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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 8, 1976)
g oncers van, Jt: s Mi over | H pea«t chools t, a roagnt “erate |j| i^apopir ! and ||| sing ini ol infegft :ars. The weather Fair to partly cloudy, high in low 90s. Low tonight in low 70s. In creasing cloudiness tomorrow, high in the upper 80s. Precipitation probability 10 per cent today, 30 per cent tomorrow. Che Battalion Vol. 70 No. 5 16 Pages Wednesday, Septembers, 1976 College Station, Texas News Dept. 845-2611 Business Dept. 845-2611 Ward system suit challenged ■aceliilly o. Sclioo! •'its bail itions 4. Intervention suit filed where treat- ribeas tion. party er.con- i Pakis- becom- i prime By JAMIE AITKEN Battalion City Editor Three Texas A&M students met last night with a Bryan lawyer to discuss de fense tactics for tomorrow’s ward system litigation in 85th District Court. The students, Jerri Ward, Mary Ellen Martin and Robert Harvey, conferred with KentCaperton to organize their attempt to have the ward system upheld in College Station. The ward system was presented as a charter amendment on an April 3, 1976 The amendment was passed by a narrow margin, and dispute soon arose over the clarity of the proposal on the bal lot. Many voters claimed that the ballot was ambiguous and that it had caused them to vote incorrectly. A petition was filed asking for action to betaken to invalidate the election. A Sept, court date was set for a ruling on the matter. The students said they first met with Caperton last Friday to form some defense r or the ward system. The students, members of A&M’s Stu dent Government, said their involvement in the ward system case is not on behalf of or funded by SG, Harvey noted. However, student senators voted in the spring to en dorse the ward system. In a meeting with presiding Judge W.C. Davis, the students said they were told to enter a plea of intervention for the right to present their support for the ward system in court. Under the counsel of Caperton, a two- page letter was submitted Friday at the county courthouse. The letter was prefaced with the statement: “It is our opinion that the charter revision election of the City of College Station held on April 3, 1976, relat ing to the ward system, is valid and should be upheld by the court.” The letter went on to contest the plain tiff s contentions that the ballot was am biguous, with poor instructions, and in vi6- lation of Section 149 of the city charter. Section 149 states that only one substantive change may be included on the ballot. An article included on the ballot affecting the choosing of a mayor is held by the plaintiff as a substantive change in addition to the ward proposal. The plaintiff in the case is listed as D.A. Anderson. Anderson headed the list of names on the petition contesting the ward system. The students said they began their de fense proceedings when they foresaw little or no defense for the ward system. “Our involvement is very informal,” Harvey said. The three did not yet know whether they would present their own defense or if Caperton would act in their behalf. They indicated that the matter may be settled quickly in their favor, reporting that the burden ofprooflay with Anderson. “I think their (the petitioners’) grounds are completely frivolous,” Martin re marked. She said the results of the June 29 straw vote were irrelevant to the case, and that she hoped to see those results dis allowed in the proceedings. Not forgotten Battalion photo by Jim Woods Eight deceased Aggies were honored last night during the traditional Aggie cere mony of Silver Taps. The large crowd gathered under a full moon to pay tribute to their comrades. The Aggies recognized last night were: James G. Derrock, 61; Dr. J. A. Strickland, 44; Dr. Bryant F. Cobb, III, 40; John Mallory Davis, 32; Daniel E. Copp, 22; Susan M. Zenner, 20; Glen A. Burns, 20; Catherine B. Wagner, 19. This picture was possible with the bright moon and a time exposure. Kissinger ready for talks Two persons die in Johannesburg fire Associated Press Victims of Zulu attacks in the Soweto township set fire to an eight-block hostel Tor Zulu migrant workers early today, and two charred bodies were found in the ruins. Eyewitnesses said blacks from areas in the big ghetto south of Johannesburg, South Africa, who had been targets of Zulu attacks two weeks ago attacked the Mzimhlope hostel with gasoline bombs. It housed 11,000 Zulu bachelors. The report raised fears that the Zulus, members of South Africa’s largest and most warlike tribe, would retaliate and set off another round of violence and bloodletting in Soweto, where the country’s black up heaval began in mid-June. At least 306 persons—all but three of them black—have been killed since then. Two weeks ago, a clash between Zulu workers and black mlitants trying to en force an antigovernment work boycott touched off a series of attacks and coun terattacks between the Zulus and perma- Jient