Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 17, 1986)
Battalion Serving the University community ol. 83 No. 137 CISPS 075360 12 pages College Station, Texas oxic gas rms in ilding By Craig Renfro Staff Writer itoxic chemical was released n , tr mi k broken 5-pound bottle, form- ■tentially harmful vapors in the lemistry Building, but no damage sdpne, a department official said |di|esday. B Bi Cartel, academic business ad- _er lor the chemistry department, incident happened in the dilferen Imjcal storeroom basement when rdinganlfpfund bottle of white phospho- ids plat us bi oke. ■ recomjH'ee people were in the room IJBthe bottle broke, but no one Jffljured, Carter said. The entire Kg was evacuated to avoid Bnhalation, he said. For more than an hour, toxic va- RWtyuBmld be seen coming out of the ildaig, as classes were postponed d hundreds of students looked on. . - l^n white phosphorous reacts 3 ani lh Ixygen it forms phosphorous ntoMde, which is a toxic chemical, . ^Br. Michael Rosynek, associate Trill b the chemistry department, rrponen Bliemical makes a f ine white iwdfi which looks like smoke, Ro- c madf nellsaid. ?nts. Ht RoLnek said a small amount can ii sars \ lew b Photo by John Makely Ron Carter, academic business adviser for the tion firefighter the cause of the toxic fumes, chemistry department, explains to a College Sta- which formed in the Chemistry Building. Khadafy condemns U.S., says Libyans ready to fight, die W lot of smoke, but there is no jiger as long as the the toxic sub- nce is not inhaled. If inhaled, the emical acts as a dehydrating agent lich can burn the respiratory sys- n, he said. 'Mtfking sure the building was icuated was the biggest safety con- n,” he said. “Now it’s just a matter letting it air out, until it’s safe to back in.” : ire chief Morgan Cook said Fire- hters were spraying dry chemicals belp ventilate the area. The fire- iitersalso used a ventilation fan to pdear the smoke, he said. ‘Trying to keep everyone out is r ftiain concern right now,” Cook ABabout 4:30, Carter said the Iding was clear of any danger, i students and workers were al- edjto return to the building. TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — Moam- mar Khadafy emerged from two days’ seclusion late Wednesday, con demned the United States for its air attack on Libya and vowed that his people are ready to fight on and die. But the Libyan leader, whose baby daughter w-as reported killed in the raid, told Americans, “We will not kill your children. We are not like you, we do not bombard cities.” Khadafy’s appearance on Libyan television, during which he dis claimed responsibility for anti- American terror attacks, dispelled speculation he had left the country or been killed or seriously injured in the Tuesday morning air raid of U.S. warplanes that dumped one bomb just 10 yards from the Kha dafy residence here. Earlier Wednesday night, anti-air craft fire streaked the skies over Tri poli for a second day and gunfire ri cocheted around the headquarters compound. Government officials denied the street gunfire signaled factional fighting. Anti-aircraft crews first opened up Wednesday afternoon at what of ficials said was a high-flying U.S. re connaissance jet. A Washington source acknowledged that recon naissance planes had flown over this north Af rican nation. The Libyans also said there were new U.S. air attacks Wednesday against Tripoli and towns south and east of here. But the Pentagon den ied it. / For almost two full days after the damaging U.S. air bombardment of Tripoli, Khadafy had remained out of sight. Earlier Wednesday, he failed to appear for a promised meeting with journalists at his head- quarters. Then, at 11:15 p.m. (3:15 p.m. CST), the Libyan leader appeared on state television. “We are ready to die and we are ready to carry on fighting and de fending our country,” he declared, speaking in Arabic. The attacks, which the United States said were targeted on five se curity and military installations in Tripoli and the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, also severely damaged a civilian neighborhood in Tripoli and killed at least 100 people. Khadafy’s 15-month-old daughter was killed in the raid. Khadafy said Reagan “should be put on trial as a war criminal and murderer of chil dren.” Thursday, April 17, 1986 Khadafy said to have fled from Tripoli WASHINGTON (AP) — The Reagan administration on Wednes day received intelligence indicating that Moammar Khadafy had fled his Tripoli headquarters and gone into the Libyan desert, government sources said. They said Khadafy might have been wounded in Mon day night’s raid. Speculation of a coup in Libya moved through Washington, and Defense