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
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NEXT TO AGGIELAND PHARMACY
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