Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1931)
4 THE BATTALION THE E ATT A LI C) N Student weekly publication of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at College Station, Texas, under the Act of Congress, March 3, 1879. Subscription by the year, $1.75. EDITORIAL STAFF ROBT. L. HERBERT C. V. ELLIS M. J. BLOCK T. B. KETTERSON G. M. WRENN J. L. KEITH T. S. ROOTS FRANK W. THOMAS JR. W. J. FAULK C. M. EVANS A. C. MOSER JR D. B. McNERNEY P. J. JOHN H. G. SEELIGSON II P. E. GRIFFIN Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor Art Editor Associate Art Editor Sports Editor Assistant Sports Editor News Editor Associate News Editor Associate News Editor Associate News Editor Reporter Reporter BUSINESS R. N. WINDERS Business Manager W. F. FRANKLIN Assistant Business Manager W. J. NEUMAN Circulation Manager HOWARD HEDGES Advertising Manager RETURNING LIBRARY BOOKS Considerable trouble has been caused members ot the statf at the library, since its occupancy of the new building, with late re turned books. Notice for the return of books is sent out in most cases before books are due but response to such notices has been lax. If quantities of the various volumes in the library were un limited, only the usual fine would be imposed on delinquents and further effort to obtain the books would not be expended. But since in most cases only one copy of the book is in possession of the library, it is desirable that books be returned on or previous to the date due so that circulation may be more complete and so that those who might actually use the books have such an opportunity SPEAKING OF MUSIC The Engineer Battalion is to be complimented, we think, on their selection of a campus orchestra to play for their annual ball on the night of April 9. The tendency of campus clubs and other organizations here to bring outside orchestras to the college to play for their special dances has been growing too much of late. In the past there has been some criticism of the local orches tras in that, they didn’t play long enough and that their intermis sions were too many and too long. If the length of the intermis sions is to be taken as a criterion, and if the outside orchestras are to be taken as examples, the local groups of musicians, we think, should be rated as above par. The rest periods at all of the special dances this year for which outside musicians have been imported to play have been longer and more frequent than any of those during the regular corps dances at which one of the campus orchestras furnished the music. There are practical considerations also to the retention of campus musicians to play for the dances. Their rates are cheaper and they always are available for service. The very heart of all campus social activity, the corps dances, also would be threatened if the home orchestras were forced to disband, for it would be well nigh impossible to import a special orchestra every time there was such an affair. Members of the local orchestras use their earning to defray a part of their college expense, and, if outside musicians are brought here to do the work that students are prfectly capable of doing, prospective members of the band and of the orchestras probably would change their minds about coming to A & M if they were to learn that the cadet corps thought so little of their own orchestras that it went elsewhere for its dance music. THE HONORARY DEGREE RACKET From now to June, there will be many meetings in closed chambers, much pulling of wires, and numerous announcements from American colleges and universities concerning that coming racket—the awarding of honorary degrees. Indeed, names of prospective honorees have already been mentioned. Historically, honorary degrees and the admittance to certain persons into learned societies were intended as signs of recogni tion for unusual accomplishments in learning, for overwhelming success and devotion to scientific pursuits, and for consecrated service to the public welfare. If men labored year after year, un dergoing privations and lack of wordly goods in order to find new truth ; if they did common things uncommonly well; if they served their fellows unselfishly, other men sought to reward them. Men of learning would be elected to the academies, while others would be knighted by the king or given high office in the service of his countries. In the countries of the Old World the election to learned so cieties or recognition from the Crown is still regarded as a dis tinctive honor. Here in America where there are no hereditary monarchs and where the learned societies have not yet taken on the prestige and reverence of antiquity and outstanding leadership, and Where mere political office has no charm for the masses of the people, it is becoming a fashion for institutions of learning to hand out honorary degrees at commencement time—in some way, to