R\TE4IJON
News Dept. 845-2611
Business Dept. 845-2611
Plimpton beware
Battalion reporter Lyle Lovett
took a page from George
Plimpton’s book of participatory
journalism by dancing with the
Houston Ballet Wednesday. See
page 9.
Texas, two others
to file federal suit
ntcrnitioiul
We grow bikes, too
Bikers beware! When the sprinkler systems are
turned on, your vehicle might grow an inch or two,
but more likely it’ll just rust. These bicycles were
parked near the Michel T. Halbouty Geosciences
building on Spence St.
Battalion photo by Lee Roy Leschper Jr.
cut be®
and
ictice Wi
ijtiry
Westmoreland says U.S.
ant be isolationist
m
U By DOUG ERCK
raor\lk Battalion Reporter
' l) [The United States cannot resort to
olationism because of its dependence on
imationalInign imports, former U.S. Army Chief
[ Staff William C. Westmoreland told a
bup at Texas A&M University Thursday
pt.
“Our country does not have the option
retreat into isolationism,’ he said,
merican reliance on foreign materials is
ade evident by our importing more than
I percent of our oil.
Westmoreland spoke about some of the
ost pressing trouble spots of the world,
en opened the program to questions.
Our nation and the world around us is
a state of drastic transition,” said
'estmoreland, “with political, moral,
I *"nomic, and military conditions compos-
changing national strengths.”
le said that the population of poorer
mtries continues to boom, and the total
rid population is growing at a rate of 172
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per second. He said that the advance
ments in industrial technology is also
growing and is contributing to military
growth.
Most of the program dealt with the mili
tary and political relationship of the
United States with the rest of the world.
Westmoreland repeatedly compared
the United States with the Soviet Union.
“The Soviets are adding men to their ar
mies while we are cutting ours in half. 'The
U.S. defense spending is the lowest it has
been in 26 years, while the Soviets are
spending three times what we are.
Westmoreland attributed the ever-
increasing military advance by the Soviets
to their direct aggressive attitude.
The national will and the moral attitude
of a nation may be just as important as its
actual military strength, Westmoreland
said. “Our adversary may try to destroy
our moral attitudes, thus lowering our
will, and try to submerge us without firing
a single shot. ”
Again, in citing trouble spots around the
globe, Westmoreland focused on military
and political problems which affect the
United States. “Latin America could have
a great future if they would control their
population growth,” he said.
Westmoreland expressed his concern
for the status of Cuba as being a source of
trouble for the Western Hemisphere. Cu
ba’s army is three times the size of the
U.S. Army, and Cuba has for years been
an extension of the Soviet Union, he said.
General Westmoreland was the Army’s
Chief of Staff from 1968 to 1972. After he
completed his four-year term, Westmore
land retired, thus ending a 36-year career
which included a brigadier general promo
tion at age 38 and a two-year term as
Superintendent at West Point Academy.
He is serving as chairman of the Gover
nor’s Task Force for Economic Growth in
South Carolina.
United Press International
GRAPEVINE, Texas — The attorneys
general of Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana
— states which produced 85 percent of the
nation’s natural gas — Thursday said they
would jointly challenge gas pricing
provisions of the energy bill Congress
passed in its closing session.
The legal experts said they would file
suit against the bill as soon as it is signed
into law by President Carter.
Oklahoma Attorney General Larry Der-
ryberry said his state would also file a
separate suit challenging requirements of
conversion from natural gas to coal.
“We all agree that the prime thrust of
our suit is our contention that the federal
government has no constitutional author
ity to control the price of a product pro
duced and sold solely within a state,” said
Texas Attorney General John Hill at the
conclusion of a morning conference which
also included William Guste of Louisiana.
Guste said the legal challenge would be
difficult to win but was worth the fight no
matter the odds.
“We believe this act goes beyond the
right of Congress to regulate commerce
between the states because it tells a state,
‘Either you do the regulations provided in
this bill at a cost incidentally of probably
$1 million in Louisiana or we will regulate
it for you.’
“And we don’t believe that they can do
this on a product produced solely within a
state,” Guste said.
