Battalion
Wednesday, March 1, 1978 News Dept. 845-2611
College Station, Texas Business Dept. 845-2611
Inside Wednesday
Singer on the road: Jackson
Browne’s ‘Running on Empty,’ p. 9.
‘Kiwi’ is coming, p. 11.
David Boggan: The southpaw’s
complaint, p. 13.
V 1
cieti
itv
ir
Battalion photo by Chris Piecione
Charles Phipps, junior agricultural economics major, learned
the hard way that the mysterious Pie Man can strike anyone
at any time. The Pie Man chooses to remain anonymous.
'ie Man cometh
nth cake, ‘creams*
By CHRIS PICCIONE
I had a rendezvous with a tall, dark stranger wearing sunglasses and an
English cap. He was no ordinary stranger. I was meeting the Pie Man.
There was no introduction. I sat down. He told me his story. The Pie
Man has been on the Texas A&M campus for nearly a year and recently has
begun an interesting service.
The Pie Man will tell anybody you want just about anything you would
want to tell them — but you just can’t seem to do it. He also delivers
birthday cakes, recites love poems, and “creams” people with pies on re
quest.
The Pie Man said he got his idea from a lady in Chicago. She was tired of
staying home and after reading about people’s frustrations, she decided
they needed an outlet. She acted as a messenger for others and made a
profit on the side.
For a five dollar fee, and on a one-day notice, the Pie Man will deliver
almost any message.
Tin not out to rip anybody off,” he said. The Pie Man is willing to
bargain for each individual errand if the cost seems unreasonable.
There will be an additional charge to deliver a birthday cake or for trans
portation expenses. There is no extra charge for his disguise.
“I wouldn’t cuss anybody out or deliver ruthless messages,” said the Pie
Man. “I’m not out to hurt people or create enemies.”
The Pie Man ran his ad in the Battalion last week, but was disappointed
in the lack of response. He said the lack of interest might be because the
idea is new around here.
One woman asked him to sing “Happy Birthday” to a friend. The Pie
Man said the birthday cake delivery service ought to catch on.
He said he is running this service “mainly for a joke,” but he hopes it may
develop into a part-time job.
T’m not out to make a million, but you never know what might become of
it,” he said.
The Pie Man plans to run his ad again this week. In the meantime, be on
the lookout for a stranger with a pie in his hand. He may have a delivery for
you: right in the face.
Employees now receive
coverage on outside jobs
By CHRIS CAIN
University employees and their depen
dents now have hospitalization coverage
without increase in rates when engaged in
consulting work or other outside employ
ment.
Prior to Feb. 20, Texas A&M University
faculty and staff members working outside
the University system had no medical in
surance coverage.
H. Ray Smith, director of personnel,
notified University employees of the omis
sion of coverage in a memorandum after
some insurance claims were denied.
Smith said omission of coverage for Uni
versity employees involved in outside em
ployment was a standard feature of group
medical insurance in Texas. But South
western Life Insurance Co., the group
By LIZ NEWLIN
Battalion Staff
If all America’s energy was supplied by
nuclear power plants, each individual’s in
creased health danger would be compara
ble to smoking one cigarette every 10
weeks, Dr. Bernard Cohen, a physics pro
fessor at the University of Pittsburgh and
debater on nuclear safety said Tuesday
night.
Governors
get royal
treatment
United Press International
WASHINGTON — There was a time
when the nation s governors got no respect
when they came to the White House. Now
they’re treated like royalty.
The governors wound up their annual
winter conference Tuesday night and al
most to a man and woman agreed they
never had such a relationship with an ad
ministration.
Republicans and Democrats alike
praised Presidnt Carter throughout the
meeting, not only for his cooperation, but
for giving the governors a role in develop
ing such key administration issues as wel
fare reform and urban policy.
And the administration showed the gov
ernors it considers their clout to be con
siderable. Consider:
—Carter met face-to-face with them for
an hour and a half to discuss the nation’s
energy problems.
—Carter invited them to the White
House not only for the ritual formal
dinner, but the first dancing-after-dinner
event since he took office.
—Vice President Walter Mondale’s
speech to the governors was almost
entirely devoted to forming a “new
partnership” with the states.
—The Cabinet members who came to
the conference to discuss issues with the
governors included Secretaries Cyrus
Vance of State; Joseph Califano of Health,
Education and Welfare; Patricia Roberts
Harris of Housing; Brock Adams of Trans
portation; Ray Marshall of Labor and
James Schlesinger of Energy.
—Carter also sent Stuart Eizenstat,
Jack Watson and Bert Carp, his top three
domestic aides, to the conference to hear
what the governors wanted.
On the administration’s welfare reform
bill now in Congress, Califano said he was
“deeply indebted to the governors for
helping us put it together.” And he urged
them to “give us all the help you can this
year” in getting the bill through Congress.
medical insurance carrier, has recently de
cided to provide this medical coverage for
University employees working outside the
system.
