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The Battalion
Vol. 72 No. 7
10 Pages
Monday, September 11, 1978
College Station, Texas
News Dept. 845-2611
Business Dept. 845-2611
Will we love
him tomorrow?
Battalion reviewer Scott Pendle
ton says performer Dave Mason
made true friends at his concert
Friday night. And the warm-up
group, “Exile,” did OK too. See
page 6.
Mideast troops
doubtful, says
House leader
Normal
i major
Splish, splash and taking a hath
A helpless upperclassmen gets blasted with a full trashcan of water
with help from some of his fellow Corps members. Cadets re
sponded with enthusiasm last week when “open quadding” was
declared, allowing anyone to quad anyone else between the
hours of 4 and 6 p.m.
Photo by J. Wagner Tynes
United Press International
WASHINGTON — House Democratic
Leader Jim Wright of Texas said Sunday
Congress might accept American obser
vers in the Middle East but will not permit
U.S. troops to be stationed there.
Wright said the U.S. radar observatory
presently in the Sinai Desert is the only
kind of military presence either Congress
or the Egyptians or Israelis would accept.
“We are there for the moral persuasion
we can bring on both sides,” he said on
CBS’ “Face the Nation” program.
Nevertheless, Wright said he was confi
dent Congress would support whatever
might be agreed to at the Camp David
summit talks to establish peace.
He said most members of Congress be
lieve Israel must be more flexible, espe
cially with regard to the Sinai settlements,
which he termed a “needle in the side of
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.
“But I think if the chips were down.
Congress and the American people woidd
support Israel in any future confronta-r
tion,” he said.
On energy, Wright predicted Congress
would pass a natural gas deregulation bill,
which he said had been delayed by “re
gionalism and factionalism” and intense
lobbying.
“Without that bill, there’s no way we ll
get a handle on the inflation problem, he
said. “I think it’s a real bill and also has
symbolic importance to the rest of the
world.”
But he said the legislation is only the
first step. Once it’s passed, he said, alter
nate energy resources will have to be
found for the day when the nation runs out
of oil and natural gas.
Regarding President Carter’s relations
with Congress, Wright said “the percep
tion has changed but the reality hasn’t.”
He said the president and Congress
have worked closely together for the last
20 months, resulting in unemployment
dropping 2 percentage points, the pro
jected budget deficit being the lowest in
five years, the stock market up and the
rate of inflation beginning to abate.
He dismissed the lack of enthusiasm for
Carter by some Democratic congressional
candidates by saying, “I can’t fathom any
one who would not want the president of
the United States in their hometown.’’
Wright said he does not anticipate a
large number of vetoes by the president
and noted Carter has vetoed only five hills
while former President Ford vetoed 66.
He said Congress would judge each of the
vetoes on its individual merits.
^ \f{Afirst priority
Texas woman seeks impact
Tropical storm
moves along, Gulf
om Ban? |
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United Press International
■VASHINGTON — Sarah Weddington,
■ White House’s new special assistant
■women’s affairs, says she hopes to have
H impact on a wide range of issues, in-
IIMiding tax reform and presidential ap-
I 'ointments.
/■ti an interview with UPI, Weddington
id her first priority would be to work for
xtension of time for ratifying the Equal
its Amendment.
ut Weddington, who now is general
nsel at the Agriculture Department
I once argued successfully the key ahor-
| case before the Supreme Court, laid
I an ambitious roster of other tasks she
ts to tackle.
|he said she hopes to coordinate with
nestic affairs adviser Stuart Eizenstat
Jother issues, such as tax reform in re-
to child care deductions and how a
nd income is treated in a family.
She said she also hopes to work, for in-
lice, on getting women into more jobs
|t)?e second round of presidential ap-
ntments. The latest figures show 19
nt out of 1,261 presidential appoin
tees were women — a large increase over
previous administrations.
“As a policy I feel it is far better to have
women included in what others are doing
than it is to have separate women’s meet
ings,” said Weddington, noting women
make up one of five departmental general
counsels.
She also said she did not have a firm
strategy on how to work for extending the
time for ratifying the ERA beyond meet
ing with White House congressional
liaison Frank Moore “in the next few days ’
as well as with women’s groups and some
senators.
“We certainly don’t anticipate taking
the lead role,” she said. “But my role
would be to come up with a strategy of
what the administraion efforts should be in
the next six months on the ERA.”