The energy bill, which the three attor
neys general expect Carter to sign soon,
would for the first time set price controls
on intrastate gas and require each state to
cause its regulatory agency to enforce the
federal pricing structure.
“We recognize the nation needs a na
tional energy policy and we re not at
tempting to turn off the valves,” Hill said.
The attorneys general emphasized that
they did not object to other portions of the
bill including tax credits for homeowners
to increase energy efficiency and the util
ity rate provision which would end dis
count prices for high volume gas consump
tion.
Only Oklahoma will challenge the coal
conversion requirements of the bill which
would wean industry away from oil and
natural gas use. Derryberry said coal con
version would cost Oklahomans $5 billion.
“We believe we can make a strong argu
ment that the federal government can’t
impose upon a state such an economic
burden,” Derryberry said.
Derryberry said the joint lawsuit will
determine whether the federal energy bill
“passes constitutional muster.”
“I’ve never filed a law suit that I thought
I wouldn’t win and I’m not planning to
start now,” said Derryberry, a lameduck
officeholder who failed in an attempt to
become his state’s Democratic nominee
for governor.
“It will be a real tough uphill fight but
it’s my obligation to make that fight," said
Guste, who has not announced whether he
will seek re-election or another office.
Hill, the Texas Democratic nominee for
governor, said Texas had always “done our
fair share in providing energy to the na
tion.”
“But if the (intrastate) pricing mecha
nism is allowed to stand, this bill provides
our state regulatory agency, the Railroad
Commission, be required to set up the
mechanism to regulate and enforce that
pricing provision and we don’t think that’s
fair,” Hill said.
“We (Texas) did not feel the federal
government can — as a policy or right —
impose a federal pricing structure on gas
produced solely in this state and used sole
ly in this state,” said Hill.
“We are not trying to scuttle the energy
bill in its totality,” the Texas attorney gen
eral said. “But we are seeking to delete the
provision from this bill that would control
our prices.
“It (the energy bill) will perpetuate this
foolishness of other people in other states
being able to purchase this gas for a lower
price than our people pay for it,” Hill said.
The provision in the energy bill that the
attorneys general object to is the one deal
ing with natural gas. That provision would
lift federal controls on the price of newly
produced natural gas by 1985 with an im
mediate price of about $2 per 1,000 cubic
feet. That would increase about 10 percent
a year until 1985.
Controls would be reimposed, but only
briefly, if the economy suffered too much.
Homeowners would be protected from the
initial high prices.
But controls would extend for the first
time to the intrastate market — the selling
of gas wholly within the borders of the
state that produced it. And that, the attor
neys general said, they couldn’t abide
with.
He called it “unnecessary interference
in our state government.”
Derryberry said the bill also called for
the conversion of natural gas use to coal.
He said it would cost his state $5 billion to
make the conversion.
He also said the federal price control of
intrastate gas could result in a 43 percent
increase in cost for Oklahoma consumers.
Guste, whose governor disapproved of
Thursday’s meeting, said, “historically,
our problem has been that so much of our
gas has been siphoned off to the East Coast
when we have tremendous need for it.
He also said the new bill would force
states to to spend public funds to enforce
the new federal regulations.
A representive from the New Mexico at
torney general’s office also was invited to
attend Thursday’s meeting, but New
Mexico Gov. Jerry Apodaca, a supporter of
the energy hill compromise, said he did
not want the state to become involved in
any challenge.
Hill said he hoped to have Texas’ suit
filed by next week. But he doubted
whether any action would be taken on it
before his term as attorney general expires
this year.
Guste also has said Louisiana would
challenge the bill — with or without Texas
and Oklahoma. However, Louisiana Gov.
Edwin Edwards, a consistent critic of
President Carter’s energy policy, said he
was not sure a lawsuit would be product
ive.
Oklahoma Gov. David Boren, however,
has suggested filing a suit. He attacked the
Federal Energy Act as a “gross abuse of
federal power.”
Hill said Texas hire! no quarrel with most
of the bill.
“We approve many of the measures in
this bill. We do need conservation and
recognize the need to convert to other
energy sources,” he said. ‘But we are seek
ing to delete the provision from this bill
that would control our prices.”
