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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 14, 1939)
-THURSDAY, DEC. 14, 1939 PAGE 2 THE BATTALION - 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 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 Pissocialed GoUe&krte Press BILL MURRAY _ LARRY WEHRLE. James Crit* E. C. f Jeep) Oates H. O. Howard “Hub" Johnson — Philip Golman John J. Moseley EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ADVERTISING MANAGER Associate Editor Sports Editor Circulation Manager Intramural Editor Staff Photographer Staff Artist Ray Treadwell J. W. Jenkins Don McChesney Phil Levine THURSDAY STAFF Asst. Asst. ... Managing Editor Advertising Manager Circulation Manager _ Editorial Assistant Bob Nisbet Junior Editors George Fuermann - Senior Sports Assistants Jimmie Cokinos - Jimmy James Junior Advertising Solicitors ... L. J. Nelson - A - J- Hendrick Reportorial Staff Jack Aycock, H. D. Borgfeld, P. H. Brown, R. A. Doak. Jim Dooley. Walter Goodman. Guy Kane, R. R. Mattox, R. B. Pearce, R. G. Powell. Walter Sullivan, Delbert Whitaker. D. C. Thurman. Murray Evans. Dow Wynn, Joe Taylor that’s Mr. Rosser’s hope, and it should be that of every thinking Aggie. WTAW is operating for the public interest and convenience. Listen to it; enter into its programs; make all the suggestions you want to. Mr. Rosser’s glad to get them, and he’s trying to build up a radio station we can really be proud of. Let’s give him all the help we can. Sugar Bowl At this time The Battalion wishes to congrat ulate and commend Dean E. J. Kyle, chairman of the Athletic Council; Joe Utay, member of the Board of Directors; and Head Coach Homer Nor ton, for the dignified and efficient manner in which they Handled negotiations leading up to the Sugar Bowl game in New Orleans New Year’s Day. Having tried everything in their power to schedule a game with Tennessee at the Cotton Bowl, the next thing they could do, and did, in consideration of their fellow Texans, v^as the booking of a game in nearby New Orleans. The finest of arrangements have been made, and we congratulate those who made them. And we also thank the Sugar Bowl officials of New Orleans for their splendid cooperation in these arrangements. Every student should start now planning to make the trip, if he hasn’t already so planned. It will be a fine trip, and from all indications the stay in New Orleans will be a wonderful one—one always to be remembered. So start saving your money now, and MAKE THAT TRIP! Use Your Own Judgment WTAW There’s a new set-up at WTAW. In the past, students have paid too little attention to A. & M.’s radio station WTAW (fre quency 1120 kilocycles, power 500 watts, in case you’ve forgotten). But now it’s beginning to come into its own. More students are listening to it, more paying attention to it. A concerted drive is being made to make its programs of greater in terest to the public, to give Aggies greater op portunity for self-expression, and to try by these means to secure greater power and more time on the air, both so long and so badly needed. These things are largely coming about through the effort of John Rosser, new managing director of the station, to which job he is devot ing all his time and interest. Last Saturday WTAW relayed from A. & M. over Dallas radio station WPAA a half-hour pro gram featuring the Aggieland Orchestra, the Glee Club, and an interview of Aggie football star Joe Boyd by Battalion sports editor “Jeep” Oates. Tuesday night WTAW broadcast the two-hour pro gram of the Houston Symphony Orchestra. Both of these special programs were declared by all who heard them to be of excellent quality. But besides such special programs, much has been done to improve the regular broadcasting periods. Here’s the regular program, as it has so far been arranged: Every morning, from 11:25 till noon, WTAW goes on the air, the first five minutes being devoted to weather and local news, the next 15 to the Farm and Home program carried over the Texas Quality Network, and the last quarter hour to a variety program. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday this last fifteen-minute period is a program of familiar classical and semiclassical music, which has been well received. Tuesday mornings from 11:45 to 12 a program entitled “Folks and Music” is presented. It’s a pro gram of recordings from a large collection made by English instructor W. A. Owens, and includes his stories about those recordings. They’re unusual and interesting recordings, too. They comprise authentic folk music of the Southwest, including Louisiana and the Ozarks—negro, cowboy, Mexican, “Cajun,” Old English, and other music—made by Mr. Owens himself on his travels; plus recordings be’s made of A. & M. music and events. Thursday at this same time takes place a j-ound-table discussion led by Caesar “Dutch” Hohn, a conservationist for the Extension Service and a well-known ex-Aggie. It is participated in by ex perts (visitors and staff members) in the various fields of agriculture, who talk spontaneously and ' debate informally on all sorts or problems of agri cultural interest. This program is proving to be one of great interest, and is soon to go on the Tex as Quality Network, says Mr. Rosser. Fridays from 11:45 to noon, sports editor E. C. “Jeep” Oates goes on the air with his Aggie “Sp- Oates-Casts.” Friday afternoon from 4:30 to 5:30 has been one of the best periods of all. This is the “Aggie Clambake”—a period in which anyone possessing any sort of vocal or musical ability may take part. It is open to all, and because of its re freshing informality and the participation of stu dents, many of whom show surprising ability, it is proving of much interest to the student body. It has gained a fairly large radio audeince, and a considerable studio audience. It is a diversion both to watch and to hear. In this program lies the opportunity for a lot of fun, a chance for Aggies to “try their wings” at radio broadcasting, and a chance for self-ex pression. Not enough Aggies, however, have yet realized that this is their hour—a program for them and by them. There must be plenty of talent in the corps—in the Band, the Glee Club, etc.—for such a program. The “Clambake” is scheduled to be presented hereafter, beginning this Friday, from Guion Hall, and several improvements are planned. All are in vited to watch or to participate. Mr. Rosser welcomes any entries, criticisms, or suggestions anyone may have to make, no mat ter what they may be. He wants to meet and talk to all the Aggies, and invites them to come see him. Regardless of whether or not you individually have liked the programs thus far, at least it’s an attempt—and a good one, we think. By increasing interest in WTAW, its programs can be improved, and maybe then we can secure the sort of power and hours for WTAW that it should have. At least Fun may be fun, and fireworks may be all right in their place; but do you think it necessary to disturb all the other students at their studies just so you can have a little “fun” shooting off fire crackers ? Don’t you think you should consider the rights of others ? Consider the facts: Besides disturbing the peace, you’re wasting valuable time for yourself as well as others; creating a fire hazard; engag ing in dangerous pastime that might result in per sonal injury to yourself and/or others; indulging in a practice that might cause injury to buildings and equipment; and laying yourself open to serious punishment in case you’re caught at it. Think it over. Is it worth the risk? That’s Too Bad! The European war is a dud. Such is the opinion of toy wholesalers in the Chicago Merchandise Mart so far as their industry is concerned. They said that the number of trumpet-bearers and drum-beaters will be small when compared at Christmas time to the number of bike riders, embryo engineers, and electric train operators. The principal reason, the toy men said, was that American kids just can’t get excited about a war in which their own country is not involved. We’re so-o sorry . . . Man, Your Manners QUESTION: When rising from a dining table, should one push his chair into place? ANSWER: It is considered better form to leave the chair where it is when one arises from the table. As the World Turns... By “COUNT” V. K. SUGAREFF Fritz Thyssen learns a lesson. Mr. Thyssen is one of the multimillionaires who gave financial support to Hitler. He, like many other wealthy industrialists, feared that Germany was on the verge of becoming communistic. Hit ler included some of them in his short-lived “cabinet of barons.” Mr. Thyssen was Hitler’s economic advisor and was made economic dic tator of Westphalia. Hitler’s anti- Semitic policy was gratifying to Thyssen and his class. Six months after Hitler assumed power as chan cellor of Germany most of the “barons” lost their powers or were merely tolerated in the cabi net. Thyssen disappaered as a member of Hitler’s inner circle. He disagreed with Hitler’s war policy and fled to Switzerland about the middle of last month. His huge property holdings have been confiscated by the Nazis. Thyssen should serve as an example to Americans who are inclined to support Nazi, Fascist, or Communistic movements in this country. 