Page 2
THE BATTALION
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1973
Postal Services Decrease Spells Mail Box Doom
By BILL HERRIDGE
In 1945 it cost a penny to send
a post card from Snook to Cut-
bank, Montana. Travel time then
was about three weeks, but you
could drop the card in the mail
box and be reasonably sure it
would ge there.
Today the same post card will
cost you eight cents to mail, with
delivery time running anywhere
from the original three weeks to
a year, depending on how lucky
you are.
Many things contribute to the
problem in the U.S. Postal
Service today. The biggest factor
in the mail problem is the popu
lation increase. More people are
mailing more letters, cards and
packages today than ever before.
Bureaucracy enters into the
picture, too, but the recent
change-over of the Postal De
partment to the USPS is elimi
nating some of the political red
tape.
Rates are on the increase, with
a two-cent hike projected within
a year. Air mail service is in
danger of becoming a thing of
the past; result of increased fuel
and labor costs within the com
mercial air carriers.
The postal system in America
is indeed changing, a fact we are
all just going to have to live with.
The service we all once took for
granted is going to become less
convenient than in the “good old
days.”
One coming change in postal
delivery will be a corner box
system, where the resident must
walk to a designated location and
pick up his mail, rather than
have it left in his door-front mail
box.
This will surely bring - rumbles
of discontent to the average
stamp-licker, but the Swedes have
been using this system since they
started issuing stamps in 1885.
No one complains there, but then
the Swedes are an athletic people
who had rather walk than sit and
ride.
The possibility of a halt in
home parcel delivery is also in
the cards. One five-pound parcel
takes up a lot of room in a mail
truck, room that could either be
eliminated for more economical
transportation methods or that
could be used to hold more letters.
Who should we blame for the
rising costs in the mail ? Most
people point their finger at the
“junk mail” patron, the large
company who cranks out reams
of advertising mail, complete with
computerized address label, or
the publishers who are able to
post a one-pound magazine for
mere pennies.
The. fact is that the “junk
mailers” and publishers account
for the majority of postal income.
Rising mail costs have already
forced all the major news/picture
magazines out of print, with
“Life” being the last to go.
The fault lies with us, the
postal patron and the turn of
events in the energy crisis. It
costs more for a letter to fly
from one major city to the next
than it did a year ago. Galosine
for mail trucks is getting out of
sight in most locations and power
to drive intricate canceling and
sorting machines gets more ex
pensive with each passing kilo
watt hour.
Labor plays a big part in postal
rate increases, with 600,000 postal
employees garnishing an average
$700 annual raise last July.
They’ll get another $400 hike in
July 1974.
With that kind of production
increase, any businessman will
tell you the product price is going
to have to increase. Yet busi
nessmen are some of the first to
holler when a one-cent hike in
first class postage goes into
effect.
Believe it or not, the postal au
thorities are worried about the
situation, and are taking good
long looks at alternatives in serv
ice. They fully realize that the
American public will not tolerate
much more rate increase. And
postal costs ate near the point
where private companies can eco
nomically compete with the gov
ernment — some already are com
peting.
They cringe when a congres
sional investigator points out that
it requires 1.5 cents to mail a
first class letter from one end of
Thailand to the other. What the
investigator doesn’t say is that
the per capita income of the aver
age Thai is $108, making the
first-class rate far higher there
than in our own country.
The previously mentioned cor
ner module looks like the best
way out for the postal service.
Modern, automated post offices
are springing up around the
country too, eliminating jobs for
postal employees — much to the
consternation of the union.
Modular delivery systems, auto
matic address readers, computer
ized sorters and cancellation ma
chines, all these are either under
study or in limited use in the
postal system today, and here’s
more to come.
What can be done by the aver
age postal patron to help curb
the rising cost of mailing a let
ter? The most important solution
is using the zip code system of
addressing.
The Japanese system of zip
coding, in use for about seven
years now, enjoys about 97 per
cent usage by the Japanese peo
ple. Mr. Zip in America, how
ever, has been around for about
14 years, and he is utilized by
only about 35 per cent of the peo
ple.
We are constantly reminded to
“Mail Early in the Day,” s
advice when you think abot
Most post office activity $
at about 3 p.m., two hours at]
from quitting time for tke
shift. These employes who
around in an afternoon frenzy;
idle for the most part, until ah
11 a.m. or so.
Overtime costs could hej
drastically if the “mail early"]
peal were heeded. Overtime,in
hikes, fuel and power cost;
creases, and other economic |j
tors led to the cost per pie«
mail in 1971 of 10.4 cents,a :
loss of 2.59 cents. Reduction
overtime, less fuel consume
through the corner box sysli
and other money-saving facto
could mean a permanent stahi'i
tion in postal rates.
Drastic steps will havetol
taken sooner or later, steps tli
will result in a decrease in
services. So we might as wellp
used to the idea that the do
front box will someday hole
circulars that businessmen
afford to mail.