Rent subsidies from HUD
may be available to students
Local bank sells exotic animals
ring
ce
s tne
•m a
ased
ig thfi
By ROY BRAGG
Battalion Reporter
The Bank of A&M will continue to sell
nimals from Exotic Wildlife Unlimited in
n attempt to liquidate all operations of
le compound.
Dennis Goehring, president of the
ink, made the statement Thursday at a
ress conference called by the bank to
arifyits position concerning the future of
le park.
The Bank of A&M has been operating
tie park since April when the bank fore-
losed the operation.
The bank has sought legal opinion from
le Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
oncerning the sale of the animals, but has
et to hear any word about finalizing pre-
ious sales, Goehring said.
Animals at the compound which are on
le endangered species list cannot be sold
udividually, the department said. The
Simals can be sold as a group, but cannot
e moved from the compound in either
ase.
Goehring also denied that animals al-
eady sold from the compound are to be
estroyed.
The animals were sold to the YO ranch
Kerrville. According to Charles
xhreiner of the YO ranch, the animals
urchased by the ranch are to be used for
ireeding, exhibition or resale. Goehring
nd Bank of A&M vice-president Steve
ohnson also denied charges made by Pat-
icia May that the bank treated her un-
airly in her attempts to buy the com-
loiind.
fay is from California and has been liv-
ng and working at the compound in an
tempt to purchase the park.
Goehring and Johnson, a loan officer in
harge of running the compound since the
ank takeover, both said that they knew
othing of May’s claim that she had in-
ested her life’s savings into the park and
iad made several investments in the park
ith her own money.
They said that the decision to forclose
urred after “we had been forced into a
iquidating position.”
“After five months,” said Goehring re
aring to the decision to sell out, “we felt
as though we had given her a fair chance.”
Both Goehring and Johnson said the
bank has lost money on the deal, although
neither would speculate exactly how much
was lost.
“It’s been a tough situation for us and
we’ve had to bite our lips several times”
said Goehring, referring to the money lost
on the park. The bank filed charges last
week against May and two former em
ployees of the compound. May was forced
to leave the compound when the bank
sought a no-trespassing injunction against
her.
The other charges were against Bill Cal-
fee and John Forgie involving misapplica
tion of gate receipts and the theft of a
metal cage.
The animals are currently under the
care of Bank of A&M employees and Dr.
Dean Brown of the Texas A&M vet school.
Goehring said the buyers being sought
for the animals are zoo directors, breeders
and private collectors.
By SCOTT PENDLETON
Battalion Staff
Some Texas A&M University students
may soon be able to get a portion of their
rent paid by the government.
The Brazos Valley Development Coun
cil submitted a plan to the Department of
Housing and Urban Development which,
if approved, would provide 97 “assistance
units” to Brazos County and 53 units to six
other counties.
Delwin Rhode, the BVDC rural housing
coordinator, said that HUD promised to
decide next Tuesday whether or not to
fond the plan.
County residents, including Texas A&M
students who live in non-university hous
ing, may then apply to the BVDC to re
ceive a rent subsidy. University housing is
disqualified from the subsidy because it is
state-owned, Rhode said.
If the plan is approved, the BVDC will
begin advertising that the subsidies are
available within the following few days.
Rhode said.
About 30 people have already expressed
interest in the subsidies. They have been
placed on a waiting list, Rhode said.
Once HUD approves the plan, Rhode
said, those people will be notified they
may apply for the subsidies.
Although the elderly and the handicap
ped are the plan’s primary targets, the ap
plications will be considered on a first-
come, first-served basis, Rhode said.
“We re going to try to be as impartial as
we can,” he said.
Qualification for the subsidy is based on
income and rent guidelines. An individual
in Brazos County would have to have a
total income of no more than $8,000, be
paying more than 25 percent of that in
come on rent and utilities, and live in a
one-bedroom apartment that rents for no
more than $179, including utilities.
Under the subsidy plan, the individual
would pay only 25 percent of his income
on rent, and the rest would be paid by the
government.
