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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 24, 1972)
Pape 4 Colllege Station, Texas Tuesday, October 24, 1972 THE BATTALION Reform Lobby Hits Austin 14 Proposed State Constitutional Amendments On November Ballot AUSTIN (A*)—Those backing ; Amendment No. 12 claim that | 350,000 Texans are disenfran- ! chised by our much-patched state constitution. No. 12 is one of 14 proposed state constitution amendments to be decided Nov. 7 when voters mark their lengthy general elec tion ballots. The provision would allow state employes or others paid from state funds, who are not state officers, to serve as lem- bers of the governing bodies of school districts, cities, towns or other governmental units while still drawing a state salary, but receiving no pay from the local governing body. Still another proposition to be voted on Nov. 7, Amendment No. 9, would apply specifically to directors of soil and water conservation districts. If passed it would permit such directors to hold more than one public of fice and still draw state pay. But Amendment No. 12 is the big one because it affects one- third of a million Texans. D. A. Anderson, College Sta tion, head of a statewide com mittee urging adoption of No. 12, says there are now 22,504 elective positions in city and lo cal government in Texas where according to recent court rul ings, no one paid by the state can run for them. That includes school teachers, highway depart ment personnel, conservation district workers, police, firemen, medical technicians, state hospi tal employes, secretaries and clerks, university and college faculty and many others. As the state constitution, writ ten in 1875, reads now it prohi bits payment of state money to “agents, officers or appointees” who hold “any other office or position of honor, trust, or profit under state.” “This just knocks out any state employe from fulfilling his civic duty and running for city council or the school board,” says Anderson, who also is head of the information and educa tion department of the Texas Forest Service. Anderson should know. He was mayor of College Station until an adverse court ruling in 1971 cut off his state pay check and he had to resign his unpaid city job. “This is not any little thing,” he said. “Five other councilmen of College Station, who worked for Texas A&M, had to resign and so did every member of the school board except one. “I’ve got a list of more than 50 Texas cities where the same thing happened.” The state constitution from the beginning prohibited dual office holding and dual compen sation. In 1926 and 1932 it was amended to let National Guard, reserve officers and retired mil itary personnel hold civic jobs. In 1967 the legislature passed, and voters approved, an amend ment that would let state-paid employes hold local civic jobs that were appointive, but not elective. Station. State courts, from an Austin district court to the Tex as Supreme Court, rejected the employes contention that the state constitution provision on dual employment violated the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. An apellate court opinion said g that “it is a reasonable conclu- g sion that campaigning for and g holding an elective state office g would interfere with the em- = ployes’ time, energy and devo- g tion to his official duties.” The 1971 test suit was filed by a group of tax payers in College The argument for the two g amendments is that in some s cities and towns state employees g make up a large percentage of g the population. As it is now they g cannot personally represent their g interests on city councils, school = boards and other elective posi- g tions without sacrificing their g state salaries. In turn, there are g some communities that would g like to utilize the abilities of g highly trained state employees §f at no additional cost to local g government. Common Cause, the nonpartisan national citizens’ lobby, announced today that it has established in Texas the first full-time, self-con tained state affiliate of the na tional reform organization. Common Cause of Texas has opened offices in Austin at 409 West 14th Street. The Texas of fice will be staffed by a Texas Common Cause coordinator, a leg islative advocate, and one full time research associate. Randall B. Wood, former Direc tor of Elections for the Office of the Secretary