PAGE 2
THE BATTALION
SATURDAY, SEPT. 30, 1939
The Battalion
STUDENT TRI-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF
TEXAS A. & M. COLLEGE
1 newspaper of the Agricultural and
as and the city of College Station, is
published three times weekly from September to June, issued
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
weekly from June through August
The Battalion, official
lechanical College
ublished three tir
September to June, issue
mornings; and is published
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.
REPRESSMTeo FOR NATIONAL ADVERTISING BY
National Advertising Service, Inc.
College Publishers Representative
420 Madison Ave. New York. N. Y.
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STAFF
BILL MURRAY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
LARRY WEHRLE ADVERTISING MANAGER
James Critz Associate Editor
E. C. (Jeep) Oates .'. Sports Editor
H. G. Howard Circulation Manager
"Hub” Johnson .— 1 Intramural Editor
Philip Golman Staff Photographer
John J. Moseley ; Staff Artist
SATURDAY STAFF
James Critz Acting Managing Editor
J. W. Jenkins Asst. Advertising Manager
Ross Howard Asst. Circulation Manager
W. C. Carter Editorial Assistant
Junior Editors
A. J. Robinson H. G. Talbot Frank Phelan
Senior Sports Assistants
W. F. (Chick) Denny ' Jimmy James
Reportorial Staff
J. W. Amyx, W. G. Bohning, P. H. Brown, G. M. Green,
M. L. Howard, W, A. Moore, Jack McGarr, Leslie Newman,
J. A. Shelton. Earl Vezey.
What Do You Think?
t below we reprint an editorial, “At the Cross
roads”, from the recent first issue of the new long
\ session, of The Texas Aggie, newspaper published
by the Former Students Association. About twelve
thousand copies of that issue were distributed, to
present and former students and other subscribers,
thus setting a circulation record for that publication
which is the voice of 25,000 ex-Aggies.
* At The Crossroads
(From The Texas Aggie)
A. & M. College faces the gravest situation
in its history as a result of the ruling of the
College Board of Directors prohibiting students
living anywhere except in colege dormitories, or
in cooperative houses located on the campus,
until such quarters have been filled.
Despite the satisfactory enrollment of 6,000
boys, the basic weakness and danger of
the arbitrary rule remains. In fact, by per
mitting day-student enrollment after campus
accommodatioris Were filled, the position of the
college became even less admirable.
At first thought the rule will please many
A. & M. men. But consider the rule's immediate
results. Many students have been forced to drop
out of school because they could not meet the
cost of dormitory life. Hundreds of new
students could not enter for the same reason.
Literally dozens of students with jobs in
Bryan or College Station, boys who had already
proved themselves at A. & M. and whose own
efforts and ingenuity had earned their educa
tional opportunity, were forced out of school
this fall.
Over a dozen cooperative groups, enjoying
the support and the interest of as many counties
and cities of Texas, were forced to disband and
the boys to remain out of school or go elsewhere.
The present rule amounts to an arbitrary
limitation of enrollment.
Tl^e college has lost already an immense
amount of good will and public esteem. More
than one legislator has'entered vigorous protest
and condemnation.
It^ is not difficult to see even greater dan
gers from the rule in the future. If A. & M.
will not yffer educational opportunities to stu
dents who cannot meet rising dormitory costs,
other-.ihstitutions can and will do so. The rule
puts an,effective weapon in the hands of those
seeking to establish two additional A. & M.
colleges at Arlington and Stephenville.
The cooperative house plan was started at
A. & M.—and welcome, too, when enrollment
was declining a few years back. That plan is
here to stay, and if it cannot function at A. &
M., it will certainly flower at other institutions
to our loss.
Let enrollment at A. & M. stand still, while
it is rising at other Texas state schools; let edu-
plicate institutions be established at other cities
in tbe state; let A. & M. lose her best known
and best loved characteristic of being essentially
a “Poor Man’s” school—and within ten years
her days of leadership and glory will be only
memories.
The Aggie fears insufficient study and too
little research has been given this vital matter
by the Board. It is no secret that executive
officers of the institution are aghast at the re
sults of the rule. Not consulted was a local
committee charged last spring with a complete
study of student housing. That committee made
the most comprehensive study ever made of
student housing problems at A. & M. Apparent
ly its report was filed into oblivion. Yet its
members, in the opinion of the Aggie, know
more about student housing and student life
problems than any member of the College Board
could possibly know.
To understand the problem it must be
known that at least 90 per cent of the students
living, or wanting to live outside of the dormi
tories, are governed by financial considerations.
In the case of cooperative house students, they
can attend A. & M. at a saving of from one
hundred to two hundred dollars per year. Dozens
of others by their own efforts have secured jobs
in Bryan and around the campus that dormitory
students cannot fill. The new rule washes them
out. Lost are not only today’s students but op
portunities for future students as well.
