Viewpoint
The Battalion Friday
Texas A&M University October 20, 1978
Conservation starts here
Texas A&M has no organized recycling program — although a few individuals and
clubs have made their own efforts.
But it is fairly evident that refuse exists and exists in a quantity that small efforts
don’t even touch.
The school is a haven for newsprint, beer bottles, and cans.
Take newspapers for example: The Eagle has a circulation of 18,000 in the Bryan-
College Station area with The Battalion’s circulation about 23,000.
But we don’t just have local newspapers here. The Houston Chronicle’s circulation
in the area is 6,000, The Houston Post’s is 4,000 and the Dallas Morning News has a
circulation of 900.
This makes possible daily circulation about 52,000 newspapers — paper that
routinely just ends up in the city dump, never to be used again.
And with Texas A&M beer busts there’s bound to be an overabundance of beer
cans and bottles that could be recycled.
As evidenced by a Reader’s Forum letter in the Tuesday Battalion, some students
are concerned about conserving our resources and energy. The writer, Joseph
Beaudette, issued his own challenge to students to come up with alternative solutions
and promised his ticket to home football games for the best suggestion.
Although College Station and the Twin City Mission have both given up their
newsprint recycling efforts, a combined effort with the University may be the key.
The effort may not be monetarily profitable, but Texas A&M as a leader in many
environmental disciplines would be an excellent example for other recycling efforts.
Student Government tried at the end of last spring to study the problem for a
possible recycling effort.
Maybe it’s time Student Government or some other group looked at it again. —
K.T.
bids for Congress
Women
By DAVID S. BRODER
MILWAUKEE — There was great
irony in the juxtaposition of two news re
ports last week. In Maryland, both parties
endorsed Mrs. Beverly Byron as their
choice to succeed her husband. Rep.
Goodloe E. Byron (D-Md.), a member of
the House of Representatives who had
died of a heart attack a few days earlier.
Here in Milwaukee, State Rep. Susan
Engeleiter (R) announced that she was giv
ing up her request for a recount of a Sep
tember primary for a U.S. House seat
which she lost by 580 votes out of 71,000,
after a 16-month, $90,000 campaign effort.
The message to women candidates from
the two stories is that the most accessible
route to Congress is still through the pain
of widowhood. In an era when corporate
suites and other decision centers are in
creasingly open to women. Congress re
mains a bastion of male supremacy.
There are two female senators out of 100
— both of whom got there by the route of
widowhood. Both are leaving this year —
one retiring and one defeated in a primary
— and neither will have female replace
ment. Women candidates have won Se
nate nominations in Kansas and Tennes
see, but both are in uphill fights.
There are 18 women members in the
hit wall in
435-member House. Three are retiring,
and all three will have male replacements.
Three others have very serious challenges
from male opponents in November. With
about six real chances in the whole country
for women challengers to win House seats,
most of them uphill fights, odds are that
the number of women in the new Con
gress will be lower than in this one.
Commentary
While women are making significant
gains in state legislatures and lower of
fices, their scarcity in high elective office is
both conspicuous and worrisome.
Women candidates suffer a number of
disadvantages. Polls show that about 10
percent of the voters say they will not vote
for a woman “under any circumstances,”
and many women politicians suspect that
unacknowledged prejudice against their
sex is much higher.
Women have a hard time raising funds,
because they are not part of the “old boys’
network” of business-connected givers. A
survey by Audrey Sheppard and Jill
Buckley of 55 women candidates for major
offices in 1976 found onlv half of them had
campaign managers and even fewer had
the funds for polling and other professional
campaign services.
Alice Reed, former chairman of the
Wisconsin Republican Party, surveyed
women candidates in this state and found
they had many other problems. Small
women felt their lack of physical stature
worked against them. Shy women felt in
hibited about campaigning in taverns and
other “male” hangouts. Rural women
complained about fears and depression on
long, night auto trips.
Many women, Reed said, commented
that they really needed “a wife” to help
them keep prepped for their public ap
pearances — and care for the home and
family while they were out campaigning.