of State, has been named the Common Cause legis lative advocate in Texas. The Common Cause coordinator for Texas is former Dallas business man Milton Tobian, who is relo cating in Austin to devote full time to Common Cause’s effort. Common Cause is here to stay in Texas. Presently there are 5,000 active members in Texas and membership drives are just getting underway. The Texas membership is very broad based, including conservatives and lib erals, Democrats and Republicans. Common Cause and its activities are entirely nonpartisan. It is expected the Texas membership will exceed 15,000 by early next year. “In the past two years we have seen Common Cause make tremen dous headway in Washington. The Common Cause campaigns to reform the congressional sen iority system, secure ratification of the 18-year-old vote amend ment, compel public disclosure of campaign contributions, and open party caucuses to public scrutiny have had a dramatic impact on the national scene,” Wood said. “However, from the beginning, Common Cause has emphasized the urgent necessity for the reform of state legislatures, and few state legislatures are in greater need of reform than that in Tex as. The Citizens’ Conference on State Legislatures has rated the Texas Legislature 38th among the states in its ability to func tion effectively and responsibly.” During the 63rd Legislature, Common Cause will be working to achieve some basic reforms that will open up the Texas legislative process and make it more rejpn sive to the people. Passage of j legislation supported by Conn Cause in the next session t make it possible for future provements to be made in legislative process. CommonCji will advocate the passage ol reform legislation concerns campaign finance, conflict oi terest, anti-secrecy acts, speij interest lobbying and public cess to information. Passage of this legislation vocated by Common Cause v lay the groundwork for other forms. It is the belief of the Cm mon Cause membership meaningful improvements in legislatures cannot be achiei without reforms that openupln islative process, the activities public officials, and the operatj of the entire system of state g* ernment to public scrutiny. Sti A&M Awarded $366,859 Grant Bulletin Board U. S. Senate Hopefuls State Positions (Continued from page 1) tional priorities for the next con gress? In my opinion, our h i g h e s t priority must be given to busing in our school systems. Until forced busing is stopped, the chaos it has brought to our schools cannot be eliminated. Quality education for all students will continue to suffer as a con sequence. Congress has passed legislation designed to curb hous ing, but the federal courts have negated its implementation through constitutional interpreta tions. I feel, then, that Congress must approve a constitutional amendment to clearly prohibit forced busing to create a racial balance. Congress must continue to improve the economy by limit ing inflation and increasing em ployment. As the economy grows, Congress must insure that our environment is protected. Recog nizing that there is a relation be tween environmental protection and jobs, Congress has the duty to work for responsible legisla tion which preserves the ecologi cal balance and improves the en vironment. Finally, Congress cannot forget its duty to provide for the na tional defense necessary to pre- FANTASTIC FASHION UNDER $20.oo j|^ Wrangler Shirts and Kmt Tops $5.00-$6.00 'd! ITPenng Pincher Q&everlep QSral&p TOWNSHIRE serve peace. We must provide funds necessary for defense, but we must see that they are effec tively and efficiently utilized. What programs would you sup port to improve the administra tion of criminal justice and the penal system in the United States? Two areas of criminal law re quiring immediate attention are speedy trials and penal reform. The lack of swift judicial action causes unnecessary hardships to both the guilty and the innocent: I have sponsored legislation, S. 895, requiring, wherever possible, trials within sixty days of the in dictment. Convicted criminals must not be forgotten. The pres ent penal system is not doing enough to help in prisoner re form. I have sponsored a bill, S. 2939, for a study on minimum prison conditions designed to fa cilitate prisoner rehabilitation. Richard Garcia, Socialist Workers What do you consider the na tional priorities for the next con gress? 