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The Battalion
STUDENT TRI-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF
TEXAS A. & M. COLLEGE
The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and
Mechanical College of Texas and the city of College Station, is
published three times weekly from September to June, issued
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings; and is published
week y from June through August.
Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at College
Station, Texas, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879.
Subscription rate, $3 a school year. Advertising rates upon
request.
Office, Room 122, Administration Building. Telephone
4-5444.
REPRESENTED FOR NATIONAL ADVERTISING BY
National Advertising Service, Inc.
College Publishers Representative
420 Madison Ave. New York. N. Y.
CHICAGO • BOSTON • LOS ANGSLIS • SAN FRANCISCO
STAFF
BILL MURRAY ...
LARRY WEHRLE ..
James Critz
E. C. (Jeep) Oates
H. G. Howard
“Hub” Johnson
Phil Golman
John J. Moseley ...
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Associate Editor
Sports Editor
Circulation Manager
Intramural Editor
Staff Photographer
Staff Artist
Editor’s Note: We regret our inability at the present time
to carry our complete staff in the masthead, but following staff
organization Tuesday night we will be able to do so.
Battalion Policy
The primary hope of this year’s Battalion Staff
is to publish a newspaper which will be enjoyed
by all the members of the student body, as well as
by all other subscribers. We hope we will be able
to arrange for complete news coverage, and that
we can present the news in a pleasing fashion.
Though not stifling editorial expression, we in
tend to maintain an editorial policy as construc
tive and cooperative as possible at all times, rather
than one destructive or malicious in either spirit or
purpose. We will, of course, offer constructive
criticism from time to time, as is the right and duty
of all newspapers, student and otherwise. But at the
same time, we will also give praise where praise
is due.
We shall give opportunity for expression to all
members of the student body and other readers. We
will print in “Open Forum” any contribution which
is truthful and of value, not malicious or libelous,
that any subscriber may submit. We require, how
ever, that all contributions be signed.
We welcome any considered opinion, criticism,
suggestion, comment, or contribution that will help
us to present a newspaper that will ever more com
pletely satisfy you, its readers.
New Registration System
As a whole. The Battalion feels that the Regis
trar’s Office and the college authorities are to be
congratulated on the new registration system just
inaugurated. It succeeded in registering nearly six
thousand boys methodically, efficiently, and com
paratively quickly. It is a step—a long one—in the
right direction.
However, a few weaknesses were apparent.
First of all, registrants part of the time were
turned loose at the Assembly Hall to continue • part
of their registration with the Military Department
and Commandant’s Office in the Academic Building,
faster than it was possible for these groups to take
care of them. At least four men were kept working
constantly on each alphabetical group in the Aca
demic Building, and they were kept working as
fast as possible; but they at times had too great
numbers to take care of.
Second, at about eleven a. m. a large group
began to accumulate outside the Academic Building,
and soon a line of several hundred students fully
a block long formed, and was kept waiting about
two hours, out in the hot sun. Many of them missed
dinner; some left to eat dinner but lost their place
in line. This long wait, wearisome as it was, proved
enough to turn several hundred students against
the new registration system completely. Who can
blame them? Anyone in their place might have felt
the same way.
And third, after dinner the line that had
accumulated, of course went on through to the
Administration Building to register. Naturally
enough they would want to. However, according
to the plans, new letter groups, and only those
- sertainr'-gTtmp3,' ef e '~supposed to'register at that
time; and the addition of several hundred held up
in registering created undue crowding and con
fusion.
This completes, we believe, the major complaints.
We hope that by next registration time a plan
may be adopted which will continue the merits of the
present system and eliminate its defects.
But we still feel, of course, that the present
system is the most efficient plan that has yet been
tried out. Much of the tiresome waiting in line in
the Main Building, the crowding conditions, the
confusion and unnecessary delays, were done away
with. Registration traffic was kept more even, and
there was more room for registrants.
We think that the system is probably the fairest
that could be devised. The usual “two per cent”
who in the past have forged ahead in line by push
ing and by artful tricks were no longer able to get
their assignment cards ahead of anyone else; for
the cards were not available until the scheduled
time. The system is impartial to all classes. By
rotating the alphabetical groups each registration
time, the same letter group will never be either first
or last twice successively.
