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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 31, 1976)
News Dept. 845-2611 Business Dept. 845-2611 Cis >VrEN»*'^' contract ratified Associated Press AKRON, Ohio — Goodyear and Fires tone rubber workers have ratified a new three-year contract and are gearing up their factories to start making tires again after a four-month strike. Eight of the 11 Firestone locals ratified the pact Sunday, and maintenance and service workers in Akron reported to work later in the day. A Firestone spokesman said the plants might be up to full produc tion by as early as midweek. Earlier, 12 of 15 Goodyear locals ratified their contract and some employes began returning to work Friday night and Satur day. The two other major tire makers, Good rich and Uniroyal, are still negotiating noneconomic issues with the United Rub ber Workers, but settlements are expected shortly. The URW went on strike against the in dustry’s four leaders April 21, idling more than 6,000 workers at 47 plants and cutting nation’s tire production by about 60 per cent. The longest previous URW strike was 97 days. Goodyear employes won a $1.35 hourly wage boost over three years, and Firestone workers will receive an extra $1.44. For the first time, all the tire makers have granted the union a cost-of-living ad justment which provides for a one-cent- an-hour wage increase for every four- tenths of one per cent rise in the Consumer Price Index. During the third year of the contract, the one cent boost is triggered by a three-tenths rise in the index. Consumers, as a result, can look forward to higher tire prices. Industry spokesmen have said that tire prices will go up 12 to 16 per cent. ' Congressional panel claims abuses in Medicaid program Bikes are back . . . Manpowered two-wheeled ve hicles seem to be more popular each semester on the A&M campus. This rack, located by the Memorial Student Center, shows that many stu- Staff photo by Kevin Venner dents wish to avoid parking permit fees, gas bills, long walks to class and dents on their cars. With the increase in the bike traffic. University officials may find it necessary to issue bicycle parking permits. Panel favors tax cuts Associated Press WASHINGTON — A congressional in vestigation that included undercover work by Sen. Frank E. Moss has found that much of the money paid by taxpayers for the Medicaid program is wasted. Moss, who charged that the Ford admin istration hasn’t done enough to control the Medicaid abuses, was accused Monday by the White House and Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare David Mathews of “grandstanding.” Mathews said, “We are well ahead of Moss in terms of identifying the problem and doing something about it.” With federal help, states are already By CARL C. CRAFT Associated Press WASHINGTON — Senate-House lotiators working on the income tax bill fee that the existing $15 billion in annual Jividual tax cuts should continue through ext year. Meanwhile, in the House, a gift and es- atetax package, bearing features similar to Imethe Senate put in the income tax bill, s in trouble. working yesterday on the income tax lill, Senate-House tax conferees settled on jhtension of current tax cuts, worth $180 tol typical family of four earning $15,000 help combat the recession. All decisions by the conferees remain subject to approval by the full House and Senate before this tax bill can be sent to President Ford. The conferees agreed to continue two features of the temporary tax cuts through 1977, and to make a third one a permanent part of the law. Extended through Dec. 31, 1977, would be: V An across-the-board tax credit, sub tracted directly from taxes owed, of $35 for a taxpayer and for each dependent. Or, the taxpayer could take a credit of 2 per cent of the first $9,000 of taxable income, for a mally. The cuts became law last year to What the tax cut means Here is what existing individual income tax cuts are | r, h some typical taxpayers. The cuts were acted last year and would be extended through 1977 under an agreement reached yesterday by Senate- House conferees on the pending tax bill. Income means adjusted gross income. NGLE PERSON Reduction MARRIED COUPLES FAMILY OF FOUR FAMILY OF SIX B 3.000 $ 95 $ 3,000 $ 28 $ 3,000 $300 $ 3,000 $300 P 5,000 $127 $ 5,000 $192 $ 5,000 $398 $ 5,000 $300 $ 6,000 $147 $ 6,000 $200 $ 6,000 $445 $ 6,000 $228 18,000 $182 $ 8,000 $229 $ 8,000 $265 $ 8,000 $312 (10,000 $151 $10,000 $204 $10,000 $216 $10,000 $278 112,500 $180 $12,500 $177 $12,500 $147 $12,500 $210 115,000 $180 $15,000 $180 $15,000 $180 $15,000 $210 (17,500 $180 $17,500 $180 $17,500 $180 $17,500 $210 (20,000 $180 $20,000 $180 $20,000 $180 $20,000 $210 (25,000 $180 $25,000 $180 $25,000 $180 $25,000 $210 (30.000 $180 $30,000 $180 $30,000 $180 $30,000 $210 (35,000 $180 $35,000 $180 $35,000 $180 $35,000 $210 (30,000 $180 $40,000 $180 $40,000 $180 $40,000 $210 High school seniors named President’s Scholars jjTexas A&M University has named 40 sident’s Scholars from the 1976-77 bior classes of Texas high schools. Chosen for top scholastic ability and ex- itional leadership qualities, they will en- here in the fall of 1977. ■The prestigious