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The Battalion 01>1N forum
STUDENT TRI-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF
TEXAS A. & M. COLLEGE
Tho Battalion, official newspaper of the Airricultural and
Mechanical College of Texas and the city of College Station, is
published three times weekly from September to June, issued
Puesday, 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.,
»t New York City, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, and San
Francisco.
Office, Room 122, Administration Building. Telephone
1-6444.
1939 Member 1940
Pis sodded GoHe&ide Press
BILL MURRAY -
LARRY WEHRLE
James Critz
E. C. (Jeep) Oates
H. G. Howard
“Hub” Johnson
Philip Golman u
John J. Moseley
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Associate Editor
Sports Editor
Circulation Manager
Intramural Editor
Staff Photographer
Staff Artist
THURSDAY STAFF
Ray Treadwell Managing Editor
J. W. Jenkins Asst. Advertising Manager
Don MeChesney 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, Don Wynn, Joe Taylor, Thomas Gillis, L. B.
Tennison, Bill Amis, Don Corley.
For Seniors Only
This week is being held an election of seniors
only, by seniors only, for seniors only. It is the
annual election of the “five most popular seniors”
of the class of 1940 to which we are referring.
In today’s Battalion is a ballot with five blanks
on which each senior is requested to fill in, in de
scending order, the names of the boys he considers
the five most popular members of his class.
It is an acknowledged fact that in past years
this election has been shamefully unrepresentative
- - in fact, almost farcial, Last year less than 20
per cent of the class voted. Members of the
senior class commonly “gripe” and joke about this
condition of things. But dismissing the question
with a complaint or a jest is not improving mat
ters. It is the opportunity, the privilege, actually
the duty of the members of the senior class that
they all voice their opinions in order that the elec
tion may be truly representative, democratic, and
correct in its results.
The Longhorn annually devotes a full page to
each of the five seniors chosen. Those men chosen
should actually be most popular in the eyes of thd
class, and it is up to the class to see that they are.
The officers and leaders of the senior class,
the editors of The Battalion and the Longhorn, and
all interested in holding of the election are urg
ing that each senior do his part by casting his vote.
After all, it’s but a little trouble to clip out a
ballot and write in five names. Top sergeants are
requested to collect the individual ballots and turn
them in by Friday noon to class president Max
McCullar. All top sergeants are asked to do their
best to secure the ballot of every senior in their re
spective organizations, to help in making the elec
tion as representative as possible.
So come on out, seniors, and do your part.
The class of ’40 has been the most active senior
class in A. & M.’s history. Let’s not have its elec
tion as farcial as those of previous years.
MAN, YOUR MANNERS-
ONE REASON STUDENTS FAIL
Has it ever occurred to you why so many stu
dents have failed out of school thus far? Naturally
you blame it on the student who fails for not study
ing enough, but do you know that it might be
partly your fault? In a survey of several students
who failed out or who failed one or more courses,
the majority took part of the blame, but “passed
the buck” on to somebody else. The chief reason
for not being able to concentrate wholly on one’s
lessons is because of excessive disturbances both in
side and outside the campus dwelling places, es
pecially the dormitories. To a certain extent this
is very true, because if one has to stop studying for
a few minutes due to some unnecessary confusion
going on, several minutes may be lost each day,
and when the end of the semester rolls around, the
previous minutes which have been lost show up
on the student’s grades. Just a little more con
sideration from each one of us toward our neigh
bors during study hours aren’t only helping them
but ourselves as well.
—L. B. TENNISON.
THE “ISMS”
Inasmuch as most of us are not very familiar
with the various forms of government, and are
frequently embarrassed at trying to explain them,
we submit the following to clarify the situation:
SOCIALISM: If you have two cows, you must
give one to your neighbor.
COMMUNISM: If you have two cows you must
give both to the government, and the government
gives you some of the milk.
FASCISM: If you have two cows you may
keep the cows, feed and milk them, and give the
milk to the government and the government will
sell part of it back to you.
NAZISM: If you have two cows the govern
ment shoots you and takes both cows.
NEW DEALISM: If you have two cows the
government shoots one cow, you feed and milk
the other, and the government pours the milk down
the drain.
CAPITALISM: If you have two cows you
milk both cows, sell the milk, and buy a bull and
increase the herd.