Weddington, 33, grew up in West Texas
where her father is a Methodist preacher.
She graduated from McMurry College and
the University of Texas Law School.
She practiced law in Austin and got in
volved with Roe vs. Wade, the Texas abor
tion case that she argued before the Su
preme Court in 1971 and 1972.
She was elected to three terms in the
Texas House starting in 1972 and worked
for a wide range of women’s issues.
At the Agriculture Department, a top
official described her as “absolutely bril
liant, smooth, articulate, never insulting
or patronizing, who quickly won the confi
dence of veteran department lawyers.
“You come away from a slight disagree
ment liking her, the official said.
Weddington said she shares the same
view as Carter. “We re trying to get
a situation where every woman has all op
tions open to her and is respected for how
well she performs hers.
UT fraternity suspended
after alleged assault
eacher’s strike
nters third week
United Press International
AUSTIN - The Alpha Tan Omega
fraternity has been placed on interim sus
pension by University of Texas adminis
trators because of a rush party incident in
which a student claimed he was beaten
and sexually assaulted by members of the
fraternity.
David McClintock, UT assistant dean of
students, Friday said he would conduct a
hearing Sept. 14 to determine how long
the suspension would be on.
Ron Alan Wilson, 19, James Patrick
Hinson, 19, and Robert Taylor Herrin, 18,
were charged with attempted aggravated
sexual abuse.
Michael Froelick, 18, of New Braunfels
told police he and a roommate were walk
ing home near the ATO house the night of
Aug. 3P when two young men grabbed
them and dragged them into nearby
bushes. The roommate escaped but
Froelick said he was taken to a garage
where he was stripped, robbed, beaten
and sexually abused.
Assistant District Attorney Charles
Hardy said Friday the third-degree felony
charges could be changed before they are
tried.
United Press International
BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Gale warn
ings were posted along the Texas Gulf
coast from Brownsville to Port O’Connor
Sunday as a tropical depression gained
strength and began moving north.
“Very heavy thunderstorms” were mov
ing through South Texas, said a spokesman
for the National Weather Service.
At 6 p.m., radar pictures indicated the
center of the depression was located 30
miles west of Brownsville. The tropical
depression was moving north at about 10
mph and the NWS said it was expected to
move north throughout Sunday night and
take a northeast turn Monday.
A police dispatcher at Brownsville said
“moderately heavy rain” was falling but “it
hasn’t gotten too heavy yet. We re expect
ing it, though, it should be coming this
way. ”
The NWS said the tropical depression
had moved inland over northeast Mexico
early Sunday and “regained strength late
Sunday afternoon as it turned toward the
north.
Winds along the Gulf coast picked up
speed and some squalls were reported
forming. The NWS said, “A few squalls
with winds of 40 to 50 mph may be ex
pected in the area of gale warnings Sunday
night.”
In an advisory the NWS warned,
“Heavy rains will spread northward
_ United Press International
ient WEW ORLEANS — Striking teachers
b ou B school board officials, grappling over
foney issues, were expected to continue
ackM parate negotiating sessions with federal
|diators Sunday in the third week of a
chers’ strike.
he two sides huddled separately for
eral hours Sunday night, but officials
Vl ®iliised to comment on the progress of
jgotiations, which entered their fourth
ly today. The strike has virtually
alyzed instruction to the city’s 91,000
blic school students.
Federal mediator Don Doherty Sunday
Jit said the two sides were not meeting
-to-face, but were allowing him to
uttle viewpoints to each side.
Ilhe major obstacle blocking an end to
Je strike is money. The United Teachers
JNew Orleans, which represents 4,700 of
le city’s 5,300 teachers, has demanded an
(percent salary increase, while the
lard’s best offer so far has been 4 per-
pnt.
* “They sure as hell are discussing sub-
njured student
In fair condition
1 A Texas A&M University student was
|njured in a motorcycle accident Saturday
doming at the intersection of FM 2818
md FM 2154.
Jan T. Averyt, 24, 301 Krenek Tap in
allege Station, was driving a 1974 Honda
dien she collided with a 1968 Plymouth
lelvedere traveling south on FM 2154.