Soweto residents in which 35 persons were lolled. More violence reported More violence also was reported in Cape Town, on the southwest coast, where police killed four “coloreds,” as persons of mixed race are called South Africa, during 12 hours of rioting Tuesday. Today, Cape Town police fired tear gas to disperse colored youths who set up roadblocks in one district and were stoning cars. Other police were stoned as they broke up a crowd looting a shop. The police fought rioting coloreds through Cape Town on Tuesday. They said that in addition to the four dead, scores of persons, including some whites, were wounded or cut by flying glass. They said they arrested a large number of people, including two whites. The rioting stemmed from a demonstra tion by colored students against a govern ment order closing all colored high schools on the Cape peninsula until Monday. Police said quiet was restored in downtown Cape Town late Tuesday night, byt they reported widespread arson in the colored township of Ravensmead and nearby areas. Kissinger not optimistic Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger appears ready to embark on a round of African shuttle diplomacy that he considers to have no better than a 50 per cent chance of heading off race war in southern Africa. Kissinger is to report to President Ford today on his weekend talks in Switzerland with South African Prime Minister John Vorster and is expected to discuss plans for a trip to Africa. Kissinger yesterday said that Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere has invited him to come to Africa as soon as possible. Kis singer said he would hold off a final decision on going until he receives a report from his top aide on African affairs, William E. Schaufele Jr. A spokesman for Nyerere insisted that Kissinger had invited himself. With only 8 days of classes under their belt, many Aggies have, already lost many hours of rest. For some, the pace will slow. For others, activity will seem to decrease as their bodies become accus tomed to a rigorous schedule. And alas, there are those who never give their body enough time to make the first adjustment before another load is taxed. . . Let’s hope the pace is slowing for this coed. U.S. prisoners in Mexican jails begin protest, hunger strike Associated Press MEXICO CITY — American prisoners in two Mexico City jails began a hunger strike Tuesday as federal prison authorities predicted proposed legislation would re sult in the release^ of hundreds of Ameri cans held on drug-related charges. The prison authorities said only 52 men, including two Canadians, participated in the strike, which was called to protest al leged delays by the United States in re sponding to a Mexican prisoner exchange proposal. Sergio Garcia Ramirea, deputy secretary of government and head of the federal pris ons, said 13 prisoners quit eating at Re- clusorio Norte and 39 inmates joined the strike at Reclusorio Oriente. The two new prisons opened about a month ago after the government closed its ancient Lecumberri Prison. Garcia Ramirez said none of the prison ers in the women’s jail or the other men’s facility in Mexico City had joined the strike. President Luis Echeverria sent to Con gress this week two reform measures which would affect the plight of the Americans jailed in Mexico. One would amend the Constitution to allow the president to sign prisoner ex change agreements with foreign govern- Consol offers ments. The other would restore the right of parole to drug offenders. Legislation passed in 1971 prohibited parole for inmates held on drug-related charges. There are an estimated 572 Americans in Mexican prisons, most of them accused of importing cocaine or possessing marijuana. Garcia Ramirez said hundreds of Ameri cans would be eligible when congress pas sed the legislation. The measure is virtually assured of congressional approval. The federal prison director said 30 social workers were sent to the prisons Monday to begin interviewing prisoners and re viewing their files to determine who would be eligible for parole. Associated Press SAN ANTONIO — President Luis Echeverria of Mexico says he tore up a protest poster waved in front of him by a Mexican-American activist because he found it “insulting.” In a brief flash of anger last night, the Mexican president, here to open the Mexi can Trade Fair, grabbed a poster calling for “freedom for political prisoners, tore it in half and threw it back at the protestor. The incident lasted only a few seconds, witnesses said. U.S. Secret Service agents, who helped guard Echeverria, refused to comment. Mexican secret service men “I believe it would be fair to say they are very content,” knowing they may be re leased soon, he said. Garcia Ramirez said the hunger strike was in protest against the U.S. govern ment. He quoted from a letter he said he had received from James Dean Brown, 34, of San Francisco, Calif., a strike organizer at Reclusorio Notre who said