Page 2
College Station, Texas
Friday, November 2, 1973
THE BATTALIOI THE B>
Minerals Belong to Texas First, Countrymen Second
Batt 1
‘M
By RICK BROWN
Note: This is the conclusion of
a probe into a new approach to
preventing an energy shortage in
Texas.
Sen. Mengden does not propose
increasing the price of gas and
oil at the well-head or coercing
more money out of sales outside
the state. Rather, he said, “Con
gress is considering legislation
requiring forced equal allocation
of energy resources across the na
tion to force each state to equally
share the burdens of the energy
shortage.” And he asks, “Why
should Texans be forced to bear
equally the brunt of a national
energy shortage with non-oil pro
ducing states when those states
have consistently and systemati
cally disregarded the interests of
Texans in the past?”
Texans can indeed legally tag
oil produced on public land for
use, first in Texas, then else-
where. But, several questions
arise. Is enough oil and gas pro
duced on the public lands to sup
ply Texas. Yes. Would tamper
ing with the flow of oil and gas
disrupt the market and price sit
uation? No. The price is already
way below market price. Noth
ing Texas might do would mess
it up any more than the federal
government has already done.
Would any restrictive actions by
Texas cause an adverse backlash
of resentment by the consumer
states ? Probably. But the funda
mental question is philosophical in
nature. Should Texans utilize
their own oil and gas when our
fellow countrymen are cold ?
The argument has already been
cited that consumer states have
never neglected an opportunity to
take advantage of the mineral re
sources of their sister producer
states. But does that justify Tex
ans acting in a reciprocal manner
by hoarding our resources. Do
two wrongs make a wright? Is a
“first right” clause morally
wrong ?
The lands administered by our
state government do not belong
to some nebulous entity hazily de
fined as the bureaucracy; they be
long to all Texans, me, you, all of
us. Our lands are administered
by the state, specifically by the
land commissioner. Law cur
rently recognizes the legal and
moral righteousness of any priv
ate citizen to claim first use of
mineral resources found on his
land under lease to a drilling com
pany. Do we, as private citizens,
also have that right when acting
collectively in the form of the
public as represented by our state
government? Is the one merely
an extension of the other? Fortu
nately, we need not concern our
selves too much with the question
since the law as written in the
annexation provisions recognizes
that right.
The question Texans do need to
concern themselves with is, do
we want to preserve our oil and
gas for our own needs first, even
Batt Commentary
Voter Appreciation
An expounding editorial could be written to express
the merits and importance of voting in Tuesday's general
election, but we’re not going to spin our wheels repeating
what’s been said a million times before.
When you do vote, make sure you know what the pro
posed Texas constitutional amendments are concerned with.
Voting in ignorance is as bad as not voting at all. The
wording of some of the amendments is quite vague and re
quire interpretation. If you’ve missed the Battalion’s five-
part series explaining the amendments, come by the office
Monday and ask for back issues.
If you’re trying to decide whether extra effort should
be spent voting Tuesday and you live on campus, remember
the voting machines will be located in the Memorial Student
Center for registered Brazos County voters.
Last year’s turnout at the campus polling spot was
meager, to say the least, with less than 125 students voting.
The on-campus facility was long fought for by TAMU stu
dents. Show them your appreciation by voting Tuesday.
Sexual Inequity
Over the last three years, a phenomenon known most
commonly as women’s or female studies has appeared on
many college and university campuses. Female studies
programs have included courses of a wide variety. Some
are general interdisciplinary in nature, such as “History
and Social Life of Women” (Susan Kleinberg-History, Uni
versity of Pittsberg), and “Women and Applied Zoology”
(Susan Grant-Continuing Education, University of Massa
chusetts, Amherst). Others are more specific and very
academic ranging from “Women as the Subject and Object
in English and American Literature” (Frances Barasch-
English, CUNY, Baruch College) to “Linguistic Behavior
of Male and Female” (Mary Ray Retchie-English, Univer
sity of California at Irvine). In all cases these courses
have examined topics about women which in the past have
not merited academic attention.