Of course, there are “gripes”; that is to be ex
pected about any change, even when it is obviously
a great improvement over the old set-up. It is
natural for seniors, for instance, to be disgruntled
at not being allowed their customary first-place
in line; but most seniors as well as men of other
classes, we believe, will come to admit the essential
fairness and efficiency of the new system, and wel
come it as a considerable improvement over the
old. But as a whole, we repeat our belief that the
new system is an improvement, and hope that it
may be brought to perfection in the near future.
Few new ideas work perfectly the first time they
are tried out.
A Word to the Fish
Now that football season is under way, the
annual crop of “pep” signs is making its appear
ance.
These banners serve a good purpose in welding
school spirit; but if they are not watched carefully,
an undesirable result may follow.
For A. & M.’s home games, thousands of people
from all over the state are in College Station.
These people will take back home an impression of
the school and its students from the things they
witness and encounter on the campus.
If they find clever banners, theirs will be a
good impression. But if they read vulgar, obscene
language, then A. & M. will get a blot.
Furthermore, if objectionable signs are put up
by the freshmen, the Commandant’s Office will be
forced to remove them for the sake of decency. There
is no need for them to have to be “censored.”
If freshmen will attempt to make cleverness
take the place of the vulgarity which has in the
past often been the keynote of the banners, A. & M.
will gain all around.
DORMITORY ROMEO: A University of Flor
ida collegian has his own “correspondence club.” It’s
made up of 18 women in 16 U. S. cities, and he claims
he knows them all. He made our reporter promise
not to divulge his name—for most obvious reasons!
Exam Exemptions
The adoption last year of the present system of
exemptions from final examinations was much more
than a routine administrative act. It constituted a
serious and somewhat drastic alteration of the
A. & M. educational policy. Still more important
than that, it represented an expression of continued
good faith by administrative officials in the Aggies’
stability of mentality and judgement.
The idea for the exemption system originated
among progressive student leaders. It received the
unofficial but obviously wholehearted approval of a
majority of the student body. Thus the ultimate
adoption of the system by the executive powers was
undisputedly made in response to popular student
demand. The Aggies are thereby charged with the
serious responsibility of justifying the faith shown
in them by proving that exemption from final
examinations will accomplish the purpose for which
it was intended—that of providing a greater in
centive for serious study which will result in the
elevation of scholastic standards at A. & M. College.
There can be little doubt that thus far the idea
has been as successful as it is popular. The respon
sibility for its continued success or ultimate failure
rests entirely upon the student body.
Discussion in educational circles of the possi
bility of the continued success of A. & M.’s new
examination scheme has not been entirely optimis
tic. As a representative of the Aggies and as one
of the exemption system’s strongest advocates, The
Battalion is firm in the strong belief that exemption
from final examinations for students of high schol
astic standing has proved satisfactory thus far, is
proving satisfactory now, and will continue to prove
satisfactory in the future.
The Aggies started it—and they have a repu
tation for finishing what they start!
—Bob Gulley
Optical phenomena is employed to heighten color
effects at the New York World’s Fair. Thus, the
entrance into the golden zone will be painted blue-
violet. As visitors emerge from the entrance, their
eyes will be “fatigued” for blue-violet and its com
plementary color, yellow, will appear even more
brilliant than under normal circumstances.
As= ~ =[
The World Turns
BY DR. R. L. STEEN
For millions of American boys
September, 1939, means simply the
beginning of another year in college.
Yet the more pessimistic—or perhaps
the more realistic—observers - are
convinced that many of them will lay
aside scholastic activities long before
June, 1940.
This opinion is based on the fact
that European boys are even now be
ing equipped with rifles and ushered
off to the trenches. The long-rumor
ed European war is at hand, and
many Americans believe that the United States will
have to take part in it within a relatively short
time. It is to be hoped that these fears are ill-
founded, but a fair view of the situation must take
into account the fact that it is most difficult for a
major power whose people have definite opinions to
remain at peace.
Surveys conducted by Fortune and by the
American Institute of Public Opinion indicate that
only one American out of 100 wants Germany to
win the war, while 17 out of 20 want France and
England to win. The many Americans whose sym
pathies are definitely with the Allies constitute
a fertile ground for Allied propaganda. The sym
pathies of the American government seem also to
be with the Allies. It is obvious that the United
States does not intend to think neutral. It is to be
hoped that she can act neutral.
