Opinion New law a killer Watch the highways — the Texas Legislature has made them even more dangerous. So far the new law they passed last session is in effect only in the Bryan-College Station area. The statute affects two-way access roads off freeways. Instead of “Yield” signs posted on the exits from the high ways, the new law calls for “Yield” signs on the access road — to allow, we guess, speedy exit. Telephone calls around the state and to highway officials show the law has not been enacted in Dallas or Houston. But people from those two cities and the rest of the state drive here, creating a dangerous situation. Several near-crashes have already been reported. For most, driving becomes automatic. And we suspect people will continue to speed down two-way access roads without considering the cars coming into their path. That likelihood increases when the new law is in effect in only one part of the state. In the long run the new law might make highways safer. But for now, the Texas Legislature has created a killer. Amtrak un-cut unkind Some months back, the Carter Administration recommended the Amtrak system be reduced by 43 percent. The theory, and it was a sound one, was that a lot of trains were being operated over a lot of miles with very few passengers — and the taxpayers were footing the subsidy bill. The 43 percent reduction would have affected only the least used routes. Instead of reducing Am track by 43 percent, the Senate and House have approved nearly identical bills which cut it by 20 percent. It is interesting to note that two trains which travel through West Virginia, but which have never generated much business, will be saved. Such action can be attributed to the power of certain members of West Virginia’s congressional delegation. But in this case, what their power has wrought is not to their credit. Wheeling (W.Va.) Intelligencer Slouch by Jim Earle “SINCE THE END OF THE YEAR IS SO NEAR, AND SINCE IT IS SO MUCH TROUBLE TO UNPACK AND THEN HAVE TO PACK AGAIN, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF LEAVING THINGS STATUS QUO FOR AWHILE?” The Battalion USPS 045 360 ;V LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 ivotds 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. 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MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Liz Newlin Managing Editor Andy Williams Assistant Managing EditorDillard Stone News Editors . .Karen Comelison and Michelle Burrowes Sports Editor Sean Petty City Editor Roy Bragg Campus Editor Keith Taylor Focus Editors Beth Calhoun and Doug Graham Staff Writers Meril Edwards, Diane Blake, Louie Arthur, Richard Oliver, Mark Patterson, Carolyn Blosser Photo Editor . . .Lee Roy Leschper Jr. Photographer Lynn Blanco Cartoonist Doug Graham Opinions expressed in The Battalion are y those of the editor or of the writer of the 1 article and are not necessarily those of the University administration or the Board of Regents. The Battalion is a non-profit, self- supporting enterprise operated by students as a university and community newspaper. Editorial policy is determined by the editor. Viewpoint The Battalion#Texas A&M University Wednesday # September 5,19! DICK WE ST WASHINGTON — The list of tribula tions that can spoil a vacation trip to the nation’s capital is practically endless, but here’s a new one for you: A tourist from Chicago recently wrote to the Washington Post to complain that his visit here was marred by joggers. All day long, each time he stopped to admire a magnificent building, an inspir ing monument or noble words carved in marble or granite, he said, along came one or more sweaty bureaucrats in shorts, t-shirts, running shoes and headbands. “They spoil the otherwise grand views of the city,’’ he protested. “Can you imagine Georgie Washington, in powdered wig and silk breeches, jog ging down Constitution Avenue, with Tommie Jefferson at his side? “How about Marty Van Buren, sidewhiskers flying, panting and sweating up Pennsylvania Avenue?” Back home in Chicago, he added, jog gers have the decency to stick to parks or neighborhood streets. The point is well taken and undoubtedly is shared by many residents of this area. But the problem does not lend itself to quick and easy solutions. I remember a number of years ago Washington had a similar problem with starlings. Each year after grain fields in the surrounding countryside were harvested, vast flocks of starlings would fly into the city and take up roost under the eaves of government buildings and in the trees Bureaucrat joggers running capital in more ways than on along the main thoroughfares. Those starlings constituted a nuisance on a scale at least as large as that now posed by joggers. But remedial action was restricted by humane considerations. I imagine a similar outcry would arise if there were any signs of cruelty to joggers. It is not feasible simply to spread out nets to trap the joggers, then transport them to outlying parks and release them in environs better suited to that pursuit. They would only make their way back into the city, as the starlings did when they were deported. Another bird-proofing experiment that sticks in my memory involved hanging a starling upside down and recording its cries of distress. Tapes of the sound were SFiT Room 5( then played in roosting places on theory it would keep other birds aw® Hanging a jogger by the heels protj would be counterproductive. Jog ( seem to thrive on, and even seek out, versity. So recorded squawks of would only spur them on. Joggers more likely would be repd by taped reproductions of squeals d light, such as given off by tourists ture postcard counters. If some public-spirited tour group) volunteer to transcribe its gladsome lamations and waive any royalties from, the jogger-proofing campaigj begin in earnest. Meanwhile, try to of them as local color [KpfT 1 wuwuw. SfaymciMK'. Great news, chief/ finally getting oil franlfexico! CAMPUS persons touch w Room 3 pects. T Vince at BICYCLE bicycles a.m. to DEADUN MSC GRE meeting FINANCE Party R( H1LLEL C tion Bui “THE HO’ cussed s Theater. 