Secretary Caspar Wein berger said reports of gunfire in Tri poli could indicate that “there may well be some people . . . who are try ing to take matters into their own hands.” One government of ficial, who re fused to be identified by name, said it seemed likely Khadafy was “some place in the middle of the desert” and had flown there within the past day. “He has several times before gone into the desert when things got tight in Tripoli,” the official said, adding that there have been tensions be tween Khadafy’s East German- trained guards and the regular army. “He recharges his batteries in the desert,” the official added. “Whether there’s more to it this time or not, we just don’t know.” The sources said information reaching Washington indicated that Khadafy may have been wounded during the Monday night air raids. Khadafy ended speculation that he had been killed with a television ap pearance in which he blasted the Reagan administration for the bombing. Gunfire in Tripoli around Khada fy’s headquarters fueled speculation about factional fighting. One con gressional source said elements op posed to Khadafy were “back in town.” Another congressional source said the administration had See related stories, page 7 received reports of fighting else where in Libya, outside T ripoli. U.S. intelligence received reports that gunfire near Khadafy’s Tripoli headquarters was not merely re newed anti-aircraft fire from nei - vous Libyan gunners. The administration professed un certainty about developments. White House deputy press secre tary Edward Djerejian, “We cannot confirm the state of his health and w r e cannot confirm his actual where abouts or whether he has been in jured.” The intelligence information indi cated that Khadafy may have been injured, or at the very least stunned and that his out-of-sight posture may have been contributing to un rest there. On the GBS Evening News, Wein berger was asked whether Khadafy u'as losing his grip on the Libyan government. “There may u'ell be some people — and there are a lot of them — who have every reason to be unhappy with him, who are trying to take mat ters into their own hands, in other words, people who read the lesson that this attack was supposed to ad minister,’’ he said. ABC News, quoting U.S. intelli gence sources, said there were re ports of mutiny at the Tarkunah army base, south of Tripoli. The network said there were reports that Libyan air strikes were, used against Libyan army units. However, the network said there w'as no indication any particular group had moved to seize power. Meanwhile, the State Department See Khadafy, page 8 •use Republicans stop bate on aid to Contras WASHINGTON (AP) House Republicans used a sur prise tactic Wednesday to abruptly stop House consider ation of President Reagan’s SI00 million Nicaraguan aid proposal, saying they wanted to divorce it fom an unrelated spending bill RBgan badly wants to veto. ■emocrats claimed the Repub licans acted out of desperation ^ftuse they did not have the votes to defeat a key proposal op posed by the White House. Both sides agreed the issue of Contra aid is not dead and will re- surfjace, perhaps under different ground rules, within a few weeks. femlie Republican minority pulled its surprise by voting for JtRunendment that would have snded the Reagan program of aiding the anti-Sandinista gueril las in Nicaragua — an amend ment that had been widely ex pected to fail. As a consequence, the amend ment by Rep. Lee Hamilton, D- Ind., passed 361-66 with only one Republican opposing it. It would bar all aid to the Contras while making $27 million available for Nicaraguan refugees. The unexpected ploy, which blocked consideration of an amendment opposed by the White House, was characterized by GOP leaders as a move to free the aid plan from a $1.7 billion catch-all spending bill Reagan says is “pork barrel” legislation See Contra aid, page 8 Aggie Muster 'Roll call for the absent will be held Monday in coliseum By Sue A. Krenek Reporter Former Texas A&M students worldwide will gather Monday for Muster, the traditional ceremony honoring Aggies who have died dur ing the past year. The Muster ceremony, which is combined with a Silver Taps cere mony for the dead, features a “roll call for the absent.” As the names of those who have died during the year are called, classmates answer “here” and students light candles for each one. The largest Muster will be held at 8 p.m. in G. Rollie White Coliseum. Sharon Gibson, Muster ’86 commit tee sub-chairman, says Muster is be ing held later in the day than usual so students returning from the long weekend can attend. Classes will not be held Monday because San Jacinto Day has been declared