Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 28, 1981)
Vol. 75 No. 41 16 Pages Battalion Serving the Texas A&M University community Wednesday, October 28, 1981 College Station, Texas USPS 045 360 Phone 845-2611 The Weather Today Tomorrow High . ... 72 High ...75 Low ... .58 Low. .. .63 Chance of rain . . 20% Chance of rain . 20% ces eep jw fees The statue of Lawrence Sullivan Ross in front of the Academic Building basks in the glow of gray sunshine as a result of sofaraation, a special effect created in the print. The photographic paper was exposed through the negative for about half the normal time, developed, rinsed, exposed to white light and developed again. Ten additional Senators support deal Reagan nears AWACS sale United Press International WASHINGTON — President Reagan appears within striking distance of pulling off a dramatic uphill victory on his Saudi arms deal, having scored a major breakthrough with the support of 10 more senators. Although Reagan was still a few votes short of victory as the Senate prepared to cast ballots on the package today, at least two senators were seen as making a possible switch and a leading foe con ceded Reagan may be on a roll. “I think the odds have shifted in favor of the White House on the sale, although the final tally is not in,” Sen. Alan Cranston, D-Calif., said Tuesday. Reagan told reporters, “I feel good. I think it looks good.” Cranston and Reagan made their comments after the 10 senators announced support of the $8.5 billion sale to Saudi Arabia of five Airborne Warning and Control System planes and an F-15 enhancement package. This seemed to bring Reagan within a few votes of a 50-50 Senate deadlock — one that would allow the sale to escape a congressional veto and go through. The House earlier rejected the package, but both chambers must oppose it to kill it. Reagan was expected to devote to day, leading up to the expected 5 p.m. Senate showdown vote, trying to con vince a few more senators to switch to his side. Earlier this week, sources said that at least four Senate foes told Reagan they would switch if their individual vote would give the president victory. Following Tuesday’s development, United Press International’s tally showed 52 senators opposed or leaning against the sale, 47 favoring or leaning in favor of the sale and one, Russell Long, D-La., uncommitted. Sources close to the leading Senate opponents of the sale indicated Tuesday two more Republicans — now inclined to vote against the sale — may ultimate ly switch their positions and support Reagan. They were identified as Sens. Slade Gorton of Washington and Mark Andrews of North Dakota. They are among the 18 Republicans who original ly sponsored the resolution of dis approval. That could make the final Senate tally 50-50 and give Reagan the victory. The disapproval effort will die unless it wins a majority vote. The 10 who announced support of Reagan Tuesday included: By DANIEL PUCKETT Battalion Staff Saturday’s flooding in Dorm 11 was not an accident but an act of vandalism. Chief Russ McDonald, of the Universi ty Police, said Tuesday. When questioning two students Tuesday about the flooding of the dorm which houses the Aggie Band, one of them made a statement regarding the incident, McDonald said. Vandals plugged the drains in the dorm’s fourth-floor bathroom with toilet paper and newspaper and turned on all the showers sometime Saturday. By the time the band returned from its trip to Houston, water had flooded much of the dorm, soaking carpets, loosening ceil ing tiles and destroying dorm residents’ property. McDonald said that pending a Uni- —One of the initial and leading foes, Roger Jepsen, R-Iowa. —Three who had been leaning against the package, Charles Grassley, R-Iowa; David Boren, D-Okla.; and James Exon, D-Neb. —Four who had been uncommitted. Bob Dole, R-Kan.; Walter Huddleston, D-Ky.; John Melcher, D-Mont.; and Frank Murkowski, R-Alaska. —Two who had been leaning against the sale, Pete Domenici, R-N.M.; and Harrison Schmitt, R-N.M.. Reagan maintains the package is vital to Middle East security, but foes con tend it could accelerate an arms race in versity decision on whether to press charges he could not release the sus pects’ names. However, he said officials from the Department of Student Affairs should reach that decision within the next few days. Whatever that decision, Nolan Mears of the student affairs department said the University is not responsible for damages to students belongings, since it was not at fault for the flooding. However, he said students will be able to sue the vandals for restitution once they are charged. By the end of the week, Mears said, the department will decide how to pro ceed in the matter. Options include us ing student disciplinary procedures, pressing criminal charges, or both. the area and further trouble the region’s instablity. The president invited nine senators to the White House for one-on-one dis cussions Tuesday, bringing to 36 the number he has personally lobbied for support of the package. White House communications dire ctor David Gergen said a letter of assur ances from Reagan — long in the draft ing stage at the White House — would be sent to Senate Republican Leader Howard Baker today before the final vote. Israel has urged defeat of the pack age, fearing the AWACS would permit the Saudis to steal its military secrets and endanger Israeli security. While University officials were de ciding what to do about the situation. Dorm 11 still had a large clean-up job ahead of it Tuesday afternoon. Hall carpets on the third and fourth floors were still wet; room rugs were hanging out of several windows and over some banisters. A large swatch of damp carpet was draped over the toilet stalls in the fourth-floor bathroom and water-soaked newspapers littered the floor. Although no damage estimate was l available, some dorm residents said • damage was extensive. However, Phy sical Plant officials could not be reached for comment. One student who refused to be