10
l-v
The Battalion
Serving the University community
76 No. 133 USPS 045360 16 Pages
College Station, Texas
Wednesday, April 13, 1983
US C0!l5
' e (ton
of tilt
mtialt
hicago elects first black mayor
United Press International
IICAGO — Rep. Harold
lington, surviving one of the bit-
i racial campaigns in American
tal history, was elected Chicago’s
st black mayor early today, defeat-
Republican challenger Bernard
ton.
Washington, seeking to bury the
cial slurs and often shrill and he-
»d tone’ of the campaign, pledged
er winning to “reach out my hand
iriendship to every living soul in
this city” and urged his supporters to
do the same.
With 99 percent of the vote
counted, all but 29 of the city’s 2,914
precincts, Washington had 656,727
votes or 51.6 percent to Epton’s
617,159 or 48.4 percent.
Washington combined almost solid
black support with enough white and
Latino votes to fend off Epton’s threat
to become the city’s first Republican
mayor in 52 years.
Chicago Democrats immediately
tudent body
Jordan
began talking peace after the racially
ugly campaign. Washington and
Epton had pledged before the elec
tion to hold a unity breakfast later
today to help restore harmony in the
nation’s second largest city.
National Democratic leaders called
the victory the opening shot in the
battle to regain the White House next
year through a coalition of poor,
minority and working people hurt by
Reaganomics.
Epton, a former state legislator,
was a virtual unknown before
Washington won the Democratic
primary. His dramatic increase ‘ in
support was attributed almost entire
ly to racial motivations.
Washington beamed as he listened
to thousands of wildly cheering sup
porters scream “Harold, Harold,
Harold,” at his headquarters. He pre
dicted a new national coalition as the
result of his victory.
“Our most important concern at
this moment is unity,” Washington
said.
There was a record turnout for a
city election — well over 80 percent of
registered voters. The turnout was
boosted both by the intense interest in
the race and by the first nice weather
in weeks, including sunny skies dur
ing the morning and temperatures in
the 50s.
Epton rolled up a big vote in white,
ethnic and historically Democratic
wards on the Northwest and South
west sides. Those areas gave the Re
publican between 82 and 86 percent
of the vote.
But Washington did well in the
mostly white, liberal lakefront wards,
winning about 45 percent of the vote.
And Washington also won substantial
support — more than a majority — in
Hispanic wards.
But as in his upset primary victory
over Mayor Jane Byrne, Washington
won thousands of votes from newly
registered black voters.
ooses
by Kelley Smith
Battalion Staff
Jordan, a senior physics major
m Fannett, was elected student
#11 [president by a margin ol almost
to-l in Tuesday’s runoff election.
KwfBjrdan received 1,896 votes —
.6 percent. Joe Nussbaum, the
candidate in the runoff, re-
1,111 le related story page 4
:,'1H
7C
iv|(l 951 votes — 32.9 percent,
in really happy and relieved it’s
lyover, we put a lot into the cam-
■i,” Jordan said about the elec-
inl Tm ready now to get in and
irt working.”
Jordan’s first duty as president is to
Bint people to Student Govern-
B committees. I bis involves tak-
Btpplications and holding inter-
is.
s quite a lot of work to do for
weeks," Jordan said. “Pushing
flections back a week really took a
lot of time away.”
Runoff elections originally were
scheduled to be April 5. The runoff
elections were postponed a week be
cause of computer problems with the
regular election results.
While setting up in the office of
president will take up most of Jor
dan’s time, he said he will begin work
ing toward the goals mentioned in his
campaign.
Jordan’s goals include working
with the Corps of Cadets and the Resi
dence Hall Association to increase
dorm unity and involvement, increas
ing on-campus recreation facilities,
establishing longer library hours,
establishing and maintaining better
communication and cooperation be
tween Student Government and
other student organizations and
establishing an open-door policy for
the office of student body president.
