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THE BATTALION
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1973
Bait Commentary
Volunteer Help
A moderate electricity brown out took place almost a year ago
here as University Purchasing Agent Herb Gersbach was just beginning
his diligent search for enough fuel to keep the University operating.
And for University officials, the energy crisis has been uppermost on
their minds since the beginning of the year.
Within the next few days, the unveiling of plans to cutback
electrical demands at TAMU will probably occur as the special Energy
Management Committee, chaired by Dr. Richard Wainerdi, met today.
We have been advised that recommendations will most likely come out
of this meeting for immediate approval and instrumentation. These
recommendations were fairly well developed in what was termed last
year as Phase I of an energy cutback program, which is still being
developed.
Last week, we met with the Energy Information Subcommittee
of the EMC to help work out plans for the most efficient handling of
news of cutbacks and how to conserve fuel. One of the main points
stressed in the meeting was that citizens with a valid and reasonable
suggestion should get in touch with the committee. This can be done
easily by calling The Battalion.
The crisis is real and is already causing adjustments in lifestyles,
industry, commerce and the stock market. All tips and voluntary help
should certainly be appreciated by all citizens.
Acquiring the News
Statements made recently by a member of the Black Awareness
Committee about the extent of campus news coverage by The
Battalion, prompted us to explain how we get our news.
The writing staff of The Battalion consists of only 10 regular
people and these few people can never hope to be omni for all events,
speeches, committee meetings, or otherwise without help from students
and faculty. Surely, if there was at least a sense of competitiveness
among our own journalism students, we might not be facing this
problem. Therefore, reader attention to current events becomes quite
important to us.
The staff of The Battalion could cover more committee meetings
and alert others to more coming events and meetings in Bulletin Board
and a meeting schedule. But, these must be submitted to The Battalion
before 9 p.m. two days beforehand.
A common complaint also occurs when critics say all events
covered by The Battalion are Student Government or administratively
related. To some extent this is true, but only because these people go
out of their way to create news for us and tell us about it. On many
stories, though, a good deal of research needs to be done—and there’s a
lot of news here, too. However, the size of our writing staff stretches
only so far.
If you’ve got a story to tell us, a problem, or just a hometown
meeting to announce, get it to us. Help us help everyone stay in the
know.
Good Show—So Far
A sound start has been made on the massive task of rewriting
Texas’ antiquated constitution. After seven months of public hearings,
research and deliberation, the 37-member Constitutional Revision
Commission has produced an impressive document for consideration by
the Legislature, sitting as a constitutional convention in January.
The revision panel draft strengthens the three branches of
government, substitutes flexibility and broad principle for the detailed,
constrictive language of our Reconstruction-era state charter, and it is
only a fourth the length of the present document.
The convention delegates can improve on the commission’s draft,
but they should not dilute its basic strengths. As essential to the
revision effort as producing a modern, streamlined constitution will be
keeping the public informed on the progress of the work. It will in turn
be our responsibility as voters to understand not only the convention’s
final recommendations but how they were formed.
The revision commission has shown that it understands the
importance of public participation in the revision process and of
keeping us informed so we can properly evaluate its work. It began with
public hearings throughout the state at which citizens could express
their views on a new constitution. Its subsequent deliberations were
open to the press and the public. It has kept the news media informed
of every step of its progress. It has not shied away from controversy or
attempted to hide differences of opinion among its members. On the
contrary, it has exercised admirable candor.
The commission recently installed a toll-free phone in its Austin
headquarters to answer citizens’ questions and has scheduled a series of
20 public meetings across the state to discuss its work. The Houston
meeting will be on Nov. 28 at the Rice Hotel. This is a promising
beginning for the revision effort. Now those responsible for keeping this
information pipeline open must follow through, both during and after
next year’s constitutional convention. And we, the voters, should take
advantage of it so that we can intelligently judge the convention’s final
product.
—The Houston Post
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 and 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 correspondetice to Listen Up, The Battalion,
Room 217, Services Building, College Station, Texas
77813.
Members of the Student Publications Board are: Jim
Lindsey, chairman ; Dr. Tom Adair, Dr. R. A. Albanese, Dr.
H. E. Hierth, W. C. Harrison, Randy Ross, T. Chet Edwards,
and Jan Faber.
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
Sports Editor Kevin Coffey
Ass’t. Sports Editor Ted Boriskie
Schools
Boost
Petition
Heard from your favorite
Southwest Conference female
athlete yet ? Probably not, see
ing as there presently are
none here, or at any other SWC
School. The main obstacle to fe
male eligibility for competition
with members of the same sex
from other schools is the inter
pretation of a SWC rule that says
only men can compete.
