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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 1939)
THE BATTALION ■SATURDAY, DEC. 9, 1939 PAGE 2 The Battalion STUDENT TRI-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF TEXAS A. 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 weekly from June through August. Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at College Station, Texas, under the Act of Congress of March 8, 1879. Subscription rate, $3 a school year. Advertising rates upon request. Represented nationally by National Advertising Service, Inc., at New York City, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Office, Room 122, Administration Building. Telephone 4-6444. 1939 Member 1940 Associated Golle&iate Press BILL MURRAY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LARRY WEHRLE ADVERTISING MANAGER James Critz i Associate Editor E. C. (Jeep) Oates Sports Editor EL G. Howard Circulation Manager '‘Hub” Johnson Intramural Editor Philip Golman Staff Photographer John J. Moseley Staff Artist SATURDAY STALE James Critz Acting Managing Editor Don Burk Asst. Advertising Manager W. C. Carter Editorial Assistant Junior Editors A. J. Robinson Billy Clarkson Cecil De Vilbiss Senior Sports Assistants Jimmie Cokinos - Jimmy James Junior Advertising Solicitors J. M. Sedberry G. M. Woodman 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, Alden S. McKellar, E. M. Rosenthal, Lee Rogers. Spirit of Aggieland? In today’s “Open Forum” column appears a letter from Colonel George E. Hurt, director of the University of Texas band. It is not the purpose of The Battalion’s editorials to continually sermonize in respect to occasional faults shown by members of the cadet corps, but this case is so outstanding and so unrepresentative of the wishes of A. & M.’s 4,000 upperclassmen that The Battalion takes time out to question the reasons involved in the occurrence mentioned in Colonel Hurt’s letter. Certainly it is true that if such occurrences continue to happen, A. & M. College and the mem bers of its cadet corps will receive a name so tarnish ed that the school will be in continual disrepute with native Texans as well as the nation’s popu lation in general. The actions mentioned in Colonel Hurt’s letter fall in a certain class which, for want of a better word, we will call “high-schoolish.” It can hardly be denied that this sort of thing went out with the bustle and horse-and-buggy days. Of course, there are two sides to every story and Colonel Hurt’s letter only relates one side— that of the University. However, investigation has shown that his letter was not only a fair and just one, but one which actually minimized the true state of affairs. The damage has already been done. One thing, however, can still be undertaken which will take the edge off the unwarranted attacks on Texas University’s band members—RETURN THE STOL EN CAPS AND THE MEGAPHONE. You upper classmen who know where these articles are located will be helping the college and yourselves if you will see to it that they are turned over to The Battalion which will, in turn, have them fbrwarded to the University. . ,v : v ;.: . •; The men frdnr whom these’ caps were stolen will have to pay'for them and, in many cases, this will work a hardship.! So; come on out. Aggies. Let’s partially make up; for what has. been done and return the property. You owe it , to .yourselves and your college to do this. i<::0 ' “Dear Mr. Gregory--” We read with interest some time ago your first comment on the Aggie yelling corps, and grant that there is some truth in what you had to say. However, after reading your continued com ments upon the same subject, we’ve begun to wonder if you are encountering a dearth of information and material for your column. If so we’li be glad to furnish you with plenty. It looks as if in your “Looking ’Em Over” you have gone to an extteme in “looking over” this item. In branding as unsportsmanlike the action of the Aggie yelling section, you seem to have over looked the fact that every other student body and band in the conference follows the same tactics. And while we are not trying to excuse ourselves by citing other examples of the same thing, it does seem that you’ve singled out A. & M. because we have a greater school spirit and a mightier-lunged student yelling section than other schools. Mr. Gregory, we like to read your column even when we are put on the spot. But a repetition of the same note gets monotonous. Let’s add another string to the violin. OPEN EORUIVI UNPLEASANT AFTERMATH December 6, 1939 Gentlemen: I have waited a few days before writing you concerning an unfortunate happening after the football game on Thanksgiving at College Station. Let me first say I was advised to write you by a young cadet officer who was very nice to me and whose name, I believe, was Neubert. Before I go into details, I should like to tell you that the Austin newspapers yesterday and this ‘ morning’s Daily Texan make reference to some disturbance against the members of The University of Texas band last Thursday, but these references have been made with out conferring with me, and so I am in no way responsible for them. Just before the close of the game, I instructed some of the members of our band to leave the stands and go down to the train with some of our property. It was sometime before I noticed that as the boys reached a point