a state holi day in celebration of the Texas Ses- quicentennial. Gibson says the ceremony will combine the Muster for current stu dents and faculty, the Brazos County A&M Club’s Muster and the 50-year reunion of the Class of’36. This year’s speaker will be A.W. “Head” Davis, Class of ’45, an attor ney for the local firm of Davis & Da vis Attorneys. Davis was the 1983 president of the Association of For mer Students. Gibson says the committee expects an . excellent Muster because “Mr. Davis is really excited and really mo tivated about the ceremony, and we’re really looking forward to it.” More than 300 Musters also will be held worldwide Monday. Almost half will be held in Texas, but more than 120 are scheduled in 42 states and 44 have been planned for 34 foreign countries including Czecho slovakia, Indonesia and Kuwait. All will feature roll calls, and the names of the deceased will be called at the Muster closest to their homes. Gibson says this year’s ceremony is a first because it will be broadcast live to Aggies throughout the United States and in much of Mexico and Canada on A&M’s new microwave transmitter. Home satellite viewers will receive - the program, which will begin with a See Muster, page 8 r JH nil lachtman’s complaint against Sims dismissed j By Frank Smith Staff Writer I I complaint filed by former can- ate Mike Hachtman calling for disqualification of Student Body sident Mike Sims was unani- usl\ rejected Monday night by Student Government Judicial ird. ims described the board’s deci- i as being “just,” and added, “I the complaints held no water.” lachiman filed the complaint tda\ morning with the election funiision and was informed Tues- night that the commission den- hisirequest. The complaint was rred to the judicial board for re- !. fidicial Board Chairwoman Ma- 'n Yanta said Wednesday that the board reviewed the complaint Monday night and “reached a unani mous decision that it didn’t have any substance.” In the complaint, Hachtman said Sims should be disqualified because his campaign violated the election regulations on several counts. The first part of the complaint- said statements on Sims’ behalf had been made on the air by disc jockeys of local radio station KORA-FM during the campaign. Hachtman cited an election regulation requir ing all gifts and campaign materials used by any candidate to be assessed a market value by the election com missioners and subtracted from the candidate’s campaign fund. Hacht man said he was not offered equal time on the station, so the comments supporting Sims should have been considered advertisements and thus charged to Sims’ campaign — which Hachtman said would push Sims over the $300 campaign spending limit. However, Yanta said the pro-Sims comments were considered public- service announcements since no evi dence of a monetary transaction be tween Sims’ campaign and the radio station existed. Sims, who works as an announcer at KTAM, said, "As broadcasters, we are allowed to editorialize as long as we disclaim that it’s not the opinion of the station or its management. That’s exactly what those people were doing was editorializing their own opinions.” Hachtman also charged that Sims’ campaign signs were still standing at 8 p.m. on April 11, almost 48 hours after the runoff election polls closed. “This was well past the deadline set by the election commission,” the complaint said. Thus, Hachtman said, Sims should have been charged a $15 fine. And since the $5 filing fee can didates pay is subtracted from their campaigns, Hachtman said the fine also should have been deducted f rom Sims’ campaign. Yanta said even if Sims had been fined, it would not have affected his expenditures. “A penalty fee is not something you budget for,” Yanta said. “(But) See Hachtman, page 8 Sims sworn in as head of SG By Frank Smith Staff Writer Mike Sims was sworn in Wednesday night as 1986-87 Texas A&M student body presi dent. Judicial Board Chairwoman Madelon Yanta administered the oath to Sims before members of the newly-elected Student Senate. Student Government officials are required to take the oath as a result of a constitutional amend ment, which was given final ap proval in the April 2 student elec tions. Yanta also swore in Douglas Baird as chairman of the external affairs committee: Jose Castro, chairman of student services; Jerry Dingmore, chairman of aca demic affairs; and Spence McClung, chairman of finance. In addition, the 48 senators present were sworn in together. Sims extended a welcome to the senators, telling them that through the senate they have the opportunity to excel and learn, but he charged them to always re member the senate’s primary goal of serving other students.