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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 2, 1979)
Viewpoint The Battalion Texas A&M University Friday February 2, 1979 SoM-alion Talk with Dr. Miller ‘Beasts* on hit list Dear Dr. Miller: I realize that you must have quite a few large problems to deal with, but we in Hughes Hall have a very severe small problem. It’s called ants. They invaded the dorm BEFORE Christmas, and when we complained, we were told that our rooms would be exterminated over the holidays. However, over a month has passed, and the little beasts are still around in massive quantities, everywhere we turn! Supposedly, our dorm was extermi nated, but I find that a little hard to believe. Is there no relief for us? If you break my $334 fee down into 5 months rent, it comes out to $66.80 a month, which is more than some people I know pay for their one-quarter of two bedroom apartments, which DO NOT have ants! I believe that the University is wronging us, and I’d like to know what we can do about it. —Susie Slover, ’81 Dear Ms. Slover: I appreciate your Jan. 15 letter calling the “small” problem in Hughes Hall to my attention. Please understand that all problems, large or small, involving students at Texas A&M University, are of concern to me. Representatives of the Physical Plant Department have indicated that an intensive effort was made over the semester break to spray all campus dor mitories for insects. Hughes Hall was scheduled for spraying on Jan. 12. How ever, with students returning early for spring semester classes, treatment of Hughes Hall was not completed. Spraying in the dorm was concentrated in the trash chutes, mechanical rooms, stair wells, custodial closets, and around the outside parameter of each floor in an effort to minimize disturbing students in their rooms. On Jan. 21, housing office personnel furnished the Physical Plant Department a list of areas in the dorms requiring additional treatment for insects. Hughes Hall was included in this listing and the work was done on Jan. 23 and 25. I sincerely hope that your small problem has been exterminated by now. If not, please contact a Hughes Hall resident adviser so efforts may be coordinated to accomplish the necessary work. —Jarvis E. Miller President, Texas A&M Jimmy pulls plug on energy crisis By DICK WEST WASHINGTON — “Dear sir,’’ a citizen writes. “In his State of the Union address this year. President Carter hardly made more than a passing reference to energy conservation, which he had previously elevated to the ’moral equivalent of war.’ Does this mean the energy crisis is no longer with us? And if so, what happened to it?” Upon receiving that letter, I put in a call to Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Crises. If there be any doubt about his bona fides, it was Mr. Keen who amazed the world almost 20 years ago by finding out what happened to the cranberry crisis. That crisis, older readers may recall, developed in the fall of 1959. At the very time people were laying in provisions for Thanksgiving, the government reported that possible harmful levels of a cancer- causing chemical had been found in two shipments of cranberries. Talk about your consternation! The reaction was the hysterogenic equivalent of a stock market panic. Shoppers wan dered dazed around supermarket aisles, not knowing which brand of cranberry sauce to buy. Tben, like a little, red, round Judge Crater, the cranberry crisis vanished. Called into the case as a consultant, Mr. Keen was able to trace the crisis’ disap pearance^ to cranberry growers who had stopped spraying their bogs with a poten tially lethal weed killer. Humor Could it be that the energy crisis had gone the way of the cranberry crisis, the ozone layer crisis and assorted other causes of national alarm that had dropped out of the public eye? Mr. Keen, at my behest, has been try ing to track tflown the answer. His prelimi nary findings are both puzzling and slightly ominous. r Writing the editor The Battalion welcomes letters to the editor on any subject. However, to be acceptable for publication these letters must meet certain criteria. They should: V Not exceed 300 words or 1800 characters in length. V Be neatly typed whenever possible. Hand-written letters are acceptable. >/ Include the author’s name, ad- . dress and telephone number for verification. Letters to the editor are printed as a service to our readers. Publication of a letter is never guaranteed. