,1
News
Campus
m
CHARLES S. MOTT Founda
tion Fellowships for graduate
studies in community education are
now being offered at the Center for
Community Education. The 12-
month fellowships offer $400 to
600 a month with awards contin
gent on a candidate’s degree status,
rofessional experience and demon-
trated community education lead-
rship. Information may be ob-
ained from the College of Educa
tion. Letters of interest are due
Feb. 15.
TEXAS A&M’s basketball team
neetsTCU tonight at 7:30 in G. Rol-
trlie White Coliseum. The A&M wo-
nen’s team will host Prarie View
A&M at 5:15.
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY stu
dents attending school on the GI
Bill must present fee slips to cam
pus Veterans Administration offi
cials by Jan. 31 in order to continue
receiving educational benefits. Slips
should be presented to the VA rep
resentatives at Ramp B, Hart Hall
to insure continued payment in the
spring semester.
fori
Texas
6I\
nel
MORE TAPE RECORDINGS
will be introduced into the federal
trial of “Mama June Bunch Men
doza and two other persons arrested
for possessing $10 million worth of
heroin. Chief U.S. District Judge
Adrian Spears overruled defense ob
jections yesterday and allowed more
than two hours of the scratchy rec
ordings to be played for the jury at
the trial. The recordings were made
by an undercover agent who posed
as a drug trafficker. Mrs. Mendoza,
, who formerly operated a federal
halfway house in Corpus Christi ,
her husband, Arturo Mendoza, and
er brother-in-law, Oscar Mendoza
ere arrested Aug. 22 in connection
ith the trafficking of 26 pounds of
ALTHOUGH TEXAS has allo
cated more than $38 million in fed
eral funds for development of parks,
Lt. Gov. William P. Hobby said yes
terday that the state needs more
park and recreation facilities. “Infla
tion and price escalation have hit
land and water areas particularly
hard, Hobby said at a University of
Texas workshop on the future of the
Texas parks system.
TEXAS PUBLIC UTILITY
Commissioner Garrett Morris says
he does not believe the commission
P‘ should force utility firms into in
terstate commerce. Morris made his
comments yesterday at a hearing on
whether the commission has author
ity over an interconnected utility
system which engages in interstate
commerce. Another hearing on the
issue will be held Feb. 7.
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iGt 0 Ft '
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National
World
weather
Mostly cloudy and mild today.
Winds from the south 6-12 m.p.h.
High today 61. Low tonight 46. High
tomorrow 66. Ten per cent chance
of rain today and tonight. Con
tinued mostly cloudy and mild to
morrow.
The Battalion
Vol. 70 No. 64
16 Pages
Wednesday, January 26, 1977
College Station, Texas
News Dept. 845-2611
Business Dept. 845-2611
BILLIE SOL ESTES, jailed
when his multimillion dollar empire
of fictitious storage tanks ended in a
nationally publicized collapse 15
years ago, today awaited the result of
efforts to end his parole supervision.
The U.S. Parole Commission was
considering whether to remove
parole supervision of the 51-year-old
Texas farmer who built his $150 mil
lion empire by mortgaging non
existent fertilizer storage tanks and
^other equipment.
FBI DIRECTOR Clarence Kel
ley has told Attorney General Griffin
Bell he wishes to remain in his job
the rest of this year and then retire
Jan. 1. Bell indicated during his con
firmation hearings that Kelley would
be removed as FBI director soon
after the change of administrations.
Later Bell stated he would work out
with Kelley the timing of his depar
ture.
COUPLE who run a restaurant on
the Monterrey Highway in Nuevo
Laredo, Mexico, believe they may
have found a rare Stradivarius violin
inside an old piano they bought from
the Salvation Army. While cleaning
the piano, Mr. and Mrs. Ernesto
Placentia removed the bottom and
discovered a violin case tied with a
string. The case contained a violin in
good condition with one string bro
ken. An inscription inside the in
strument links it to the 18th-century
violin maker.
Bill could change PE grading
The option to grade required physical
education classes on a satisfactory/unsatis
factory basis was part of a bill introduced
to the Texas A&M University Student Se
nate at its meeting last night.
Another bill was read proposing that the
College Station City Council install better
lighting on University Drive next to the
campus. Both bills will be acted upon in
two weeks.
Action was taken on three bills written
by Mike Gerst, Grad.—Ag., affecting
conduct and operations of the Senate. Ap
proved was a bill sending all bills except
those on emergency action status to a
standing committee of Student Senate for
study. The committee would present vari
ous aspects of the bill before action at the
next Student Senate meeting.
Jeb Hensarling, Undergrad,—off-
camp., stated in the P.E. Revisement bill
that grades in P.E. are based on “innate
physical skill or dexterity, as opposed to
the knowledge one acquires from hard
work and study.” In order to check un
necessary fluctuation of grade point ratios
due to P.E. grades, the bill asks for op
tional grading on the satisfactory/unsatis
factory basis. The bill was sent to
Academic Affairs for consideration before
the next meeting.