The BVDC plan allocates 10 subsidies to
Burleson county, six to Grimes, 11 to
Leon, seven to Madison, nine to
Robertson, and 10 to Washington County.
Rhode said HUD woidd allow unused
subsidies in one county to be moved to
another county if needed.
The subsidies were allocated on a popu
lation basis, Rhode said. The allocation
also took into account the fact that
Brenham, Navasota and Hearne already
have rent subsidy programs.
Two other plans that the BVDC submit
ted were rejected. The first called for 250
subsidies, which was more than HUD
wanted to fond.
The second outlined one plan for the
seven-county area. HUD wanted a sepa
rate plan for each county.
Currently, the BVDC has a different
plan for each county, totaling 150 sub
sidies.
‘Texas Politics' — new version of dirty game
United Press International
AUSTIN — Politicians with a
penchant for throwing dirt at oppo
nents now can buy specially pack
aged supplies from a venture called
Politex, Inc.
The ordinary soil comes packaged
in handcrafted, mahogony boxes
complete with instructions on how
to succeed in a game parodying the
state’s highest officials and political
process.
“‘Texas Politics’ is the first in a se
ries of totally authentic games de
signed to give people insight into
the way politics are really played,”
author and public relations consult
ant Dave Helfert explains. “This
game follows the tenets of accepted
political and governmental strategy
as practiced in Texas for the last 130
years.”
Deluxe versions — “We don’t
have any ordinary ones,” Helfert
says — go on sale in department
stores next month at $30 a box.
Both versions feature a carved
caricature depicting a truck dump
ing dirt on the Texas Capitol on the
box top and a plastic bag full of soil
inside.
“To the untrained eye this game
might appear like little more than a
box of dirt,” the introduction says.
“It is. This is the fundamental in
gredient of politics as we know it,
from the campaign trail to the halls
of the Legislature.”
Success in the game is measured
by the amount of dirt each partici
pant can get on the other players.
By improvising with a little water,
one can get into mudslinging.
“The player with the most dirt
gets to be the governor. The titles of
the other players (lieutenant gover
nor, speaker of the House, senators,
representatives and so on) are de
termined according to the amount of
dirt they have accumulated. Lob
byists provide their own dirt and the
Capitol press takes dirt from
everyone and spreads it around.
The taxpayer doesn’t get anything at
all, but that’s just the way it goes.”
The instruction booklet features
drawings by cartoonist Ben
Sergeant depicting an unhappy tax
payer pierced by a giant screw, state
agency officials as faceless bureauc
rats, lawmakers with rings through
their noses, reporters as snoring
bystanders and lobbyists with
cheshire-cat smiles.
“Representatives,” the booklet
explains, are “members of the lower
house of the Legislature. There are
150 members of the House, all
motivated by the herd instinct, fear
of the speaker of the House and the
voters back home, mitigated some
what by the desire for wine, women
and song (wine and song are op
tional).”
“Being a senator is more prestigi
ous than being a member of the
House, because senuiuis &ei uigj'ei
offices and more money to hire staff.
This in turn keeps the unemploy
ment rate down among gorgeous
Capitol groupies and exjocks.
Senators are not motivated by the
herd instinct. They are motivated
by simple greed and self-interest,”
the booklet explains.
The game is the brainchild of
Rodney Kelly, a former Senate
sergeant-at-arms who currently op
erates a direct mail marketing com
pany.
Kelly got Helfert to draw up the
satirical instruction sheet and incor
porated Politex, Inc. to market the
ready-made dirt for politicians.
“Without the dirt, Texas politics
might be more productive and re
sponsive to our citizens,” the
gamemakers conclude. “However,
it would be boring as hell and prob
ably not worth the effort of keeping
up with.”
For anyone unfamiliar with the
subtle shades of meaning in politi
cian’s dialogue, producers of the
new game “Texas Politics” offer a
glossary:
“Dirty tricks” — what someone
else tries to pull on you.
“Revealing dirt” — what you pull
on someone else.
“Landslide vote” — when your
side wins, even if by only one vote.
“Dirt poor — how you started
out, used especially at election
time.
“Filthy rich” — how your oppo
nent started out, used especially at
election time.