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■SATURDAY, FEB. 3, 1940
PAGE 2
THE BATTALION
The Batt&lion
STUDENT TRI-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OP
TEXAS A. & M. COLLEGE
The Battalion, official newspaper of the Asrricultural 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
1-S444.
1939 Member 1940
Associated Golle&iate Press
BILL MURRAY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
LARRY WEHRLE ADVERTISING MANAGER
James Critz Associate Editor
K. C. (Jeep) Oates Sports Editor
H. G. Howard Circulation Manager
“Hub" Johnson Intramural Editor
Philip Golman Staff Photographer
John J. Moseley Staff Artist
SATURDAY STAFF
Ray Treadwell 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
Lee Rogers, E. M. Rosenthal, W. A. Moore, Glenn Mattox, Les
lie Newman, M. L. Howard.
AN EXAMPLE
An election such as was held in Louisiana Jan
uary 16 should be a lesson to every young voter.
Here is an excerpt from the news stories de
scribing activities going on at the Louisiana polls:
(Could these things happen in Texas?)
“Goon” squads—pug-uglies from the wharves
and bums from the hobo jungles—roamed the city
all day in the interests of at least three of the
candidates (for Governor, mind you). Jones and
Noe followers admitted they had hired “goons,”
but said they had done so in self defense against
Long machine “goons.” The “goon’s” duty was to
drive voters to polls, stop and start precinct fights
as conditions warranted; pour ink in ballot boxes,
which they did with thorough dispatch; steal and
prevent the theft of ballot boxes, also as the situa
tion warranted.
Noe and his lieutenants together had six
fights at the polling booths, but the aspiring-gov
ernor was on hand for only four of them. After
the 5:20 a. m. fracas with pro-Long men, in which
one Long man got clipped on the jaw, Noe went out
to investigate complaints telephoned to his office
and got into four fights and was arrested twice.
Can this happen here? Every person of vot
ing age should be civic-minded enough to ask
himself that question. How is Texas different from
Louisiana? It’s different only so long as we the
voters keep our politics on a highr plane.
The danger today to our democratic govern
ment is not that youth has taken up foreign “isms,”
but that the youth of the United States is apathetic
and indifferent to the conducting of our present
system. How many of the “first voters,” then, can
we expect to vote this year or the next? Not many,
we’re afraid, and that is why we should pause to
think about the “goondoggling” condition which
Louisiana democracy has come to.
The apathy of the educated youth of Texas
like yourself can easily allow Texas to get into
the same unholy state of affairs; your interest can
prevent it, can raise the plane of politics to higher
levels.
There are more than 400,000 eligible voters
in Texas between the ages of 21 and 25. Any
politician in the state will tell you that this bloc
of voters is enough to swing an election, but thej 7
will also tell you that they, pay little attention to
the youth vote, because less than one-fourth of them
go to the polls. But here’s an interesting point.
They admit that the youth vote if ever aroused
«could cripple their machine politics. Young men
;and women under 25 are not tied down in life
;yet by business interests and the like; therefore
ifchere would be no way of high-pressuring them to
vote one way or the other. These young men
and young women would be voters who could de
cide their vote impartially and choose a candidate
wholly on his qualifications, not on his ability to
improve their own business or personal interests.
So, it’s up to you and the other first voters
of Texas to get interested and assume your re
sponsibility in our democracy. Unless we rally
away our apathy and resolve firmly to go to the
polls this year and the next and the next, we may
find the deplorable machine politics as they have in
Louisiana taking hold and “goons” pouring ink
in our ballot boxes or stealing them, as the situa
tion may warrant.
★
FAMOUS DEAD OF 1939
Among the prominent persons who died dur
ing 1939, the most widely known was Pope Pius
XI, who passed away on February 9, and was
buried in a tomb under St. Peter’s Cathedral in
Rome five days later.
Noted Americans who died during the year
included the famous surgeons, Drs. Charles and
William Mayo; Associate Justice Pierce Butler of
the Supreme Court; Senators James Hamilton Lewis
of Illinois and M. M. Logan of Kentucky; Secretary
of the Navy Claude A. Swanson; George Cardinal
Mundelein, archbishop of Chicago; Charles M.