Newspapers from schools with
in the conference have banded to
gether to bring and press atten
tion to the growing number of
women competing in club athletics
and the rising need for SWC rec
ognition of the opposite sex. The
complexity of the TAMU Wom
en’s Sports Association attests
locally to the need. The Battalion
would like to help push this issue
into discussion by our own ath
letic council, chaired by Dr.
Charles Samson.
The issue, just gaining momen
tum as awareness of women’s
rights grows, arises with a great
deal of timeliness. Southwest
Conference officials are slated to
meet Dec. 6-8 and, hopefully, the
idea may be passed for immedi
ate approval or at least commit
tee consideration.
A petition, which is being re
printed on this page is being cir
culated by university papers and
women’s groups at other confer
ence schools for presentation to
their respective athletic councils
and to the SWC as a whole. Al
though the petition may not re
sult in immediate implementation
of women’s sports, it would show
the amount of interest prevalent
in the student community.
A PETITION
We hereby call upon the Athletic Council of Texas A&M University to take all steps
necessary to immediately create a complete fully funded program of intercollegiate
athletics for women within the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.
We also call upon the Southwest Conference to create a program of intercollegiate
athletics for women and finally end all sex discrimination in athletics at its nine member
schools.
Please fill this petition with signatures and send to The Battalion, to the Student
Government office at the Memorial Student Center or to the Dean of Women’s Office.
Name Address Phone
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
'NOW, LET ME EXPLAIN (IN ALL CANDOR) EXACTLY WHAT I MEANT WHEN I TOLD THE
GOVERNORS (IN ALL SINCERITY) THERE WERE NO FURTHER BOMBSHELLS. . '
Bai
QBQQ
It would be appropriate for the
Women’s Awareness Workshop
here to help develop the petition’s
effectiveness, even the point of
preparing it for the National Col
legiate Athletic Association’s
January meeting. Samson is TA-
MU’s representative to this meet
ing.
Listen Up—
Suggestions Made
For
Drawbacks have been raised by
several officials in the confer
ence, who cite a lack of money:
as the main problem. The only
money maker in the athletic pro
gram here is football, despite the
fact that other sports are capable
of making money.
Post-Thanksgiving Blues
But, athletic departments don’t
seem to realize that. Consequent
ly, it seems that the athletic de
partments’ efforts are concen
trated around perpetuating foot
ball as a money maker, above and
beyond all other sports.
As long as things remain that
way, there will never be any
money for women’s athletics at
the university. But, students pay
to attend the university. So, since
we’re paying, we might as well
have a little say in some of the
practices of this university.
So clip out this petition and
pass it around to all students. The
petitions can be returned to The
Battalion, the Dean of Women’s
Office, or the Student Govern
ment Office in the MSC. It’s the
only way to tell the Athletic
Council what we, the students,
feel about this issue.
Editor;
AftfiT experiencing Thanksgiv
ing at A&M, I am thankful that
it is over. I don’t believe that any
one should gripe against the sys
tem without rebutting with solid
facts and pertinent suggestions.
So hold on to your hat.
Why must I be restricted to
only sitting with my friends who
are in my class, or those who have
the same color activity card ?
Our school’s answer is that they
plainly don’t want to condone
homosexuality. Is going to the
game with a friend of the same
sex homosexuality ? Do you sup
port the answer? So what hap
pens, many people don’t end up
sitting - where their ticket speci
fies. My answer is simple. Why
not permit an upperclassman to
get one underclassman ticket,
whether it be a date or not. There
are always skeptics who say that
many Aggies will abuse this priv
ilege. Maybe, but if one person
gets a ticket for another, he is
going to have to sit with him at
the game. I can’t think of any
better way to meet other people
than to root for the Ags (not the
Army) together.
Then there’s Town Hall. You
might ask, “Yeah, where is Town
Hall ?” and I say to you, “Damn
good question.” Take a minute
and look at your Aggielands, of
the past few years, at the Town
Hall “group” picture. How many
uniforms do you see ? Does it
make you wonder why we haven’t
seen: SGT BARRY SADLER
CONDUCTS THE TEXAS AG
GIE BAND? The Corps is 18 per
cent of the student body and 85
per cent of Town Hall. Talk about
a military coup . . .
Why can’t we get some above
average entertainment around
here ? One answer may be the
students. Many students feel
compelled to go to a concert, just
because they are “good Ags.” So,
it doesn’t matter who Town Hall
gets (as long as they’re cheap);
they know it will be a sellout and
the Aggies will come. Has Town
Hall ever heard of: The Guess
Who, Three Dog Night, Johnny
Cash, Bill Cosby or the Moody
Blues, just to name a few ? Has
Town Hall ever thought of an
open-air concert in Kyle Field ? I
can think of nothing better il
to sit next to my date (warm
side and out) and freak-out tt
good concert. Noise pollutio:
Aggies make more noise figii
ing farmers at a football gst
Rain? Tents for the players a
umbrellas for the fans. 1
How many times bigger is Kjl
Field than G. Rollie?