1) Total and immediate with drawal of all U.S. troops and ma terial from Southeast Asia. Abol ish the draft. Unconditional am nesty for those accused of draft evasion or desertion. 2) Fight for the government’s assault on rights and wages of working people. Vote to end all wage controls; end the war and war on spending; shorten the work week, with no loss in pay to combat unemployment; guar antee unemployment compensa tion at union wages for all un employed; equal rights in unions and on jobs for Black, Raza and women workers. 3) Enact Abzug’s bill to re peal all anti-abortion laws. Rati fy the Equal Rights Amendment and act to enforce Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on basis of sex; provide free, quality 24- hour child care facilities. 4) End harassment and depor tation of Chicane and Mexican workers by immigration agents. End U. S. government buying of non-U.F.W.O.C. lettuce; institute use of Spanish in schools, court rooms, prisons, jobs, and on bal lot where Spanish speakers pre dominate; end of racist stereo types in textbooks and advertis- j ing. Support to the formation of a mass, independent Chicane po litical organization such as the Raza Unida Party in Texas. What programs would you sup port to improve the administra tion of criminal justice and the penal system in the United States ? Free all political prisoners. End censorship and restrictions on mail; immediate trials by jur ies of peers; all prison labor paid at union wages; humane treat ment and conditions for all pris oners. TUESDAY Ag Eco Club will meet in Rooms 112-113 at 7:30 p.m. in the Plant Science Building. A&M Collegiate Future Farm ers of America Chapter will meet in Room 145 of the Physics Build ing at 7:30 p.m. There will be a slide presentation of the National FFA Convention. Refreshments will be served. Lake of the Pines will meet in Room 2A of the Memorial Student Center at 7:30 p.m. Go Club will meet at 7:30 p.m in the MSC. Bring your go sets. American Society of Agricul tural Engineers will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Lecture Room of the Agricultural Engineering Build ing. A film on duck hunting will be shown. Organizational Bonfire Meeting of all girls in the Student “Y” will be held in the Assembly Room of the MSC at 6:30 p.m. Students International Medita tion Society will meet in Room 146 of the Physics Building at 8 p.m. This meeting is the first lecture seminar on the technique of Transcendental Meditation. A follow-up lecture will be Thurs- day.,..; j j, ... WEDNESDAY Student “Y” Association’s Drug Abuse program will be presented in the MSC Ballroom at 7:30 p.m. Ray Martinez, a narcotics officer for the Department of Public Safety out of Houston, will speak. DeWitt-Lavaca County Home town Club will meet in Room 203 of the Academic Building at 7:30 p.m. Sports Car Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. at the old College Sta tion City Hall, 110 Church St., to discuss future events. Marketing Society will meet in Room 2A of the MSC at 7:30 p.m. The Public Relations man for Lone Star Brewery in San Antonio will speak. Bonfire Coffee Truck Girls will have an organizational meeting in the Assembly Room of the MSC at 6:30 p.m. Aggie Blood Drive sign-up tables will be located in front of the MSC post office and Sbisa all day Wednesday and Thursday. The Federal Highway Aditiiiri tration has awarded A&M 859 for expanded operation ol field test and evaluation cenli specializing in standardizati: and evaluation of skid measut ment systems and skid mea» ment processes. Announcement of the am was made by Cong. Olin Teague. TAMU’s Texas Transportatio Institute established the centt last year as an FHWA pilot pr/ ect to serve 16 central and soil! ern states. Two other centerat now being formed to sene eastern and western states. Forest Product Demand Increase Anticipated A great increase in demand for forest products is anticipated by the year 2000, said Dr. Frederick Wangaard. Wangaard, professor and head of the Department of Forest and Wood Science at Colorado State University, spoke to a small crowd in the University Library Monday night on the subject of “Wood: A Neglected Resource.” Wangaard pointed out that the current consumption of wood is 13 billion cubic feet, in the form of lumber, plywood, paper and thousands of other products. This is expected to more than double by the year 