in front of the corps, they were being snatched from sight by cadets bent over so that they were no longer visible to the to the crowd outside, and in these struggles we lost several of our uniform caps. The head yell-leader was grappled with in the same way, and he came out of his huddle minus his megaphone. Two instru ments belonging to boys of our band were taken from them, but I was able to retrieve these, and our only losses so far as I can find out now are about seven caps and the megaphone belonging to the head yell leader, together with some cow bells which were carried by our boys. The latter, I think, we might call “spoils of war” and let them go, although the were actually taken from the boys by force. The caps that were stolen are the property of the University and must now be paid for by the boys to whom they were issued, which in some cases will entail a great hardship. I recognize, of course, the spirit in which dis turbances of this kind take place, and I know only too well that they do not represent the true spirit of Aggieland. The members of the Aggie Band were so fine to us this year, and they themselves formed the finest Aggie Band we have ever heard, that it seems to me what happened to our boys was not at the wish or will of the upperclassmen of this fine school. So that the record may be clear in regard to my personal experiences, after the game and especially in view of the fact that references have now ap peared in print, let me give you an exact account of what happened in which I was involved. After we had, with the assistance of the police, been able to get our boys clear of the mobs that had hold of them, I was working back to the stands to carry on my job of supervising the movement of our band members from the stands when I saw a cadet seize a Longhorn Band member by the coat, pull it open, twist him around, and rough him. The Texas boy was then knocked about by two or three other boys, one of whom took his cap. I ran after the cadet who attacked the boy first and caught him and twisted him around and asked him what on earth he thought he was doing trying to rough one of our boys. He scarcely had time to reply when a student of the University (not a bandsman) hit him, using these words, “You can’t do that to Colonel Hurt.” I realized the student who had hit the cadet was under the erroneous impression that I had been attacked. I, therefore, stayed with the A. & M. cadet and apologized to him, and he and I later shook hands. Two cadet officers then came with me to the north end of the field, and one of them stayed with me until I was ready to leave. They were extremely kind, and no one regrets more than I do the oc currence just mentioned. Just previous to this particular happening while I was trying to get my boys out of the various huddles to which they had been dragged, a cadet did say, “I will knock your damn block off if you don’t scram.” I can’t help believing that there is something quite fine which can come out of the intense rivalry between A. & Mj. and Texas, and I know so many upperclassmen at A. & M. who were former students of mine and others whom I have only met since I have been here at the University who would regret so much the degrading of this rivalry between our two schools. Now that the battle is over, there can, of course, be in the minds of our boys only bitter ness for the unprovoked attacks upon them by overwhelming numbers, and I am asking that you will be so kind as to use whatever influence you may have to recover our property for us and have it shipped here to me, charges collect. It may be within your sphere of influence also to let it be known among the freshmen and perhaps the soph omores that what happened to our boys after the game was not an expression of the true spirit of Aggieland. Be assured that I shall be most grateful to yoir for anything that you can do, and if there is any way you can think of in which I can collaborate with you in obviating difficulties such as this ever arising again between our two student bodies, but without in any way lessening the keen rivalry between the two schools, believe me I shall be most happy to be called upon. GEORGE E. HURT Director of Bands As the World Turns... By DR. AL. B. NELSON Communist newspaper headlines in their “New York Daily Worker” read “RED ARMY HURLS BACK INVADING FINNISH TROOPS” showing once again the close ties between American Com munist and Soviet Russia. Even Germany and Italy are call ing Russia names because of the invasion of Finland. This is indeed a case of the POT calling the KETTLE black and yet, on the basis of recent reports, the Germans and Italians are giving the most immediate and ef fective aid to the Finns. Germany is sending arms and ammunition to Fin land and Italy is reported to have al- Neison ready delivered sixty planes to the Finns by air. The French Chamber of Deputies and Senate recently extended Premier Deladier’s dictatorial powers for the duration of the war. In the realm of national politics New York State’s John Dewey has formally launched his cam paign for the Republican Party presidential nom ination. In most of weekly national polls he is still top man in the Republican race and in comparative polls on public favor he is frequently found running a close race with the President. President Roosevelt, however, is beginning to talk economy again, in preparation for the