Two solutions of the problem are evident.
The first would be to lower dormitory costs to
compete with cooperative house costs and this
would still be only a half-way measure. Better,
in the opinion of the Aggie, would be a realiza
tion that there is a definite place for the coop
erative house idea at Texas A. & M. and the pro
vision of adequate accommodations for this
growing class of students. Likewise the student
who can make his own way through a job or
other arrangements off the campus should in
all equity be permitted to do so.
The Aggie believes in the dormitory system
at A. & M., and believes further that it does -
not need this arbitrary rule to exist. Its ad
vantages are evident, and no one wants to be
a dormitory student more fervently than the
cooperative boys, or the ragged youngster
fighting for his education while waiting tables
at a Bryan cafe. So long as these boys can live
healthful and clean lives, they should not be
deprived of their opportunities because the dor
mitory set-up has been unable to match their
economic ingenuity and frugality.
In the opinion of the Aggie, Texas A. & M.
is at the crossroads of its destiny. Its present
direction will lead to a static student enroll
ment, to duplicate institutions, to a loss of the
general esteem and good will enjoyed for 64
years, and to an inevitable back seat among
the educational institutions of the state. And
never fear that there are not other institutions
straining, eager, and willing, to take A. & M.’s^
place in the sun. The college cannot ever stand
still; it must go forward.
No one can foretell where other roads may
lead. The Board of Directors, guided and coun
seled by the executive officers and faculty of the
College, must point the way. The Aggie believes
the present route must be changed to avoid
disaster.
Forestry Service Museum
BACKWASH
Bg
George Puermano
"Backwash: An agitation resulting from some action or occurrence.”—Webster.
Shown are part of the sixty wood specimens on exhibit in the
Texas Forestry Service Exhibit room. Students are invited to come
to the exhibit room at any time.
Forestry Service Maintains Interesting
Museum of Wood Specimens in Main Bldg.
mm
The Maginot Line
To the imagination and good sense of a former
first sergeant in the World War the republic of
France owes her great Maginot Line, stretching 150
miles along the border facing Germany, which is the
strongest defensive military wall ever constructed
by man.
Andre Maginot was the sergeant, who rose
to be minister of war in the French cabinet, and for
whom the completed system of fortifications was
named. He conceived the plan which was adopted
after funds for extraordinary measures of military
preparation were voted in 1928.
Construction was begun shortly thereafter, but
Maginot did not live to see the works completed, as
he died in 1932. A monument to his memory has been
erected at Fort Souville, 18 miles from Verdun.
The Maginot Line consists of continuous forti
fications, including 300 mighty forts, and cost about
150 million dollars. It is considered impregnable, so
far as attacks by land are concerned, and it is be
lieved that little damage could be done to it by air
raids, as much of the defensive works and equip
ment are underground.
Steam and electric transportation systems, sup
ply bases, and communication lines are all protected
in tunnels deep in the earth. Troops, equipment,
food and all manner of supplies for the line can be
brought to the front by trains operating wholly
underground and a million men can be garrisoned
under its protection.
As the World Turns
By Dr. A1 B. Nelson
New neutrality legislation to permit the ship
ment of munitions of war on a cash-and-carry basis
is given a good’ chance of passage by most ob
servers. Most likely the main delay will be for the
purpose of giving Senator Borah and
his isolationist group a chance to
talk themselves out.
To gain votes from the isolationist
bloc the Senator Foreign Relations
Committee inserted a provision that
American shipping may not carry
goods of any sort to nations of war.
The nations concerned to come and
get the merchandise in their own ships.
One absurdity of this provision as it
stands is that it would forbid ordinary
trade with Canada being carried on by our shipping.
Under the Monroe Doctrine we would defend
Canada if she were invaded, but under this new pro
vision our shipping would not be permitted to enter
Canadian ports, and under the existing neutrality
law we cannot even sell her the means to defend
herself.
Hitler and Goering should get together on their
stories. One complains of the inhumanity of the
British naval blockade in that it will tend to starve
women and children, but the other bellows defiantly
that the blockade can never starve Germany, as
she has ample supplies to last her for years.
Hitler’s main objection to his own use of the
British methods seems to be two-fold—first, that
he does not have the naval power to try it on
England, and second, that it is too slow. In proof
of the latter the Pples point out that he not only
blockaded Warsaw but bombed and machine-gunned
its women and children in the street, homes, and
churches, without waiting for them to starve.
Short-wave news broadcasts of late war news
may be heard each afternoon from Berlin (in Eng
lish) at five o’clock, while an excellent news sum
mary from London comes on at ten p. m. with
some news that does not get into our papers until
the following afternoon. It is interesting to note
the difference in the two programs.