Equal 0
Ho'
Listen Up—
‘Manners
Lacking’
at Concert
'MISS WOODS, MOST BOSSES WOULD HURL YOU OUT ON YOUR EAR FOR WHAT YOU'VE
DONE, BUT . . . '
Editor:
Johnny Rivers played for bon
fire and, as in the past, the audi
ence showed a complete lack of
manners to the performers and
the other members of the audi
ence. I realize the sound system
was lousy and Rivers needed his
band, but considering that he was
the only one that would come
here on such short notice, I think
he deserved at least a bit of con
sideration. As the people streamed
out and talking grew louder, it
became impossible for those of us
who wanted to hear the concert to
enjoy it.
I would have enjoyed seeing
America, but possibly it heard
about the way in which other
performers have been treated and
decided it wasn’t worth it. After
all, what’s so attractive about an
audience yelling and hollering
and heading out the doors ?
Pamela Kosarek ’75
many of our number have
tended the College Station mi
pus for a period of one to tin
years, we also know Aggie
and the loyalty to school amiii
low students.
Batt Commentary
A Woman’s Victory
CADET SLOUCH
by Jim Earle
Women’s intercollegiate athletics within the Southwest Con
ference moved a step closer to reality Tuesday as the Athletic Council
at the University of Texas in Austin released a resolution calling for an
enlarged program of intercollegiate athletics for women. And it was
with this news just recently in its ears, that Texas A&M’s Athletic
Council was to discuss the matter with Student Government President
Randy Ross and Battalion Editor Mike Rice in a 2 p.m. meeting today.
A proposal to change the SWC rule which allows only men to
compete in SWC competition, reportedly on the SWC representatives:
meeting agenda next week, was discussed in Austin not in the terms of
women’s rights, but with the thought that UT could lose “millions if we
continue to discriminate and violate regulations of the Department of
Health, Education and Welfare.” It seems that the only thing between
the law and an advocation of chauvinism is those “millions.”
Nonetheless, legal battles seem to be the last resort to achieve freedom
for women.
No one knows this better than A&M golfer Brenda Goldsmith, a
San Antonio duffer, who failed to find any money for a scholarship to
UT. TAMU Coach Emory Bellard’s associate, Marvin Tate, found her a
private scholarship to come here. This evidently shows where the hearts
of our athletic department officials are, with men AND women.
Ms. Goldsmith’s college golfing career could possibly have hinged
on a recent decision regarding a golfer at the University of Florida. The
female golfer was attending on a scholarship for her talents, but then
found that she couldn’t compete with those who were members of the
Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, the largest group of
its type. Tire group didn’t want publicity, obviously, but found it
anyway when the female duffer won her case in court.
In other words, Ms. Goldsmith’s search for school money may
have gotten her nowhere.
“It’s just like everything else, you’ve just got to have money first
to get anywhere,” Ms. Goldsmith told us. “And thinking we can
compete against males is absurd. I’ve played them- they get to hate
your guts because it deflates their ego.”
“The time is right for a separate division of athletics for women
in the SWC because women’s sports are coming of age so fast,”
continued Ms. Goldsmith. “So many women have the ability and can’t
compete because no funds come their way from even the Texas
Committee On Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. I never heard of
that group until this week.”
We urge the A&M Athletic Council to survey how other
institutions—like the University of Chicago, Indiana University and the
University of Michigan—fund and administer women’s programs.
Furthermore, we ask that the University authorize the council to study
funding and administrative aspects of a women’s intercollegiate
program here.
A possible source of income could be from a one dollar increase
in the Student Services Fee charge. The Athletic Department received
$170,000 for this year’s operating budget from here plus over $1.2
million from ticket sales and donations. As the budget is soon to be
debated, we would urge the Student Advisory Committee to the
council to study this possibility.
We think this type of situation will develop at many schools in
the nation in the next few years. Texas A&M was one of the last
holdouts in the creation of a women’s ROTC program. Will it be one of
the last to recognize women’s intercollegiate athletics, too?
#1
★ ★ ★
Editor:
The fact that many, if not most,
of the students at TAMU’s Col
lege Station campus do not realize
that there are other TAMU cam
puses has prompted us to write
this letter. The other campus we
specifically refer to is TAMU’s
Moody College of Marine Sciences
and Maritime Resources—Texas
Maritime Academy. Though we
happen to be located near the
Gulf in Galveston, (for obvious
reason) we wish to make it known
to all that we, too, have that
fightin’ Texas Aggie spirit. As
At the SMU march-in w
attended, we took the
from the Corps and others inti
same good spirit in which ni
sure it was given. (Though s
did get tired of people running
to us and demanding two li
strawberry.)
We hope this letter will
it known to all Fightin’Texas li
gies that we wear the Ramert<
receive the same diploma
have that same Aggie spirit
our hearts.
R. Fielder ’74
K. Hughes ’77
and 24 other Aggies
“But if we turn out the lights to save energy, how
can we study?”
(S)
HARRY DISHMAN
Sales & Service
603 Texas Ave. C.S. across from campus — 846-3316
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 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, 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
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Dec. 17, 1973 - 4:30 p. m. to 7 p. m.
Roast Breast of Turkey
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Chilled Cranberry Sauce
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English Peas w/Water Chestnuts
Choice of Salad (Except Chef Salads)
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