■TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 1940
PAGE 2
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 3, 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 GoUe&iate Press
BILL MURRAY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
LARRY WEHRLE ADVERTISING MANAGER
James Critz Associate Editor
E. C. (Jeep) Oates Sports Editor
H. G. Howard Circulation Manager
‘Hub’ Johnson Asst. Sports Editor
Philip Golman n Staff Photographer
John J. Moseley Staff Artist
Junior Editors
Billy Clarkson George Fuermann Bob Nisbet
A. J. Robinson Earle A. Shields
TUESDAY STAFF
Charlie Wilkinson Managing Editor
Sam Davenport Asst. Advertising Manager
C. A. Montgomery Editorial Assistant
V. R. (Red) Myers Jr. Sports Assistant
Senior Sports Assistant
Jimmie Cokinos Jimmy James
Junior Advertising Solicitors
K. W. Hubbard J. D. Smith
Reportorial Staff
Bill Fitch, H. S. Hutchins, W. D. C. Jones, Joe Leach,
J. L. Morgan, Jerry Rolnick, J. C. Rominger, E. A. Sterling,
W. P. Walker, R. J. Warren
Radio Censorship
Radio in the United States has brought with
it complex problems of legislation. Precedent has
pretty much established that the legislation shall
emanate from federal authority, but the type of
legislation has been a center of controversy, es
pecially in the past few years. Critics of the radio
have insisted that there should be censorship; free
speech advocates have argued that radio should
not be censored any more than our newspapers
and our after-dinner speakers.
The communications act of 1934 has given the
Federal Communications Commission rather broad
powers. Radio stations can have their licenses re
voked almost at will. Since the Commission has a
stringent control of the programs, there exists
what amounts to censorship.
It is quite true that people are. inclined to
believe what they hear over the radio. Think, if
you will, about the effect of the Martian attack
as put on by Orson Welles. Fantastic, of course,
but it scared listeners right out of their easy
chairs. This is not, however, a sufficient indict
ment to cause censorship. In 1935 the New York
Sun published the now celebrated “moon hoax”
stories, which caused as much consternation in
their day, if not as much actual fright. The news
papers stopped this by their own censorship. If
the newspapers can, the radio can too.
A free press is one of the greatest assets to
democracy. Radio, another agency of communica
tion, falls into the same line. If newspapers had
been penalized with censorship as a result of the
moon hoax folly, then the present day privileges of
free dissemination of the truth would be non
existent. It is not logical to assume that radio
should be penalized with censorship for its childish
follies either.
The Ritter amendments to the communica
tions act, as suggested by Representative J. William
Ritter of Pennsylvania, would extend the minimum
license period to three years, assure a hearing prior
to license revocations, giveen protection against cen
sorship, require that a private station be given
an equally desirable frequency if its old frequency
as assigned to a government station, and limit
the government’s poWer, to take over stations
to imperative military needs in actual war or in
surrection.
These amendments would protect radio far
more than the present legislation. The present
Commission has too much power in the way of
censorship, and the federal government does not and
should not possess that power. A revision of the
present laws would serve to give radio its adequate
protection. The people of this country have as
much right to the freedom of the radio as of the
freedom of the press. And the freedom of the
press as a principle is well established.
—The Daily Texan.
★
Like Bats Out of Hell
Riding alone over tne arid wastes of New Mex
ico one summer evening in 1901, Jim White saw
what appeared to be the smoke of a friendly camp
fire. As he approached the swirling column, he
discovered that it was not smoke but a rising cloud
of millions of bats. The bats came from an open
ing in the ground, and when the column disappeared
into the South, Jim White ventured into the cavern.
The next morning he was awakened by the
swirling of millions of wings, and the column re
wound its way back into the security of the
cavern.
Each day, even now, this activity takes place,
punctually and unerringly. The bats leave the
cave at sunset, fly over the Rio Grande, consume
some eleven and a half tons of insects, and at
dawn return to the sanctity of the now famous
Carlsbad Cavern. But each night the returning
group is smaller, for owls and preying animals
exact their toll from the bat population. Eventual
ly the species may become extinct.