Jordan served on the student sen
ate this year as the College of Science
senator-at-large.
ate minority plan due
by Robert McGlohon
Battalion Staff
May 9 will be a red-letter day in
Sican-American history, says Nor-
aKolis Cantu, an attorney for the
Btnwide Mexican-American Legal
it|Educational Fund,
bn that day, she says, the state of
itas will submit to the U.S. Depart-
Ent of Education a comprehensive
jin for increasing minority enroll-
ent in state universities. Following
aj submission, Cantu says, one of
pothings will happen:
I-rlf the plan is a good one, radical
Bges will come about in the admi-
Bation policies of Texas state uni-
pities.
If the plan is weak, the Depart-
lt of Education will take Texas to
fantu expressed that view' to an
lence of 50 in Rudder Tower
jsday night. Her visit to Texas
was sponsered by the Chicano
|duate Student Association and
[Committee for Awareness of
lican-American Culture,
larltu began the program by ex
iting the history behind Texas’
May 9 deadline, which is the result of
a court case against the predecessor of
the Department of Education — the
Department of Health, Education
and Welfare. The case, which began
in 1976, has yet to be closed.
What began as a complaint by a
black student about HEW’s slowness
in answering complaints about discri
mination has turned into a court case
on which the policies of 20 southern
states depend, Cantu said.
And of those states, she said, Texas
is the worst offender.
“Other states are in contempt, but
Texas is the most contemptible of all,”
Cantu said. “Other states have prob
lems with their (affirmative action)
plans; Texas doesn’t have a plan.”
That situation is compounded by
the fact that Texas is among the bot
tom 10 states in university minority
enrollment, Cantu said, while being
in the median range of per capita in
come and a leader in state-wide
w'ealth and resources.
Because of the court case, Texas in
June 1981 submitted an affirmative
action plan. It was not accepted and
the state was given a 90-day extension
— and then it was given another 90-
day extension.
That continued through 1982, a
year in which almost nothing hap
pened concerning the case, Cantu
said.
In Febuary, Texas was given a final
deadline: May 9. And Cantu said that
one of two roads will lead from that
deadline — the road to change or the
one to court.
She expressed confidence in
Texas’ ability to come up with an
acceptable proposal. While the plan
probably won’t lie perfect, she said, it
probably will be workable.
She explained that Texas probably
will take the path of least resistance —
a court battle would be a costly one.
The biggest obstacle to affirmative
action — in Texas or any other state
— is money, Cantu said. A college
education for one student costs about
the same as 10 miles of highway.
“Maybe we should have a few more
bumpy roads,” she said, “and a few
more sufficient students — or literate.
I’d settle for that.”
IRS refunds behind
orps chooses first woman
' brigade staff position
by Stephanie M. Ross
Battalion Reporter
Imid the rush of knaki-clad cadets
Ouncan Dining Hall stands Bonnie
umpotic. She first looks down at
er clipboard and then up to survey
le scene, searching out chairs for
%
cadets who didn’t find a seat with
their outfits.
This is just one of Krumpotic’s
duties as the new supply sergeant on
the brigade staff. She is the first
woman to be chosen for a brigade
staff position.
WfW-
3S#
ti
staff photo by Eric Evan Lee
Bonnie Krumpotic, supply sergeant for the brigade staff,
jconfers with Tim Martini in Duncan Dining Hall Monday
night.
The brigade staff is directly under
the Corps staff and is in charge of the
Army battalion staffs.
Krumpotic came to Texas A&M as
a sophomore, and after one year in
the Corps was chosen for the brigade
staff. When she first came here, she
didn’t have plans to be in the Corps,
but she said she liked the closeness of
the women and decided that the
group was for her.
Her new position is seen by many as
controversial, because staff positions
in the upper ranks of the Corps tradi
tionally are held by men.
“I don’t anticipate any extraordin
ary problems,” Krumpotic said. The
only problems she said she anticipates
are the adjustments anyone needs to
make in a new position.
Preston Abbott, the new Corps
commander, said any problems will
work themselves out.
“I’m sure that initially she will have
some problems, but everything will
work out,” Abbott said. “If there’s any
girl that can do it, it’s her.”
Choosing Krumpotic for brigade
staff was not an attempt to integrate
the upper ranks of the Corps, Abbott
said, because no one is chosen simply
because they are male or female.
Krumpotic was qualified for the job
and that’s why she was chosen, he
said.
