Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 10, 1977)
Viewpoint The Battalion Thursday Texas A&M University November 10, 1977 The mileage game Now that the Washington bureaucracy has itself firmly entrenched as the final authority on gasoline mileage “standards” for new cars—standards” which are handed down from Mt. Potomac each new model year— the General Accounting Office says the mileage estimates produced at some expense by the Environmental Protection Agency aren’t all that accurate. The fact is, said GAO auditors, the pristine conditions under which EPA arrives at its estimates may never be experienced by the average driver. That is why his consumption may differ widely from the numbers pasted on the window when he bought the car. As if that were not enough, the GAO also found it isn’t true that smaller cars necessarily obtain better fuel economy. All of which suggests the fuel consumption guidelines coming out of Wash ington have little substance. But, then, the consumer may already know that. The GAO also found that only seven percent of new car buyers in 1976 paid any attention to the mileage ratings displayed on the vehicle. Moline Ill. Daily Dispatch New ‘star’ following Kissinger’s footsteps >a] Top of the News State Briscoe-McConn runoff election State former District Attorney Frank Briscoe and home builder]® McConn led challengers in a race dulled by an absence of substantr,; issues early Wednesday to earn a runoff election for Houston mayor Nov. 22. Briscoe, 51, now a lawyer in private practice, is a discipline rian stressing the need for improved law enforcement in a cit plagued with inconsistencies in police and fire department adminin tration. McConn, 49, served two-plus terms on the city councilani claims he can take over the reins of city council and governmeil without wasting time learning the ropes. The performance (ASHING! says Arneri energy j must men jobs and t military st Jespite the " ws, C that measures and pro fuels ai ponsiblity. be preside he nation 1 harsh rh when he ac seeking tl police and fire departments, the question of mass transit and t illteering ai velopment and maintenance of city services were the main issues® the campaign. Teen-ager jailed in father s death Police in San Antonio Wednesday jiiiled George Studymire Jr.,2 on a charge he tried to hire a teenager to kill his father, a retired.tii Force sergeant. George Studymire Sr., 43, was found dead in apod of blood on Oct. 9, 1976, at his home in Valley-Hi on the westen edge of the city. His body was found by his four children whohadjot returned from a football game. The son’s arrest came after a 16yeai old boy told them young Studymire offered him $620 to sergeant. Police said the dead man was known to carry large sumsd money and that his missing wallet was returned by mail several days after the killing. Barmaid warned not to testify eh United 1 history” ca act By DAVID S. BRODER WASHINGTON—The “passion for anonymity” which is classically supposed to characterize the ideal White House Staff member has never lurked for long in the office of the President’s national secu rity advisor. From McGeorge Bundy to Walt Rostow to Henry Kissinger, the Ivy League academics who have occupied the post have, in turn, managed to surmount their natural modesty and inform a waiting world of their brilliance and influence. Zbigniew Brzezinski, President Carter’s import from Columbia University, is keep ing the tradition alive. In recent weeks, transcripts of Dr. Brzezinski’s utterances from here to Bonn and back have been fluttering onto reporters’ desks as gently, and almost as persistently, as the autumn leaves. Last Sunday, he made his televi sion debut on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” and it remains only a matter of time until Zbigniew Brzezinski becomes, so to speak, a household word. Letters to the editor Brzezinski is almost a match for the President when it comes to confidence in his own judgement. Those who would like to see Carter’s own rather enthusiastic, not to say headlong, approach to foreign policy checked by a cautious, even skepti cal, national security adviser do not find Brzezinski reassuring. You can see why Carter was drawn to him, however, when they met on David Rockefeller’s Trilateral Commission, where Brzezinski was staff director and Carter, then governor, was a member. Brzezinski has the kind of intuitive, even romantic, mind and articulate tongue ca pable of sketching in a few broad strokes a exciting picture of the international order with a big and vital role of the American President to play. There is, some would say, more than a bit of the promoter in his psyche. Bu he does not, on the record so far, appear rigid or inflexible. Although Brzezniski’s early passion for the “human What’s your definition rights offensive was second only to Car ter’s, he has helped along the recent effort to relegate that issue to a more reasonable—and manageable—place in our foreign policy. Although he was a strong advocate of a greater American initiative in southern Af rica, Brzezinski counseled caution in ap plying sanctions to the