last week the Americans would quit eating until they were returned to the United States. He quoted Brown as saying the Ameri can government had shown a total lack of concern for the prisoners and demanding “that the government initiate action to re patriate their citizens to American soil.” rushed the president into the hotel as a handful of other demonstrators continued to wave posters calling for the release of “political prisoners.” The Mexican government maintains that there are no political prisoners in the coun try. Witnesses said Echeverria hurled the poster back at the protestor and called him “little Fascist.” Later Echeverria told Charles O. Kilpat rick, publisher of the San Antonio Express and News, “Yes, I tore up the sign because I found the lettering on it very insulting.” There wer'e no arrests following the inci dent. Japan says Soviet pilot given asylun By PHIL BROWN Associated Press TOKYO — The Soviet air force pilot whc landed his MIG25 fighter jet in northerr Japan will leave for the United States in t day or two unless some unexpected de ; velopment delays his departure, a Foreigr Ministry spokesman said today. The flier, Lt. Viktor I. Belenko, 29, tolc police after his surprise landing Monday that he wanted asylum in the Unitec States. The U.S. Embassy declined to com 1 ment, but White House Press Secretarj Ron Nessen told reporters in Washington “If the pilot requests asylum in the Unitec States, I’m sure he will be welcomec here.” Washington sources reported that U.S experts were making a thorough examina tion of Belenko’s plane, but the Japanese spokesman denied this. “As far as I know, no foreigners have touched the aircraft,” he said. The Soviet Embassy said it lodged “more than five protests” because the Japanese government would not let it see Belenko. The Soviet Union demanded that botl the pilot and the plane be returned. Th* Japanese Foreign Ministry said the Sovie Embassy’s request to interview Belenke had been denied, and the government tool the “humanitarian view” that his reques , for asylum should be honored. Echeverria rips up poster at fair 200 community fall courses Approximately 200 activities will be of fered during the fall session of the A&M Consolidated Community Education Prog ram. Charles Greenawalt, community educa tion coordinator, said activities include continuing and remedial education for adults, cultural enrichment and recrea tional classes for all citizens, and the use of school buildings by all groups in the com munity. Activities range from G.E.D. courses to belly dancing classes, Greenawalt said. “We have an increasing number of women taking plumbing, home maintenance and auto mechanics,” he continued. “Last year one woman even did a complete brake job on her car.” Registration begins the week of Sept. 13. A schedule of classes is available at the community education office, 1300 Jersey St., College Station. To register, Greenawalt said to check the schedule and report to the designated school at the time the class is scheduled to meet. Classes begin Sept. 20 and last eight weeks. The cost of tuition is $5 to $24 a course. Community education is self- supporting. Teacher salaries, utility bills, and building director salaries come directly from tuition fees. Community education involves schools, churches, civic clubs, businesses, industry and government. Greenawalt said Texas A&M students and professors’ wives teach and attend classes. He said participation in these activities gives university students a chance to get away from academic studies and gives wives a chance to get out of the house. “They are doing something for plea sure,” he added. Greenawalt said that anyone interested in teaching a community education class should come by his office and fill out an application. He said a desire to share know ledge is the only requirement. Teachers are paid $5 an hour. The spring schedule is being made now so prospective teachers should contact the office as soon as possi ble. The goal of community education is to “close the gap between school and com munity,” Greenawalt said. “Schools belong to the people; they pay the taxes so they should be able to use the facilities.” More than 7,200 persons enrolled in classes last year and 8,500 to 9,500 are ex pected to-participate in the 1976-77 prog ram. Ford stays home Demonstrators dog Carter Associated Press While President Ford campaigns from the security of the White House, Jimmy Carter is out pressing the flesh. It seems that meeting the public has more hazards. Campaigning through the Northeast on Tuesday, Carter said he would have fired FBI director Clarence Kelley and specu lated that cheating by Richard Nixon and other Washington big shots encourages crime. But for a group of angry demonstrators in Pennsylvania the big issue was abortion and they were noisy about it. Carter met the demonstrators as he ar rived Tuesday night in Scranton, Pa. They lined the route Carter took from the airport to his