The attitude toward women in the
Corps is changing — they are becom
ing more accepted by the men, Abbott
said.
Krumpotic said everyone has been
cooperative so far, and she said it is
evident by the action of the cadets
who work with her.
United Press International
WASHINGTON — The Internal
Revenue Service reports tax refunds
are running 6.3 percent behind last
year’s, giving consumers less money
to fuel the economic recovery.
The Commerce Department said
Tuesday retail sales for the January-
March quarter actually were below
those in the recession-struck fourth
quarter of last year.
And the IRS says its refunds so far
are less than last year’s, despite the
expectation that as much as a third of
last year’s tax cut would arrive in this
year’s mail in the form of refund
checks.
The combination of the two fi
gures sparked new concern within the
administration that the recovery, only
recently thought to be vigorous,
already may be leveling off.
“It’s confusing to hear refunds are
running behind last year,” Commerce
Department Chief Economist Robert
Ortner said.
“We were expecting to get a little
boost,” he said, “an indirect tax cut in
the form of refunds from last year.”
Although a 10 percent tax cut took
effect July 1, 1982, the Commerce
Department found it was only pump
ing about 6 percent worth of tax sav
ings into wallets and pocketbooks.
The IRS explained that at the time,
withholding tables employers used
had too few categories to accurately
shave taxes by 10 percent, but the rest
would be delivered in the 1982 tax
refunds claimed this year.
Overall retail sales went up only 0.3
percent in March despite a 3.5 per
cent increase in auto sales, the Com
merce Department said.
“If we don’t get some kind of at
least modest improvement in con
sumer spending in the second half
there is nothing left to sustain the re
covery,” economist Sandra Shaber, of
the Chase Econometrics analysis firm,
said after the figures were released.
“The bottom line is that wages and
salaries are extremely weak.”
Ortner was far more optimistic that
consumer spending would pick up
soon. But, “if retail sales do not pick
up there is no recovery,” he said.
For March alone retailers reported
Americans spent $91.5 billion, just
0.7 percent above the level of sales six
months earlier when the recession
was getting worse:
House prepares
DWI legislation
inside
United Press International
AUSTIN — A comprehensive
package of DWI legislation, described
by one lawmaker as an answer to the
public’s “cry for justice” against
drunk drivers, should be ready for
House debate by the end of the
month.
The Senate already has approved a
DWI package by Sen. Bill Sarpalius,
i D-Hereford.
Sarpalius’ proposal — along with
18 House-sponsored bills to increase
penalties for driving while intoxi
cated, aid the prosecution of drunk
drivers and provide treatment for re
peat offenders — were scrutinized
Tuesday by the House Law Enforce
ment Committee.
The committee took no action on
the proposals and will discuss them in
more detail next Monday. Committee
Chairman Wayne Peveto, D-Orange,
said he anticipated a comprehensive
DWI measure would be sent to the
House by April 26.
Sarpalius’ proposal would stiffen
penalties for first offenders and re
peat offenders; require that all con
victions, including probation, be
made part of a driver’s permanent
record; mandate rehabilitative treat
ment for repeat offenders; allow a
person’s refusal to submit to a
breathalizer test to be used as evi
dence in court; define intoxication as
.1 percent blood alcohol level; and
allow insurance companies to assess
higher fees for three years beyond a
person’s DWI conviction.
House Speaker Gib Lewis, who was
criticized early in the session by some
House members who claimed he
wanted to kill DWI proposals, was a
co-sponsor of Sarpalius’ package.
Another bill before the committee
would allow judges to sentence first
time DWI offenders to picking up lit
ter on highways. The measure’s au
thor said the public’s awareness of the
DWI problem would be heightened
when they saw people “with DWI
written across their backs” collecting
trash on roadways.
Around Town
4
Classified
12
Local
3
Opinions
2
Sports
13
State
National
10
Police Beat
4
What’s up
16
forecast
Partly cloudy skies today with a
high of 84. Southerly winds of
around 20 mph. Partly cloudy
tonight with a low near 58. For
Wednesday, a 20 percent chance of
morning showers, otherwise partly
cloudy with a high near 79.