Schwab, steel piagnate; Douglas Fairbanks Sr.,
actor; Floyd Gibbons, war correspondent; Miss
Grace Abbott, welfare worker and educator; Zane
Grey, novelist, and Alice Brady, actress.
Foreigners of note include Sigmund Freud,
originator of psychoanalysis; Howard Carter, dis
coverer of King Tut’s tomb; former President
Gerardo Machado of Cuba; Premier Joseph Lyons
of Australia; Princess Louise, daughter of Queen
Victoria; and William B. Yeats, Irish poet and play
wright.
The 1939 death roll of persons of exceptional
national and international prominence was the short
est in many years.
Indifference to World Affairs
To dispel, gradually, the fog of ignorance that
envelops humanity, and that brings with it all
the resultant evils of stupidity and superstition and
quackery and needless suffering is the mission of
the university of tomorrow.
Authorities often say that an integrated study
of the social sciences and the humanities will leave
our students in American universities and colleges
less susceptible to the prevailing ideas and slogans
regarding race, creeds, and political programs.
Perhaps that holds true in some collegs, but the
major fault of the A. & M. campus, it seems to us,
is that of indifference.
An intelligent knowledge of world affairs
comes from a minute survey of every phase of the
problem. We should know, but do we? Now, there’s
no immediate need to sit down and study over the
problem, for after all, it is still reasonable far
from our hands. Let’s all start perking up our
ears over some of the things that happen in the
world around here. After all, we are a part of it—
a major part, the college student of today—and will
no doubt hold an important share in what is to be
and what is to be thrown aside in political ideals
of America of the future.
★
AMERICAN BIG GAME
Big game animals in the United States, once
thought in danger of extinction, are now rapidly
increasing in numbers, according to the Depart
ment of the Interior, which recently completed a
survey in which the most accurate count possible
was made.
The inventory showed about six million big-
game animals, indicating a gain of nearly a million
since the nation-wide survey of 1937 was made.
With the exception of buffaloes, no animals in cap
tivity were counted.
Deer are the most numerous of the big-game
animals, numbering more than five-sixths of the
total. Others include 228,000 elk, 93,500 black bears,
16,300 moose; besides smaller numbers of wild sheep,
mountain goats, grizzly bears and buffaloes.
Least numerous of big game animals are the
woodland caribou, only 16 of which were reported,
12 in Minnesota and 4 in the state of Washing
ton. There were 845 European wild boars ac
counted for, 425 of them being in Tennessee.
At one time the buffalo, or bison, seemed in
danger of extinction, but through the intervention
of the government in recent years, these animals
have been protected and allowed to multiply, so that
there are at present about 4,500.
Similar conservation measures have been taken
with respect to other native big-game animals and
wildlife generally, with gratifying results.
BOOKS YOU’LL ENJOY
New Books in the College Library
Adamic—HOUSE IN ANTIGUA.
Adams—THE LOG OF A COWBOY.
Alexander—CRUISE OF THE RAIDER WOLF.
Beasley—HOW TO PLAY TENNIS.
Bradford—OLD MAN ADAM AND HIS CHIL
DREN.
Brand—THE OUTWARD ROOM.
Burgess—PREDICTING SUCCESS OR FAIL
URE IN MARRIAGE,
Fisher—FORGIVE US OUR VIRTUES.
Griswold—HANDICRAFT.
Harding—IMPERIAL TWILIGHT.
Hylander—THE WORLD OF PLANT LIFE.
Joyce—FINNEGAN’S WAKE. .
Langewiesche-Brant—I’LL TAKE THE HIGH
ROAD.
Matschat—SEVEN GRASS HUTS.
Miller—THE PARIS GUN.
Remarque—THE ROAD BACK.
Saint Exupery—NIGHT FLIGHT.
St. Martin—MADAME TOUSSAINT’S WED
DING DAY.
Spring—MY SON, MY SON!
Stefansson—UNSOLVED MYSTERIES OF
THE ARCTIC.
As the World Turns...
By DR. AL. B. NELSON
Russia is protesting vigorously that the U. S.
is not playing fair in its efforts to aid the Finns.
It seems that the Department of State is refusing
to issue new passports or to renew old ones for
engineers and other technical workers already in
Russia or desiring to go there. Also
tremendous undercover pressure is
being brought to bear on American
exporters forcing them to refuse to
sell planes, gasoline, machinery and
other essential supplies to Russia.