Another bill read last night proposes
dropping one senator from the College of
Science’s current five and adding a senator
to the College of Medical Education.
Student Body President Fred McClure
updated the status of ongoing projects and
recommended new directions for the Se
nate in his State of the Campus speech.
McClure commended Academic Affairs
for success in Professor Information Sur
veys, Distinguished Achievement Awards
for faculty, and future discontinuation of
evening exams in some daytime classes.
Ten of 21 bills last semester dealt with
senate “housekeeping" which took up
much of the senate’s time, McClure said.
“This has succeeded in providing a do-;
nothing image for student government,”
McClure continued. “This cannot and
should not have to endure.”
McClure concluded by suggesting re
moval of Student Government vice presi
dents from the Senate to the executive
branch of Student Government.
Senate Speaker Lynn Gibson tightened
discipline of the senate with a letter of five
policies for operation. Gibson said they
stemmed from "Robert's Rules of Order.”
The policies dealt with courtesies and de
tails of recognition and speech in meet
ings.
Northgate problem for 20 years
Off-campus parking: a migraine
Student Body President Fred McClure tells the Student Senate too much
of its time is wasted with “housekeeping” procedures.
Carter
for gas
Hy DARRELL LANFORD
Battalion Staff Writer
With the influx of students after the
Christmas break, the Northgate shopping
area is once again feeling the strain of il
legal and extended parking during school
hours.
Car towing services and stepped-up
police patrols have been used to discour
age the students who park their cars in
shopping center parking lots to escape
on-campus parking fees.
"There’s been a problem at Northgate
for the last 20 years,” said Marvin Byrd,
College Station police chief. "The busi
ness area wants parking for their custom
ers. The biggest problem is students park
ing in the street and remaining there all
day long.”
Other areas, such as the small shopping
center south of the campus, do not have a
parking problem, except during football
games, he said.
Byrd estimated that College Station
police issue 300 tickets every month.
“One-half to two-thirds of the tickets are
written at Northgate,” he said.
The tires of cars suspected of staying in
a parking space too long are marked, he
said, with three or four trips around
Northgate made each day, he said. One
officer works exclusively giving parking
tickets.
Police are not permitted to patrol pri
vate property such as Skaggs Albertsons,
he said, and police do not generally tow-
away cars.
Oliver Bishop, Skaggs store director,
said, “The parking problem is not neces
sarily our own. The stqre leases the prop
erty. The misconception that a lot of
people have is that we authorize towing.
The towing service does not operate under
our authority. The Texas A&M Wrecker
Service has an agreement with the people
who control the surrounding land.”
“We re not necessarily against it,
Bishop said, “because we do have a park
ing problem.”
A spokesman for the Texas A&M
Wrecker Service knows the problem well.
“We never try to pull more than 10 cars
a day away from the Skaggs area,” he said.
“It’s the students’ fault. There are 16
warning signs on the Skaggs lot. People
don’t care, the students know the chances
they are taking. Some people come back,
see that their cars are gone and get really
irate.”
When asked if he thought the $30 tow
ing fee is too high he said, “It costs us $23
to start a truck up.”
He cited the high cost of various insur
ance policies as the major expense.
‘We don’t appreciate all the hell we get,
and the students don’t appreciate getting
their cars towed away. I admit it’s dirty, but
it’s got to be done,” he said.
Regent appointment
legality questioned
United Press International
WASHINGTON — Moving to ease a
natural gas crisis so severe that supplies
for homes are endangered, President Car
ter was ready today to ask Congress for
authority to control distribution and de
regulate gas prices.
A White House official said the main
thrust of Carter’s request was for standby
power to make natural gas companies shift
supplies to the most needy areas “in a
crisis situation.”
He said a second major aspect of the
emergency proposal would enable in
terstate gas companies to buy supplies for
the next six months at a higher price than
they now are allowed to pay under Federal
Power Commission rules.
That would increase gas prices to con
sumers, a spokesman said, but it also
would result in increased supplies.
The natural gas shortage apparently is
caused by heavy demands for heat in un 1
usually severe winter weather and has
forced some schools and industries to shut
down.
White House Press Secretary Jody
Powell said Carter considers it a “crisis”
situation, and a high administration official
said even gas supplies for homes are
endangered.
“The really serious thing is the prospect
of closing off gas to homes,” the official
said. “You run into serious safety threats
to ask Congress
price deregulation
cutting gas off on a major scale” because of
the possibility of explosions.
The official said concern over lack of gas
for residences is serious enough that “it
would be irresponsible for a government
not to take action” to head it off.
While the final touches were put on the
energy package Tuesday, Carter met with
congressional leaders and discussed the
economic stimulus plan he will unveil by
Jan. 31.
Interior Secretary Cecil Andrus Tues
day attempted to “jawbone” natural gas
producers into quick production in
creases. He urged operators of federal
leases, which produced 24 per cent of all
United States marketable gas last year, to
step up production, and he urged suspen
sion of a rule limiting production to the
“maximum efficient rate for more than 50
offshore oil operators in the Gulf of Mexico.
Mexico.
