per petual one. During 1970, the bureau, act ing under the U.S. Department of Interior, distributed enough bait carcasses to kill three times the present number of coyotes, and distributed 800,000 strych nine balls, and 20,000 cyanide guns to ranchers who requested them. No form of discriminate control is used, yet the director of Wildlife Services, stated that these methods are “attempts to limit wildlife depredations in a manner that protects wildlife.” Not only is the logic used so bla tantly irrational, the facts do not bear him out. In 1969 alone nearly 35,000 animals not listed as predators were killed by pred ator control methods. These ani mals included beavers, badgers, porcupines, raccoons, otters, and foxes, as well as others. Also sev eral of the few remaining grizzly bears south of the Rio Grande were accidentally poisoned by a joint effort of the U. S. Dept, of the Interior and the Pan Ameri can Sanitary Bureau. Under standably, the total number of animals taken by these methods is declining, yet the budget has soared even past the rate of in flation. We have reached the point where gains no longer exceed costs. Tomorrow: The Costs have some effect on later earth tremors. Amchitka Island is part of “the ring of fire,” an area of volcanic activity that is rela tively active — the San Andreas fault is part of it. This is what Steve Hayes meant by possible tidal waves and earth tremors. He fears, and so do many others, that the blast may cause future shocks by upsetting the balance of the faults. It is also Hayes’ right to doubt the value of another H-bomb ex plosion, especially when the aft ermath could be severe. Certainly the column is full of what-ifs. When anything is done, it is a good idea to think about what might happen as the result of it — that is what is known as what-ifs — and intel ligent thinking. — Ed. Pant Shop IRREGULARS Top Name Brand Blue Denim Bells. “s.- ‘S 00 The Quality Pant 800 Villa Maria Cadet (Continued from page 1) tion, and it’s what A&M is all about. We learn to respect the individual for what he is and the importance of getting to know him. This is A&M; not quibbling over who’s burning who’s cam paign sign. “Of course we don’t think the Corps is the only solution on this campus; the civilian student body demands a lot of recognition. But I think they’re missing a lot by not seeing what the Corps is all about. “For years we’ve been trying to build laders, not necessarily as members of the Army or the Air Force or the Marine Corps, but as citizens, he continued.” Last year the population of the Corps of Cadets dropped to ap proximately 2,500 students. Par sons has set his goal at 3,000 for next fall. “I don’t know if we’re going to meet Col. Parson’s 3,000 mark by next year,” Stanley said, “but I think we’re going to see a sub stantial increase. We are grow ing.” TRY BATTALION CLASSIFIED TMS Ftf 8 “FOR AN ATMOSPHERE YOU WILL ENJOY” Featuring: FRIDAY — “Resurrection” SATURDAY — “Resurrection” Happy Hour Every Afternoon From 4 - 6 p. m. 329 University Drive North Gate 846-9973 Open 7 Nights A Week From 1-12 i CALICO CALICO IS OPENING- A Complete Health Food Store Are you looking for a taste treat or something? Treat your family to some really good food. Free of preservaties, pesticides & additives. —ALL NATURAL FOOD— A complete health food and vitamin line of products dedicated to helping you build good health. Some of the foods & vitamins to be found are — Radiance — Nu-Life — Schiff — Whole Grain Flours — Cold Pressed Oils — Natural Honey — Herb Teas — Fruits Dried Organically. OPENING - NOVEMBER 22 COME BROWSE IN CALICO 508 East 32nd — 823-0528 Che Battalion Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the student writers only. The Battalion is a non-tax- supported, non-piofit, 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 ruords 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 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 Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. TVie Battalion, a student newspaper at Texas A&M, is published in College Station, Texas, daily except Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and holiday periods, September through May, and once a week during summer school. MEMBER The Associated Press, Texas Press Association The Associated Collegiate Press 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 ig rate tumished on requesi The Battalion, Room 217. Services Building, Coll Texas 77843. t. Address: !ege Station, 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 'WHEN YOU mvel CALL ON US FOB 846-3773 VISIT OUR NEW OFFICE . . . MSC BRALty UNIVERSITY TRAVEL . A&M UNIVERSITY . . . BRYAN PEANUTS /so I B0U6MT \ LINU5 A NEEU) BLANKET... I THOUGHT I WAS \ DOING THE f?|6HT, A THING.. ' P5YC«!AT<?(C MELP S4 THE POCTOR is [SB] HMM... l'M NOT QUITE 5URE HOW I CAN PUT THIS, CHARLIE BROUJN, m LET ME SM THIS... By Charles M. Schalz IN ALL OF MANKIND'S HISTORY THERE HAS NEVER BEEN MORE ' damage done than by people WHO “THOUGHT THEY WERE DOING THE RIGHT THINS "