The Congress of the United States is now in
session to consider the President’s request for re
peal of the arms embargo, which forbids the sale
of instruments of war to belligerent nations. The
Allies are anxious that the act be repealed, for re
peal will make more easily available to them—
probably on a cash-and-carry basis—American guns,
munitions, airplanes, and other war materials.
Present indications are that the act will be repealed.
It would seem, however, that-repeal is not so
vital an issue as it is sometimes made to appear.
Naive indeed is the advocate of isolation who thinks
that the embargo act will prevent American war
materials reaching the European powers. It would
seem to be simply a question of whether they go
directly from the United States to the warring
nations, or through the hands of a third nation.
THE BATTALION
BACKWASH
By
George fuermann
“Backwash: An asritation resulting from some action or occurrence.” (Webster).
Fuermann
The way of things . . . Thursday
and Friday have been tentatively
named as “contact your Aggies”
days at T.S.C.W.’s
amateur r a d i o
station . . . And
here’s one of the
first opinions on
the new dorms as
coming from Paul
Stach: “I like the
new dorms fine,
but the lights of
the Rice Hotel
keep me awake
nights.” . . . Back to our sister
school again: it appears that their
current enrollment may be slightly
less than last long session’s be
cause of limited housing facilities—
but 2,628 had registered through
last Friday . . . Buster Keeton over
heard a waitress in one of Bryan’s
cafes rightfully point out “Gee, no;
don’t mess with any of them Ag
gies. If you fight one ya gotta
fight 6,000 of ’em.”
•
Conceived by “Bugs” Tate, who
had observed the manner of the
female species at a local estab
lishment of gastronomic refresh
ment one recent night, the quip
that “pigs is pigs, but—is women
ladies?” adds a new angle to the
old saying.
A new height in something or
other was noticed in the home of
one of A. & M.’s professors last
week. A dog shop in one of our
neighboring cities had mailed out
advertising in respect to its canine
merchandise. No ordinary adver
tising this—the advertising was
not done by the more usual form
of a catalog. Oh no, this firm used
a “Dogalo.”
•
It seems a little early in the
semester for such things to happen,
but an Infantryman was overheard
lamenting that “I'm in quite a fix:
I have to write an essay on a book
which I haven’t read.”
“Well,” answered his companion
encouragingly, “lots of guys have
done that and gotten away with it.
A little bulling does the trick.”
“The trouble Is,” Jimmy came
back, “I have to compare it with
another book which I also haven’t
read.”
1904 was the class when men
were willing to take a chance.
Summoned to the administrative
office, Jones (we’ll call him Jones,
anyway) faced the Dean.
“Jones,” said the Dean, “can you
explain these thirty cuts?”
No reply.
“Well, what do you think we
ought to do about it?”
After thinking for awhile about
this question, Jones decided to give
the Dean a fair chance.
“Well,” he replied, “I’ll match
you—double or nothing!”
If you’ve ever wondered what
would happen if you were to look
for a person you knew didn’t exist,
- TUESDAY, SEPT. 26, 1939
ask “Gat” Garrison, Ernie Steph
ens, Pete Tumlinson, or Bob Lynch.
While in Hearne the other night,
the gang went inquiring as to the
whereabouts of a fictitious Mr. J.
W. Walliker.
Number one reply of the evening
was a cafe owner’s informative bit
(which came after much head-
scratching and deliberation) “Mr.
Walliker only comes to town on
Saturdays.”
Three issues of the paper in a
week is going to provide the op
portunity to pick a few more shows
to pieces. The shows discussed will
be spread out as evenly as possible
throughout the theaters around,
but always the show with the most
possibilities will rate a discussion.
Possibilities can include bad traits
as well as good ones.
The show under fire is “Golden
Boy”. Barbara Stanwyck, Adolphe
Menjou, and William Holden carry
the leading roles. Several observa
tions could be made regarding the
possibilities of this show. First,
the cast is a good one. Stanwyck
and Menjou are old troupers and
always good. Holden is a recent
Hollywood pickup making his first
appearance before the camera. He
does remarkably well for a begin
ner. Next, the story is rather stale,
and in fact without the able acting
on Menjou and Stanwyck the pic
ture could hardly be rated an out
standing show.