Lines To Gladys Swarthout
By Dr. John Ashton
Last night a bird came warbling
And dropped upon our lawn;
It sang so sweet and lustily
That, when I woke at dawn,
I still could hear it singing
In notes both clear and true.
We’ll ne’er forget fair Gladys!
For, Gladys, we mean you.
Ha-Ha Department
The Battalion has received, as doubtless other
newspapers have received, an interesting pamphlet
from the German Library of Information in New
York. Called “Facts in Review,” the pamphlet is
a propaganda organ which presents the German
point of view. An analysis of the material shows
such statements as “The execution of two fighters
for Irish freedom, Peter Barnes and James Rich
ards, invokes profound sympathy in the German
press,” and “In India, too, judging by the failure
of Gandhi’s attempt to effect a reconciliation be
tween the Indian National Congress and Great
Britain, there may soon be a new crop of martyrs.”
All this is propaganda against the British, the
“capitalistic” enemy of the Third Reich.
There is another side of the propaganda, the
propaganda for the Reich .
“Glass slippers will provide a real Cinderella
touch this spring. Soles and uppers are made of
Plexiglas, which is as flexible and smooth as first-
grade leather. The heels are of splinter-proof
Plexiglas, providing a slipper more practical than
Cinderella’s.
“This new wonder apparel can be obtained
without ration cards.”
For this information, the German ministry of
misformation can kick itself in the pants. For
the interpretation of this is that the German gov
ernment is short of hides and leathers, and has
turned to ersatz footwear. The last paragraph looks
like it was turned out by a pro-Ally writer. At
least, praise Wotan, there is something not on
the ration list.
Propaganda is a dangerous thing. It can turn
and bite its masters as easily as it bites its enemies.
QUESTION: Is it correct at a college dance for
a man to cut in on a girl to whom he
has not been introduced ?
ANSWER: It is not correct, but what chance
would an A. & M. stag have if he
did not?
QUESTION: When introducing small college groups,
is it best to use first and last names
or the conventional titles?
ANSWER: The conventional is correct, except,
for those who are intimate friends
of yours, and already know each
other’s names but have never met;
you might say, “Jane, this is Pete
Smith”; then to him, “Jane Worth.”
BACKWASH
By
George Fuermann
“Backwash: An agitation resulting from some action or occurrence.”—Webster.
New Books in College Library
Rausching, Herman—THE REVOLUTION OF
NIHILISM.
Brooks, Robert Romano Ravi—UNIONS OF
THEIR OWN CHOOSING.
Hart, Moss—YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH
YOU.
PERIODICALS
“Discovery;” the popular journal of knowledge
. . . new series, v. 1, April 1938-date.
“Hoy” (published in Mexico City) v.12, No.
152, January 20, 1940-date.
As the World Turns...
By DR. R. W. STEEN
Texas Independence Day will be celebrated of
ficially at Washington-on-the-Brazos, Saturday of
this week. Washington’s chief claim to fame lies
in the fact that the convention which declared Texas
independent met there on March 1, 1936, and the
following day issued the famous decla
ration. Today it is little more than a
crossroads village, and in 1836 it was
something short of a metropolis. It
was made up of a few poorly con
structed cabins, and stumps were still
standing in the most important street.
The town did not have a library, a
printing press, or a building suitable
for the convention to meet in. The
meeting was finally called to order,
in near freezing weather, in an un-
Steen finished building. Places of cloth
were hung over the open windows in an attempt
to keep out the biting north wind.
The members of the convention bore ample
testimony to the cosmopolitan nature of the Texas
population. Eleven members of the body were born
in Virginia, nine in.Tennessee, nine in North Caro
lina, five in Kentucky, four in South Carolina, four
in Georgia, three in Mexico, two in Pennsylvania,
two in New York, one in Massachusetts, one in New
Jersey, one in Scotland, one in England, and one
in Canada. Several other members were present,
but nothing is known of their nativity.
The menu of speeches for this celebration offers
ample variety. Among those scheduled to address
the meeting are Governor W. Lee O’Daniel, Presi
dent Homer P. Rainey of the University of Texas,
and Justice John H. Sharp of the Texas Supreme
Court. The theme of the meeting will be the Declara
tion of Independence, but honor will also be paid
the Supreme Court which is celebrating its one
hundredth anniversary, and to Thomas Jefferson
Rusk who was chief justice one century ago.