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters to remove grammatical er rors and to avoid litigation. Address letters to the editor to: Letters to the Editor The Battalion Room 216 Reed McDonald Building College Station, Texas 77843 Strangely, he advises, the disappear ance has never been officially reported to the Bureau of Missing Crises. Therefore, there has been no formal inquiry into its whereabouts. Unofficially, Mr. Keen has learned that the energy crisis was last seen last fall shortly after passage of legislation freeing natural gas from federal price controls. One minute it was there, as big as life. Or maybe bigger than life — a giant exingency casting a shadow over the entire nation and threatening generations as yet unborn. The next minute — poof! As if by magic, the crisis seemed to evaporate into thin At this point, Mr. Keen is dependent on theory and speculation. Circumstantially, there are grounds for suspicion that the crisis was done away with by persons un known. But Mr. Keen has not written off the possibility that it is being held incom municado and may surface again during the next fuel price debate. So what we have here is the mystifica tion equivalent of a suspense story. If the butler didn’t do it, it must have been the CIA. Slouch By Jim Earle NEXT! Tetters to the Editor Volunteerettes? Editor: As a fellow Ag, I support you in your outcry for femininity! Women at Texas A&M must be represented. Don’t follow the old maxim of “If you can’t beat them — join them,” instead start your own. Gather the Waggies together and create the Ross Volunteerettes! The exclusive uniforms of the Ross Volunteerettes would proudly display delicate white lace pet ticoats underneath a maroon satin mini skirt coordinating to a smooth white satin V-neckline vest over white ruffled dickey. The costume would be complemented by a maroon top hat and white cane. The privileged seniors would wear boots of course. I suggest high heel white patent leather boots like those of the Dallas Cow boy Cheerleaders! —Sally Dennis, 82 W-l unit ‘feared’ Editor: Anger hardly describes the way I think of those who would shove W-l and Squad ron 14 to the rear of the Corps of Cadets. The words disgust and shame come to mind. The letters written by those who oppose women cadets joining the Band, Parsons’ Mounted Cavalry, or the Ross Volunteers are clearly stamped with ig norance, hate, and a fear of upsetting the status quo. Those letters and various conversations I’ve had with male cadets are a symptom of the dying off of old traditions which have made Texas A&M strong in the past, but now serve only to weaken it and keep it from being a modern university which still provides a unique learning experience to all students who enroll. Female cadets are just that, cadets who happen to be female. Physically they tend (not are) to be weaker than male cadets (I’ve noticed a few handicapped cadets). They are military trainees and deserve to be treated with military courtesy, no more and no less; Aggies should be gentlemen but cadets must be “officers” first and males second. There is no excuse or reason for women to not have a place in the Band, RVs, or Cavalry beyond the fact that they’re not good enough. The Band can accommodate them as it does its married members. If a Waggie has a horse and can ride it well enough to be a pride to A&M, Parson’s should make her a member. Silver Taps is said for all students regardless of sex and RVs should be made up of all cadets who can earn their place. As far as I know, the only reason women shouldn’t (not can’t) work on Bonfire is the language used at the cutting site. If a woman has a place at A&M, she has a place in Bonfire and I don’t mean serving cookies. I mean on the stack and at the cut. Traditions are made, not created through prejudice. Last, to those who I’ve described: Your behavior shows that you hold the values which make America strong in such low esteem. To have men such as you defend our country is to make our enemies appear, more human and compassionate in com parison. Equal opportunity, equal justice, and equal treament. “Vis per Unitatem:” strength through unity, men and women working together. —Max Triola, ’81 Correction An error appeared in an article about the closing of Exotic Wildlife Unlimited on the front page of Wednesday’s Battalion. Dr. Robert F. Playter, head of the small animal medicine and surgery department in the College of Veterinary Medicine, was incor rectly identified as Dr. Robert Play ton. The Battalion regrets the error. THOSE HCPD LITTLE MEXICANS WHDUVE TOD US IS RON NINCi UP THE w&um. mm\m\ EMERGENCY! WE JUST STRUCK OIL, AND I MUST TALK TO MY BANKERS!'