December 12, 19.'U
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HAZARD!
Saturday.aftern(x»n a campus residence was com-
^Bletely destroyed by fire. Total loss has t>een estimated
^t $10,000—>a $6,000 structure with contents Valued at
$4,000 l>eintf wholly demolished. Truly, an unfortunate
occurence.
Hut destructive fires are always unfortunate. The
damages caused often wipes out the savings of a life
time—even life itself. Consequently, it is the duty of
the individual to prevent their starting, and it is the.
obligation of any group to make'adequate* preparations
for the handling of any accidental conflagrations in
such a manner so that their tolls will be as small as
possible.
A A deplorable example of our preparedness in fight
ing fire was given at that fire Saturday. I^tck 4»l co
operation among members of the fire department and
between the department and* on-lookers was glaringly
conspicuous. Such a complete destruction of a building
not more than a half mile from a station housing three
• mouer.i trucks can only point to.one thing—the lack
• of comet methods in using such applicable equipment.
W e are not trying to place blame of this destruc
tion upon anyone or upon the-department. That is not
< ur purpose hpre. Ft is true that th^fire occurred at a
most inopj>ortune time—a Saturday afternoon when J
only fivj of the twenty-three men of the volunteer or
ganization'were available. Those five undoubtedly di.i
their job as efficiently as possible.
However, fires are inconsiderate in their time of
occurrence, and type of occurrence. We should be pre
pared to combat effectively any kind of fire at any
time. ‘
The thought of a fire in any of the dormitories
with the present crowded conditions is at least sober
ing. The new buildings -here represent enormous sums
of money, and unnecessary damage by fire would be
flkmentable. Destruction of one house has forcibly
brought to light the fallacies of the present method of
fire control on the campus. Will that also s*»fW4? to
foster needed remedies to guard against possible
greater loss in tht* future?
Soppose. this .particular fire had been in one of
the. hails in the middle of the night!
LOPEZ
Patrons of the Entertainment Series were de
lighted Friday night with the concert of Vincent
Lopez in Guion Hall. The. master-musician of tender
Melodies provided an hour and a half of entertainment.
that apparently met with the approval of students,'
faculty,, and Bryan people, alike.
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We agree that his jazz was, perhaps, “incom
parable", however we are forced to report his deeper
. music, in places at least, as somewhat labored. A few
times, downright harsh. The rendition of “Bolero"
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allowed quite a scattering of tones to creep out of the
harmonious fever and become disappointingly strident. *
However, we are still willing to congratulate him for
making effort to please the entire audience.
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Commendation is in order for Raymond Kerr,
social secretary of the senior class, who proceeded to
aid Jack Ferguson in bringing Lopez here after the
seniors had voted their unwillingness to cooperate. The
proposition was that Lopez should play for the senior
“Ring Dance". That the dance following the concert
turned out to Ik* a financial success (as well as social)
is for Kerr only a deserved-good fortune.
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SAAR BASIN
As the new year approaches, anxiety in European
circles, over the outcome of th^ Saar plebiscite, sche
duled for January IS, Increases daily by leaps and
bounds. Questions are: To he or not to be Nazi; and,
to Ik* or not to be German, /v
The rich little mining territory (and the rest of
the world also!) is all agog over the election which
will determine w hether the .fabulous wealth, represent
ed by the large iron and coal deposits, will revert to
France, or to Germany, or remain under status quo.
At present, France has control of the mines, but
the territory itself is under the supervision of the Saar
Governing Committee, created by the league of Na
tions in 1920. Chairman of the committee is Geoffrey
G. Knox of Great Britaiir.
The outcome, which probably’ has the question of
war or peace for the*world, depends indirectly upon
^ the Catholic Church. The Httle knot of land harbors
over a 70 per cent Catholic population. And, if the
Vatican suggests an anti-Nazi policy, an antj-Nazi
policy it will !>e—and no joke! As the Church is still*
thumbing its nose at Hitler, there appears little likeli
hood that the vote will favor him. However, if the
demagogue can think up an attractive bargain, trading
leniency toward German Catholic;* for the endorsement
of the Hope, he may Ik* able to pull the tide his way in
time.
But, we tremble at such a prospect!
German control would mean: a loss of liberty to
the miners', a constriction of Europe Is coal and iron
industry (today Saar exports coal into France with no
duty imposed—a condition that arould cease to exist
the moment the Basin fell into Hitlerto hands) ; an eco
nomic shake-up (Germany would either have to issue
marks, in yrder to obtain the francs held by the Saar
population and thus be able to pay France for the min
es, or she would have to produce the nrioney elsewhere,
something Very dangerous, as foreign financiers are,
a.ready casting critical glances) ; and an increasing
enmity between Germany and France (France would
undoubtedly erect fortifications on-the Saar boundary)..
We jjope that the Vatican makes no concession! •