Tie Battalion
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Friday, November 4, 1977
College Station, Texas
News Dept. 845-2611
Business Dept. 845-2611
Inside Today:
So you think you’ve got the flu, p. 5.
A flood of Letters to the Editor, p.
2.
Dallas’ lackluster Cowboys, p. 9.
-J
conomists see
i
: I
io improvement
ted SMI'
Ken Hfiicri
P
I'nited Press International
ASHINGTON — Unemployment has
in hovering stubbornly around 7 per-
since last April, and administration
nomists expect no dramatic improve-
during 1977.
ew layoffs in the steel industry were
. ected to be reflected in the Labor De-
tmenfs report today on employment in
ober — a month when employment
normally reaches an annual peak,
dministration economists predict un-
jloyment will go no lower than 6.5 per
tin 1977, or 6 per cent in 197S. These
dictions promise only slight improve-
nt over the 6.9 per cent rate in Sep-
ber.
ome independent economists even be-
the administration’s figures are too
juristic. They foresee a further eco
slowdown — possibly even another
:ssion — in 1978.
resident Carter clearly is not satisfied
the current performance of the
nomy, particularly the U.S. labor mar-
Thus he has promised to propose
SSY
additional stimuli early next year as part of
his tax reform bill.
Although the administration added sev
eral hundred thousand new jobs to the
economy in 1977 under its public service
employment and public works programs,
these jobs have provided little hope for 7
million jobless Americans.
Moreover there have been an estimated
60,000 layoff’s in the ailing steel industry
over the past year, combined with some
furloughs during October for autoworkers.
One of the options still open to Carter is
the Humphrey-Hawkins “full employ
ment’ bill, which labor and black groups
have been seeking for several years. Car
ter is now considering a compromise ver
sion of the hill.
Black groups pressed their case for
Humphrey-Hawkins after minority unem
ployment returned to a recession high
level of 14.5 per cent in August. Adminis
tration officials now believe that increase
was a "fluke.
Minority unemployment fell back
13. 1 per cent in September.
to
Councilman tries
o get more lanes
CIA director
faces sentence
United Press International
WASHINGTON — Richard Helms,
former CIA director and ambassador to
Iran, today faced a judge s decision on
whether he should go to jail for not fully
and completely revealing covert U.S. ef
forts to influence a Chilean election.
Helms, in a bargain with the Justice
Department which averted a public trial,
pleaded no contest to a pair of reduced
federal misdemeanor charges. The de
partment said it feared a public trial might
jeopardize national secrets. It also recom
mended that Helms receive a fine but no
jail term in exchange for the no-contest
plea Monday.
But U.S. District Judge Barrington
Parker publicly announced he was not
bound by the agreement between Helms
and federal prosecutors. The maximum
possible sentences were 12 months in jail
and a $1,000 fine on each of two mis
demeanor counts filed against the 62-
year-old Helms.
The possibility that Helms would not
receive a jail sentence set the stage for a
debate on newspaper editorial pages.
Some questioned the appearance of a
“double standard ” of justice. A standard in
which the poor go to jail and influential
former officials like Helms, do not.
Attorney General Griffin Bell has de
fended his decision to file a reduced
charge that Helms would accept without
trial rather than risk having to produce se
cret documents for the defense.
The charges accused Helms of failing to
give full and complete answers when ques
tioned on two occasions by the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee in 1973
about CIA activity in Chile in 1970.
While Helms indicated that the CIA
had not been involved, it was later re
vealed the CIA funded various individuals
and groups in Chile in an effort to prevent
election of the late Salvador Allende as
president.
Bell pointed out that Helms believed he
was bound by his oath as CIA director and
a contract he signed on leaving the CIA,
pledging he would never reveal any sensi
tive information about operations of the
defense agency.
By JEAN HENKHAUS
Insuccessful attempts to put bike lanes
ng Texas Avenue may force bicyclists
that road entirely.
Working with the College Station Safety
mmittee, Councilman Anne Hazen said
t she has been trying to sell the idea of
ting bike paths along some of College
tion’s busiest thoroughfares. These in-
de Texas Avenue, Jersey Street, Uni-
sity Drive and Texas Highway 30.
Were probably going to have to pro-
it all bike riding on Texas Avenue,
Id councilman Anne Hazen.
(The reasoning for putting th'r lanes
fe is simple, said Hazen. Safety.
TBicyclists use those roads and they
Illy have not been constructed for this
le of use,” she said.
|The roads generally are without curbs
|d gutters, and merely “drop-off" along
sside of the road, she added.
|But the committee has run into prob-
|ns, partly because these are all state
[ids, Hazen explained.
[D.D. Williamson of the State Highway
ending Department said that there have
|en efforts to gain bike paths for the area
[using federal funding.