But the Engeleiter race shows that even
without those problems, the road to Con
gress can be difficult for a woman. At 26,
pretty, personable and outgoing, she was a
veteran of four years in the legislature,
having won her first election while she
was still in college. With no children at
home and a politically savvy and suppor
tive husband, she put on an energetic
door-to-door campaign and built a strong
precinct organization. She gained the sup
port of teachers, doctors and other interest
groups. She raised $90,000 — including a
$5,000 gift from the Women’s Campaign
Fund, a bipartisan organization that helps
finance female candidates.
Still, she came up a few hundred votes
short against her opponent, State Sen.
James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R), who is nine
years older, more politically conservative,
and part of a well-known family that con
tributed $30,000 to his race.
He is now favored for the open House
seat in a normally Republican district — as
she would have been if she had won the
primary. Engeleiter personally is unem
bittered by the results and undeterred in
her political ambition. Now planning to
finish her last year of law school, she says,
“I’m certainly not finished at 26.”
But she is unhappy about one thing.
Even though Sensenbrenner beat her by
only a handful of votes at the pre-primary
GOP district endorsing convention, state
and national Republican party organiza
tions gave him $10,000 to help defeat her
in the primary.
The gross imbalance in the makeup of
Congress will not change until both parties
start helping women candidates get nomi
nated in races that^are winnable — instead
of putting obstacles in their way or forcing
them to wait until they are widows.
1978, The Washington Post Company
Thoughtless cyclists the real gamblers
By PATRICIA A. FIERRO
■ Hundreds of A&M students are gambl
ing this fall, but they are not playing with
cards or dice. The gamblers are the bicyc
lists. Too many of those who ride bicycles
are playing a deadly game. They seem to
be trying all the thoughtless and danger
ous stunts they can before someone is
killed.
These bicyclists are not intentionally
tnalicious, or trying to cause trouble. They
are not alone in the dangerous actions
committed daily by cars, trucks, and
pedestrians. However, they are a special
problem, and one that is getting larger
each year.
Reader s Forum
\ I suggest that interested persons make a
casual survey of their office, classroom or
the group with which they have coffee.
Whether those surveyed are pedestrians,
motorists or bicyclists, most can sight at
least three dangerous situations they have
personally encountered in the last few
days which were caused by thoughdess
bicyclists. A few examples you will proba
bly record are listed below:
Running stop signs.
Turning right at the same time a car is
turning right on a narrow road.
Speeding on crowded sidewalks.
Riding the wrong way on one-way
streets.
Pulling into traffic ways without stop
ping.
The University Police and Campus Traf
fic Panel are already working to solve the
traffic problems on campus. I am not well
enough acquainted with the situation to
jnake suggestions for sweeping reforms.
I
Letters to the Editor
I imagine investigations have been
made or suggested. Many things, from
banning cars, to special bike paths, to
banning both cars and bikes, are being
tried on campuses across the nation.
Perhaps, the professional assistance of our
own Texas Transportation Institute could
be valuable. I believe a more immediate
and simpler solution could be found to re
lieve the present situation.
One immediate solution consists of de
termining whether bicycles are vehicles or
pedestrians. If they are vehicles, then cyc
lists should walk their bikes while on the
sidewalks, and be subject to all traffic laws
other vehicles are required to obey while
on the roads. (For example, coming to a
complete stop at stop signs, using hand
signals to notify other vehicles of their in
tentions, etc.) Restricting bicycle traffic on
the sidewalks Could reduce much of the
congestion on our sidewalks.
A second decision to help the problem is
one which must be made by the bicyclists
themselves. Complicated plans and ex
pensive paths are of little use if the bicyc
lists do not choose to use common sense or
obey traffic laws.
I am a bicyclist myself. For this reason I
realize how careless some motorists are
about the presence of bicycle traffic. Face'
it, in an accident the bicycle is in much
more physical peril than a car. This means
bicyclists must use added caution.