An interesting sidelight on the
show comes from the fact that the
board of censors has unofficially
set the limit for a screen kiss at
six seconds. William Hhlden, a bit
nervous over facing the camera
for the first time, was not com
forted any by the presence of Bar
bara Stanwyck’s husband, Robert
Taylor, on the set, and consequent
ly his first kiss probably set a
record for speed—two-fifths of 6ne
second!
In brief the story concerns young
Joe Bonaparte as a young violinist
who is too poor to carry on his
study of music. To remedy the sit
uation he turns to boxing. Through
the able managing of Tom Moody,
Joe immediately climbs to fame.
As his renown increases also does
his love for Moody’s fiance. Real
izing that he must choose between
the fame and publicity of the box
ing game or the love of Lorna and
the poverty of a musician, Joe en
ters the ring against the title con
tender, the Chocolate Drop. An un
expected turn of events during the
fight helps him to make up his
mind. To guess his decision would
be a cinch. However, even so,
there is still no indication as to the
reason for naming the show “Gold
en Boy”. Any and all explanations
accepted.
Another good show is playing at
the Assembly Hall this week,
“Young Mr. Lincoln” starring
Henry Fonda. This one was thor-
Attorney-General
Names Barger State
Committee Member
The appointment of J. Wheeler
Barger, head of the Department
of Agricultural Economics at Texas
A. & M., as a member of a Com
mittee for Texas on Inter-State
Cooperation was announced last
Saturday by Attorney-General Ger
ald Mann. The function of the com
mittee is to assist the Attorney-
General’s office in collaborating
with the Council of State Govern
ments in working toward uniform
legislation among the states.
In addition to his training as an
agricultural economist, Professor
Barger is also an attorney-at-law.
WHAT’S SHOWING
AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL
Tuesday and Wednesday—
“Young Mr. Lincoln”, starring
Henry Fonda.
AT THE PALACE
Tuesday and Wednesday—
“Hotel for Women”, with Elsa
Maxwell, Linda Darnell, Jane
Ellison, Ann Sothern, John
Halliday, Lynn Bari.
oughly chewed and digested this
summer. The criticism ran like this
—good wholesome show, very little
basis on actual fact in history, full
of dry wit and humor, no romance,
and an anemic plot.
TO TELEPHONE PATRONS
On August 26th, a portion of our College Station
Exchange was cut to dial service, telephones in the
dial units are located only on the Campus of A. & M.
College, all other telephones connected to College
Exchange are connected to the manuaf office.
Dial telephone numbers are five digits (4-4564)
all other College Station subscriber’s numbers are
prefixed by “COLLEGE” in the directory.
Directory should be consulted for numbers, and
by following the instructions listed, you will assist
us in giving better telephone service.
If using a DIAL telephone, and the number
listed is five digits, you should dial the number as
listed, if the number is prefixed by “College” or
“Bryan”, DIAL “O” and ask the operator for the
number as listed.
In using a MANUAL telephone, give the opera
tor the number listed for the DIAL, COLLEGE or
BRYAN subscriber.
In the Directory will be found complete infor
mation on the use of the Dial Telephone, by reading
the instructions you can assist us.
No Dormitory Telephones will be connected to
DIAL unit this school season.
SOUTHWEST TELEPHONE COMPANY
M. C. Atkins, Ristrict Manager.
Telephone BRYAN 12070.
RIDE THE BUS TO BRYAN
DEPENDABLE
SAFE — ECONOMICAL
CLIP THIS
SCHEDULE
For Future Reference
SCHEDULE
7. Bryan
Lv. College
Lv. Bryan
Lv. College
7:30 A.M.
' 7:50
4:30 P.M.
5:00
8:30
9:00
5:30
6:00
9:30
10:00
6:30
7:00
10:30
11:00
7:30
8:00
11:30
12:00
8:30
9:00
12:30
1:00
9:30
10:00
1:30
2:00
10:45
11:00
2:30
3:00
3:30
4:00
Subject to Change
Half Hour Service Saturday Afternoons
Every Corner Is A Bus Stop
Bruan-College Traction Co.
Ride With Safety
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