4,000,000 young people between the ages of sixteen and twenty-four are reported idle by the American Youth Commission. This commission is headed by Owen D. Young, one of our leading in dustrialists. The commission recommends that our government continue its work of “conservation activ ities and the construction of useful public build ings.” It even suggests that the government pro duce the goods and services which are needed by the young people* themselves and others who are unemployed. Add several millions of other unem ployed people and the problem of balancing the federal budget becomes well-nigh impossible. Un less our industry is capable of furnishing jobs for our unemployed millions, neither the Democrats nor the Republicans could balance the federal budget with the present sources of federal income. Whatever might be the ultimate results of the Finn-Russian War, Russia has already lost the re spect of the whole world. The well-propagandized Russian war equipment and military efficiency has turned into a fiasco. Regardless of what excuses and explanations the Russians may make, their war machine shows characteristic weaknesses of plans and execution, as in 1914. Moreover, the world’s sympathy is with the Finns as it has been with the Austrians, Czechoslovagians, Albanians, and Poles. Stalin has not learned a lesson from the Hitlerian tactics. Snsrareff Collegiate Kaleidoscope KAPPA PRE/lDf'NTy BACKWASH By George Fuermann “Backwash: An agitation resulting; from some action or occurrence."—Webster. ■me 151 COLLEGE FRATERNITY, WAS ORGANIZED AT THE COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY ON DEC EMBER 5 x 1776 ODDLY ENOUGH. OF THE FIVE ORIGINAL FOUNDERS, TWO WERE NAMED SMITH AND > ONE JONES/ THE KEY WAS FORMERLY A SILVER MEDAL. BUT LATER THE STEM WAS ADDED FOR THE PRACTICAL PURPOSE OF NIGHTLY WINDING THE SCHOLAR'S WATCH. Fuermann .Jr , 0A.C.O. <>) Ly Bob Nisbei The Glee Club presents “DANC ING COED” as its benefit Thurs day and Friday nights. Lana Tur ner is the star and Artie Shaw’s orchestra provides the music. Some one puts out the information that Artie Shaw’s orchestra has re cently disbanded. This might be the last chance of seeing the “king of swing” in action. Lana Turner goes to college as a “plant” from a movie studio in order that she might win a dance contest and thereby save a picture by giving it the needed publicity. Plans go astray when Lana falls in love with a college man, but her secretary proves to be a better dancer anyway, and so Lana mar- ides the man. A show is coming to the Palace this weekend that is so new that advance publicity hasn’t yet reach ed these parts. It is the Dead End Kids’ latest, “ON DRESS PA RADE”. The names of the Dead End Kids are not as well-known as their faces, so to familiarize the readers with their names, here they are: Slip Duncan Leo Gorcey Cadet Major Rollins .... Billy Halop Cadet Ronny Morgan .... Bobby Jordan Cadet Johnny Cabot .. Huntz Hall Cadet Georgie Warren .... Ber- Nard Punsley Also starred with the Kids are John Litel and Frankie Thomas. Strange as it may seem, the kids are not really “kids” as the word goes. Leo Gorcey, the oldest of the lot, is twenty-three years old; the youngest is sixteen. Slip Duncan, a tough city brat, is sent to a fine military academy. His dislike of discipline gets him in bad with the whole school, in cluding other Dead End Kids, who are crack militai'ists. They give him the cold shoulder in true hool igan style. When he saves a boy’s life, he gets their apologies and a promotion. The story is just routine stuff, but the Dead End Kids put the show over. From here it looks like two grade-points. WHATS SHOWING AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL Thursday and Friday— “DANCING CO-ED”, with Lana Turner, Richard Carl son, and Artie Shaw’s Or chestra. AT THE QUEEN Friday and Saturday— “$1,000 A TOUCHDOWN”, with