I am also a motorist, and do not want to
injure anyone through my or someone
else’s neglect.
This letter is my attempt to publicize
what I feel is a growing situation which
should be of serious concern to everyone.
Half of the battle can be won through
bicyclists and motorists developing a
greater concern and awareness for one
another. This alone could help relieve the
confusion until a better solution can be es
tablished.
Patricia A. Fierro is assistant director
for intramurals and recreation sports in
the department of health and physical
education at Texas Ab-M.
Aggies will prove they’re great
lEditor:
! In reference to Mark Patterson’s article
In the Oct. 17 Battalion. “It was a circus
tinder the Dome.” It is hard to believe the
Aggies were unprepared for the Houston
game. I believe the Texas Aggies are one
!of the finest football teams in the nation. I
Jsay this partially because I’m an Aggie and
partially because it’s a plain feet!
< The defense has the potential to be the
best in the nationa, in other words, shades
,bf the ‘76 defense. The offense is one of the
best. They did to their first four op-
ponenets what they should’ve done, beat
the HELL out of them. Why they didn’t
do this to Houston is a totally different
^question. Perhaps the five turnovers did
it? They scored on all five.
The Aggies are a great football team and
they will prove it against Baylor, if not my
apologies to Mr. Patterson. Also, every
team has a bad game, but Mr. Patterson
expects total perfection from our football
team, little does he realize that they’re
human too!
— Fred Galvan, ‘82
P.S. If Mr. Patterson was a true Aggie,
he’d back them up instead of cut them
down! “Highway Six Runs Both Ways” or
should I say 21 West.
True gentlemen
Editor:
It is a rare occasion when we are forced
to stand on a shuttle bus on the Holleman
route. The reason, of course, can be at
tributed to the politeness of the gentlemen
who gve up their seats to females.
We hope these gentlemen aren’t dis
couraged by those girls who refuse to ac
cept their offers or who merely don’t thank
them.
Believe me, it is genuinely appreciated!
Thanks, guys!!
— DeAnne Bridges, ‘79
Lisa Davis, ‘80
Carolyn Johnson, ‘79
Thanks for helping
Editor:
This letter is in appreciation to Mr. Tom
Wilson, manager of Engineering and Of
fice Supply, for his much needed assis
tance in retrieving a “valuable document”
— EE 403 report — from his Northgate
counterpart. The Drafting Board. On
Wednesday, Oct. 11, I accidentally left my
untyped report, which was due on Thurs
day, at The Drafting Board.
After realizing my great mistake about 9
p.m. Wednedsay, I called the College Sta
tion police who gave me Tom Wilson’s
name. Mr. Wilson graciously left his quiet
evening at home to come unlock The
Drafting Board. I got my report back in
plenty of time to finish typing it and
turned it in on Thursday. Thanks again to
Mr. Tom Wilson for helping an Aggie in
trouble.
— Lois Lefler, ‘79
Correction
The Thursday, Oct. 19, Battalion incor
rectly reported that the Southern
Methodist University and University of
Arkansas football games will be televised.
There is a possibility that the games will
be televised, however no definite decision
has been made on televising the games
yet.
Top of the News
CAMPUS
Real estate study funds to A&M
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded $25,000 to the
Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University to pre
pare a report on nationwide foreign investments in real estate. The
report, which must be completed by May 19, will serve as back
ground for other chapters in a foreign investment study. It will an
swer such questions as what are the processes, persons and organiza
tions unique to international investment in real estate. The report
will also emphasize the international real estate industry as an infor
mation system.
LOCAL
Assault on woman reported
A woman told University Police she was assaulted near the Hensel
Apartments area about 8 p.m. She said a black male, about six feet
tall, grabbed her by the neck and threw her to the ground. She said
while her assailant attempted to gag her she escaped to her apartment
and reported the incident. University Police declined to say if the
woman is a Texas A&M University student.