Using an accident cost-benefit ratio, the
Bailment determines the need for bike
psin specific areas in monetary values,
foperty damages that occur as a result of
Icidents allow about $400. Personal in-
|ryequals $3,400, while fatalities involv-
bikes amount to almost 80,000,
[illiams said.
Recently a ‘‘demonstration project ’ like
is was sent to Washington to appeal for
|nds. The report and plane! were consid-
ed, but was ousted in favor of three
(her plans submitted for this region. If
; funds had been granted, the bike lane
[eject would have been funded 80 per-
ntfederally and 20 percent locally.
INow there is a study underway to de-
ine the future needs of bicyclists as
west campus expands. Williamson es-
ates that at least 20 percent of the cam-
population will be using the west side
campus in the near future/This means
it pedestrians as well as bicyclists will
fed to cross Wellborn road to get to
ses.Williamson said he hopes to come
up with a system of getting students across
the highway safely. Because of the rising
costs of fuel, Williamson said he thinks
more and more people will begin using
bicycles.
Councilman Hazen said that students
who are really' interested in having bike
paths created should get involved and let
citv officials know what they think.
Battalion photo by Susan Webb
Smiling service
Texas A&M President Jarvis Miller dined in Sbisa Thrusday
night and was the guest of Mclnnis Hall. The hostesses for
the dinner are, from left to right, Lynn Knaupp, a junior
from Boerne, Debbie Broughton, a junior from Houston, and
Nancy Shiring, a sophomore from Rockdale. The girls serve
as" hostesses for special dinners the dorm holds each month.
RHA backs
to dedicate
By CAROLYN BLOSSER
The Resident Hall Association (RHA)
voted last night to send a letter to Dr. John
Koldus, Vice President of Student Serv
ices, requesting that the grounds sur
rounding the Memorial Student Center be
TACB monitors industrial pollution
Amendments may halt growth
By SCOTT PERKINS
Industrial growth in the Bryan-College
Station area may be restricted by the 1977
amendments to the Federal Clean Air Act.
This observation was made Thursday
night by representatives of the Texas Air
Control Board (TACB) in a meeting with
citizens of the area.
The amendments require the state to
designate which areas of Texas meet the
national standards for each of five types of
pollutants, and which do not.
Under the amendments, if Brazos
County is designated an “attainment area”
(one which meets the national standards) a
limit would be placed on how much more
pollution could be added by new indus
tries.
“In effect, you can seal the growth of an
area, said Steve Blackhurst, an engineer
with TACB.
The meeting, which was held in the
Bryan Utilities Building, was part of an ef
fort by the TACB to inform the citizens of
Texas of the amendments and their effects,
and to ask for help in designation of “at
tainment and “nonattainment ’ areas.
“It’s a complex issue, and we don’t have
a lot of time to decide on it,” Blackhurst
said.
TACB is supposed to make recom
mendations to the state by December 7 so
they can be reviewed and sent to the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
by February 7. Blackhurst said that since
the TACB was holding the public hear
ings, they would probably not make the
December 7 date.
Blackhurst said that current recom
mendations would give Brazos County an
“attainment rating in all five categories.
These are the amounts of particulate mat
ter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,
photochemical oxidants, and nitrogen
dioxide in the air.
According to the amendments, if an area
has an “attainment rating, any industry
wishing to move into the area must
undergo testing to determine how much
pollution it will add to the area before it
can start construction.A measurement of
the air quality of the area must also be
taken. This data must be gathered over a
period of one year.
As it stands now, any area which does
not have an air quality monitoring system
is considered as being an “attainment
area. Brazos County is such an area.
Blackhurst suggested that if such an area
wishes to attract new industry, it might
consider setting up its own monitoring sys
tem. He pointed out that this way, the
area would have an air quality standard
ready, and the industry would not have to
wait the one year for readings to be taken.
The TACB has said monitors in th state are
currently located in areas where pollutant
levels are expected to be highest, and due
to the high cost of the monitors, the cost to
additional information ratio would not be
enough to justify more monitors.
However, Blackhurst warned that if an
area set up the monitor, it may find that its
rating is actually one of “nonattainment.
If an area receives a “nonattainment”
rating’ it must take steps to lower its pollu
tion level, or be in jeopardy of losing fed
eral EPA funds. In addition, any new in
dustry wishing to move into the area must
persuade some existing industry to lower
its pollution output so the addition of the
new industry will not raise the overall
level. The problems there are obvious,
Blackhurst said. He explained that the
existing industries could refuse to lower
their pollution output, and lock-out new
industries.
. “The idea is great on paper, but
whether or not it s workable is debatable,
Blackhurst said.
The next public hearing will be De
cember 9 in Austin. Blackhurst said any
citizen wishing to make a statement can
either appear at that hearing, or may mail
a formal letter to the TACB which will be
entered into the record of that hearing.
proposal
grounds
officially recognized as a memorial.