Texas A&M award is made at the beginning of the President’s ^Scholar’s senior year to assure that top stu dents remain in the state for their univer sity educations. ■The award includes a scholarship of Sl,250 a year for up to four years study, lew awards, here or anywhere else, sur pass the $5,000 for four years value. ■President’s Scholars are chosen from nominations by principals of Texas high iooIs. They are selected by the Faculty diolarships Committee chaired by Dr. ihn C. Calhoun Jr., vice president for lademic affairs. Most of Texas A&M’s more than 140 ■esident’s Scholars awards are endowed $25,000 gifts from former students and ^Bends of the University. ■ Robert M. Logan, student aid director, ^Hid the 1976-77 honorees are in the top ^^tven per cent of the nation’s seniors, by Bational Merit Scholar qualifying test re sults. Almost all of them will be National Jerit Scholarship finalists. Designated President’s Scholars at Texas A&M for 1976-77 are Dane L. Aiken, Temple; Anthony A. Albracht, Hereford; Matthew D. Alspaugh, Daniel J. Ayre, Andrea Mead and Steven V. Wadding, Houston; Deborah R. Raze, Dennis S. Davis, Richard C. Schirato, Kathleen E. Sissom and Mark A. Stern, Dallas. Also, Thomas J. Brosnan, Waco; Matt W. Bumguardner, Eldorado; Melissa Card, Sean D. McCarthy, Larry E. Pedigo and Debra L. Tengwall, Fort Worth; Cheryl A. Cessna, Cleveland; Dan L. Clark, Brownwood; Robert S. Comer, Longview; Virginia F. Danner, Texas City; Rodry C. Davis Jr., DeKalb; Scott K. Davis, Corpus Christi. In addition, Lilli K. Dollinger, Beau mont; Brian L. Cries, Ozona; Cesar C. Gutierrez, Hebbronville; David M. Hazel- ton and Amy D. Royalty, Clute; Marilyn L. Hendricks, New Braunfels; Kay A. Hig gins, Round Rock; Elizabeth A. Newlin, Tyler; Nora L. Ochoa and Nancy L. Steel, San Antonio. Plus, Glenda G. Redding, Calvert; Joe X. Shaughnessy, El Campo; Mike G. Smith, Princeton; Grace M. Solomon, Orange; David S. Sullivan, Big Spring; Darcy Ann Twardowski, Bellaire, and Bryan Laurie Vroom, Amarillo. maximum $180 credit. V A special tax credit, called a “work bonus,” for poor working families as a re ward for remaining off welfare. This is a credit of 10 per cent of up to $4,000 of wages and self-employment earnings, meaning a top $400 credit. As income rises, the benefit is scaled down and ends when income reaches $8,000. This work bonus is a so-called refundable credit, meaning that if a family does not earn enough to owe taxes, the government will send out a check for up to $400 a year. The conferees decided to make perma nent the existing temporary boosts in the minimum and maximum standard deduc tions, used by persons who do not itemize deductions. The minimum standard deduction is $1,700 for single persons and $2,100 for couples — previously it was $1,300 for both. Together with personal exemptions, this eliminates individual income taxes for persons with low incomes. The maximum standard deduction is 16 per cent of adjusted gross income, up to $2,400 for singles and $2,800 for couples — previously it was 15 per ceqt and $2,000 for both. This simplifies the tax system by en couraging people not to itemize deduc tions. The tax-cut package is worth $180 for a family of four making $15,000 annually; $182 for a single person earning $8,000; $204 for a couple making $10,000; and $445 for a family of four earning $6,000. The conferees also agreed to liberalize tax deductions for moving expenses, to clarify the tax law’s treatment of motion pictures, and to revamp and extend a tax program covering contributions to plans designed to expand workers’ ownership of businesses. 28,000 to enroll at A&M this fall Almost 28,000 students are expected to attend Texas A&M this fall, the dean of admissions said yesterday. “My unofficial estimate is that our final figures will show about 27,700 students here,” Dean of Admissions Ed Cooper said. Cooper said his estimate includes stu dents at the Moody campus in Galveston and graduate students who usually register late in large numbers. 26,720 students had registered and paid their fees as of 5 p.m. Friday, he said. That number does not include the Moody cam pus student body, students enrolled in ex tension courses and students who regis tered late last week. “I think we ll just about nudge 28,000 before we re through,” Cooper said. Final enrollment totals will be computed Sept. 14. Cooper said enrollment is already well ahead of last fall’s record 25,463 students. Ford-Carter debate plans still uncertain Associated Press WASHINGTON — What is the status of the Great Debates? Jimmy Carter says plans for the televised confrontations are almost set, but a spokesman for President Ford says no agreement is in sight. Even before the Federal Election Commission yesterday gave approval to sponsorship of the debates by the League of Women Voters, Carter announced that negotiators for both sides had reached a tentative agreement on the form the ses sions will take. The Democratic presidential nominee said the negotiators had agreed to match the candidates in a series of three debates, each lasting an hour and 15 minutes, be ginning the third week in September. But Ford’s spokesman, Ron Nessen, de nied there