2000. “With reasonable estimates of what our forests will be able to supply, we have a projection of producing only 60 billion cubic feet by 2000,” said Dr. Wangaard. He went on to say that the equi librium price index that has been studied by the Cabinet Task Force will be 173 instead of 100 and the quantity available will be 64 bil lion. TRY BATTALION CLASSIFIED ARTIST SHOWCASE SERIES Presents THE COLOGNE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Hailed As . . . “The Elite of Chamber Orchestras.” OCT. 25 8:00 P. M. BRYAN CIVIC AUDITORIUM TICKETS A&M Student $1.00 A&M Student Date ; $1.50 Other Students $2.50 Patron $3.50 NO RESERVED SEATS Tickets & Information — 845-4671 TAMU | Town Hall CANTERBURY ASSOCIATION Each Tuesday, 6:30 p. m. Holy Eucharist and Supper EPISCOPAL STUDENT CENTER 904 - 906 Jersey Street (Southern Boundary of Campus) 846-1726 A FILM MARTIN LUTHER Professionally Produced Originally Shown In Major Picture Theaters Around The Country Depicting One Of The Major Turning Points Of World History TO BE SHOWN IN THE Fellowship Hall of A&M Methodist Church Sunday, November 29, 8:00 p. m. — Free Admission Co-Sponsored by the Wesley Foundation, University Lutheran Chapel, UCCF, St. Mary’s Student Center and Episcopal Student Center IMPORTED 3 & 10 SPEED BIKES Sales - Service - Accessories NEW SHIPMENT OF PEUGEOT Limited Supply $127.95 CENTRAL SUPPLY 715 S. Main Bryan Closed Mon. Bryan 822-2228 No. AJ048M — $125.00 17 jewel, self-wind, Bell alarm, 98.2 ft. water tested, day-date calendar instant date change, yellow top/stainless steel bad SEIKO Douglas Jewelry The A& a surprisi second an Golf Toui las last I The U which pla ence ever which sa Champion ish a dist Adan Ags ( The A beat a t swimmer 15-5 Sati L. B. player fc the first water po Van A< A&M sv hall of f: son play ex’s in t Doug the scori four go scored t Prentice goals e”ai The . strong C team O-l scorer i goals wl two. The m is Thurs they f a Club, a P. L. D< pus. Satun Conway, drix In\ 0i Af By KE! Assoc i a CINC land A’ 212 N. Main 822-3119 Kent Ellis, Evangelist WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? In three previous articles we have presented evidence show ing that baptism in the New Testament was and is immersion. Your reaction may be: what difference does it make? Such an attitude could have been learned easily from religious teachers of note. Thomas Aquinas wrote: “And, therefore, although it is safer to baptize by immersion, because this is the more ordinary fashion, yet baptism can be conferred by sprinkling or also by pouring,.,. (Summa Theologica, Of the Sacrament of Baptism, Q. 66, A, 7), While Martin Luther preferred immersion, he did not “deem this necessary,” although he declared it “was also doubtless instituted by Christ” Work of Martin Luther, The Philadelphia Edition, Vol. 2, pp. 226, 230, 231). John Calvin taught: “Whether the person who is baptized be wholly immersed, and whether thrice or once, or whether water be only poured or sprinkled upon him, is of no importance; . . . The very word baptize, however, signifies to immerse; and it is certain that immersion was the practice of the ancient Church”(Institutes of the Christian Religion, IV, ch. XV, 19). Does it not seem strange that religious leaders would say it is not necessary to and of no importance whether people do what was doubtless instituted by Christ and is certain was the practice of the ancient church? It is sensible to tell men they need not follow the “safer” course in a matter of such great significance? What difference does it make ? It makes the difference be tween doing what Christ commanded and not doing it. It means relying either on what the word of God says or on men’s opinion. On one occasion Christ posed a question we would do well to ponder: “And why call ye me. Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46; cf. Heb. 5:9). TWIN CITY CHURCH OF CHRIST 3610 Plainsman Lane Bryan, Texas Phone 846-4515 or 846-0804 “It h Dick W | “The here,” t ed whil ble syr winner. The 1 because and ch binatioi the se eluding Rolli with th Tenace hit as in the “It’s Williar in the clubhoi Will emotio status had lei pennai World Cardin was fi He phy h thougl much Froi with d sy fc Leagu Pitc basem most satisfi series manaj Finlej a sta Epste with • Catering • Dining Room 3C BAR-B-Q Orders To Go 11-9 Daily Closed Mon. 810 South Main Bryan Phone 823-8441