Once again Germany claims that Warsaw is
surrendering, and this time the Warsaw short-wave
confirms it partially by admitting that negotiations
are taking place. The reason given is that food and
ammunition is giving out. The real reason may be
that the Russian army is approaching, and the
defenders may prefer the Germans to the Russians.
Simply a case of the lesser of the two great evils.
Late short-wave radio reports just before going
to press revealed that two treaties have just been
concluded in Moscow. One, between Russia and Ger-
many, provides for the division of Poland between
the two and a mutual agreement to aid one another
in defending the conquest; and the other, between
Russia and Estonia, gives Russia a virtual protec
torate over the latter.
At the top of the Administra
tion Building the exhibit room of
the Texas Forestry Service con
tains exhibits of particular inter
est to Texas Aggies engaged in
the study of forestry, wild game,
and other courses of a similar na
ture.
The most interesting exhibits
are the sixty wood specimens from
species of Texas trees. The samples
are about two feet long. They
are split down one side to show
the grain of the wood and season
ed and finished with oil and wax.
Though no groups are yet com
plete since Texas contains 225
different species of trees, the ex
hibit contains pine, oak, and re
presentative specimens of other
groups. The Forestry Service has
been collecting the specimens for
about two years. There is a simi
lar exhibit at Lufkin, Texas.
Besides the wood specimen ex
hibit, the room contains many dif
ferent kinds of manufactured pro
ducts made from the wood of Tex
as trees. There are also pieces of
fire fighting equipment including
a portable telephone, hose, fire
rakes, a tire pumq, and many
other articles used to protect Tex
as forests.
Aggies will be interested to
learn that Texas has over 35 mil
lion acres in forest groth, and
a large variety of trees are found
in the United States. Mem
bers of the Forest Service ex-
' plain this by the fact that Texas
is the meeting place of Eastern
and Western varieties and also has
many tropical species. Texas leads
the nation in forest area, which
covers about one-fifth of the state.
Many odd tree formations are
shown in the exhibit room. En
cased in glass are a number of
early Texas Forestry hisotrical
documents.
Oiled and waxed the wood speci
mens show surprising beauty and
will be of interest to many Aggies
who are invited to come and see
the exhibits. It is open to visitors
at all times.
IX.. Kl." _! L —
Cyifi&ir
Thy Bob Ni>be+
Faust, last, and always . . . Sign
in modern funeral home: “Use our
convenient lay-away plan.” . . .
Leroy Crouch: “I’ve been here long
enough to be on
the faculty.” . . .
Speaking of the
European boogy
man: the Stanford
Chaparral recently
printed a prize
cartoon. While
Goering and Goeb-
bels look on
through a wall of
Fuermann flames, a leering
Hitler holds old Satin by the neck,
“Rejoice, Kleinchen! We’re estab
lishing a Protectorate!” . . . Mrs.
Anna V. Smith isn’t Aggieland’s
first postmistress. Gene Geyer ? s
mother held the post for 13 years
back in Republican days.
•
What Aggie dad can match this
record ? L. L. Lanford, Blanket
rancher, has three sons in A. & M.
now and one who graduated in ’38.
Bob C. Lanford is a junior in Coast
Artillery, and the other two now
attending Aggieland are freshmen
— H. R. and S. S. Lanford. The
’38 graduate mentioned above is
Don Lanford.
•
Sir James Crichton-Brown, 96-
year-old London doctor, believes he
has an answer to the question
“Why gentlemen prefer blondes.”
“There is a good deal of truth in
the allegation,” he says in a news
paper article. “Exophthalmic goit
er is undoubtedly more common by
far in blondes than in brunettes,
and it tends in its incipient stages
to produce a type of woman who is
clever, volatile, lively, and tem
peramental, with large lustrous
eyes, distinctly attractive to the
other sex.”
Well, there’s no fool like an old
fool. Doc.
" •
As College Station burns ... A
freshman in the old dining hall
was overheard asking for the “star
dust” at breakfast the other morn
ing . . . Probably the shortest book
ever written would be “Who’s Who
in Germany.” . . . Bill Conatser:
“Never let studies interfere with
your education.” . . . James I said
it, but it’s still true: “He was a
bold man who first swallowed an
oyster.” •
Things are pretty much as Joe
Rothe pointed them out to be:
When a freshman has written
the composition “Who I Am and
Why I Came to A. & M.” for Eng
lish 103, he will have passed the
first milestone in his college
career.
When he begins to object to the
fact that there is no lavatory in
mighty Old Main, he will have
passed his second milestone.
When he receives his first F in
an English 103 theme (probably
on his “Who and Why” effort) he
will be a full-fledged Aggie.
•
Not so long ago an oldish car
was traveling at night back into
the bosom of Mother Aggieland;
inside it was full of Aggies; out
side, there was nought but dark
ness — the car was devoid of the
usual lights. A campus sarge im
mediately began investigation, and
inquired into the lack of lights.