Union of South Af rica in response to the recent racial crackdown. On another front, even though he has been personally affronted by some of the lectures he has received from Chinese officials on the alleged infirmities of Carter’s foreign policy, he insists that he still supports moves to expand contacts with the nervous leaders in Peking. More important judgements on Brzezinski’s stewardship will be available soon. As the chief proponent within the White House of the President’s off-again on-again, nine-nation November world tour, Brzezinski had much riding on the success of that journey. Next year, he will be heavily involved in the struggle for Senate approval of the Panama Canal treaty and the agreement now being negotiated with the Soviets on strategic arms, as well as the effort to keep a Geneva conference on the Middle East from collapsing almost as soon as it is con vened. Brzezinski himself sees the possibility of the administration being overwhelmed by a combination of the domestic opponents of all three projects—Panama, SALT, and an enforced Middle Eastern settlement. If that happens, both he and his presi dential pupil could be crippled in their capacities to shape foreign policy. None of his predecessors entirely avoided that fate, although some were agile enough to es cape personal ruin. Brzezinski, tasting the fame that once was theirs, seems ready to run the risk. (c) 1977, The Washington Post Com pany of "fair weather fan’ Editor: I wish Paul Arnett would be more care ful about speaking for me in the future. I personally resent being called a fair weather fan and being blamed for the “in evitable demise” of college football. When our team made its first home ap pearance, last week, since the Michigan game, I along with several thousand other Ags yelled so loudly for them that the game had to be delayed several times by the referee. This also happened the week before at Rice Stadium. This hardly seems indicative of the behavior of fair weather fans. In fact, the only fair weather fans I know of around here are the sports writers for the Battalion. By the way, Mr. Arnett, since college football is dead, as you say, can I have your ticket to the t.u. game? —Casey Mueller, ’79 Editor’s note: It’s easy to yell for a win ner. Crowds pour into Kyle Field because Texas A&M is 6-1. If it were reversed, I’m sure I would have a hard time giving my ticket away for the Horn-Aggie game. —Paul Arnett A proud daughter Editor: I submit a correction to your article con cerning Dr. G. Shelton’s award, published Nov. 7 (Campus Names). Three other Texans have received this most distin guished award. The third recipient was my father, H.R. Matrisciani, who received his medallion and citation into the Order of Knights of the Italian Republic on June 2, Slouch 1977 at an Inaugural Ball given in his honor by. the Consulate d’ltalie in Hous ton; —Lisa Matrisciani (a proud daughter!) Editor’s note: Ms. Matrisciani, please accept our apologies to you and your father. The news release we received on Dr. Shelton’s award contained that error. Voice from Arkansas Editor: While discussing the upcoming Arkansas-A&M football game recently at the office I made several remarks about the Aggies that bothered some recent A&M graduates. They dared me to put them in writing and send them to you. As everyone knows Razorbacks are tough, fierce competitors and can easily outdo Aggies at anything, I was only too willing to accept their challenge. I bluntly told them and will tell you that Arkansas will win by over 30 points. Rea sons: Aggies have only an oversized bowl ing ball and a fumbling freeloader named Woodard and Dickey, respectively. I said before the season started they wouldn’t make 3rd string if they played at Arkansas. Plus, your one-footed kicker can’t possi bly match up to Steve Little toe to toe, as he will prove Saturday afternoon. And then there’s your very questionable de fense, that let lowly Baylor score so much on A&M, let SMU practically kill you and allowed Michigan to demolish you on TV. What an embarrassment for the SWC! But, we Razorbacks will redeem the by Jim Earle SWC’s name and prestige by soundly thrashing the Aggies, knocking them out of the Top Twenty where they never should have been anyway, and theri wrap ping up a major bowl bid as the sun goes down over Kyle Field, “Home of the De feated and Heartbroken Texas Aggies!” I dare anyone up there to think other wise, leastwise the crazy 12th man or whatever it’s called. The Aggies will need 12 men and 12 women to try to stop Cal- cagni, Cowins and Co. from cramming the football down your collective throats. Editor’s note: The Battalion has received numerous letters to the editor in response to a letter written by David Kotara in the Oct. 31 Battalion. In that letter Kotara said, among other things, that he is a homosexual. The following letters are samples of those replies. Editor: In response to Mr. Kotara’s letter in the Oct. 31 Battalion, I would like to offer a statement of my position concerning the gay movement. Most importantly, I do not reject gays or anyone else just because their opinions might