In a Feb. 22 memorandum sent to vice
presidents, deans, directors and heads of
departments at Texas A&M, Smith said,
“Southwestern Life has now agreed to
amend our policy to provide each insured
employee and dependent with coverage for
all claims, except those payable under
worker’s compensation or similar legisla
tion, at no increase in premium rates.”
Bill Hickman, a representative of
Southwestern in Dallas, said the decision
was a financial one to include medical cover
age for consultants or others employed out
side the system in the University s group
medical insurance plan.
Larry Tye, an energy researcher for the
Union of Concerned Scientists, argued that
even the government admits many serious
problems remain in using nuclear energy.
Tye contended that the country should
turn to solar energy instead.
Cohen cited studies by the government
and the Union of Concerned Scientists that
"prove" nuclear power is needed, inexpen
sive, safe and clean.
Tye questioned the validity of the gov
ernment studies, but his main argument
was that nuclear power is not the only or
best answer to the energy problem.
Tye also described the 1974 accident at
Brown's Ferry Nuclear Plant in Alabama,
the worst commercial accident so far. Ca
bles that controlled both the main reactor
and its safety devices were destroyed when
a worker ignited sealing plastics with a can
dle vised to check for air leaks. No major
damage occured, Tye said, but the accident
did demonstrate the failure of government
regulations. He said that many of the de
sign problems that led to the accident have
not been corrected in other nuclear plants
across the country.
More than 300 people, including many
nuclear engineering students and physics
AUSTIN — Student government at the
University of Texas, once apolitical step
ping stone for John Connally and Allan
Shivers, has degenerated into a “cruel
joke with no real power or influence, said
two students who are seeking its abolition.
David Hang, a junior from Fort Worth,
and senior Mark Addicks of Houston said
they founded the Coalition to Retire Aspir
ing Politicos (C.R.A.P.) because they be
lieve no student goverment at UT is the
best government.
“For the last few years, student govern
ment has been a cruel joke played on stu
dent politicos,” Hang and Addicks said. "In
the next few days C.R.A.P. plans to wage
an all-out effort to guarantee that students
realize they can have the last laugh.
The two government majors will dis
cover whether their colleagues at the
state’s largest university are in tune with
their feelings Wednesday in a referendum
scheduled in conjunction with spring stu
dent elections.
The pair obtained 1,400 student signa
tures for the referendum and has been
handing out leaflets and tacking posters on
bulletin boards across the campus to pro-
“We can allow for it, but we will take a
certain amount of risk in doing so, he said.
Assistent Director of Personnel John E.
Honea said, “The purpose of group insur
ance is to spread the risk of a few out across
everyone. If a premium rate for optional
medical insurance was charged for outside
work, only those persons able to afford the
rate could have coverage while working
outside the University, said Honea. This
might discriminate against faculty and staff
who are unable to afford the extra premium
rate, he added.
With medical coverage for all claims,
Honea said, no one will be discriminated
against because the premium rate increase
wiil be spread out among everyone, thus
the amount per person would be much
smaller. However, there is no premium
teachers, attended the debate in Rudder
Theater sponsored by the Great Issues
committee.
“We re proceeding with a technology on
the basis of fate,” Tye said, referring to a
report study made by the California State
Energy Commission. Because of problems
cited in the report, the state does not allow
nuclear energy. “That s what we re doing
now and this is not necessary.
The Union of Concerned Scientists,
which private nuclear scientists organized
in 1969, will publish a report in March
evaluating alternate energy resources.
“America need not rely on nuclear power
to meet its needs, the report concludes.
Future energy policy should emphasize
solar energy, Tye said, instead of only coal
and nuclear power.
“We must insist that government shift its
emphasis to solar, Tye said. The UCS pol
icy also advocates using America s coal re
serves, but mining and burning procedures
must be made safer and cleaner.
After the debate, Cohen said he favors
developing all energy sources, but he said
that solar energy is receiving maximum
funding. He added, however, that “he s not
on top of solar.
mote their cause.
"There is no real reason for the student
government to exist now because it doesn t
effect our lives," Haug said. “I say the only
input is no input at all.
Haug and Addicks contend student gov
ernment at UT is as out-moded as the
ideology that ordinary citizens can accom
plish goals by working through the system.
The “cruel joke on the UT students
began in 1971 when the system regents
made student government funding manda
tory rather than voluntary, Hang said. Be
cause they then were funded by the state,
student government leaders lost control of
their finances to the UT Board of Regents.
Prior to the regents take-over, student
government spent its $700,000 annual
budget as it wished, Haug said, but most of
its $45,000 budget now pays salaries and
administrative costs.
“Student government does nothing on
$45,000,” Haug said. “We can get nothing
for less than that.
Haug and Addicks are pessimistic about
their chances of winning the referendum,
which would mean newly elected student
government officers would lose their jobs
on the same day they are elected. LTT stu-
rate increase at all for the new medical
insurance coverage, he stated.
Honea said Southwestern can offer this
coverage with no increase in premium rates
because the University’s insurance pro
gram, based on its own experienceover a
number of years, is in a good situation now.
