-THURSDAY, JAN. 18, 1940
PAGE 2
THE BATTALION
The Battalion
STUDENT TR1-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OP
TEXAS A. & M. COLLEGE
Mechanical College of Texas and the (
published three times weekly from S'
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1939 Member 1940
PHsocioted Go!Ie6*cite Press
BILL MURRAY _
LARRY WEHRLE .
fames Critz
E. C. (Jeep) Oates
S G. Howard
‘Hub" Johnson —
Philip Golman
John J Moseley
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Associate Editor
Sports Editor
Sports Ed
Circulation Mans
lager
Intramural Editor
Staff Photographer
Staff Artist
THURSDAY STAFF
Ray Treadwell Managing Editor
J. W. Jenkins Asst. Advertising Manager
Don McChesney Asst. Circulation Manager
Phil Levine Editorial Assistant
Junior Editors
George Fuermann Bob Nisbet
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
Sportsmanship Pays
Following is an excerpt from a letter lately
received by President Walton from William H.
Wallace Jr., pastor of the First Methodist Church
of New Orleans—the city where the Aggies played
and beat Tulane University in the Sugar Bowl
New Year’s Day:
“Let me congratulate you on the splendid
work you are doing at Texas A. & M. College.
It is quite outstanding, and though perhaps
most people know Teaxs A. & M. from the New
Orleans standpoint according to their foot
ball team, still there are many of us who know
of the academic standing of the school and
the great work the president of this college is
doing.
“Let me commend the young men of the
football team and all of the visiting cadets to
our city on their splendid and sportsmanlike
conduct and attitude, both on and off the field.
Never has one word of criticism been leveled at
any of them, and they embedded themselves
in the hearts of the people as no group has
ever done before.
“The entire city would welcome a return
visit on the part of your athletes with a great
deal of pleasure.”
* * *
Thanks, Rev. Wallace. A compliment like
that is certainly appreciated, especially when crit
icism is so common.
AGGIES — COURTESY, GENTLEMANLI
NESS, AND SPORTSMANSHIP PAY DIVIDENDS!
The Eleventh Hour
Literature has consistently through the cen
turies proposed the excellence of eleventh-hour work,
for what reason no man, even the critics, seems
to know. Good deeds, clearing up a potiable rec
ord of corruption and destruction, kind words, fol
lowing a life-time of sarcasm and rashness, and
forgiveness and redemption in the last minutes,
are supposedly not only an acceptable plot but
^n excellent one.
We might say, an excellent one for literature,
%ut not so much for scholars, or as they might be
more accurately called students. Eleventh-hour
•preparation in such a situation might be more ac
curately dubbed no preparation at all, because as
a. rule when the twelfth hour arrives, then is the
time for a general forgetting of all that has been
learned.
Using the slang expression, “Cramming” isn’t
what it used to be under the pure-fact educational
regime. Those were the days when a quick memor
ization of dates, a scanning of what who did at
what battle, and a thumbnail summary of the course
borrowed from a conscientious student and con
verted to memory was enough to carry on through
the examination and anyway—who wanted to go
further ?
Now there seems to be a trend in education
to make the facts a part of what the student is do
ing. It may be in the form of a term paper, in
a list of questions which must be answered in
telligently, or in general response given verbally or
by typewriter. Unfortunately a thumbnail summary
doesn’t help much here.
And furthermore is it quite fair to a profes
sor to have to judge a whole term’s work on one
test paper ? Perhaps these professors haven’t
realized the real meaning of earnest endeavor in
the eleventh hour, but somehow we can’t quite keep
from agreeing with them. After all, one does go
to school four and a half months each year, and
it does seem like a waste to forget that fact all
except the last half.
“Dies” Twice
A man who has “died” twice says dying is not
a terrifying experience, but pleasant.
He is Carlixto Garcia, consul general for Cuba
in Seattle, twice pronounced dead after severe at
tacks of pneumonia.