By the end of the academic year 1972-73, over 900
women’s studies courses had been created on college cam
puses. However, despite the mushrooming speed of devel
opment, the women’s studies courses are still in the infant
stages. Few campuses have any female studies coordina
tion. Rather, a hodge podge of courses often changing
from term to term may be found. College administrations
and departments have been skeptical of women’s studies
courses. Staff available for female studies has been mainly
of graduate students and junior faculty. Funds, on the
rare occasions when they have been available, have been
inadequate.
Fewer than two dozen campuses (out of 2,500 colleges
and universities in the U.S.) have developed women’s studies
programs, a program being any coordination of effort which
calls itself such. Most commonly, these programs where
they do exist consist of people in various departments who
come together and attempt to attain some official recog
nition. Upon receipt of campus sanction they proceed to
expand the program in various ways, for example by creat
ing new courses, establishing women’s centers, developing
academic women’s studies majors and minors, setting up
graduate programs in women’s studies. In a few isolated
cases programs have received faculty positions specifically
for women’s studies.
Although the way has been difficult, both women’s
studies programs and courses, once they have gotten under
way, have enjoyed an impressive success. Many touch on
non-traditional subjects which do much to enliven depart
mental offering. Some have drawn students in the hun
dreds. Most people come away from women’s studies courses
with a feeling of raised consciousness to the problems faced
by both women and men as a result of a sex-roled society.
Clearly such courses and programs could make an over
whelming impact in the move to understand and remedy
sexual inequity.
—Jennifer Ryan
National Student Lobby Intern
Cbe Battalion
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of
the editor or of the writer of the article and are not
necessarily those of the University administration or
the Board of Directors. The Battalion is a non-profit,
self-supporting enterprise operated by students as a
University aiid Community newspaper.
LETTERS POLICY
Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words
and are subject to being cut to that length or less if
longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit
such letters and does not guarantee to publish any
letter. Each letter must be signed and show the address
of the writer.
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 ; Dr. Tom Adair, Dr. R. A. Albanese, Dr.
H. E. Hierth, W. C. Harrison, J. W. Griffith, D. E. Kruse and
B. B. Sears.
Represented nationally by National Educational Advertising
Services. Inc, New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles.
The 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
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 dispatches credited to it or not
otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous
origin published herein. Right of reproduction of all other
matter herein are also reserved.
Second-Class postage paid at College Station, Texas.
EDITOR MIKE RICE
Assistant to the Editor Rod Speer
Managing- Editor Greg Moses
News Editor T. C. Gallucci
Photo Editor Rodger Mallison
Sports Editor Kevin Coffey
Ass’t. Sports Editor Ted Boriskie
if the needs of other states per
haps be more pressing than our
own ? The consumer states have
in the past disregarded the needs
and desires of Texans. Should we
now come to their aid ? The latest
Congressional moves toward man
datory equal allocation accentu
ates the consumer states’ deter
mination to continue to force their
majority status down the throats
of producer states. Are we to ac
cept their control when we could
legislate changes in lease agree
ments of state land which would
free us of a forced and unneces
sary energy shortage?
Next year or the year after
Texans will almost certainly face
either a reduction in the quality
of state services, or accept new
taxes in the form of a state in
come tax or an increase in the
sales tax. The added revenues
which could be derived from Tex
as lands were they utilized in the
ways herein described would ne
gate any need for a tax increase
or a reduction in state services.
I have outlined the potential re
courses available to the citizens
of Texas should we decide to carry
our legal rights to an extreme.
Sen. Mengden introduced a bill in
the last session of the legislature
which makes use of a very tiny
portion of that power. His bill
would make no change whatso
ever to the status-quo conditions.
His bill would in no way affect
private lands which produce the
vast majority of the oil and gas
coming from Texas. His bill, if
passed, would only affect new
wells drilled on state lands in the
future. These wells would have
as a provision of the lease agree
ment the “first right” clause. The
emergency needs of Texas'
pitals, schools, and homes wtj
have to be met before any
would leave
would not prevent the eneq
shortage from affecting
would alleviate the shortage
By JULIA
“Paper
the state. The ■finest mot
year.
some extent. If you support!* Moon.” T
Mengden’s bill, and his efforti
call a special session next yt pression s
and his E
during the constitutional coma
tioan, I suggest you write j the next
Governor, Lieutenant Goverejgthere.
and all other state officials)
feel might be influential ineffe tino look
ing its passage.