Lynn Andrus, RHA Vice President,!
proposed the resolution which passed
overwhelmingly with a voice vote.
The letter to Koldus, written by RHA
President Joe Nixon, asks that the MSG
grounds be officially memorialized “to
those Aggies whose lives were taken in the
defense of this nation’s freedom. The MSC
is an important means of expressing the
students gratitude to those generous Ag
gies.”
The letter states that the beauty of the
Student Center is enhanced by the well-
kept lawns and facilities and “it would be a
terrible misfortune if Aggie spirit were al
lowed to degenerate with the disintegra
tion of the grass.
In other action RHA decided to develop
long range plans to utilize the grounds sur
rounding the Quonset Hut and build
softball fields, volleyball courts, shooting
ranges and picnic areas.
A&M is "real cow college’
ischarged principal holds staff
ostage for 4 hours yesterday
United Press International
IDURHAM, N.C. — A discharged prin-
ipal held his faculty at gunpoint for four
lours and threatened to kill them Thurs-
§y. He was talked into surrendering by
school superintendent who once
ved as a Secret Service bodyguard for
sident John F. Kennedy.
My instincts told me he was very scri
ps and the wrong move could have
wt'hed him off,” said Frank Yeager, the
superintendent
schools.
of Durham County
Yeager, along with 31 other persons,
was taken hostage by Clarence Carl Blan
ton during a meeting at Bethesda Elemen
tary School. Yeager had just announced
Blanton would be replaced.
Blanton, in his 50s, released all his hos
tages except Yeager and Assistant Princi
pal Alexander Gerald after four hours. He
arter expected to compromise
United Press International
WASHINGTON — President Carter is
ipected to decide in a week or so
hether to endorse a compromise full em-
oyment bill. The bill s now backed by
oth the Congressional Black Caucus and
ite House
It is believed the revised Humphrey-
awkins bill would set an interim goal of
ound 4 percent unemployment, later
iving toward full employment. It would
emphasize creation of jobs in the private
sector as the primary way to cut jobless
ness.
Carter also plans an address to the na
tion on energy Tuesday night.
A high administration source told UPI
“we are about a week away from a final
decision on the Humphrey-Hawkins bill.
Carter said in a 1976 campaign position
paper that he would strive to cut unem
ployment to 4 percent or less by the end of
his first term.
surrendered to Yeager about 45 minutes
later.
He was charged with one count of kid
napping and admitted to the Duke Medi
cal Center for psychiatric examination.
Children were not at the school because
of a teacher workday. The ordeal took
place without the knowledge of police.
They were not summoned until Blanton
surrendered.
Blanton was armed with a 12-gauge
shotgun, a .38-caliber pistol, a .22-caliber
pistol and a hunting knife. Yeager said he
threatened to kill two women teachers,
who had complained about him to the cen
tral office. He also threatened to cut off the
hands of three others.
Yeager said Blanton told them he had a
“message from God” to kill the hostages.
“The only thing I know is that he’s been
under a lot of pressure lately,” Blanton’s
wife said after the incident. “I think his
mind just snapped.”
Blanton spent 24 years in public schools
as a teacher and principal. He had been
principal at Bethesda since 1968.
By KIM TYSON
Baltalion Campus Editor
Some call Texas A&M a cow college, and after
Thursday’s performance, it’s no wonder.
News of an invasion of two-horned beasts rang
through classrooms when two heifers and one steer
escaped from a meat judging class.
One trampled through a row of bikes in front of the
Commons dormitories and munched some of the
hedges in front of the building. Glenn Ferris, area
coordinator for the dorms, said approximately 35 stu
dents gathered to help catch the beast.
“It created some excitment and a little diversion for
everybody, Ferris said. He said he was concerned
about whether the cow would come through the plate
glass windows.
That particular animal was cornered by some stu
dents and hauled back to the pen.
Another took off and clammered around the library.
leaping from flower bed walls and parading down the
Corps quadrangle. The steer ended up hiding behind a
large bush. A number of suggestions were offered for
methods of “capture. ”
Laughs and yells rang out from the rooms upstairs.
“Are the KK (University Police) going to give her a
ticket for not having a parking sticker?” quipped one
cadet.
A loud “whoop” went out after some 30 bystanders
coaxed the cow from her hiding place. Wide-eyed and
mooing the cow bolted across the quad, weaving
through the crowd. It eventually took refuge in another
bush. Finally, the steer was nabbed with two ropes
secured to its legs and five people sitting atop.
The third was last seen heading toward A&M Con
solidated Middle School off Jersey Street.
The cattle were being appraised by the class for
before-slaughter meat quality.
Battalion photos by Larry Parker and Jim Crawley