“Dying is like floating down a broad river,
like floating through space, leaving the earth be
low, and flying into the clouds,” Garcia said. “It
is like slowly floating even above the clouds and
seeing on the clear blue sky. In death there is no
real sound—just a soothing whisper of a cool
breeze.
“The last time I died I knew I was dead and
accepted it. What made me come back I don’t
know. One moment I was floating, rising high
er and higher toward that blue sky. And then
with only a moment of going earthward, I slowly
opened my eyes.
“I could see and hear plainly—see them pre
paring for funeral services—and hear them mourn
ing me. But I could not move—even my eyes
through which I was seeing so plainly.
“With a great effort, I finally managed to
twitch one finger. And then they knew I had come
back.”—Chicago Tribune.
BOOKS YOU’LL ENJOY
Anderson—Winterset (a successful Broadway
Play.)
Baker—Young Man With a Horn (a novel).
Bernheim—Medicine At the Crossroads.
Best Short Stories of 1939
Brindze—Not to Be Broadcast: The Truth
About Radio.
Bryson—Which Way America? Communism,
Fascism or Democracy.
Caldewl—Tobacco Road c.2.
Carroll—Conversation, Please.
Cushing—From a Surgeon’s Journal.
De Kruif—Why Keep ’Em Alive ?
Dos Passes—Three Soldiers.
Edmon—Four Ways of Philosophy.
Engle—Corn: A Poem.
Florinsky—Toward an Understanding of the
U. S. S. R.
Fulop-Miller—Triumph Over Pain.
Hemingway—Farewell to Arms, 2 copies.
Household—Rogue Male.
Johnson—The Lost Battalion.
Krause—Wind Without Rain (a novel).
Lamb—Enchanted Vagabonds.
Hedden—How Great Cities Are Fed.
Lay—I Wanted Wings.
Liddell-Hart—The Defense of Britain.
Lin Yutang—Importance of Living.
Malchow—The Sexual Life.
Maugham—Christmas Holiday.
De Mille—Hollywood Saga.
Nordhoff—Men Against the Sea.
Norway—Ordeal.
Pierce—At War.
Sanchez—Mexico: Revolution by Education.
Sanderson—Animal Treasure.
Sears—Who Are These Americans?
Souvarine—Stalin: A Critical Survey of Bol
shevism.
Streit—Union Now.
Whitehorne—Supercargo (a novel).
Wren—Beau Geste, Beau Ideal, & Beau Sabreau
(three novels in one).
Germans can now have six kinds of jam, not
including the one the whole country is in.
Anyway, that coed who shot the football star
was thoughtful enough to wait until near the end
of the season.
By comparison, the late Calvin Coolidge’s “I
do not choose to run” now seems crystal-clear.
What with so many governmental regula
tions and restrictions, even the going concerns in
this country wonder where they’re going.
District Attorney Dewey has tossed his hat into
the ring, and ill-tempered New York critics are
saying it is the biggest hat in American politics.
As the World Turns...
By “COUNT” V. K. SUGAREFF
The re-shuffling of the Japanese cabinet yester
day came several days after Tokyo had decided to
establish a new central government in China under
Wang Ching-Wei, a former premier to Chinas
The new cabinet, headed by Mitsumasa Yonai, is
reported to be friendly to the Unit
ed States. Our government has re
mained silent with regard to these
recent events in Japan and would
hold the Japanese government re
sponsible for any infringement on
American property and trade
rights in China. Our department
of state informed the Japanese
government, December 31, 1939,
that the United States does not
admit the right of any power to
set up a “new order” in areas not
under its sovereignty and guide the destiny of
said areas. Our trade relations with Japan expire
on the 26th of this month. Our government will
give sympathetic consideration to whatever con
structive suggestions the said friendly cabinet may
make to continue our trade relations with Japan.
Meanwjiile, our department of Navy, in spite of
congressional opposition, has announced that it will
fortify Guam. At Manila we have now six old type
submarines and six 1400-ton latest type American
submarines. There are also 14 long-range naval
bombers as well as 20 high speed pursuit planes
of the most recent design.