Listen Up—
GPR Report to Parents ‘Unethical’
Editor:
I was under the impression that
with the passage of the 18 year
old rights bill, I was entitled to
the respopsibilities as well the
privilege of adulthood. It seems
that the University refuses to re
spect certain rights of mine as
an adult. I am referring to the
University’s proposed policy of
mailing GPR’s to the parents of
the freshmen enrolled at A&M.
While this is legal under the law,
it is also unethical. I consider this
act to be a breach of confidence.
It is not the University’s place to
be sending grade reports to par
ents.
lege students should be sent only
to the students since their par
ents are not doing the work.
The real issue at stake is that
while 18 year olds are considered
adults under the law, many fac
ets of society refuse to recognize
us as adults. We have been given
our independence, now let us join
the league of adulthood.
I consider the mailing of
GPR’s to parents to be an artifi
cial means of keeping us from our
responsibilities as adults. I will
please ask the University to leave
my business to me, and my par
ent’s business to them.
Dan Daugherty Jr. ’77
studying a proposal to send re
ports automatically to parents of
freshmen.—Ed.
★ ★ ★
Editor:
I would like to express the ba
sis for opposing liquor on our
campus by pointing out some fac
tors of consideration:
In grade school, report cards
should be sent to parents. After
all, how else will parents know
how well they did on their chil
dren’s homework assignments ?
However, the grade reports of col-
The University has not author
ized mailing of reports to parents
unless parents request them. This
is legal according to public docu
ments law. The University Aca
demic Programs Committee is
1) As a dorm student, I have
the right to a favorable environ
ment conducive to studying. I
have already found that this has
been interrupted as a direct re
sult of congregations in a near
by room to drink beer and “raise
a stink.” It seems like the lax,
current policy has already been
abused and often the R.A.s aren’t
around to enforce restrictions.
good time). For those studej
who want to have a good tis
there are better places. If I
policy is formally permitWi
will only make it easier fori
student to neglect his grades(s
pecially for the first year stoda meat is t
adjusting to college life). Hi and not 1
policy and the current acadtisi tor’s orig
environment will not mix. Anyon
who thinks so is receiving!
herself.
3) The third factor of coh
eration is our school’s reputatk
What will become of our schok 1
tic standards at A&M?
downgrade the reputation of at
school? Would we be looked at £
a “party” school? This, too,
an important consideration.
2) The second factor of con
sideration is that A&M is a place
to get an education (not have a
4) The fourth factor is tk
reputation of the Corps of Cadet
What will become of the Coif
in terms of discipline? The mi
purpose of the Corps of Cadets
to train leaders for military sen
ice. This policy could drastics!-
affect discipline to the extent
making the Corps look like
“joke.”
It seems more is at stake tk
the privilege of exercising r
civil liberties. The Student Semi
can push this policy, but I cat
help but think it is detrimenti
to the interests and reputation
Texas A&M. I praise those ii
viduals who have voted again: Ali
this policy and would hope tti
the Board of Directors takes
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quest students to exercise tkd
civil rights off campus for Ail
sake.
'JEEZ, AFTER LISTENING TO HIM, I WONDER IF WE HAVE ANY TROUBLES AT ALL!'
Danny T. Moore ’71
Did You Know
PEMSTON CAFETERIA IS NOW OPEN EACH EVEN INC, that’s right...
from 4:30 to 7:00 EACH EVENING, SUNDAY THROUCH FRIDAY.
Featuring a Great Variety of Meals at Budget Prices
PEA
(V)
Home-made hot rolls
(\0
(V)
Fast service
(\0
(V)
Inexpensive
(\0
(V)
Parking across the street
(\0
si no w 'mum <;h nun w
If you have never thought about taking the “BETTKR HALF" to dinner on campus, then von have
never thought about Peniston Cafeteria. When you think about eating out... THUNK PF1NISTON.
PENISTON CAFETERIA, Lower Level, Sbisa Hall
OPEN
SUN.-FRI. 7 A.M.-1:15 P.M.
4:30 P.M.-7 P.M.
‘Quality First’
WA1
KIN]
SAM
JOH
BIL]