The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, February 16, 1978, Image 1

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    The Battalion
Vol. 71 No. 99 Thursday, February 16, 1978 News Dept. 845-2611
10 Pages College Station, Texas Business Dept. 845-2611
r
Inside Thursday:
Answers to Paul Arnett, p. 2.
Funds trickle in to divers, p. 6.
Aggies defeat TCU 88-72, p. 10.
V
nergy goal: changing fear to trust
By TRICIA BRUNHART
| goal of the politics of energy is to change the tone
Ination from “fear and uncertainty to relative confi-
ice and predictability, said Under Secretary of
jrgy Dale D. Myers Wednesday. Myers gave the
note address at the 23rd annual Student Conference
National Affairs at Texas A&M University.
ipers, who once served as associate administrator for
jed space flight at the National Aeronautics and
I Administration (NASA) in Washington, said there
ehension in the nation because people are won-
■ing if society has enough energy,
jiding the turmoil of “popular discontent is the
■ challenge of the politics of energy, he said.
Mers contrasted the energy situation today to that of
ars ago. He said there was a relatively stable eco-
order then, which relied on the security of the
supply of energy. The United States was the
Itone of collective security of energy for many na-
! he said.
;oil embargo of 1973 had a disruptive influence on
estern alliance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organi-
i(NATO), Myers said. There was a hectic scramble
ile the allies tried to secure their own energy supply,
■should have made it clear that the U.S. is depen-
lon energy, he said.
In 1973, Myers said, the United States was spending
$6 million per day on oil, and today oil costs the country
$9 million per day. While imports rose by half, the price
of oil rose six times.
After the embargo, the consumer price index rose
from 14 percent during 1970-73 to 28 percent from
1973-76, said Myers,
The United States’ production of oil has decreased,
Myers said, and the world’s production of oil should
level out in the late 1980s or early 1990s. Demand will
be greater than the supply, and this will cause a major
increase in the price of oil, he said.
He added that energy conservation is only part of the
solution.
We are running out of oil and gas in this gas tank
called earth,’ Myers said.
Most new energy sources are expensive when com
pared to natural gas and oil, Myers said.
In order to support solar energy, development con
gress and 22 states are supporting a tax credit for solar
energy, Myers said. Homeowners have to make a major
capital investment before they can use solar energy so
the tax credit can help, he said. But after they have solar
facilities they save money, he added.
Myers advocated an increase in coal use but said there
are problems with outdated transportation systems.
environmental regulation and the labor-management
structure.
He added there also should be an expansion of nuclear
power.
Several members of the audience questioned Myers
on the issue of nuclear power. He said nuclear power is
intended to be used as a last resort, and rigid safeguards
are currently being devised. Myers said he still considers
nuclear energy a necessary part of energy.
Nuclear waste is a “top priority problem” and more
must be done about it, he said.
Myers, a 1943 graduate of the University of Washing
ton, worked for Rockwell International as an aeronautical
engineer and later as chief engineer of the Missile De
velopment Division of North America Aviation. After
working with the space program, he returned to
Rockwell to serve as president of the North American
Aircraft Operations. Myers was appointed under secre
tary of energy in 1976.
Today Congressman Morris Udall will speak at 12:30
p.m. and a panel discussion between Rep. Bob Krueger
(D-Tex.) and Rep. Toby Moffett (D-Conn.) begins at
8 p.m. Both will be held in Rudder Theater.
Friday’s schedule includes an 8 a. m. panel on future
energy technologies (in room 201 MSC) and a discussion
by industry representatives at 12:15 p.m. in Rudder
Theater.
he negative body language
How to fend off salespeople
By CHERYL HICKMAN
)od afternoon. 1 represent the Acme
any, and I’d like to sell you a
J/.ine subscription. Or maybe you
Hsome new pots and pans.
Bor-to-door salespersons can provide
|nieservices and merchandise that might
lard to find in a store. But some
mli, especially those who are unsure
Min handle an aggressive salesperson
liler door-to-door a nuisance and
h! (he possibility of a confrontation.
llTexas A&M University students liv-
ff-campus seem to attract salesper-
especially for magazines. Some stu-
report that they have been pfes-
into buying a product they really
t want.
Hall, a sophomore economics major
jxas A&M, said she was pressured last
tester into buying a magazine subscrip-
Haff said she was in her apartment
ig ready to go out when a girl came to
!oor.
pe acted like she knew one of my
mates, said Hall. T was getting
i to leave and she wouldn t go until I
;ht a magazine.
ter the girl left. Hall called the police,
en the police got here, I saw the girl
5 to another apartment and I pointed
mt,’ she said. “They went and talked
and she hasn’t been back,
nny Seal, an industrial psychology
er at Texas A&M, suggested that
ents use body language to put off
persons. Seal said that “unresponsive
vior such as breaking eye contact,
ing away from the person, crossing
arms across your chest, or putting
hands on your hips should discourage
Ispersons.
|A smart salesman will realize he’s not
ling anywhere and he’ll back off, Seal
owever, if body language doesn’t
k, Seal said the salesperson should be
told “in a polite manner, that you’re not
interested.” If this doesn’t work, the re
quest to leave should be rephrased into a
command, he said.