Carter’s legislative packet will seek
clear emergency authority allowing gov
ernment regulated interstate companies to
buy natural gas from intrastate companies,
which charge higher prices and are unreg
ulated.
The authority to force companies to
transfer supplies to needy areas if there is
a “certification of crisis,” the official said,
covers contingencies such as a governor
seeking gas on grounds of danger to “life,
health or property.”
In a related development, Sen. Howard
Metzenbaum, D-Ohio, asked the adminis
tration to investigate whether producers
“are withholding substantial amounts of
natural gas in their continuing effort to de
control the price of natural gas.”
Confirmation hearings for the appoin
tees to the Texas A&M Board of Regents
have been delayed by a Texas sub
committee screening the candidates.
The delay will allow the committee
more time to examine the legality of Gov.
Dolph Briscoe’s appointments. Possibly
violated is a 1913 state law which requires
the governor to select regents from differ
ent parts of the state.
Two of Briscoe’s appointees. Dr. John
B. Coleman and John Blocker, are from
Houston. If they are approved by the Se
nate, the board will have three Housto
nians serving on the hoard.
“It appears to me that the governor is in
gross violation of the ,1913 statute,” Sen.
William Moore, D-Bryan, told United
Press International reporters.
Moore also said the governor is ignoring
East Texas, the Panhandle and the Valley.
Coleman said he recognizes the statute
as the law.
“But,” he said, “it is just as important to
have diversified experiences and input
from different facets of life of the state as it
is to come from different geographic loca
tions.”
Although Senate approval has been
postponed, the two new members have
assumed their posts.
Clyde Wells, chairman of the Board of
Regents, said “We will go right on with
the work. ” He said the delay will not affect
the activities of the board.
Blocker said he is proud and honored to
serve on the board. And Coleman said he
will strive for continuing excellence in
education.
“ I strongly feel that good education can
solve a lot of social problems that exist,”
Coleman said.
Legal requirements call for majority ap
proval by the Senate. Once the procedure
is carried out, the members may serve six
year terms.
Dr. Herbert Roller is designated
Distinguished Professor of Biology
Dr. Herbert A. Roller has been desig
nated Distinguished Professor of Biology
at Texas A&M University.
The highly coveted designation, held by
only 1.2 other current members of the
A&M faculty, was confirmed yesterday by
the board of regents upon recommenda
tion of the University’s administration.
Distinguished Professor designation is a
title reserved for faculty members whose
teaching and research activities clearly
place them foremost in their fields na
tionally or internationally.
Dr. Roller, director of A&M’s Institute
of Developmental Biology and a faculty
member here since 1968, was recently
elected to the Academy Leopoldina, one
of the oldest and most prestigious scien
tific societies in the world. He is the first
Texas scientist in residence to be elected a
full member of this German-based
academy, which presently includes 69
U.S. members.
Dr. Roller is a 1976 recipient of the Dis
tinguished Achievement Award in Re
search, given jointly by the University and
the Association of Former Students.
His research work deals with the control
of developmental processes in hormones.
Part of this work has led to new concepts
and strategies in insect controls. He was
instrumental in the founding of the Inter
national Center for Insect Physiology and
Ecology in Nairobi, Kenya.
Part of Carter s economic stimulus
$200 tax rebate possible for families
United Press International
WASHINGTON — President Carter’s
economic stimulus program, if approved
by Congress, would send a check for $50
to $200 dollars to almost every family mak
ing less than $17,000 a year.
Budget Director Bert Lance yesterday
revealed more details of Carter’s tax-jobs
plan, although he did not answer all the
questions as to who would get what.
House Ways and Means chairman Al
Ullman, D-Ore., promised to try to push
the plan through the House by the end of
February, but like other congressmen he
did not promise to accept it without
change. There have been numerous calls
for a larger program, particularly in the
job-creating area.
According to Lance, Carter’s program
would include rebates plus a smaller per
manent tax cut at the lower income level
and a slightly larger stimulus for business
than originally planned.
He said it would cost the treasury $15.8
billion in fiscal 1977 and $15.5 billion in
fiscal 1978 after the jobs program was
thrown in.
But what would one get out of it? Here
is what is known:
— Each taxpayer making less than
$17,000 a year would get a rebate of $50
for each family member up to a maximum
$200.
— For those making more than $17,000
the picture is a little foggy, but usually
such rebate plans do not end abruptly at
some specific income level. They are
“phased out” with the amount of the re
bate decreasing as income increases.
— Very low income persons who pay
little or no tax, social security and welfare
recipients also may receive federal pay
ments, -but the details have not been
worked out and this proposal might be
dropped if costs become prohibitive.
— Lower income workers would have a
few dollars a week more take-home pay as
withholding is reduced and everyone is al
lowed to claim the maximum standard de
duction.
— For business. Carter’s original pro
posal for $2 billion in incentives would be
increased by another $2.5 billion by allow
ing businesses a tax credit of either 4 per
cent of the social security payroll taxes
they pay or an additional 2 per cent in
vestment tax credit on top of the current
10 per cent.
Dr. Herbert A. Roller