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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 1984)
Page 12/The Battalion/Wednesday,January 25, 1984 1 Inflation rates in 1983 best since Nixon's term to: United Press International C V, I . I WASHINGTON — Con sumer prices rose 0.3 percent in December and just 3.8 percent in all of 1983, the best inflation rate since Nixon administration price controls more than a de cade ago, the government said Tuesday. Only used cars and tobacco showed annual inflation of 10 percent or more last year, a sharp contrast from 1979 when the rate for everything soared to 13.3 percent. Energy prices dropped 0.5 percent last year, the biggest de cline in that area in 20 years, and the most significant break for consumers. “Today’s news is very hear tening, especially for those on fixed incomes,” a White House spokesman said. “We’re on the way to sustained growth with low inflation, and that’s good news for everybody.” Natural gas prices were up only 5.2 percent for the year, not even close to 1982’s 25.4 percent increase. Gasoline prices drop ped 1.6 percent during 1983, climbing just 0.1 percent in De cember. The broad category of fuel oil, bottled gas, and coal costs dropped a record 9.4 percent last year, even though fuel oil alone started to go up in price at the end of December. The 1983 inflation rate, the best since the 3.4 percent of 1971 and 1972, was a more dra matic improvement than com parison with 1982’s 3.9 percent suggests. If the Labor Department switched its Consumer Price In dex to read rents instead of home ownership costs a year earlier, 1982’s inflation rate would have been 5 percent — 1.1 points higher than 1983, the department said. The president’s chief eco nomist, Martin Feldstein, said the CPI reflected the trends throughout the economy. “By virtually every major in flation index, the line is being held on cost,” he said. “Unlike 1972, inflation this year was low without price controls.” Food costs in December, up 0.3 percent, also would have been higher had the price sur vey been later in the month, when a freeze destroyed more than a fifth of Florida’s orange crop and devastated vegetable crops in both Texas and Florida. Food prices for the whole year were up only 2.7 percent, the least since 1976. December’s inflation report promises to be the best for some time, because the January index will register the fuel oil and pro duce surges. But analysts still agree that 1984’s inflation rate should show only gentle acceler ation, to around 5 percent. U.S. water plan criticized Warp United Press International PHILADELPHIA — The Reagan administration’s bat tle plan to protect the nation’s ground water supply states the responsibility — but not the money — to carry out the job, a House subcommittee chairman said Tuesday. Rep. Mike Synar, D-Okla., leveled the charge in a speech to a national conference on water pollution attended by some 360 leading scientists, engineers, environmentalists and government regulators. The Environmental Pro tection Agency was slated to unveil its long-awaited “ground water protection strategy” this month, but the agency has postponed its re lease until May, an EPA spokesman in Washington said Tuesday. Synar, chairman of a House government opera tions subcommittee, said he has learned the agency’s latest draft proposal for protecting precious underground water from toxic chemical contami nation recognizes “states have the primary responsibility for managing and protecting ground water.” “It also indicates that slates are best suited to undertake direct implementation and enforcement of ground water protection programs,” he said, adding the administra tion has “no plans for addi tional Financial assistance to states in carrying out these in creased reponsibilities.” Americans get about half their drinking water from underground storage areas known as aquifers. Some ma jor metropolitan areas are heavily dependent on ground water, including San Antonio, Long Island, N.Y.; Memphis, Tenn.; Dayton, Ohio; Tus- con, Ariz.; and Miami, Fla. “To ask state and local gov ernments to assume greater responsibility in these areas, knowing they lack the neces sary resources and without providing financial support, is simply passing the buck,” Sy nar asserted. The EPA’s proposed ground water policy, he said, would place aquifers into three catagories: • Greatest protection would be given to “special aquifers, defined as those which are especially vulnerable to con tamination, and which are the sole or an essential source of drinking water for a given area, or vital to a sensitiveeco- Br 5 logical system.” P,.; ^ ^ 1 “Second priority would be F given to aquifers currendtLh huh > SIR.. used of potentially usable for drinking water.” • “Lowest priority wouldbe given to aquifers that are not considerea potential sources I of drinking water becauseo( salinity (salt content) or ex isting contamination.” The administration plan also would develop programs to deal with ground water threats from storage tanks and surface waste sites, Synar said. Fhe EPA declined immediate f comment on Synar’s speech, but a top agency water pollu lion official, Marion Mlay.to-1K day will address the two-day H water conference at the presti- f gious Academy of NaturalSci-P| | ^ ences of Philadelphia. ——United “The stabilization of inflation in 1983 is the most remarkable economic achievement of the last three years,” economist Jer ry Jasinowski said, speaking for the National Association of Manufacturers. Cattlemen urged to help government s United Press International PROFESSOR! PUBUSHING The reasons usually men tioned for 1983’s good inflation performance concern the in tense competition with foreign imports for American spending money, and the shortage of cash among those still unemployed or in industries unable to join in the recovery. NEW ORLEANS — U.S. Agriculture Secretary John Block encouraged 4,000 cattle men Tuesday to abandon their wariness of government and join in shaping America’s re lationship with nations around the world. Block praised members of the National Cattlemen’s Asso- "•'•tion for their commitment