“Sir,” said a voice from inside that
obviously came from one drawing
himself up with intense dignity,
“I am driving by instrument.”
Bryan-College Girls
At Mary Hardin-Baylor
Miss Llelwyn Le Louis, Miss
Loyce Sellers, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. J. A. Robertson, Miss Martha
White, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
R. C. White, all of Bryan; and
Miss Zelia Bell Lloyd, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Lloyd of Col
lege Station, have enrolled at
Mary Hardin-Baylor College for
the 1939-40 session.
L
i
Nelson
Skipping all s preliminaries and
getting right down to business,
we’ll take a quick look at “Man
About Town,” showing next Tues
day and Wednesday at the As
sembly Hall. Jack Benny
and Dorothy Lamour are
the stars. According to opinions ex
pressed, “Man About Town” is the
best that Jack Benny has put out
to date, but not because of Jack
Benny. It seems that “Rochester,”
the ebony valet, stole the show
from under everyone’s nose. Just
in case you would like to know,
“Rochester’s” correct name is Ed
die Anderson.
“Man About Town” is a fast and
frothy story relating the adven
tures of an American theatrical
group with Jack Benny as the pro
ducer. The company is currently
playing in London, and is appar
ently a success—that is, all but
Jack himself. He just cannot find
a girl that will look at him twice.
A desperate play for Dorothy La-
mour’s favor falls flat. Her opinion
that Jack is too bashful and timid
for a suitor is blasted when he goes
for a weekend visit to the country
estate of a British lord. The lady
of the house and one of her guests,
who is the wife of the lord’s part
ner in high finance, make violent
love to Benny. Together the men
plot to kill Benny. For once “Roch
ester” and his individual ideas do
some good. At any rate he saves
the day.
Now to take it apart. The acting
in the show was as good as could
be expected from a group of come
dians. Music was excellent, as were
also the acts that went on in the
name of the Benny’s theatrical
group. The cast has lots of big
names in the movies, and no com
plaint can be brought against the
show on that account. Dialog is
clever. However, the main objec
tion—the main objection to all mu
sical comedies—is that the plot
borders on absurdity. Even so,
“Man About Town” gets an A-l
ing as a musical comedy.
THE CONTRACT ON THE
new Bryan city water works sys
tem will be completed some time
in December, if not before, Bryan
officials have reported. Unless
some unforeseen cause for delay
appears, the work will be complet
ed before the end of the year and
the city enjoying water from the
new wells. Different tests have
been made of this water, and all
chemists who have checked it are
agreed that it is of unusual purity,
the mineral content being unusual
ly small.
ry
For Rent
Two or three rooms, fur
nished apartments. Electric
Box. Phone Bryan-244.
WHATS SHOWING
AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL
Saturday—“Lucky Night”
with Robert Taylor and Myr-
na Loy.
AT THE PALACE
Sunday and Monday (also
Saturday night preview)—
“Golden Boy”, with Adolphe
Menjou and William Holden.
L ^-
LOOK YOUR BEST
For The Game And Dance
Jones Barber Shop
Bryan and N. Gate
FOR
EYE EXAMINATION
AND GLASSES
CONSULT
J. W. Payne
DOCTOR OF OPTOMETRY
Masonic Bldg. — Bryan, Tex.
Next to Palace Theatre
Mr. and Mrs. David
Thrift Return From
Coast Honeymoon
David Thrift, cadet colonel of
the Aggie corps during 1938-39,
and his bride, nee Miss Bonnie Beth
Reading of El Paso, have returned
from a short honeymoon trip to
the Gulf coast, to College Station,
where Thrift is now employed as
assistant secretary of the College
Y. M. C. A., and where the newly
weds will make their home.
The marriage took place Sep
tember 23 in St. Thomas Chapel,
the Episcopal Church of College
Station, with Rev. Roscoe Hauser
officiating. The only attendant of
the bride was Miss Martha Ann
Simmons of Dallas. Terry Thrift
assisted his brother as best man,
and Miss Jean Marie Thrift, sister
of the bridegroom, sang.
Thrift, who was in “E” Field
Artillery, graduated in June in
agricultural administration.
LOUPOT’S
TRADING POST
Freeman Shoes Emerson Radios
Polo Shirts I.E.S. Lamps
Archer Trench Coats
EX-AGGIE OWNED AND AGGIE OPERATED
ATTENTION!
AGGIES IN NEW DORMITORIES
For Your Convenience A Sub-Station Of The
Campus Cleaners Is Now Open In The New Student
P. O. Bldg.
Cash & Carry Prices At this Location
HARDY HAY “40” MGR.
UNIFORMS
ORDER TODAY
Leather
Jackets
Suede
Coats
Bombay
Breeches
Fish
Slacks
A COMPLETE LINE OF MILITARY SUPPLIES
SAM KAPLAN
•-
A
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