coming presidential campaign. The last time he mentioned economy with any degree of frequency was just preceding the 1936 campaign. His main idea this time seems to be that by listing the national defense expenditures separately he can make the main bud get smaller. Our high prices are not so high after all, in comparison with others. To give a few samples, coffee costs three dollars per pound in Hungary but if it can be smuggled into Germany the enter prising smuggler can get eight dollars per pound. Those who like pictures can find plenty of both war and girls in the new issue of LIFE. Looking over the “What’s Show ing” column, we find first “THE STAR MAKER,” another of Bing Crosby’s pictures. As usual Bing does a fine job with his vocaliz ing, but another of these child prodigies lays him in the shade with a torried rendition of “Dark- town Strutter’s Ball.” The effect is improved when she follows it with Tschaikowsky’s “Waltz of the Flowers” sung in the best operatic style. Bing plays the part of song writer who cannot Ijold a job, but who, with the aid of his wife, interests a producer in an act he has developed. After his first per formance, his success is assured. He becomes a producer himself, putting on kid vaudeville acts all over the country. He has trouble with the law and the Child Labor Act, but his ever-present ingenuity irons this out in a hurry. Two popular songs he sings in this pic ture are “An Apple for the Teach er” and “Go Fly a Kite.” An announcement from the Y. M. C. A. reads: Y cards of Decem ber 2 will be good for “The Star Maker” Saturday at 12:45 p. m. A seldom-mentioned chapter in the history of the American Navy is brought to light in Wallace Beery’s newst picture, “THUNDER AFLOAT.” A point in the picture noticed by many was the fact that the Navy was always fighting the same enemy submarine, and that when it was sung, the Navy cele brated as though the incident had won the war. History reveals that the American 110-foot subchasers destroyed more than just a few submarines in the war. However, be that as it may, the picture is a good one, and has plenty of fast acting. “THE ROARING TWENTIES” is a very recent release from War ner Bros, showing at the Palace Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The picture is supposed to be a re view of the lawlessness and carous ing that accompanied the high prices during the 1920’. The cast for the picture is as follows: Eddie Bartlett James Cagney Jean Sherman ....Priscilla Lane George Hally....Humphrey Bogart Panama Smith Gladys George Lloyd Hart Jeffry Lynn Eddie Bartlett, in France at the close of the war, plans to return to his old job as a machanic. When he finds that it is no longer avail able, he turns to bootlegging. His business prospers and he becomes a big shot. Night life in the speakeasies and fights among the racketeers provide the background for the plot; but I wonder if the presence of these factors isn’t a great deal over-emphasized? After all, there’s a great number of “just folks” living in New York and Chicago that never saw a gangster and never visited a speakeasy. WHATS SHOWING AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL Saturday, 12:45 (Y cards for Dec. 2 good) — “THE STAR MAKER,” with Bing Crosby, New Sparks, and Laura Hope Crews. Saturday, 6:30 and 8:30— “THUNDER AFLOAT,” with Wallace Beery and Virginia Grey. AT THE PALACE Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday—-“THE ROARING TWENTIES,” with James Cagney, Priscilla Lane, Humphrey Bogart, and Gladys George. AT THE QUEEN Sunday and Monday— “BAD LITTLE ANGEL,” with Virginia Weidler. BACKWASH “Backwash: An agitation resulting from soma action By George Fuermann or occurrence.”—Webstar. In the grove . . . An Aggie fresh man with a more-than-usual knowledge of campus affairs and personages recently declared, “I’m going to see Major Moore this afternoon.” “But there is no Ma jor Moore at A. & M.” an upper classman pointed out. “I meant General Moore,” the first-year man replied . . . Fred Waring’s recent ly written song, “Texas Forever,” which was written especially for T.S.C.W., will make its radio de but on Waring’s broadcast of Wed nesday, December 20. . . . The list of Aggies passing less than ten hours on December first num bers 1198, two per cent more than December firstj. 1938, and makes up 20.1 per cent of the student body ... If you will turn to the “J’s” in the student directory and look on page 63, you will find the name of one Glendon P. Jones. Nothing unusual in itself, the name takes on a particular significance when you notice that he is listed as a member of P. Company In fantry. Maybe a new company was added when we weren’t looking . . . Most unusual name on the De cember first failing list: I Belaus- teguigoitia . . . The negro janitor in dormitories one and three, John Richardson, has set an enviable record this football season in the matter of guessing football scores. With but few exceptions he has guessed within one or two points of all conference games this year. A. & M.’s games with T. C. U., Arkansas U., and Baylor were guessed exactly, and his guess on the Turkey Day game was A. & M. 21, Texas 0. • Where is the place? One of the local messenger boys invaded A Signal Corps’ sanctuary earlier this week with a telegram for Arba Norton. A freshman in the company pointed out that Arba was in steam lab. Back came the messenger boy