* * *
Congressman Hatton W. Summers
of Texas, chairman of the important
judicial committee of the House of
Representatives, made a fiery speech
in the House February 1 in which he
demanded that the Federal Govern
ment return the powers taken from
the people and cease to undermine the state gov
ernments by making grants of money directly to
local governmental units.
* * *
Since the Russian failure in Finland during the
last two months of military operations the Japanese
are reported to be increasingly contemptuous of
Russian fighting powers. The Japanese forget that
they have not made such a good showing in their
own Chinese campaigns in the last year and a half
and that Russian troops fought the Japanese troops
to a standstill in the little border war of last year.
* * *
What would you answer if you were a history
teacher and a student came up just before an ex
amination in the Assembly Hall and asked the fol
lowing question: “Where should I go for marriage
relations?” The student in question finally reach
ed his destination in a Rural Sociology class.
* * *
This column does not answer anonymous letters
and communications. However, signed communi
cations will receive every consideration.
Nelson
BACKWASH
By
George fuermaim
"Backwash: An agitation resulting from some action or occurrence."—Webster.
Well all right . . . E. B. “Chick”
Sale, Battalion advertising man
ager in ’37-38, is back again as an
assistant in the Student Publica
tion Office . . . Since 1893—but not
February 10 and 13: The Battalion
first went to press seven years
before the turn of the century,
but the combination of final ex
aminations and mid-term have re
sulted in the suspension of publi
cation on the above-mentioned
dates . . . Two days before ours
began, T.S.C.W.-ites and Univer
sity students finished their semi
annual finals.
•
She sent it anyway:
The writer hasn’t yet under
stood why, but here’s a letter re
ceived earlier this week:
Dear Sir:
“In your column “Backwash”
printed January 20, you stat
ed that there were five F’s
in the following sentence: The
Famous Valspar finish is the
result of scientific study com
bined with the experience of
years.’
“I found four F’s on first
reading, and after rereading
it about twenty times, I still
found only four.
“Would you please answer
this and draw a circle around
the other F?”
Sincerely yours,
Miss
“P. S.—While reading my let
ter I found the other F, so never
mind.”
•
The eleventh commandment:
One of Aggieland’s English profs
recently pointed out to the mem
bers of his class that, as an aid
to passing finals, they should ad
here to the Ten Commandments.
Especially, he said, should the stu
dents toe the line on the com
mandment “Thou shalt not drink.”
No sooner said than E. C. “Jeep”
Oates pointed out that there was
no such commandment in the orig
inal ten. “Very well then,” the
dauntless prof replied, “I’ll add it
and make an eleventh command
ment!”
•
Howdy, Sarge!
An old Greek lace salesman was
recently trying to make a side
walk sale to Maurice Dunklin, E.
E. Hendrix, Owen Watkins, Bill
North, and Leroy McGee, in front
of Legett Hall. During the at
tempted sale, the Cavalry’s genial
major, W. R. Irwin, stepped in on
the proceedings. Turning to the
new arrival, the Greek queried,
“Can I interest you in anything,
Sergeant ?”
•
Did Nott Shoot Shott?
The following tragedy, unearth
ed from an old Harper’s, has nev
er been fully solved—and not with
out good cause. Try your hand
at it. If this won’t take your mind
off finals, nothing will.
“A duel was lately fought in
Texas by Alexander Shott and
John S. Nott. Nott was shot, and
Shott was not. In this case it is
better to be Shott than Nott. There
was a rumor that Nott was not
shot, and Shott avows that he
shot Nott, which proves either that
the shot Shott shot at Nott was
not shot, or that Nott was shot
notwithstanding. Circumstantial
evidence is not always good. It
may be made to appear on trial
that the shot Shott shot Nott or,
as accidents with firearms are fre
quent it may be possible that the
shot Shott shot shot Shott him
self when the whole affair would
resolve itself into its original
elements and Shott would be shot,
and Nott would not. We think,
however, that the shot Shott shot
shot not Shott but Nott; anyway,
it was hard to tell who was shot.”
Collegiate Review
In the future Dr. Richard J.
Werner, president of Salina Junior
College, isn’t going to be as ready
with his criticism of student con
duct, and here’s why:
When three students called on
him to recover a lost article, he
reached into the lost-and-found
drawer of his desk, an began:
“Just look at these car keys left
here. It’s a sure thing no one can
do without them. And yet they
are left here for days.” Then be
gan his stammering: “Why, these
can’t be my car keys, can they?