Its claims and medical costs have
stabilized, Honea said.
Representatives of Southwestern met
with officials of the University and the
Texas A&M University System Personnel
Policy and Employee Benefits Committee
on Jan. 27. They discussed the company s
offer of medical coverage on an optional
basis for those desiring such coverage for
additional premium rates, said K. A. Man
ning, assistant to director of the Texas
Transportation Institute and chairman of
the benefits committee.
On Feb. 6, Southwestern told the per
sonnel department they would provide
medical coverage for insured employees
and dependents for all claims at no increase
in premium rates. Manning said.
The benefits committee voted to rec
ommend to the A&M administration
amendment of the University s group med
ical insurance policy on Feb. 17, said Man
ning. And on Feb. 20, approval to amend
the policy was authorized with the signa
tures of Dr. Jack J. Williams, chancellor,
and W. Clyde Freeman, executive vice
chancellor for administration.
Manning said University system em
ployees will receive medical coverage
while engaged in outside employment with
one exception. All claims payable under
worker s compensation by the person s
other employer will not be covered by the
University s medical insurance.
A benefits committee press release gives
an example of this situation.
“If a University staff employee works for
a Houston firm on weekends and is injured
on the job, his medical costs will now be
covered by the University s group medical
plan if his Houston employer does not
cover him under worker s compensation
insurance.
After three months of negotiations and
meetings, a standard contractual provision
of most group insurance programs in the
state of Texas has begun its first changes at
Texas A&M.
“I think we re the first to deviate from
this standard feature, said Honea. “Lm
glad to see this issue come up because I
think it's going to change a lot of trends in
the state of Texas, he added.
dents could surprise the abolitionists, bas
ing elected as their top government officers
for 1976 Jay Adkins and Skip Slyfield who
called their absurdist platform, “Arts and
Sausages, a take-off on arts and sciences.
However, winning the referendum will
not abolish student government at UT be
cause the movement's protagonists, the
Board of Regents, has the final say in the
matter.
“Even if we win, the regents can still
decide that students need a student gov
ernment,” Haug said.
Haug pointed to a low turnout at student
elections in the fall as an example of the
student government s lack of influence on
its constituents.
Twenty-three of the 37 student govern
ment candidates in Wednesday s elections
are running unopposed.
“I have been a part of the student gov
ernment and found it has no real power,
said Addicks, who is former chairman for a
state student lobby committee.
Because most students use the univer
sity ombudsman when they have prob
lems, Haug said, the abolition of student
government offices will not result in anar
chy.
Health not only issue
in policies, prof says
UT students try to abolish
‘out-moded’ government
United Press International
lank-and-file
ontract over
miners may pass
loud opposition
United Press International
n angry and divided UMW rank and
wrangled over the union’s proposed
' contract with the Bituminous Coal
orators Association Tuesday as their
fee — now in its 86th day — tightened
economic noose on the power-hungry
Iwest.
n West Virginia — where opposition to
new pact burned hottest — ranks of
unemployed stood at 67,000, with
KK) laid off.
Pevenues and personal income losses
e to about $534 million — 2.8 million
hat in miners’ wages.
Indiana, an estimated 40,000 were out
ork — including 30,000 UMW mem-
s— and public utilities in the stricken
|:as prepared electrical cutbacks to
ools and industries as their coal
iplies dwindled.
With the ratification vote looming over
weekend, UMW district officials
earheaded a $50,000 media drive to sell
the contract to the membership, and for all
the sound and fury in the coal fields, most
of them predicted approval.
“All the average coal miner looks at is
the bottom line,” said Ohio local president
Gene Oiler, who opposes the contract
himself. “It will probably pass, but I am
saying this. I don’t think it should.”
For all the muscle with which the strik
ing miners slowly are bringing utilities to
their knees, however, the ultimate
whiphand rested in Wahington with Pres
ident Carter’s threat of the Taft-Hartley
Act and federal seizure of the mines.
Defiance of the Taft-Hartley — and the
striking miners almost universally have
vowed to defy it’s back-to-work order if
involked — could bring savage reprisals,
both to the union and to the miners them
selves.
The UMW could be bankrupted by
fines in such a stand-off, and the strikers,
without paychecks since Dec. 6, would
lose their eligibility for federally sub
sidized food stamps.
“If it isn’t ratified, said Illinois local of-
fical LeRoy Bauer, “we are going to
jeopardize our union.”
While the debate raged, Indian police
hovered protectively in the backgourd as
miners blocked the tracks at the switching
yard and prevented the engineer from
connecting to 57 coal-laden cars. Police
said there were no weapons and no vio
lence and the strikers used “jawborting” to
dissuade the engineer.
In Indiana, Norfolk & Western Railroad
obtained a temporary restraining order
barring pickets from the railroad tracks
and forbidding harrassment of railroad
workers.
As coal stocks dwindled, Indiana power
companies imposed power curtailments of
15 percent to residential users, 25 percent
for businesses and 40 percent for schools.