England’s polite but firm refusal to respect
the Pan-American Neutrality belt is based on long
established rights and duties in maritime warfare.
Some changes in these rights an(i duties are neces
sary in view of the modem long range guns and
planes, but the extension of a neutral zone to hun
dreds of miles around the Americas constitutes a
too revolutionary step in maritime warfare. The
Hague Convention (1907) makes it obligatory that
neutral states must police their territorial waters
so as to’ prevent belligerents from getting aid or
using such waters as bases of operation. The Pan-
American republics merely announced their neu
trality belt without making definite provisions for
its patrol. Secretary Hull upon being informed
of England’s position, remarked that the various
phases of the problem would require a thorough
study. It is evident, for the present at least, that
it is not practical to maintain the Pan-American
neutrality belt without effective patrol.
Can the unemployed be employed? Read Frank
J. Taylor’s article in the January 15, 1940, issue
of the New Republic. It is stimulating and re
freshing as an antidote to Steinbeck’s “Grapes of
Wrath,” particularly if the “grapes” left a bad taste
in your mouth.
Collegiate Kaleidoscope
— ■ «.,C • a
ly Dob Nisbei
BACKWASH ^
George Fuermann
"Backwash: An agitation resulting from soma action or oecnrroneo."—Webstar.
Tish tosh . . . Senior class prexy
Max McCullar writes to one of
the New Orleans newspapers,
“After the wonderful time we Ag
gies spent in your
city, most of us
have come to the
conclusion that
what Texas needs
is a good Ramos’
Gin Fizz — not
biscuits!” . . . An
interesting high
light of the foot-
Everytime they see an Aggie
there,
Everybody stops to comb their
hair;
They always want to look their
best,
They know the Aggie will do the
rest.
And then they hear a knocking
at the door,
It’s the big surprise they’re wait
ing for.
And all the girlies form a ring
For miles around you’ll hear them
Musical comedies have been and
always will be entertainment that
everyone enjoys and will go to
see. Bing Crosby puts out a fine
type of musical comedy, and he
has quite a large following. For
that reason I think that the Polo
Club was wise in picking “EAST
SIDE OF HEAVEN” for ' their
benefit show Thursday and Fri
day. Bing’s pictures are always
light and usually have a better
than average story attached. In
addition there are few crooners
that can hold a light to Bing in his
inimitable musical renditions.
Besides Crosby in the show are
Joan Blondell, Mischa Auer, and
Sandy, the baby who was starred
in a show at the Assembly Hall
last week. At the opening of the
show, Bing is a singing messenger
boy in love with a telephone oper
ator. The two are too poor to
get married. Then Bing is fired
from his job because he meddles
in the affairs of a family when
be dilevers a telegram. The family
row is over Baby Sandy, and to
help his mother, Bing agrees to
keep it for a while until the
storm blows over. With Mischa
Auer again with Baby Sandy, you
know what to expect. Bing ar
rives with the baby. It is right
in the groove for two grade-points.
Duck for cover! “GERONIMO,”
and his gang of Apaches are on
the warpath! Such a message
would have ben taken seriously
back in 1873 when Geronimo lived
and terrorized the western state
of Arizona. In this year of 1940,
that statement means nothing more
than a show by that name is show
ing at the Palace beginning Sun
day. The actors in this thousand
feet or so of celluloid are as run
in the following cast:
Captain Starrett-.Preston Foster
Alice Hamilton Ellen Drew
Sneezer Andy Devine
Lieut. Steele Ralph Morgan
The part of the Indian chieftain.
Geronimo, is played by a full-
blooded Cherokee by the name of
Chief Thunder Cloud.
Angered by his father’s cold
ness to him, Lieutenant Steele
sends for his mother and fiancee
to come to his fort in Arizona and
proceed with him to California
where he can pursue a peaceful
living. Thus he hands in his resig
nation to his father, who immedi
ately “blows his top” when he
learns of the great danger he has
subjected the women to in reach
ing Arizona during Geronimo’s up
rising. Trouble General Steele pre
dicted, and trouble came. Mrs.