Joe E. Brown and Martha Raye. AT THE PALACE Thursday, Friday, and Sat- u r d a y—“BEAU GESTE”, with Gary Cooper, Ray Mil- land, and Robert Preston. Backwashin’ around . . . Your columnist recently stepped out and queried several Aggies in respect to their opinions of our Denton sister school. Al most without ex ception, the an swers were in the proverbial and well - established groove, the an- groove, so here we go in a whirl of Backwash . . . Ernie Stephens: “Heaven, and the the other place too, on earth.” . . . A Band senior: “The college is definitely on the lovely side; the girls are even lovelier; but the dining hall—gosh! They’re too strict, what with no smoking and so forth.” . . . The genial, though diminutive, Gat Garrison: “Well, I’ll tell ya—I’m for the place.” . . . Varsity footballer J. H. Shelton: “It’s the land of contented Ag gies.” . . . Red-headed and Fiery Max Melcher: “TSCW is a won derful place, but the college’s God forsaken ruling in respect to bringing dates home shortly after the sun has set should be thrown to the dogs.” . . . Jeff Clark: “Nev er having been to TSCW, I really couldn’t say very much about the place, but I’ve heard a lot.” • Just another of life’s minor tragedies: The Turkey Day aftermath wouldn’t be complete without the story concerning the belated at tempt of K. O. Thomas, Joe Slick er, K. O.’s dad, and an unidentified companion to catch a Southern Pa cific’s streamliner, “The Sunbeam.” They arrived just as the train was pulling out so Mr. Thomas and his companion made a mad rush for the ticket window while K. O. and Joe ran alongside the moving train throwing the baggage on the thing. After hopping on themselves, Joe and K. O. were quick to learn that the other two hadn’t made it. Then it all happened over again —but in reverse. The baggage was strewn along at twentylfoot in tervals for a hundred yards or so, closely followed by Joe and K. O. The climax came when Joe and K. O. learned that their two asso ciates had boarded the train from its rear coach just as the first pair were dropping bags... A few minutes later four weary, dis couraged people could be seen walk ing towards the bus depot. • Box seats at half the price: Joe Gault, Ed Felder, Bill Jef frey, Euel Wesson, and Carl Leary took time out to head Houston-way earlier this week, to see Sonja He- nie’s spectacular review which has been in progress in that city. The boys enriched the till to the extent of $2.40 each, and were no little chagrinned at the national-debt- size admission fee. Business pick ed up, however, when they spied five vacant box seats—right on the front row, at that—and the resulting protectorate which the five established over the prize seats would have made even Hitler blush with envy. • If Artie Shaw’s is your favorite orchestra, you’re out of luck as far as the present organization is concerned. Artie, who recently deserted his lads in the midst of their Hotel Pennsylvania engagement, has Gone Away. Some tell that it is to walk the ways of Toscanini. Others that he is resting “down Mexico way.” The latest spy-re ports have it that he is tuning up an eight-piece colored orchestra in Kansas City. His orphans were first mothered by Tony Pastor who de serted to organize his own group. George Auld of the tenor-sax and a great jitterbug favorite is maes tro of the moment, but Tommy Dorsey has his eye on the group for his friend, Dick Stabile. —; Wishing You A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR AGGIELAND STUDIO STUDY CRIME TO PUT LIFE IN “DEAD” COURSE f~ Waco, Texas—Putting life into a “dead” language by studying “modern” crime—as it actually oc curred in the first century B. C. —is the aim of Dr. Walter H. Juniper of Baylor University in an advanced Latin course offered dur ing the winter term. The advanced students read in class assignments of the activities of a racketeer named Oppianicus, who in attempts to get control of the fortunes of three wealthy families committed no less than 13 murders. They will study also of Milo, boss of a powerful gang of slaves who terrorized Rome and in one case killed the leader of a rival gang. AGGIES SEND YOUR TAILOR WORK TO US EARLY AND AVOID THE RUSH LAUTERSTEIN’S III WE HAVE Gifts for Her, Gifts for Children Gifts for Him Gifts for Home AND GENERAL GIFTS BEFORE YOU BUY COME IN AND SEE OUR SELECTION OF CHRISTMAS GIFTS THE EXCHANGE STORE