Come on Ags, let us all chan
for the better!
Lee Blumenthal
Main considerations for gmil
such as you’ve named are tli
they aren’t cheap and many »i
not play college campuses. 1
get quality groups, Town Ha
needs more money and better il
tendance for the more expensit
concerts. The group started 11
semester with a $7,000 defiti
lost $3,000 on the Henry Mantii
concert and, hopefully, brokeerti
with its Mancini loss with Ik
Johnny Rivers concert. Manycil
leges have many small concert
that are just as good as the til
ones. One question: have y#
attempted to get on the Ton
Hall Selection Committee? H
students can serve on this.-B
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FAMIL
SECTIC
These coupons and three SCstamps
can save you a bundle.
If you've flown recently you know that a
youth fare ticket costs about 50% more than it
did last year By this time next year, youth fares
will be a thing of the past
Unless you do something about it
That's because the Civil Aeronautics Board
(CAB) thinks that airlines shouldn't "discriminate"
by charging some people less money for tickets
than other people
Despite the fact that some people have less
money than other people
And despite the fact that most of the airlines
believe youth fares should be retained since
last year, they accounted for over 5 million trips
and $400 million in revenues
We Right Wrongs
Shortly after the CAB's announcement
last December, the National Student Lobby
began a campaign to override the Board's
decision Together with representatives of
industry, labor, other citizens' groups, and
like-minded senators, we recently won passage
of a bill which would create youth and senior
citizen discounts on all domestic flights
Similar legislation is now pending in the
House
Your Lobby Needs You
To push this bill through, though, your
help is required Lobbies can aid legislators
when they already see our point of view, but
only an aroused constituent can make a Con-
gressperson change his mind
So we'd like to encourage you to use the
coupons at the bottom of this ad (or better still,
write your own letter, or send a telegram)
One goes to Cong John larman of
Oklahoma, Chairman of the House Transporta
tion and Aeronautics Subcommittee Ask him to
hold hearings immediately, and support HR 2698,
sponsored by Rep John Keating and 86 other
representatives This bill, if passed, will create
discount air fares for both young people and
senior citizens
The second coupon goes to your Con-
gressperson Tell him that you expect him to
support HR 2698 or similar legislation And tell
him that you'll remember how he votes the next
time you vote
programs We lobby on legislation which affects
your right to vote, student partcipation in
university governance, and the minimum wage
you receive for work you do on your campus
We'd like you to know more about us,
and we'd like to know more about your needs
So we are offering memberships to individual
students, and not just student organizations
They cost $6 00 per year, and include not
only a subscription to our monthly newspaper,
The Student Lobbyist, but also give you an equal
voice in determining the Lobby's position on
issues of public importance through our annual
referendum You'll also receive our Voting
Record Poster (suitable for framing) which helps
you keep tabs on your Congressperson, just in
case he hasn't called you in for a briefing lately
So use the coupons You'll find the 24$
well .spent
And Last, But Not Least...
The third one goes to us, the National
Student Lobby the only lobby on Capitol Hill
which protects students' interests and defends
their rights
We give you a voice on issues which affect
the cost of your education, such as federal
funding of student loan and other financial aid
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The Honorable John Jarman, Chairman
House Transportation and Aeronautics Subcommittee
House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative Jarman
1 urge you to hold hearings immediately on HR 2698 and
HR 3859, which would establish discounts for young people
and senior citizens on domestic air routes I am sure that once
you have considered all the relevant testimony, you will find that
this legislation merits your support _
Signed.
The Honorable -
House of’Representatives
Washington, D C 20515
Dear
As one of your younger, more vocal, constituents, I urge
you to support HR 2698 and HR 3859 which would establish
discounts for young people and senior citizens on domestic air
routes Since such fares do not adversely effect either passengers
paying full fares, or airline profits, I am sure you will find that
this legislation merits your vigorous support I look forward to
learning your position on this crucial matter in the very near future
Signed,
National Student Lobby
413 East Capitol Street
Washington, D C 20(303
Dfear Folks,
I find your work interesting and would like to lend my
support Find my six bucks enclosed □ Please send me
information on how I can organize to retain youth fares or work
on other student issues in my school or community Q My name is
and I live at —-—-
I attend school at
1 am also concerned about
the following issues