identified said he had lost over $600 in personal belongings. Dorm Hood not accident but result of vandalism Intra-campus Schlafly, Brady comment on possible effects |! I I j i I M l! ii shuttle service to halt Monday Intra-campus shuttle bus service will )e discontinued Monday. But, the off-campus bus routes, vhich link Texas A&M University and nany of the community’s apartment lomplexes, will not be affected. Discontinuation of the intra-campus service, which transports students be tween various locations on campus, came as a result of “inconsistent or nonexistent service” during most of the current semester. untenance problems and a lack of 1 drivers often resulted in no it all on the intra-campus route )est, extremely limited service,’ n Ferguson, manager of adminis- services in the Department of ss Services. All University shuttle bus services are provided on a contractual basis by Transportation Enterprises Inc., an Au stin-based firm. The decision to discontinue service came following discussion of the prob lem between the contractor, business services, Vice President for Business Affairs Howard Vestal and Vice Presi dent for Student Services John J. Holdus. 1981 Aggieland distribution in Commons The 1981 Aggielands have arrived. The yearbooks can be picked up be tween 8:30a.m. and4:30p.m. this week and next week in the Commons. Stu dents must present their ID cards in order to pick up their books. Students who have not yet paid for yearbooks will not be able to purchase them until Nov. 9. Beginning that day, they can be purchased for $21 in tbe Student Publications Office, 216 Reed McDonald. SB An article in Tuesday’s Battalion mis takenly reported that the Aggielands could be purchased for $15. Yearbook distribution began Mon day when students picked up 2,000 books. The Aggieland has the largest year book account in the nation, meaning that more people purchase the Aggie land than any other college yearbook in the United States. Debaters assert strong opinions on ERA Staff photo by Dave Einsel Katherine Brady By NANCY FLOECK Battalion Staff Strong opinions for and against the Equal Rights Amendment were exchanged Tuesday night in a debate sponsored by the MSC Political Forum Committee. Speaking to an enthusiastic audience that overflowed into the lobby of Rudder Theater, Katherine Brady, author and ERA propo nent, and Phyllis Schlafly, national chairman of Stop ERA, argued the possible effects of the proposed amendment. For the past nine years, during its ratification process, the ERA has had the support of the majority of Americans, Brady said. Its ratification has been blocked by a small group of white, middle-class legislators who make decisions based on their personal and religious beliefs, she said. However, Schlafly contended the ERA hasn’t been ratified by the necessary 38 states because it is “fundamentally unfair.” She empha sized that she is not against women’s rights, but said the amendment doesn’t guarantee women will gain any rights. It only prohibits laws which differentiate on the basis of sex, she said. In fact, she said, it will take away women’s right to choose not to join the military. Ignoring yells of “Men don’t have a choice” from the audience, Schlafly said women will be drafted and will participate in combat if the ERA is ratified. “ERA is an attempt to force the women libber’s views on everyone regardless of what the American people want,” she said. She compared the ratification fight to a football game where the losing team requests a fifth quarter. Here she was referring to the extension of the amendment’s ratification deadline from March 1979 to June 1982. But, “The ERA is not a game,” she said. “It is an attempt to amend the most sacred document of this land.” Brady agreed that ratification is not a game, but contended that the amendment is an economical issue. “ERA is more than a symbol,” she said. “It means dollars and cents.” Women with college degrees earn less than men with comparable degrees, she said. And for every dollar a man earns, a woman earns only 59 cents, Brady said. But homemakers, as well as career women, aren’t the only victims of discrimination, she said. Full-time homemakers have the least economic rights of all women, yet their contributions to society deserve recognition, Brady said, adding that current laws are full of loopholes which are denying women such rights. Schlafly refuted these statements saying that social security, tax and employment laws are completely sex-neutral and that the amendment would not help employment among women. Many women have been led to believe the ERA will do things it won’t, she said. It won’t give women jobs, raises or promotions, she said, nor will it “make your husbands do half the diapers and dishes. “The ERA won’t put women in the Constituion — you heard the text — it will put ‘sex’ in the constitution.” Schlafly also said the average woman makes 59 cents compared to every $1 the average man makes because those figures represent the wages paid to all men compared to all women. The figures aren’t based on equal work or equal time, she said, because women spend less time in the work force and work less hours than men. Women now enjoy the same constitutional rights as men and the sex-neutral language of the ERA will only do such things as prohibit the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, fraternities, sororities and co educational dormitories, Schlafly said. She also contended the ERA would legalize homosexual mar riages, allow tax funds to be used for abortions and allow the federal government and U.S. Supreme Court to interpret marriage, divorce and family laws. However, in a counter argument, Brady said that those who oppose the ERA are “uninformed, confused and afraid of change. ” The amendment says nothing about abortion, integrated restrooms or child-care, she said. “If the ERA is not passed, a whole generation of females will grow up ... penalized for being born female,” Brady said. Staff photo by Dave Einsel Phyllis Schlafly