0FF-CAM1 11:30 a.: refreshrr Center. COACH V this mee BUSINESS Southed procedui SOCIETY and pers ing at 7:. MSC RAD] Rudder. MOVIE: “F Theater. CAMPUS ( semestei IT grjirjpjg Student wants weight room ope for all students, not just athletes Editor: I am writing this letter concerning the policy of the use of the DeWare weight room. Monday night I was preparing for my usual workout when I was told that only the athletes can use the weight room. That statement was disturbing enough; how ever, I was really irritated when I discov ered the room locked up and not in use at 8 p.m. At this point I want to remind the staff and students alike of the great pride Texas A&M has in the facilities available to any one that is a part of the greatness of this Institution. The students are very much a part of this greatness indeed. During orientation, and to new transfer and graduate students, the DeWare weight room is proudly presented as one of the facilities available to the students. I personally feel that this alone is reason enough for me and anyone else that is a student or faculty member be able to have access to the weight room at DeWare. If this is not a good enougn reason, Texas A&M University is a public Institu tion, supported very heavily through the state’s taxation system. Everybody that is a consumer in the state of Texas pays state taxes. Virtually all of the students and their parents buy consumer goods, so we have all aided in the financial support of this university. There are 15 hours between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Three of these hours could be used by the faculty and student body that are non-athletes, and the remaining 12 hours, if utilized, should be more than adequate for the athletes. —Gary S. Hirl, ’79 Editor’s Note: This letter was accom panied by six other signatures. Want fame? Reader: Yes, you too can read your name in The Battalion. You can be a part of the exciting “Let ters” column. You can express your views on MSC grass, bicycle riders and good Ags — or anything else that concerns you. And you don’t have to be an English major. Simply write a legible letter, 300 words or less, and address it to Letters to the Editor, The Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, College Sta tion, Texas 77843. Or drop it in the box in Room 216 Reed McDonald. Each letter must be signed and include the address of the writer and a telephone number for verification. Includ ing your class number is optional, but it is traditional. If you have something to say that takes more than 300 words, write a guest edito rial. Send it to Reader’s Forum, same ad dress. We don’t guarantee your letter will be published, but it’s worth a try. -The Battalion Poor analogy United ] uesda ited Pres Sffespom the offic tied. Foreign prt M Pars the osed becaus her reasons spulsion of o Behzadnia emain closed nd acceptam tspoodent b ressc mean chief ’ spondent F een expellee The agenc; |er, Nicolas ipondent wife onger authi Editor: I was impressed by the effort that Battalion staff put forth to publish Monday, September 3 issue. Howeve was disturbed by The front page under “Paying the Price. ” The analog! 1 poor, equating standing in line with hallowed tradition. Silver Taps. I hope this was unintentional, and! more consideration will be given to* ing style in the future. Ronnie Kapavik, Student Body President a ^ VT * T Indira Gandhi a likely winner X ^X^ with power bloc in India electk By S. G. ROY NEW DELHI, India — Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, driven from office in a wave of discontent in 1977, appears a likely victor when India’s three major par ties fight for supremacy in a general elec tion scheduled late this year. Political obervers say no party may win an overall majority in India’s Lower house, but Mrs. Gandhi has the best chance of coming out with the largest single power bloc in mid-term voting in late November or December. An opinion poll by the magazine India Today rates Mrs. Gandhi, who held power for 11 years as India’s third prime minis ter, a likely victor over either of her rivals — Jagjivan Ram of the Janata Party and an alliance forged by Charan Singh, the caretaker prime minister. In a poll of 1,200 people in four major cities, the magazine found 48 percent wanted Mrs. Gandhi back as prime minis ter. Second choice with only 19 percent was Morarji Desai, who headed a Janata Party government for more than two years until defections forced him to resign July 15. Ram came third with 14 percent. Desai, who said he would retire from politics, may campaign for the Janata Party now led by Ram. Singh had not emerged as a candidate when the poll was conducted. India Today said its poll also showed 70 percent of the people wanted a general election, more than two years before it is due, to end the month-long turmoil and uncertainty that has rocked India’s leader ship since Desai’s resignation. One fact casts doubt on the reliability of the poll: nearly 80 percent of India’s popu lation of 650 million live in some 700,000 villages across the countryside. The poll surveyed only the major cities of New De lhi, Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. But the charismatic Mrs. Gandhi gener ally is acknowledged to have broader sup port than either Ram or Singh, despite cri tics’ charges that her earlier tenure degen erated into an “emergency rule” dictator ship, typified by efforts to promote the career of her son, Sanjay. The crest of resentment that drove her from office does not appear to have di minished Mrs. Gandhi as a seasoned and tireless campaigner. The inefficiency of the Janata govern ment that succeeded her has helped re store her reputation, if not yet her power. The daughter of independent India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mrs. Gandhi relies heavily on the vote of the Untouchable caste that makes up about 18 percent of the population. But the rival Ram, an astute politician and a skilled orator, is a recognized leader of the Untouchables. “This one single factor has altered the picture,” said a spokesman for the Janata Party. “A majority of the Harijians (un touchables) will switch their loyalty from Mrs. Gandhi to Ram.” Singh is a peasant leader whose main strength lies in the northern Indian $ of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, I’l Pradesh, Bihar, and a part of Rajas! and Madhya Pradesh. The six states count for 207 of Parliament’s 542 ele^ 1 seats. Singh’s alliance with the Congress f* 1 led by Yeshwantrao Chavan may win some seats in other states, but he se