Averyt, a second-year veterinarian stu-
ent, is reported in fair condition with a
^broken leg at St. Joseph Hospital in Bryan.
stantive stuff,' Doherty said. “I think the
fact that they’re still here is progress. The
fact that they’re meeting separately has no
significance. They might never get to
gether. Both sides are working hard trying
to find a settlement.
School board officials met briefly Sun
day morning with Doherty and mediator
Tally Livingston, but then broke off dis
cussions to go into executive session at
th eir administrative headquarters.
Superintendent Gene Geisert said he was
enforcing a news blackout and refused
comment on what the board discussed.
Geisert said last week school attendance
had shot back up to 40 percent from lows
of about 30 percent. But Nat LaCour,
president of UTNO, said more than 50,000
school children were not reporting to
school. Lacour also said 85 percent of the
teachers were honoring picket lines.
Parents of about 40 students Sunday
asked other parents to keep their children
home from school until the strike is set
tled.
“We feel the lack of supervision has
reached the point of danger of children’s
lives and we can’t do anything but ask par
ents to keep their children home,” a
spokeswoman said. “Children are coming
and going as they please and they are vir
tually unsupervised — they’re hanging out
of windows and getting into fights. ”
Geisert, who has been sharply criticized
during the strike by teachers for announc
ing a reduction in the board’s wage in
crease offer from 4 percent to 1.6 percent,
was given a vote of confidence by board
member Lloyd Rittner.
“The superintendent has been under
the specific direction of this board at all
times,” Rittner said. “He has never been
able to use his own judgment in making
decisions. The board has always told him
what to do. ”
Birdman of Kansas
This young man, dressed up as the mascot of the
University of Kansas Jayhawks, didn’t have much
to smile about Saturday at the Texas A&M—Kansas
football game. With the temperature on the playing
field around 100 degrees, this had to be a pretty hot
job. To make matters worse, his team was defeated
37-10. See related story, page 9.
Battalion photo by Pat O’Malley
through South Texas as the depression
moves toward the north. A flash flood
watch is in effect for part of extreme South
Texas and may be extended northward .”
Boating enthusiasts were asked to re
main in port and the NWS said “it may
become necessary to issue flash flood
warnings .”
A flash flood watch was issued for por
tions of South Texas — from Laredo to
Corpus Christi. The weather service said
heavy rains throughout the South Texas
area were “associated with the tropical
depression.
Heavy thunderstorms were reported as
far northeast as Houston, Rosenberg and
Galveston. Rain was also falling near San
Antonio, Austin, Victoria, Hondo and
Cotulla.
Rig fire burns
out of control
United Press International
NEW ORLEANS — A lire aboard a
natural gas drilling platform 50 miles south
of the western Louisiana coast will burn
out of control for at least two more weeks
until a relief well can be drilled, Coast
Guard officials said Sunday.
A Coast Guard spokesman said the jack
up rig Marlin No. 6 was on the scene of
the Tenneco Oil Co., platform and would
start drilling the relief well Monday. A re
lief well is designed to stop the flow of
natural gas shooting from the blowout site.
The platform caught fire early Sunday
following a blowout that occured Saturday
afternoon. Officials said all employees
were evacuated, but two men suffered
minor injuries.
Clean Gulf Associates, a team of pollu
tion experts, was placed on standby by
Tenneco, the Coast Guard spokesman
said. Several pipe laying barges also were
near the burning platform, pumping water
on the hot rig.
The blowout occured when drill pipe
was being removed from a depth of 4,190
feet. Mud and gas began spewing out and
attempts to stop the blowout with a pre
venter were unsuccessful, the U.S.
Geological Survey reported.
Ex-student’s
services held
Memorial Services were held in All
Faith’s Chapel Sunday at Texas A&M for
Patrick Wendell Flores, 23. About 50
people attended.
An oil rig near Wellborn collapsed
Thursday, killing Flores and injuring two
other men.
Flores was an animal science major al
though he was not enrolled at Texas A&M
at the time of his death. He was three
hours short of earning his bachelor’s de
gree.
Flores was a member of Alpha Zeta
(honorary agricultural society), Rodeo
Club, Corps of Cadets, and Fish Drill
Team. He was also a Distinguished Stu
dent, Guidon Bearer for Company M-l,
Personnel Sgt. for Corps Staff and Inspec
tor General.
Funeral services were held Saturday in
Stratford, Texas.