. Don’t lump all ‘Waggles’ in one category By ED RAMOS-ECHANDI Recently various “pro-Waggie and anti-Waggie comments have appeared in The Battalion. I disagree with both groups. It’s impossible to determine an organization’s membership requirements or ^practices by lumping them together in a “women-yes or women-no” category. In stead, we should to look at color guards, the Ross Volunteers, Parsons’ Mounted Cavalry, and the Aggie Band as a whole in terms of military effectiveness. the purpose for which the organization was formed. New RVs run several miles 3 times a week high-porting 10 lb. weapons, are subjected to high personal abuse from seniors, and go through a secret initiation procedure much like a fraternity’s pledge period. Reader’s Forum The critieria for being on color guards should be drill, discipline, and hard work. In the past certain women have met these criteria but unfortunately been turned down. Other schools and our own armed services have mixed color guards with no drop in effectiveness. Therefore, if a Wag gie applicant can do as well as the best male applicants, she should be accepted. Apart from the questionable femininity of this, the RVs do allow women to apply — but like fraternities everywhere, mem bers can deny admittance to applicants they dislike — men as well as women. The RVs and Parson’s Mounted Cavalry are different because they are student or ganizations in the Corps unconnected with ♦-L . :1 C - ’ ^ T r-ri r> e* t? ‘ tt* 1-\ot-oVi ■»»-% Parsons’ Mounted Cavalry is similar but it’s official purpose is to recreate the horse-unit as it existed in 1942, and as is well known, women were not a part of those historical units. However, the way is always open for an RV-type selection pro- 1 -r'K^rs allowing women The Aggie Band is also a fraternity with its own traditions, but is also a major unit in the Corps controlled by the Trigon. All new males are accepted who have high school band experience. Reasons given for an all-male band in clude living in their own dormitory as a regular military unit and coordinating practices and their schedule in such a way that any other arrangement is impractical. Moreover, it is doubtful whether the men of the Band would want to work with Waggies or tolerate the physical exemp tions they’d have to make for females in “crap-outs” and runs. The Band’s cohesion in keeping out women would make them oossiblv resiVn en masse to form their own private organi zation with less Trigon control and more possibility for harrassment and abuse. Senior boots represent a tradition which is historically part of the male officer’s uni form. In recent times women have taken some of this same pride in their own uni forms and traditions, while maintaining an esprit de corps for their service as a whole. Likewise, five years ago it was expected that Waggies would have different, yet “Corps-like” uniforms to wear. They do. The Corps has a uniform committee with both men and women to determine what that uniform is. Consequently, part of Corps discipline is standard uniform 1 wear by all Corps members as determined by that committee. In closing, women should be in the Texas A&M Corps and allowed in color guards and other “non-fratemal” organiza tions. I believe that at Texas A&M they receive the best possible ROTC training anywhere. I also like, respect and admire many of them as friends and future offi cers. I hope in the future male members of the Corps would treat Waggies as indi viduals with their own merits and faults, that what one Waggie or CT does should ] not reflect on all, and that we act in a gen- ; tlemanly manner consistent with Corps ideals. Ed Ramos-Echandi is a graduate stu dent in business and a junior in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M. Top of the News' CAMPUS Blood pressures to he screened Since the American Heart Association has declared February Na tional Heart Month, the Texas A&M University Emergency Care I Team will sponsor a blood pressure screening Feb. 15-16. Itwillbe held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the main hall of the Memorial Studenl Center across from the post office. The screening takes only a few I minutes and is free. LOCAL Rodeo tickets on sale Saturday 1 Tickets for all performances of the Houston Livestock Showani Rodeo will be on sale from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday in the Manor! East shopping center parking lot. The shows will run from Feb, 21 to March 4, with rodeo performances starting Feb. 23. The Astrodome I scoreboard will recognize Brazos County residents and congratulate I the winner of the $1,500 Brazos County Houston Livestock Showani I Rodeo agricultural scholarship during the 2 p.m. performance MardI 4. STATE Rober Clements opposes