“If you get an aggressive salesman and
you’re aggressive right back to him, he
should back off,” said Seal said.
As a last resort, a student can call the
police and make a complaint against the
salesperson. Spokesmen at both the Bryan
and College Station police departments
said they will send officers to investigate
salesmen if they receive a complaint.
In College Station, any salesperson who
works for a commercial company must go
to the police station and get a permit from
the city before he can begin his rounds.
Salesperson for non-profit organizations
like churches and schools are not required
to have permits.
Salespersons in Bryan do not have to
have permits to work, but they are sup
posed to check in with the Better Business
Bureau (BBB) when they arrive in town. If
they do not, however, there is no penalty.
Leroy Balmain, executive director of
the BBB, warned everyone to be careful
when dealing with door-to-door salesper
son. “Never sign a contract unless you’ve
read it and it meets with your approval,”
said Balmain.
Usually at the start of each semester
several magazines sales’ crews come to
Bryan-College Station and begin a massive
sales campaign. Some students feel pres
sured and others feel sorry for the sales
person so they subscribe to a magazine
they normally wouldn’t buy.
Balmain said that as far as he knows
there haven’t been any sales’ crews in
Bryan-College Station since early January.
Students are encouraged to call the BBB
if they feel skeptical about the reputation
of the salesperson’s company. The BBB
keeps files on all companies and salesper
sons who register with them. They can tell
a student whether or not the company is
reputable, but they cannot counsel anyone
on whether or not to buy from the sales
person.
Students living on the Texas A&M cam
pus are protected from salespersons by the
Concessions Committee. This committee
screens all salespersons and issues permits
to the few who are allowed to sell their
products on campus.
A policy statement put out by the com
mittee states: “No solicitation shall be
permitted in the residence halls after 7:30
p.m. and prior to 8:00 a.m. nor shall door-
to-door solicitation be permitted, other
than for newspapers".
Newspaper salespersons can go door-
to-door only during the first week of a reg
ular semester and the first two days of a
summer session. They are also banned
from going to any one room more than
once unless the people in the room ask
them to come back.
Ron Blatchley, chairman of the Conces
sions Committee, said no private
enterprises are allowed to sell on campus
unless they have a contract with the Uni
versity.
Texas A&M students who want to make
extra money by selling products for such
companies as Avon or Tupperware can
apply for permits from the committee, but
they are not allowed to sell door-to-door.
DALE MYERS
Strike negotiations
resume at White House
United Press International
WASHINGTON — The soft coal indus
try and United Mine Workers union —
with a persuasive boost from President
Carter — were back to full-scale negotia
tions today in an effort to end the record
coal strike.
Bargainers for the two sides met for 90
minutes Wednesday night in the Roosevelt
Room of the White House and laid the
groundwork for the renewed sessions
chaired by Labor Secretary Ray Marshall
today.
The effects of the strike, which began
Extension granted
or fine payments
BY ANDREA VALLS
exas A&M University students failing
pay traffic violation fines are being
nted a four-week “grace period” by
liege Station Police Department before
ing issued an additional $28.50 late
e.
This four-week time allowance is an in-
Uive for students to pay their traffic
kets, said Bernard Kapella, crime pre-
ntion officer for the department. He
t ded that hy March 13, students will be
t a summons for failure to appear with
$28.50 fine.
hckets dismissed
If offenders take
defensive driving
By BILL WILSON
[Tickets appealed in the court of Judge
[en Robisom stand an excellent chance of
ping dismissed if the offender goes to a
elensive driving class.
The Lions Club offers the course
onthly, usually on the third weekend
el the month. If the number of people
larrants it, another class will be held
P the following weekend. The enrollment
|e is $10.
The same course is offered in Bryan by
ftp Optimists Club for $15. It too, is of-
Ired on a monthly basis. Their classes
Isually meet during the week.
I The class certificate can also be used to
Iwer insurance rates. Some insurance
lompanies offer a 10 percent discount on
|omprehensive insurance for completion
fan accredited defensive driving course.
The judge has the option of offering the
lefensive driving course to the defendant,
nd-or making him pay the fine.
Kapella said police have a problem with
students failing to pay traffic violation
fines.
“We have a whole slew of tickets, about
200, that people haven’t paid since last
June,” said Kapella.
“When they signed that ticket, they
signed a promise to appear in court. If
they don’t appear, then we will fine them
$28.50 for another offense, that of failure
to appear in court,” he added.
Traffic violators must appear in court
within 10 days of the date the ticket was
issued. Failure to appear in court results
in the $28.50 fine in addition to the cost of
the original ticket, said Kapella.
In cases where the late fine is not paid
within 10 days, a warrant for arrest is is
sued.
Kapella added that violators will either
pay the fine or sit in jail at the rate of $5.00
per day until appearing before court. For
instance if a student fails to pay a ticket
and the late fine of $40, he would spend
eight days in jail.