differ from mine. I am sure that Mr. Kotara is just as much an Aggie as I. I do not seek to suppress anyone’s pur suit of happiness unless it interfere s with another’s personal rights to do the same. I am not oblivious to the fact that there is a large number of homosexuals in our country and probably more than I would guess in this immediate area. However, just because I accept gays as persons, I do not believe that homosexual ity has to be an “inevitable” reality “of the modern world.” Homosexuality as a sexual philosophy can never allow perfect peace and happi ness in life. Therefore, the perpetuation of such a philosophy is a direct encroachment of every person’s right to happiness. It of fers a false alternative that only confuses the true possibilities for those who desire perfect life fulfillment. I, along with many others, have found true happiness and fulfillment. And there is not a doubt in my mind that Mr. Kotara and every other human being can experi ence a better life than homosexuality will ever offer. I would truly give my right arm if it would help Mr. Kotara or any other per son know that Jesus Christ alone offers the very best in both life and death. Rodney A. Armstrong, ‘77 Leave them alone Editor: During the late 1920s-early 1930s, while all the nations of this earth experienced depression, a man named Adolph Hitler came to power in a small European nation. Within 15 years that man was to bring about a thought revolution which would change the course of history. No! I speak not of military or economic progress, rather the fact that one man stood respon sible for the extermination of nearly eleven-million people. What a mismatch! I can hardly wait for kickoff. Good luck.. .you’re sure as hell .gonna need it Saturday!'.! —Vic Dubisson U. of A., Class of 1973 P.S. Send me all the hate mail you want—it won’t help you win! Editor’s note: Might we suggest, courageous Mr. Dubisson, that you buy a BIG mailbox, and have a few gallons of water on hand. That’s a lot of crow to eat. In 1946 the whole world found out the “whole” truth concerning the extermina tion process, the atrocities, the immorality of a nation. Thirty years later, 1977, I see a renewal of Hitler’s extermination thought. Since the United States was the major controller of the Nuremburg trials one would think that Americans would have the highest morality. NAY! I have bad feelings towards gays, and would be the first to admit that extermina tion has crossed my mind.. .line’em up and shoot’em down, but...what has happened? Why do I think that? The answer is sim ple, society has handed down the tenets of our forefathers—simply, “all men are created equal.” It doesn’t say anything about women, nor does it say anything about homosexuals. The word is MEN. I once heard someone tell of how A&M has been called “Sing-Sing on the Brazos,” so we could logically start here, Camp Ag- gieland, and I’ll gladly light the first match..or would I? Maybe some of you would like to strike a match for me be cause I wrote this letter, but Germany we’re not. Let them do what they want. DON’T recognize them. DON’T try to understand them, DON’T even care, but DO leave them alone. Maybe if you ignore them, as maggies ig nore non-regs, they’ll go somewhere else for excitement—and possibly even fade into their wildest fantasies... — G.R.G., ’80 Back to the closet Editor: Have we gotten to the point where we forget that God made man and God made woman to be his companion? The city of Sodom (from which we derive the word sodomy) was destroyed and burned to the ground due to its perversion and abnor mal sexual activities. I think that gays find it all too easy to criticize present standards and call them childish simply because they cannot ac cept the fact that they are wrong and need help. There is no hypocrisy in wanting to keep Aggie tradition free from abnormalties and perverts. I find a great deal of pride in going to a school that still finds its moral standards high enough to disallow gays on campus. Furthermore, if David Kotara is so proud of being gay, then let him prac tice his perversion in his closet where he and his “friends” belong. —Tim Sharp Final replies to David Kotara A Fort Worth barmaid has testified that representatives of Ik Tarrant County district attorney’s office warned her not to appearasi defense witness in the capital murder trial of T. Cullen Davis. Bedi Burns, 27, a widow charged with obtaining prescription drug! fraud, said Tuesday she was warned that her appearance asadefeiw witness could antagonize prosecutors who have the charges pendi® against her. Victim Stan Farr was involved in narcotics and while operating a night club, she said. Farr, 31, was shot andkilledij the former home of the defendant Aug. 3, 1976. Andrea Wilborn, Davis’ stepdaughter, was also shot and killed. Davis, an industrialii millionaire, is on trial for the child’s death. Sludent Boo ram, Jay Belli Aggie Playei m., Rudder 1 Town Hall, eum Hippie Hollow blockage stopped A state district judge in Austin has ordered a man to trench that could cut access to a popular nude swimming spotknow as Hippie Hollow. Judge