with, “Steam lab, Texas?” • In the poetry corner: The latest is Doyle Dodd’s con tribution to T.S.C.W. date memor ies. Doyle adds that the occur rence in the poem actually happen ed. Will you listen while I relate The story of a C.I.A. date? It was on our last corps trip to old Big D, That I met this girl, you see. She came on the train with all the rest. And for looks, she was one of the best. After we met, and talked awhile, I asked to be her date, in Aggie style. She was a fish, the sweetest of types, I was a sophomore, a wearin’ two stripes. Two terms of summer school had classified me, I thought I’d never pass that Chem istry. All over Dallas, we did go, The game, the dance, and the pic ture show. Then came the time for us to part. And this I thought would break my heart. I last asked her, “Where do you dwell ? ” And here’s the part I hate to tell. To think of it I have to frown. By gosh, we’re from the same home town! AH WOMEN 5L Charlton Special to The Battalion from The Lass-O of T. S. C. W. ^ Musical Meanderings ^ Event of the week seems to be the Sophomore dance. . . the About bands: Glen Miller and the Andrews sisters have been signed to replace Paul Whiteman’s band on the Wednesday night CBS Chesterfield smoke show. New program begins Decemoer 17 . . . Anita Boyer, sparrow with Tom my Dorsey, has stepped into a tough job, that of replacing Edythe Wright as vocalist with Dorsey. Edythe from 1935 until a few weeks ago was the only girl sing er Tommy featured, making Anita’s job more than tough . . . Artie Shaw has declared himself “sick” of the orchestra business. But he didn’t stop there. He said (with out pulling his punches) that he didn’t care about giving the peo ple what they wanted—that he was interested only in making music— that he detested the sight of auto graph hunters. Shaw, most mu sicians agree, has been kicked around unjustly of late. He has been criticized for dozens of things over which he had no control. He is to be admired for being honest enough to act as he feels—being frank and candid at all times— but he is certainly losing his vast following of cash customers who resent being snubbed at his dances. Artie plans to retire soon, as he has accumulated scads of the long green. Maybe it’s just as well, for the public who made him can (and will) “dethrone” him if he continues his unprovoked tirades against them. Closer to home: Remember the old-timer, “Moonlight Cay”? The Aggieland Orchestra has received a Glenn Miller arrangement of the number, and featured it at the Thanksgiving Dance in Sbisa Hall last Thursday night. I still like Chu Berry’s sax take off on “Ain’t She Sweet,” recorded by Jimmie Lunceford for Victor. You should hear it. On the Cuff: Someone extracted five dollars from Ray Noble, the old Englisher, for a fake “cat- license” . . . The pseudo-cat-catch er had something there ... $5 for a cat; $10 for an ickey; $15 for a jitterbug . . . That’s the way to make the boys upstairs stop tap ping their feet . . . Governor Stark of Missouri made a special broad cast from Westminster College over CBS with Postmaster-General Far ley and John D. M. Hamilton . . . “Sofiesta,” they’re calling it. Sophs tell us the decorations are going to be quite ultra, and it must be true because they’ve been making paper flowers for it for the past few weeks. And it will be the first dance in the T.S.C.W. gym ever to have the orchestra seated in the balcony. The sophs are expecting great hordes of fellows from Ag gieland including Sophomore class president Edna Clarke’s brother, Fred, who has a date with Madge Putnam. Edna’s escort will be Aggie Joe Evans. Other Aggies coming up for the dance are Sam Crews to see Doris George; Bill Evans to see Shorty McGlasson; Don Peterson to see Ann Marrs; Bob Alexander to see Sara Jane Carter; Ed Bush to see Dorothy Blazek; Dee Poteet to see Marie Robertson; and Charles Hol- linshead to see Winelle Nesbitt. .. See on the campus Sunday: Korky Stephens and Bill Conatser with Geraldine Walker. The Senior Christmas formal, a week from today, will be held in the Stoddard recreation room. Something new for senior dances T.S.C.W.-its to be at the New Orleans’ Sugar Bowl: Alice Keck, Martha Perrin, and Mary Lang ford. We hear tell ’twas an embarras sing moment for Jimmie Schultz last Thursday when Daphne Salois, inspecting the dorms with Dan Sharp, walked in on him while he was clad only in shoes, sox, shorts, and shirt . . .“sin pantallones ?” so to speak. (That’s Spanish!) Shorty Johnson, B Engineers, writes that we say too much in our column about fellows. “Why not tell us more about the girls. I think they’re pretty important,” says Shorty. Well, here’s your story about a femme: A Lowry Hall freshman tells us that she and her date had to stop on the highway two hours Thursday night to wait until the fog lifted so he could see to drive her home. That’s what we call subtle. Box 1971, who signs himself “An Aggie,” writes, “Your column has a concealed humor. By humor I mean that I don’t get it.” That’s nothing, we don’t either. Eloise Hunt, whose heart be longs to the Field Artillery this year instead of the Cavalry, will join the throngs at the College Club tonight with Jimmie Giles. , cuRisimns * '^Sil m mm. nr x RTfRS © FOR HER Luggage Dresser Sets Jewelry Radios FOR HIM Remington-Rand Razors Pajamas Arrow Shirts & Ties Suit Accessories THE EXCHANGE STORE ‘AN AGGIE INSTlTUTION ,,