pay honor to whom honor is due. There can be no fundamental opposition to the conferring of honorary degrees, so long as the universities, the public, and the receiver of the honor know exactly the basis upon which the degree is given. But the growing tendency seems to be one of peddling iegrees to too many of those persons whose only significant ser vice has been the contribution to an endowment fund or some other “death bed” philanthropy to hide a questionable past, and to those who have no claim for honor on their own achievements and who 3hine only in the reflection of the particular office they hold, an office whose intrinsic worth exists regardless of the incumbent. Under these circumstances, honorary degrees become meaning- ess, and empty, and their awarding resolves itself into nothing more than a specious racket.—Daily Cardinal. Bryan Nursery & Floral Co. Your Mother and Sweet heart will appreciate flowers for— EASTER Bryan 266-R1 Bryan THE DOVE NEST Those pacificists who paint our military training a Prussian blue, the trusting, innocent souls, are not only misinformed, but are idealistic to believe that the entire nature of the race can be swerved to peace by preaching and example, when the drinking habits of our nation haven’t been touched by thirteen years of effort. The victim of the greedy is the weak. Are we to stand openly by while the evolutionary trend of the mind of man turns him to the donning of the white? A policy of unpreparedness is the final step in the fattening of one’s self for slaughter. How naive one must be, to believe that our country, in the guise of a lamb, can lead the wolves of the world to bow before the dove and don the olive branch. The path to peace must be cleared of all economic tangles, the mind and nature of man must first be changed, the thirst for power mu first be quenched, then, and only then may the lamb lead, not wolves, but other lambs. In Iowa, a bill to abolish compulsory military training, was defeated. “I am not militaristic, but a iover of peace,” said a rep resentative Greene, at the close of the debate, “Not at any price, but peace with self-respect. The duty of national defense rests equally upon all Americans. If it is fair for my boy, it’s fair for your’s. No doubt, the pacifists are sin cere. Is it possible, that they are misinformed or influenced indi rectly by foreign propaganda ? HAVE You seen the NEW Model Miniature Ring-? We have it at our store and are taking orders now for delivery by R. V. It’s priced at $10.50 f. o. b. Bryan, College, DENTON! SANKEY PARK Diamonds Silver Watches Reign Of Youth Near End, Will Durant Says CLEVELAND, O.—The reign of youth in the world today is about due to end in a puritanical revolution, Dr. Will Durant, author of books on phil osophy and kindred subjects and for mer professor of philosophy at Colum bia University, said recently in an in terview here. ‘ The predominance of youth in mod ern affairs,” he said, “is due partly to the large unsettled population caused by late marriages and partly to the fact that most of the newspaper writ ers and reviewers are young people.” “Youth has been holding an epicu rean riot in our big cities; but like all things, they run themselvesout in time. The new clothes may be an in dication of the trend. Perhaps long- skirts will bring long marriages.” Durant, who is 46 years old, made a tour of India recently which he said has cured him of any inclination he might ever have had to “pan” his na tive country. He is “sick and tired” of jeojje who run America down and be lieves that most Americans suffer _rom a national inferiority complex. “New York is, I believe, the most beauiixul and interesting city in the world \.oday,” he said. “America excells, in modern arch itecture. Indeed, Europe is sending- architects by ’ he boatload to study our skyscrapers. And we undoubtedly lead the world in gen crosity. “People talk about Americans chas ing the almighty dollar. Why, most Europeans are far greedier than we are. They criticize us because they want what twe’ve got. And China— why, there a man will let you kill him if you pay him enough money.” I believe that to the rightly con stituted mind New York City may be just as romantic as Vermont.—-Will iam Lyon Phelps. CAMPUS BARBER IN THE “Y” SHOP L. Stop by the shop after or between classes- We are ready to serve you Bert Smith, Prop. The Seaboard Life Insurance Company An Established — Legal Reserve — Texas Institution Honest Service — Expert Advice Hershel Burgess—Representative Col. Ike Ashburn Agency AGGIELAND GROCERY MAKE OUR STORE YOUR HEADQUARTERS FOR EATS, DRINKS AND TOBACCO FISH—RUN THOSE FISH ERRANDS OUR WAY FOR EATS ACROSS THE STREET FROM EXCHANGE STORE R. P. ANDREWS, Proprietor AGGIELAND BARBER SHOP NEXT TO AGGIELAND PHARMACY Let us show you how fine a good shave, sham poo or haircut can make you feel! R. W. IVY, PROP.