hotel, waving antiabortion signs and shouting at the candidate. And they mingled with Carter suppor ters at the hotel as the candidate arrived, making a throng estimated by police at 1,000 persons, with one side shouting “We want Carter” and the other chanting “Life, life, life.” Meanwhile, President Ford remained in Washington, making some unusual ap pearances designed to make use of the White House as a backdrop for what his campaigners hope will show him to be working instead of campaigning. Carter’s running mate. Sen. Walter Mondale, said Ford was “practicing being president” and is “failing to take his cam paign to the people. ” Carter, faced with the crowd outside his hotel Tuesday night, first tried to greet supporters and shake hands. But in the crush of bodies and the din of the conflicting shouts. Secret Service agents circled the candidate and hustled him into the hotel. Carter was not struck or injured and did not appear shaken by the incident. Inside the hotel, he smiled and waved to people in the lobby. Demonstrators outside the hotel said they opposed Carter’s stand on abor tion. Carter opposes a constitutional amendment outlawing abortion, although he says he personally is against abortion. He is running on a party platform that says it recognizes religious and ethical con cerns over abortion, but opposes a con stitutional amendment. Earlier the former Georgia governor said if he were president he would have fired FBI Director Clarence M. Kelley, who re ceived gifts from subordinates and $355 worth of government-supplied window de cor. But asked if he will fire Kelley if elected president, Carter replied, “I will cross that bridge if I come to it. “When people throughout the country, particularly young people, see Richard Nixon cheating, lying, leaving the highest office in disgrace . . . when you see the head of the FBI break a little law and stay there, it gives everybody the sense that crime must be okay.” He said people ask themselves, “If big shots in Washington can get away with it, why can’t I?” Carter has said he does not plan to make Ford’s pardon of Nixon an issue and he did not mention it. Briscoe to aid Carter In Texas, Gov. Dolph Briscoe last night reiterated that he will continue to cam paign actively on behalf of Carter. Briscoe, in San Antonio to attend a pri vate state dinner for Mexican President Luyis Echeverria, told newsmen afterward that he would emphasize Carter’s record as a former governor of Georgia. “He supported fiscal responsibility while governor of Georgia, and this will be the chief issue of this campaign,” Briscoe said. Former Texas Gov. John Connally, a Democrat who turned Republican, re cently warned that Briscoe should back ofl on his support of Carter. But Briscoe last night said that he is con vinced that Carter “can bring fiscal respon sibility to the federal government, and this is something that is badly needed.” He said Carter had introduced “zero- based” budgeting in Georgia and the con cept has been adopted in Texas. “Nobody can carry a state for somebody else. He (Carter) makes the difference. The candidate makes a difference. He proved that in the Texas primary,” Briscoe said. Briscoe went to the Democratic national convention in July as an uncommitted de legate but actively supported Carter. The recent Republican administration has run up “the largest national deficit ii history,” the Texas governor said. Meanwhile, Ford’s stay-at-home cam | paign relied on a variety of events Tuesday aimed at showing him at work in the Whitt ■ House. He held formal Rose Garden ceremonie; ; Tuesday before television cameras to sigi two bills that ordinarily would have beei signed with little fanfare. One bill provides funds for victims of th< I collapse of Idaho’s Teton Dam. Whit* House aides made sure Idaho Sen. Franl Church, who had sought the Democratu presidential nomination, was positionec behind Ford as the television cameras re corded the signing. The other bill signed by Ford was a rerui of a measure Ford vetoed earlier this year It adds $240 million to authorized fundinj for federal day-care services for children. Later, Ford made an unusual appear ance in the White House press center t< read a statement demanding “a full ac , counting, without further delay, of al Americans missing in action in Vietman. The statement was a reaction to a day-olc development in which Vietnam listed a I dead a dozen American airmen who hat been listed as missing in action. Ford’ statement was delivered at an hour when i would be fresh for the evening televisioi news broadcasts. In other political developments yester day: I REP. MORRIS K. UDALL, who sough the Democratic presidential nomination and House GOP Leader John Rhodes eas ily won renomination in their Arizona dis tricts. Index David Broder’s column. Page 2. An independent research group says the LEAA should be abol ished. Page 9. Names in the News. Page 9. Classified, crossword. Page 4. Bulletin board. Page 4.