By golly, they are!”
The students were dismissed
without another word!
New Slang Department: These
are the latest slang definitions de
veloped by Ohio State University
students:
Campus glamor boy—male with
$5; campus glamor girl—coed with
Dr. A. Benbow
DENTIST
Phone 375
Austin Building — Bryan
ROOM FOR RENT
Within easy walking dis
tance of the campus. For
further information tele
phone College 244.
a late model car; dive—any place
with a neon sign, an orchestra and
a college boy; swing : —organized
disorganization; friend—anybody
who will loan you money; acquaint
ance—anyon6 who has loaned you
money; civilization—a collection of
modern inconveniences.
The Nazi-American bund has
nothing on a new organization at
the University of Cincinnati. Stu
dents have formed a Scotch-Amer-
ican bund, with members wear
ing identifying colors of burnt
orange and green. When members
meet, they raise their hands and
say, “Hell, Adolph, what’s the
use!”
MEN!
MAKE THAT
Valentine Gift
A Gift Of Jewelry
AGGIE JEWELRY
of all kinds
CALDWELL’S
JEWELRY STORE
Of course the year’s ten best
shows is a matter of personal se
lection, but recently the “Film
Daily” made a survey of all show
owners over the country. Here is
their opinion: “Goodby Mr. Chips,”
“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,”
“Pygmalion,” “Wuthering
Heights,” “Dark Victory,” “The
Women,” “The Wizard of Oz,”
“Juarez,” “Stanley and Living
stone,” and “The Old Maid.” That
list fits my idea more nearly ex
actly than any other I have seen;
however I cannot agree with their
choice of “Wuthering Heights”
and “The Old Maid.” Other than
that the list is a good one.
Knowing that something short
and light would be just the kind
of show for exam week^ I’d say
that the Assembly Hall calendar
has shows that are just that. Sat
urday at noon Betty Grable will
be here to startle the boys with
her “MILLION DOLLAR LEGS,”
That night Jane Withers takes off
with the Ritz Brothers in “PACK
UP YOUR TROUBLES.” The lat
ter show should find lots of appre
ciative customers. Housemaids to
a battalion of mules, the Ritz
Brothers have joined the cavalry to
fight in France, and before they
get through with the enemy, every,
one concerned is driven to dis
traction.
WHATS SHOWING
AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL
Saturday, 12:45 — “MIL
LION DOLLAR LEGS,” with
Betty Grable, Jackie Coogan,
and Larry Crabbe.
Saturday, 6:30 and 8:30—
“PACK UP YOUR TROU
BLES,” with Jane Withers,
Joseph Schildkraut, and the
Ritz Brothers.
AT THE PALACE
Beginning Sunday—“HIS
GIRL FRIDAY,” with Cary
Grant and Rosalind Russell.
AT THE QUEEN
Sunday and Monday —
“MUSIC IN MY HEART,”
with Tony Martin.
Mrs. Ida Benfey Judd of New
York City is working to have some
U. S. university establish a Mark
Twain Chair for the Advancement
of Humor.
VALENTINE CANDY TIME
Many Beautiful Packages To Select From
Three Fine Lines
Whitman’s — King’s — Pangburn’s
Red Hearts, White Hearts, Gold Hearts. Some Are
Paper, Others Silk. Hand Painted And
Regular Boxes From
250 to $7.50
Special—We Pay The Postage In Texas
EXTRA SPECIAL
All Candy Sales Will Be Subject To RED STAR. (A
Red Star On Cash Register Receipt Means YOUR
PURCHASE FREE Not To Exceed $1.00). This Is On
At All Times For Our Soda Fountain, Cigars, Pipe
And Magazine Sales.
BUY EARLY AND SAVE POSTAGE
AGGIELAND PHARMACY
THE REXALL STORE J. T. BURTIS, Mgr.
Watch Your Register Receipt—It May Be Worth $1.00
Keep To The Right At The North Gate And You
Can’t Go Wrong”
BOOKS BOUGHT, SOLO
OR EXCHANGED
One-half price will be paid for second-hand books in
good condition which will be used next semester.
THE EXCHANGE STORE
Dependability
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