to tree enterprise, but chided them Here's how it works *********************** ******* 4v — * Professors organize a selection of class readings (check copyright law for legal use of material) and drop the master off at Kinko s. Kinko’s will - - Duplicate it - Assemble Custom Notebooks - Distribute them to your students at a reduced rate Our Professor Publishing Plan is available at no cost to you or your department. kihko's copies 201 COLLEGE 846-8721 MAIN * * * * * * * * * •* * * * * * * * * •* * * * * * * * * ■* * * Ski Winter Park Spring Break Only $330.00 inc. transportation 6 nights lodging 5 day lift passes sleigh ride parties /or more information call •* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ■* * * * * * for standing back when their contributions could help set goals for agriculture and inter national trade. “A strong agricultural eco nomy is essential to maintaining American influence around the world,” he said. “If we are a reliable supplier of food and fiber to other coun tries, we strengthen America throughout the world. An agri culture that is thriving will mean power to America.” As Block and Vice President George Bush addressed the NCA convention, about 20 animal rights acitivists picketed in protest of National Meat Week. The demonstrators en couraged consumers to eat less meat in defiance of the indus try’s current campaign. In his address. Block said there were many crucial ques tions left unanswered about the 1985 farm bill, including who would get government assist ance, and how much would be given. He said input from the cattle men was especially important now — as the American public neared its limit of how much aid it was willing to “shell out." “The broadest participation is what we want,” Block said. “I feel the role of government is creating a climate in which the agriculture industry can contri- OKY< Huhiro d a C bute the most to thiscoumry rdered th; the world.” .5 percent He said he had met rece ear to sat with Chinese Premier Zhilnited St Ziyang during his visit to thebRsday. ited Slates, exploring oplioil The C; for U.S. trade. Though theijBsed a Fi cussions centered on no panirlal last Fr lar commodity, they showMease in great potential, Block said, iscal 198 “ I f you’re looking at a coclpt il, but c try with a billion people, surd'll- there’s something you can Japan’s them," he said. ■delens .ibeial-De I n a sjreech to the NCA’sgt p die Fina eral session, retiring preside^ W.J. Waldrip enchoed i .til for ( altlemen to makeilierl presence felt in 1985 farmler.I lation. Re I \ v ✓ Economist warns against unregulated farm market United United Press International He said many complex issues /T LUBBOCK — Federal farm legislation has seen major revi sions only four times in the last 50 years, state agricultural ex- 1 tension economist Ronald Knut- Culpepper Plaza * son ° f College Station said * 1 1 Tuesday. “Two-thirds of the time we fine tune” farm policy, Knutson told about 120 people attending an annual policy conference sponsored by the extension ser vice. “I think the odds are that we’ll tend to fine tune the 1981 farm bill and I think if we’re not going to go that way then far mers are going to have to get in the middle of the battle,” Knut son predicted of the upcoming farm bill. would be debated by Congress dng the formation of i * * * American Fbssenger ~693-2689~ $ Travel Agency * TV / y ********************* ***^C5i<H«***** 1625 Texas Ave. College Station 693-2689 Candidate for State Representative “Working Togetlier for Brazos County and Texas A£?M University >9 during the formation of the 1985 farm bill, including pro duction control options, target prices and loan rales. The only major changes to farm legislation in the last 50 years came during 1938, 1956, 1965 and 1977, Knutson said, adding the last major change was the establishment of farmer- owned grain reserves. Knutson suggested that target prices should be tied to production costs and a range of production control options should be examined. He warned farmers that minimal govern ment involvement or a free mar ket could be harsh on them. “Free market cotton policies probably would be politically H WASI dent Reaj (million to I 1985 1 velopmen authoritai unacceptable to producers. Dtljne repoi dine in producer number coT bined with increased pricean| Admin income uncertainty likely woutfirmed las be politically intolerable,” Km dent will son said. Hn of su< “Political pressure to depafdGWS from free market policies whK| farm prices are low would t* irresistible—particularly in i years of national elections," I* added. United Several members of a prodii| mgpp ers panel agreed with Knutsoiil|J cha] comments on a free market re |, reseil many,” lai “The free market does note j mernor ist and it will not exist,” si| PUA CO-OP STUDENT ASSOCIATION meeting: THUR. JAN.26 402RUDDER ^ 7 : OOp.m. FIRST SPRING^ MEETING ^ former, present, future co-op's invited Grain Sorghum Produce:{ srae jj s w Association official Robe cain un] Green of Dalhart. He is theassyj s j t ciation’s vice president for lejtl lation. Police em Hill | dinner “We cannout export oun anunymo out of problems,” he addeejives had advocating instead producdo:|ill him, ] controls. Mo bomb Plains Cotton Growers pres: At the dent Tommy FondrenofLoreJfficial v zo agreed American farmeisween Isn would not be able to compeiiurfaced with foreign producersonafretBonn’s p market because they must oHaudi Ar; government regulatiordews as than foreign producers. Featured Speaker MSC Cafeteria Now Better Than Ever. 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Sponsored by College Republicans of TAMU FRIDAY EVENING SATURDAY SUNDAY SPECIAL SPECIAL NOON and EVENING NOON and EVENING > FRIED CATFISH SPECIAL ROAST TURKEY DINNER FILET w TARTAR SAUCE Cole Slaw Hush Puppies Choice of one vegetable Roll or Corn Bread & Butter Tea or Coffee / Yankee Pot Roast Texas Style (Tossed Salad) Mashed Potato w gravy Roll or Corn Bread & Butter Tea or Coffee Served with Cranberry Sauce Cornbread Dressing , Roll or Corn Bread - Butter - Coffee or Tea Giblet Gravy And your choice of any One vegetable ‘Quality First HU