STATE
Post editor gets Army award
Oveta Culp Hobby, chairman and editor of The Houston Post, has
become the first woman to receive the highest public service award
given by the Association of the United States Army. Hobby, the first
director of the Women’s Army Corps, received the George Catlett
Marshall Medal for Public Service Wednesday before an awards
dinner audience of 3,000. The medal cited her for “selfless sind out
standing service” to the nation. Hobby also served as the first secre
tary of HEW.
Big Tex cant stop Krishnas
Members of the Hare Krishna religious movement will be back
Thursday in Dallas soliciting those attending the State Fair of Texas,
but they will be wearing their familiar orange robes in accordance
with a federal judge’s order. U.S. District Judge Patrick Higgin
botham ruled Wednesday that Krishna followers have the constitu
tional right to roam the approximately 250-acre site soliciting dona
tions in Keeping with a sacred ritual instead of l>eing restricted to a
booth as fair officials would like. During a hearing Tuesday, devotees
testified they dressed in street clothes because most people were
more receptive to them than when they dress in robes. They also said
they did not identify themselves as Krishna followers. Two arrests of
Krishna followers last week resulted in fair officials banning them
from soliciting on the fair grounds.
NATION
Fumes gone; people go home
Potentially deadly clouds of toxic sulfuric acid fumes released by a
train derailment in Madisonville, Tenn., dissipated Thursday permit
ting the town’s 3,800 residents to return to their homes. They had
been driven out 14 hours earlier when three sulfuric acid tank cars of
a Lousiville & Nashville freight train jumped the rails Wednesday
and began leaking the lung-singeing fumes. No official cause was
given for the six-car derailment of the 39-car L&N freight, but Mayor
Leon Harvey said there was speculation a switch was left open. As the
toxic vapor rose from the spillage Wednesday, police and sherifl’s
deputies quickly drove through town barking over loudspeakers for
residents to evacuate the area. “If they didn’t want to leave we just
asked them about their next of kin. They began to get the message,”
said Steve Webster, a civil defense operations officer.
Bomber crashes in California
WORLD
Carter intervenes in talks again
President Carter personally intervened Thursday in the Middle
East peace talks and was told the Israeli and Egyptian delegations do
not have the flexibility to alter their stands on the breadth of the
tentative accord. Diplomatic sources said the Israelis are seeking an
isolated, two-way agreement with Egypt, but the Egyptians want a
broader statement that can lead to a comprehensive settlement with
other Arab nations. Thursday, Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan
said it is “very doubtful” the positions will be changed. Sitting next to
Carter at Blair House where the talks are being conducted, Dayan
told the president: “You have the full information from all of us.
Whether you can obtain a change of position through the delegations
here is very doubtful. It’s not Camp David with the heads of state.
WEATHER
There is a massive high pressure system over S.E. Texas
resulting in a north westerly flow of dry air. It will be partly
cloudy today with no chance of participation and winds light
and southernly. High today 75 and the low will be 59.
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Dining
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A B-52 bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons crashed and
burned Thursday near the end of a March Air Force Base runway in
Sunnymead, Calif. One structure on the ground caught fire. There
was no immediate word on whether the B-52 carried any weapons or
the number of persons aboard. However, initial reports indicated two
of the plane’s crew survived.
The Battalion
Wl
LETTERS POLICY
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MEMBER
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Congress
Editor Kiml
Managing Editor Liz Newli«
■ Assistant Managing Editor . Andy William!
Sports Editor David Bo
City Editor Jamie Aitken
Campus Editor Steve Let
News Editors Debbie Parsoni,
Beth Calhoun
Staff Writers .Karen Rogers, Mark
Patterson, Scott Pendletoa,
Sean Petty, Michelle Scudder,
Marilyn Faulkenberry, Diane
Blake Lee Roy Leschper, Jr.
Cartoonist Doug Graham
Photographer .Ed Cunnius
Focus section editor Gary Weld
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
Regents. The Battalion is a non-profit,!
supporting enterprise operated by studenll
as a university and community newspaptr
Editorial policy is determined by the editor
Open i
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