primary delay Republican Gov. Bill Clements said Thursday he will veto a move by Democratic legislators to shorten campaigns and delay party prr mary elections until July, August or September. Clements said lie was glad to see work begun on establishing a presidential primary, but opposed the primary election delay plan. Divers look for oil spill cause Divers for Exxon Co. USA and the Army Corps of Engineers Thursday surveyed the Neches River Channel near Port Arthurfora possible submerged hazard that could have torn a major holeina tanker causing a massive oil spill. Coast Guard Cmdr. Merrill Louis reported “excellent progress ’ Wednesday in cleaning up Sundays spill of 250,000 gallons. (eware c ire and it scale i ie like—t Memor Warcon \ ames con es Ref GirZ, 8, dies as result of beating leru An 8-year-old girl, whose mother has been charged with attempted murder in the slaying of her 11-year-old stepbrother, died early Thursday of injuries she received in a beating Jan. 12 at her homein | Dallas. Amy Jean Gray, who had sustained a punctured lung, ffac tured skull and other broken bones, never regained consciousness Her mother, Kathleen Gradi, 32, has been charged with two counts) of attempted murder. )ke NATION Adviser barred from testifying The White House has invited more adverse reactions from womens groups by ordering presidential adviser Sarah Weddington not to testify at a Senate hearing. Weddington was to testify at a Senate Human Resource Committee hearing on women’s problems at work The order was based on a White House decision that the presidents personal staff cannot testify at a hearing. Leukemia victim ordered home A Plymouth, Mass., judge gave parents of 3-year-old leukemii victim Chad Green one week to avoid a contempt of court charged returning from a Laetrile clinic in Mexico where their son is beinf treated with the drug. Superior Court Judge Guy Volterra said Ik will drop the charges if Gerald and Dianne Green voluntarily retun to Massachusetts within one week. The Greens went to Mexico las! week after being ordered to discontinue Chad’s Laetrile treatments WORLD Plane crash kills 5 Americans A U.S. Air Force C12 aircraft crashed south of Tehran, Iran, Wed nesday, killing five of seven Americans on board, an American mili tary spokesman said Thursday. He said the plane was on a routine flight from southern Iran to Tehran and crashed near the village of Nadiz, some 50 miles south of the capital. The names of the victims and survivors are being withheld pending notification of their next of kin, the spokesman said. Pope home from Latin America Pope John Paul II arrived Thursday in Rome from a one-week trip to Latin America, his first foray outside Italy since being elected spiritual leader of the world’s 700 million Roman Catholics. The pope was met by a crowd of hundreds at the airport. WEATHER Thirty percent chance of rain through Saturday. High Frida) low 50s. Low early Saturday mid 40s. The Battalion LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are subject to being cut to that length or less if longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit such letters and does not guarantee to publish any letter. Each letter must be signed, show the address of the writer and list a telephone number for verification. Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor, The Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas 77843. Represented nationally by National Educational Adver tising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los , Angeles. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday from September through May except during exam and holiday periods and the summer, when it is published on Tuesday through Thursday. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per school year; $35.00 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. Address: The Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas 77843. United Press International is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it. Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. Second-Class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Ki® Managing Editor Assistant Managing Editor .Andy"' Sports Editor David^; City Editor Scott Pf®- Campus Editor Stf'* News Editors Debbie P* Beth Calhoun Staff Writers Karen Rogen Patterson, Sean Petty, Blake, Dillard Stone, Bragg, Lyle Lovett Cartoonist DougC 1 Photo Editor Lee Roy Lew Photographer Lynnf- Focus section editor Can' 1 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-proft supporting enterprise operated bt) $ as a university and community neiCf' Editorial policy is determined by the J I