Decency seems to be one word not included in
the vocabularies of some Louisiana politicians. Earl
K. Long was defeated in the Democratic primaries
last Tuesday. Early Sunday the ‘“lame duck”
state committee, under control of Long, named
the defeated governor as the party candidate for
secretary of state. This state of affairs was made
possible due to the fact that the candidate for
that office died on the eve of the primaries. Sam
Houston Jones (most Texans will approve that
name), the nominee for the governorship, has stat
ed that he will not permit this flouting of the
popular will. The courts may have the pleasure
of solving the problem. Long had to act hurriedly,
as his state committee goes out of power Wednes
day.
Backwashin’ around ... A head
line on a story in the T. S. C. W.
Lass-0 reads: “Not Married at
20? There’s Hope Left Even Aft
er 30” . . . Two
members of the
Ross Volunteers—
attired in full R.
V. uniform—were
recently returning
to their room aft-
er having had
flk Kfllll their picture tak
en for The Long-
Fuermann hora - Suddenly, a
not - too - well-in
formed teen-age lad popped up
with the sincere-enough query:
“Say fellas, what school are y’all
from? . . . And Hoot Gibson
says that the usual reply which a
Sam Houston State Teachers Col
lege girl gives another on being
asked what she will do over the
weekend is, “Oh, just ‘string’ an
other Aggie along.” . . . Best quip
of the week via radio: Bob Hope’s
“Let’s swing and sway in a negli
gee.” .... One of the Aggie-
land’s chem profs to his labora
tory section: “It’s better for you
students to look things up, but if
you’re as lazy as I think you are,
I’ll tell you.”. . Logical: As Lester
Hodges—Gladys Swarthout’s ac
companist—sat down to play his
. solo portion of last Friday night’s
memorable concert, a woman sit
ting behind the writer pointed out
to her companion, “Watch his
mouth as he plays the piano.” . . .
The Aggieland Orchestra is find
ing the two most currently request
ed numbers are “Tuxedo Junction”
and “I’d Rather Be A Texas Ag
gie.” . . . Just cautions—that’s
all: The History Department’s
“Count” V. K. Sugareff discovered
last week that two of the members
of his History 306 class had “bust
ed” the course last semester. When
seated alphabetically, however,
they turned up in the same seats
they had occupied the previous
semester. Superstitious, though
wise, they asked for a change—
and got it.
•
Hollyhocks to the Old Army Bar
racks:
In a recent noon-day, address,
via his daily radio editoiial “One
Man’s Opinion,” Hal H. Collins,
prexy of the Crazy Water Crystal
Company, warned the public
against rides to hitch-hikers—
whether in uniform or not. No
sooner heard than W. L. “Tick”
Bryce, I. C. Baucom, A1 Knippa,
Edgar Schawe, C. J. Jones, Rip
Barnhill, Jake Creager, Elmer El
lis, J. L. Heard, and Marion Wil-
kerson (all residents of the Old
Army Barracks—the Houston
County Project House) wrote a
polite letter to Collins explaining
that they enjoyed his programs
very much, but failed to see eye-
to-eye with some of his policies.
In short order Collins came back
with an equally courteous letter
explaining that he had meant no
harm to Aggies, that he was a
former Aggie himself (B Com
pany Infantry, 1910), and, as a so
lution to the problem, advocated
the formation of an organization
which would insure mortorists’
safety and provide rides for col
lege students.
Various parts of the cam
pus are bringing out their favor
ites for Backwash’s Ugly Boy
championship. Full details of the
contest appear on the front page
of this paper and a ballot appears
elsewhere in the paper.
•
Here’s how they did it:
More than a few cadets have
wondered what magic the A. S. C.