Pete Lowry issued a temporary restrainiif order preventing Robert Barstow, a neighbor of the area, to slop excavation of the trench across land owned by the Lower Colorai River Authority. LCRA officials claim as soon as the level of lie Travis rises another foot or two, access to the land known as Win? Point— or Hippie Hollow — would be cut off. The LCRA filedsui 7^1 against Sarstow asking $10,000 in damages and a court order requir ing him to close the trench and restore the land. Nation Large steel companies to merge A merger that would create a $6.1 billion company and one nation’s largest steel producers has been approved by the boardsof directors of the two companies involved, Lykes Corp. and LTVCorp of Dallas. Lykes and LTV announced Tuesday their boards had ap proved the plan, which was announced last week. The merger must be approved by shareholders and reviewed by the Justice partment for possible antitrust violations. The two companies control the seventh and eighth largest steel companies in the nation. Fatal disease may hit thousands Legionaires’ disease may strike up to 45,000 Americans each and cause 2,000 to 6,000 deaths, the director of the National Cenlei for Disease Control said Wednesday. Dr. William Foege said “people are being exposed to it constantly,” and more sporadic cases use,” Ro will turn up as the investigation proceeds. Although Foege’s timony did not indicate medical investigators have found the sourff of the disease organism, or how it is spread, he mentioned several times that researchers were looking into the possibility that soil exca vations and air conditioning systems may play a role in transmission Gas deregulation offers profits Oil companies would reap unjustified windfalls if natural gas prices were deregulated, an economic adviser to two presidents said Tues day. Dr. Walter Heller, former chief economist for Presidents Ken nedy and Johnson, spoke to about 200 Oklahoma business during Oklahoma Baptist University’s third annual Business Outlool Conference. Heller is currently regents professor of economics University of Minnesota. He expressed general approval ofPresidenl Carter’s energy proposals. "eightliftii eightliftiiifr , bston College i inviran mental illery area of ire Center )e Playei m., Rudder Aggie Cinen [Monty Pytl fringe’,, 12 mil Pre Veterini m., 601 Mar Marshall-Hi lob 8 p.m. partment par Rompin’ St wnsored by ellowship Co »d Chess Conn olic oan Unit< IVASHJN( lion today to increa mey to it bilitation The policy ations to irtgage le ed-lining sed on tl use. “No long* neigh! an of th< ink Board ws confei Vice Pre id “it's tf ken” tc ighborho Mondale igulations, i the Fed •mnient, ' iminatio dghborho Mai level ry of nun World Palestinians battle Israelis h Israeli gunners hammered the biblical port of Tyre, Palestiniaa refugee camps and southern Lebanese villages killing up to 20 people Tuesday in retaliation for a Palestinian rocket attack on northera Israel. It was the second major artillery battle across the Lebanese Israeli border since the weekend, shattering a six-week cease-fire negotiated by the United States. In Washington, the State Depart ment urged both sides to “show restraint.” Prime Minister Menaheffl Begin told a Jerusalem audience “the days that Jewish blood can be shed unavenged are past.” Weather Fair skies, warm afternoons and cold nights for today and tomorrow. High today low 60s. Low tonight low 30s. No rain. ‘Variable winds 5-10 mph. The 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 Re gents. The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting enterprise operated by students as a university and com munity newspaper. Editorial policy is determined by the editor. 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, show the address of the writer and list a telephone number for verification. Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor, The Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas 77843. Represented nationally by National Educational Adver tising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday from September through May except during exam and holiday periods and the summer, when it is published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per school year; $35.00 per full year. Advertising rates fur nished on request. Address: The Battalion, Ho 08 Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas i United Press International is entitled exclusively use for reproduction of all news dispatches creditfT Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein re Second-Class postage paid at College Station, TXH MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Jamie J Managing Editor Mary Alice Wo® Editorial Director Lee Roy 1 Sports Editor Pal'll News Editors Marie Homeyer, Candf City Editor Rustyf Campus Editor KiflJ Copy Editor BethG Reporters Glenna« Liz Newlin, David Boggan, MarkP Photographer Ken II Cartoonist DoujtO Student Publications Board: Bob G. flogro, Ckj Joe Arredondo; Dr. Gary Halter, Dr. John 1 Robert Harvey; Dr. Charles McCandlcss: Dr. Cl* Phillips; Rebel Rice. Director of Student PnN' Donald C. Johnson.