was any agreement on the de bates. “There’s just no agreement,” he said. Nessen refused to discuss Ford’s views of the negotiations, saying representatives of both nominees had agreed to keep the talks secret. Meanwhile, Carter told AFL%CIO leaders here today that the chairman of the Federal Reserve Board should be under closer presidential control. Carter said the president should have the right to fire the board chairman, who now serves a 14-year term and can only be removed for wrong doing. He told the union leaders a Carter ad ministration would give the nation firm economic control, free from “wild, roller coaster dips of the last eight years.” AFK-CIO President George Meany, Index David S. Broder discusses the future of the liberals in the Republican Party. Page 3. The new commanders in the Corps of Cadets were installed last week. Page 4. A&M received a new scholarship from a real-estate.appraisers’ group. Page 4. The Student Radio h as positions open for part time help. Page 5. Bulletin Board. Page 6. There is a new leash-law in effect for pets on campus. Page 6. The Soviet press reveals that there is corruption in the U.S.S.R. also. Page 8. Crossword puzzle. Page 9. who called the union leaders to Washing ton to discuss campaign strategy, said Ford runs a government “by veto, by stalemate, by inaction, by deceit and by pardon.” Ford spent yesterday in Washington where he met with his Cabinet and heard glowing reports on the state of the nation and the economy. Carter spent the day beating the cam paign carpet for votes, speaking of his dedi cation to Israel before Jewish leaders, about voter registration to black leaders and rapping dishonesty in the Medicaid program and resulting inadequate care given to the elderly. In Atlanta, Carter said the nation has not had a president in the foreign policy area because Henry A. Kissinger “is, in effect, both the secretary of state and the presi dent at the same time.” In a speech to a group of Jewish commu nity leaders from throughout the country, Carter said he is committed to the right of Israel “to exist as a Jewish state perma nently and in peace.” And, he said, “as a Christian myself, I think the recreation of the state of Israel is a fulfillment of biblical prophecy.” Later, Carter accused Ford and resigned President Ford and resigned President Richard M. Nixon of ignoring charges of illegality in the Medicaid system. Commenting on a report by Senate in vestigators, who said they found wide spread abuses by health service providers and Medicaid recipients in a 10-city study, Carter said Medicaid’s record of fraud and poor care is “a terrible example of federal bureaucratic indifference.” monitoring Medicaid to uncover fraud, Mathews said. Moss, a Utah Democrat who visited three Medicaid clinics posing as an indi gent patient, said, “After this first-hand personal experience, I am outraged.” In a summary Monday of an eight-month investigation by a Senate subcommittee on aging. Moss said, “Whatever part of the Medicaid program we studied, we found substantial problems, mismanagement, waste and fraud.” He charged that HEW efforts to control abuses were “singularly unimpressive.” White House Press Secretary Ron Nes sen, who said that Medicaid was primarily a state responsibility, added that the federal government does a good job of running Medicare and is helping states uncover fraud in Medicaid. The federal-state program is designed to provide health care to the poor. Instead, Moss said, storefront clinics in inner city areas bill the government for extensive and often unnecessary tests, many of which are never performed. The impoverished Medicaid patient seldom sees a doctor for more than a few minutes and the treatment is inadequate about 90 per cent of the time, the report of the subcommittee staff estimated. Six staff members, who had been found to be in perfect health by a physician, made a total of more than 200 undercover visits to Medicaid clinics in New York, California, Michigan and New Jersey. They usually told clinic personnel they had a cold. Moss said that during one of his under cover visits “I put on the oldest clothes I could find. “The physician gave me a brief, cursory examination, and took a quick medical his tory asking if I had high blood pressure, diabetes or anything of the sort. Even though there was nothing wrong with me, he told me that I had a red throat and ordered blood and urine tests and X rays, Moss said. The physician then referred him upstairs to a chiropractor, who examined him briefly. Moss said. He was told to return the next day, when he was given more X rays. Moss said when he left he was reminded to fill his prescriptions at the pharmacy next door. It is illegal for a doctor to refer a patient to a specific pharmacist. 