“Rather than embarrass a student by ar
resting him at school for failure to pay his
fines, we would rather alert him that there
is a warrant out for his arrest by letter,”
said Kapella.
“It’s not that they are not paying inten
tionally, it’s just that they forget,” he said.
Kapella said since many students ride
bicycles, several of the tickets include
bicycle violations. “Bicycle fines are the
same as automobile fines,” he said, “so the
tickets could range form $12.50 for run
ning a stop sign to $28.50 for speeding.
“Before we didn’t have enough man
power to follow up with failures to appear
notices and warrants for arrest. But now
we have the manpower and we’re going to
use it to keep up with the work,” said
Kapella.
Remember that ticket you received last semes
ter for speeding down Texas Avenue? Well, now
is the time to pay for that traffic violation at the
Battalion photo by Michael Free
College Station Police Department. Beginning
March 13, late fines of $28.50 will be attached to
your ticket as a late penalty.
Ali deposed after close 15 rounds
United Press International
LAS VEGAS — Muhammad Ali grew
old in the ring at the age of 36 and in a split
decision reluctantly bequeathed his
heavyweight championship to 24-year-old
upstart Leon Spinks.
Relentless Father Time was in Spinks’
Every punch Spinks threw. Father Time
was there to double it. Every dance Ali
began, Father Time was there to stop the
music: Ali aged 10 years in an hour.
“I really felt my age holding me back,”
Ali said moments after the fight, the blood
still fresh on his lower lip and his brow
swollen.
Spinks, virtually unmarked, fought an
inspired 15-round bout, attacking Ali with
unleashed fury, completing his rise from a
St. Louis ghetto to sport’s richest prize.
Only 18% months ago Spinks won the
Olympic 178-pound gold medal and now,
20 pounds heavier, he scored one of the
greatest upsets in ring history.
“I want to relax, enjoy myself and blow a
few dollars,” Spinks said as he hugged his
friends and relatives in the tumultuous
after-fight scene. “I’ve had two dreams —
to be the Olympic champion and to be the
world heavyweight champion. I’ve got
them both now. I’ve got everything.”
Ali didn’t argue with the narrow deci
sion. He didn’t claim he’d been robbed.
Instead, he sat somberly with his wife and
close friends and spoke in whispers with an
almost vacant expression on his face.
“I don’t know if I can come back again, ”
he said softly. “I’m tired. Very tired. I want
to have a rematch. I want to be the first man
to win the title three times.
“People said to me. You were robbed. I
wasn’t robbed. The man was aggressive.
He landed some of the best punches. I was
on the defense, he was on the offense.
An estimated 70 million viewers across
the United States saw the fight and count
less millions more watched it throughout
Europe, the Middle East, Latin America
and Africa.
Dec. 6, have caused energy disruption in
several states. Ohio and Indiana are the
hardest hit, and major utilities there have
announced they will reduce power next
week, a step that could lead to cutbacks in
commercial and industrial operations and
possibly mass layoffs.
In addition, the nation’s top automakers
said energy reductions may lead to the
layoff of hundreds of thousands of workers
by the end of the month.
It was the longest continuous nationwide
strike in history.
Carter spoke for five minutes at the out
set of Wednesday night’s session, and ac
cording to press secretary Jody Powell,
urged the negotiators to reach a quick set
tlement to prevent harm to the nation.
The president, who has warned of a pos
sible back-to-work order if talks fail, said if
the new negotiations break down “it would
hurt both the operators and the union, but
. . . most important of all it would hurt the
country.”
Carter has power under the Taft-Harley
Act to order the miners back to work for an
80-day cooling off period.
Both Marshall and UMW president Ar
nold Miller were optimistic as they left the
session.
“Were most anxious to come back to
morrow and get down to business,” said
Miller. “I’m somewhat optimistic that ifwe
follow the format we set here tonight, we ll
get very close to where we want to go to.
Marshall said the mood “was good,
heated in some cases.
“It wasn’t angry,” he added. “Just . . .
firmly stated positions.
T thought it went well, Marshall said.
“The positions were laid out in general
terms. It set a good foundation for our work
tomorrow.
Industry officials left the scene without
commenting.
Earlier in the day. Miller expanded the
union team from six to nine, adding three
members of the UMW bargaining council,
who had voted 30-6 to reject a tentative
settlement reached by Miller.
The Bituminous Coal Operators Associa
tion at first refused Carter's call for the
White House session, but changed position
within three hours with Marshall s inter
cession.
The rejected coal pact would have
boosted miners’ average pay from $7.80 to
$10.15 an hour over three years, guaran
teed medical benefits cut off during the
strike, and restructured the union's de
pleted pension funds.
Rank-and-file miners, however, were in
furiated by a provision allowing coal
operators to fine wildcat strikers up to $20 a
day. And they were unhappy with the pen
sion changes, elimination of cost-of-living
increases and with controversial produc
tion incentives.