E. members used to entice Sam
Houston State Teachers College
coeds to their dance last Friday
night. It all started when Cecil
DeVilbiss and J. D. Hancock visit
ed Huntsville recently and met
James Butler, a former student of
the class of 1912 whose daughter
is a Sam Houston freshman. Learn
ing of the engineers’ need for girls
at their forthcoming prom, Butler
offered his assistance. A week
later, Bruce Cloud, Fred Sandlin,
H. C. “Snuffy” Smith, and Frank
Perrin journeyed Huntsville way
and completed negotiations. As a
result, Butler came through with
typical Aggie spirit and drove ten
Sam Houston-ites to Aggieland for
the dance. The consensus of the
girls’ opinions was the same: “We
had a wonderful time—and we
hope we’ll be back soon.”
by Dob Nisbel
A split benefit between the fenc
ing team and the boxing team
is scheduled for Thursday and
Friday nights. The picture show
ing is “THE MAN IN THE IRON
MASK,” If you have read any
of Dumas’ books, you will be de
lighted with Warren William as
D’Artagnan. In my estimation
his acting was the best part of
the whole show. But then Joan
Bennett’s good looks and sultry per
sonality cannot be overlooked. As
the story goes, twins were born
to the king—an event that proved
a catastrophe since both had equal
rights to the throne. To try to
avoid trouble, the king sent one to
another country in the care of his
old friend, D’Artagnan, to raise in
the ways of a musketeer. Much
later, however, the two did meet,
and despite the efforts of the king’s
minister, the two learned their
identity. The heartiest son who
had become king then had the other
thrown in prison with a horrible
iron mask locked around his head.
There is much more to the show
including another counter-plot, but
it is easier told on celluloid than
in print. Rating—three grade-
points.
At the Palace this weekend
is another of Wallace Beery’s pic
tures, “THE MAN FROM DA
KOTA,” and as usual he is the
wicked old sot with a heart of
gold underneath. Also in Beery
pictures there must be a young
man and a young woman to bring
together. After a look at the
story, I see that my surmise is cor
rect. John Howard and Dolores
Del Rio are the budding young
couple.
WHATS SHOWING
AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL
Thursday and Friday—
“THE MAN IN THE IRON
MASK,” with Warren Wil
liam, Joan Bennet, Alan
Hale, and Louis Hayward.
AT THE PALACE
Thursday, Friday, and Sat
urday — “DESTRY RIDES
AGAIN,” with Marlene Diet-
rich and James Stewart.
AT THE QUEEN
Friday and Saturday —
“WHAT A LIFE,” with
Jackie Cooper and Betty
Field.
^ Musical Meanderings ^
COTT’S TOT. Every Sunday,
for quite a while, on his CBS So
You Think You Know Music quiz,
Ted Cott asked his contestants
to sing, whistle, hum, shout, grunt,
or groan the theme of some musi
cal selection.
The grunting and groaning
didn’t really get started though,
until a couple of weeks ago when
the program was taken off the
air. The mail and telephone calls
that piled up at the studios began
to melt the hearts of CBS pro
gram chiefs, who had other plans
for the Sunday half-hour—2:30
to 3:00 p. m., EST. They were
topped by a lett6r from a mumps-
ridden little Toronto girl who com
plained that if she couldn’t learn
about music from the program,
her parents would make her start
taking piano lessons.
So So You Think You Know
Music is back on the air.
Walter Winchell gave
it a (or is it an?) Yorchid and
the N. Y. World-Telegram voted
it one of the best quiz programs on
the air last year. Ted Cott in
vented the show one Fourth of
July afternoon when he was play
ing records over a small station.
He invited the engineer, the clean
ing woman, and the porter into
the studio for a quiz on the air.
The station got so much mail that
the program became a regular
thing. It moved to CBS last
spring.
P. S. The porter won the quiz.
STATE’S STAKE. CBS last
week staked Ohio State Univer
sity’s private radio station to a
transmitter. The transmitter re
placed at CBS by a larger model,
cost originally $30,000, and rolled
into Columbus in a caravan of two
trucks. O. S. U. Vice-President G.
Lewis Morrill accepted the gift for
the university, saying: “Its uses
in research and instruction in Com
munications Engineering will be
extremely important.”
The Buckeye Radio Institute has
long been recognized as one of the
country’s best. In addition to stu
dent-acted and produced programs,
the Institute has done pioneer work
in radio research. The annual edu
cational conventions of the In
stitute are the Pulitzer prize
awards in Educational Radio.
We could list the technical names
for the equipment included in the
gift. But it’s pretty long. Brief
ly—it works.
ON THE CUFF. Marvin Miller,
Hardin-Simmons sophomore, came
to CBS Hobby Lobby with a cow,
to prove that milking a cow helps
him write poetry ... it works out
like this—Grade A —- a sonnet;
Grade B—a ballad; Skimmed
Milk—a limerick; Sour Cream—a
column like this.
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