Steele and Alice are attacked and
Mrs. Steele is killed. Then father
and son, reunited in tragedy, set
out to catch Geronimo.
Frankly, the picture Geronimo
laid an egg as far as box-office
receipts over the country are con
cerned. I don’t mean to be a wet
blanket, but its rating is one grade-
point.
WHATS SHOWING
AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL
Thursday and Friday —
“EAST SIDE OF HEAVEN”
with Bing Crosby, Joan Blon
dell, and Baby Sandy.
AT THE PALACE
Thursday, Friday, and Sat
urday—“SWANEE RIVER,”
with Don Ameche, Andrea
Leads, and A1 Jolson.
AT THE QUEEN
Last day Thursday —
“NIGHT OF NIGHTS,” with
Pat O’Brien. Also techni
color Sugar Bowl Game.
Friday and Saturday —
“CALL A MESSENGER,”
with the Dead End Kids and
the Little Tough Guys.
Cornell University student and
faculty car drivers are required
by the student council to buy lia
bility insurance.
Fuermann aftermath is
the cash bonus
paid every member of the Athlet
ic Department. From Coach Nor
ton to the negro boy who keeps
Kyle Field in condition, everyone
received a well-deserved 10%
bounty . . . Sam Davenport is re
lating the story about the fresh
man in his organization, Jack
Swank, who asked a girl at last
Saturday night’s Freshman Ball
for a late date. “I’ll be more than
glad to give you one,” the young
miss replied, “but you’ll have to
wait until 4 a. m. I already have
three late dates!” . . . Remember
the contest—one hundred words or
less on “What I Like (Or Don’t
Like) About T.S.C.W.-ites.” It
closes on February 15 and all en
tries should be mailed to the writ
er, Box 2279, College Station.
•
And here’s one that ALL Aggies
will be soon singing:
A. & M.’s mythical poet laureate,
Gat Garrison, has rhymed three
more verses—this time to the tune
of the South’s anthem, The Beer
Barrel Polka. Gat has titled it
with the accurate but time-worn
nomer, “Texas’ Sweetest Collec
tion of Women,” and if you don’t
think you’re allergic to it, just
try putting the words to music—
The Beer Barrel Polka.
There’s a college, what a college,
Only pretty misses go there;
And there’s never any room there
For a worry or a gloom there.
Oh, there’s beauties, and there’s
cuties
And a lot of gay sweet smoothies;
But when they bring the Aggies,
They’ll all get in the swing.
sing:
Chorus:
Bring on the Aggies,
We’ll have a whale of a time.
Bring on the Aggies,
We’ve got the girls on the line.
Put on your makeup,
Ring out a song of good cheer.
Now’s the time to get your Aggie,
’Cause the week-end’s here.
For the first radio performance
of Gat’s lyrics, listen in to the
Friday afternoon Aggie Clambake
tomorrow at 5 o’clcok when the
four yell-leaders, Bodie Pierce,
Bert Burns, “Foots” Bland, and
Buster Keeton—“The Barber Shop
Four”—sing the song for the corps
via WTAW.
•
Somehow or other many of the
Aggies enjoy going to the movies
in Houston much more than in
near-by Bryan. It seems as
though the comments of the audi
ence have so much more punch and
freshness to them. Witness, for
example, the case of the cadet
who came out of “The Housekeep
er’s Daughter” a week or so ago
trailed by a couple of lads who
were ten if a day. They stopped
to gaze at a large photograph of
Joan Bennett, draped in a vapor
ous negligee by the ticket window.
“The housekeeper’s daughter!” one
of them appreciatively said to the
other. “Gee! What house?”
The brightest of all the third-
year University of Minnesota law
yers is a blind student.
There are more than 26,000
plants in the Clark University
herbarium.
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