8 workmen contaminated in atomic facility explosion RICHLAND, Wash. — A chemical ex plosion Monday at a commercial facility on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation contami nated eight workmen with radioactivity. Six of the men were decontaminated and sent home. One worker, cut in the face and shoulder by flying glass, and a man who came to his aid suffered higher radiation doses and “it will take a little time to learn the extent of their contamination,” an offi cial said. Authorities said the blast did not involve a nuclear reactor, and there was no serious radiation leak beyond the relatively iso lated Atlantic Richfield Hanford Co. — ARCHO — building where the explosion occurred. ARHCO President, George Stocking said the explosion occurred in a device called a glovebox, a sealed off, 4-by 8-by 9-foot compartment, through which work- Eight committee chairman jobs open in Student Government Lobby group charges utilities with concealing activities Eight committee chairman positions are ipen in Student Government (SC) accord- ■ihgtoSG Executive Director Susan Price. The committee chairman positions are en to all A&M students not on scholastic or conduct probation and include Book fart manager, refrigerator manager, wel- re benefits coordinator, Muster chair- an, Parent’s Day chairman, two mem- ersofFair Housing Committee and Elec tion Committee chairman. Price also said that applications will be ken until Monday, September 6 in the SC office, MSC 216C. 4 Senate seats presently vacant in SC are ne sophomore education, two Graduate ngineering seats, two off-campus graduate seats and one off-campus under graduate seat. SC President Fred McClure said Monday that four judicial board positions are open. These are also open to all stu dents not presently on scholastic or con duct probation and include two sophomore seats, one junior seat and one senior seat on the board. McClure said applications will be taken until Friday for the senate and judicial board positions. Applicants can set up interviews with the SC secretary in MSC 216C. Student Government Information Di rector Scott Sherman said Monday that the class of ’79 treasurer elections will be held on September 14 as announced. Associated Press WASHINGTON — Common Cause charged Monday that public utility com missions in 31 states improperly conceal their activities from the public and violate conflict of interest standards. The self-described public interest lobby gave flunking grades to the states based on replies to a questionnaire. In most states, citizens have no “guaran tee that utility requests for multimillion- dollar rate increases are not decided in sec recy by commissioners with an eye on em ployment in the utility industry,” said Common Cause President David Cohen. The lobby group said that all 5 states and the District of Columbia responded in late 1975 and early 1976 to questions about whether final decisions were made in pub lic and whether commissioners were bar red from working in industries regulated by the commissions once they leave office. States that give the “wrong” answers to at least half of the 2 key questions failed the test. The Edison Electric Institute has re ported that over $3.8 billion in rate in creases were pending before the state agencies last March 31. Common Cause listed among its major findings: V Twenty-one commissions admitted they decide utility rate increases in private. V Only 10 states bar commissioners from working for the industries they regu late when they leave office. V Only 19 states have a way of periodi cally checking compliance with ethics or financial disclosure requirements. V Only five states require commission ers to log contacts with representatives of regulated businesses and only eight re quire persons who lobby before the com missions to report expenditures. The states which “flunked” the Common Cause test were Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Il linois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hamp shire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ore gon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. ers use rubber gloves to handle radioactive material on the other side of a window. “There was a chemical reaction which caused the radioactive material to fly into the room,” Stocking said. “As far as we know, no radioactivity was released into the atmosphere, but some material was tracked out of the room but remained con fined to the building.” The injured man, whose identity was being withheld, was treated at the Hanford Environmental Health Foundation, an in dustrial medical facility. Officials said he and the other man would be isolated until decontamination. Radioactivity is removed by repeated washings. The process may take until Tuesday, one official said. The six workmen who received the lesser doses were expected back to work for their usual shift at midnight. Stocking said. The injured man’s cuts were superficial, he said. The man who assisted him “was not nearly as badly contaminated but more than you would like to see,” Stocking said. Stocking said the cause of the explosion will not be known for at least 24 hours, the earliest investigators will be able to enter the contaminated room. Graduation announcements ordered soon Texas A&M students planning to graduate this semester may order gradua tion announcements Sept. 6-Oct. 1. Fall semester commencement will be Dec. 11. Announcement samples and information will be available at the Student Finance Center, Memorial Student Center 217. Orders will be taken there Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.