Like the bats, we human beings venture forth
each day, dash about our business, then turn back
to the security of our homes. As with the bat
population, each day a toll is exacted and the group
diminishes. Each day some of the millions of drivers
and pedestrians do not make the return trip home.
They are killed or crippled in traffic accidents.
Unlike the lower orders, Man has always found
the means of combating the destructive forces which
beset him. Traffic accidents present a serious
threat to this generation. How soon will we suc
ceed in solving this modern menace?
★
In London it is said they are saving the sand
washed from their spinach and using it to fill
sandbags.
Eliminate the Yokels
Adverse comments are often heard concerning
the deportment of certain ill-bred attendants at
the Y. M. C. A. picture shows in the Assembly
Hall.
Many times in the past The Battalion has
editorialized against these ill-mannered, inconsider
ate, crude heathens who frequent the movie houses.
The Battalion abhors the situation as it now ex
ists and has so long existed, and would approve
any measure aimed at curbing the cheap, disturb
ing—and vulgar—remarks that at times echo
through the theater.
There are patrons of the Assembly Hall, both
cadets and campus folk, who are disgusted with
the conduct of these few individuals who mar
the enjoyment of a program with their untimely
snickering, whistling, catcalls, and wisecracks.
Campus people and thoughtful students would
welcome the correction of this situation. They ask
action.
OPEIV FORUM
DEMANDS ORGANIZATION OF “FROG”
CLASS!
To the Frogs of the Class of 1943'/2,
If something is not done soon, the Class of
1943% will pass on as most of the other Frog
classes have in the past, unnoticed, unorganized,
and will leave nothing for which the Frogs of the
future can look towards as a goal. There is an
urgent need for such an organization in this
school.
Such an organization could have their bene
fit shows to raise money for the annual frog
dances, picnics, and entertainments of all sorts.
We could promote such enterprises as plays, beau
ty contests, dances, (where the seniors would be
our guests) and many other things which would
increase and build to our school spirits.
(The class will consists of the frogs entering
the second semester of this year. This organiza
tion, taking in no new members, will continue to
climb through the years to the day of our gradu
ation.)
The Frog Class of 1943% should be one among
many. We should have our glee club, quartettes,
trios and other musical organizations, our orches
tra, our own cheering section for the football and
other athletic games, arrange for time on the
radio for programs and interviews displaying our
talent and abilities, have our own military organi
zation with our own captains and respective offi
cers, and other such organizations.
There will be an announcement made in the
mess halls as to where we will meet to discuss
the future of our class. Let us all be ready to
cooperate and make this a class of classes.
Fellow frogs, if we plan to do anything to
wards this achievement, we are going to have to
work as an organized body, cooperating in every
respect to make this the best Frog Class that
A. & M. College of Texas has ever known.
—“Frog” Watson.
“LET’S KEEP OFF THE GRASS”
The new dormitory area is at the present
known as the “Dust Bowl of A. & M.” The condi
tions of any dust bowl are terrible and it is up to
the students to do something about it.
How can we remedy the wind-swept landscape?
The Landscape Art Department is doing its very
best to beautify the grounds around the new
dorms, but cannot do it without the cooperation
of the students. New earth is being brought in
so students, let’s keep off of it and let grass reign
throughout the grounds.
The time and energy used in walking on the
walks will not be too great a sacrifice for any
one student. This is our home so let’s make it beau
tiful.
—JOHN A. KENAGY,’ 41.
—
The average person buttons and unbuttons
3,000,000 buttons in his lifetime.
As the World Turns...
By DR. AL B. NELSON
Ex-Governor O. B. Colquitt, one of the “old
guard” political leaders of Texas, died Friday morn
ing, March 8. O. B. Colquitt served two
terms (1910-1914) as governor of the state
and had held other offices of honor and trust since
that time. His grandson, R. M. Colquitt, is a
student in A. & M. at the present
time and is a senior in liberal arts.
* * *
In taking a crack at Ann Sheri
dan, “oomph gal” of the films, the
Harvard LAMPOON spoke of North
Texas State Teachers College as a
“remote Texas kindergarten school”
according to newsbroadcaster Lowell
Thomas. This type of narrow pro
vincialism does not hurt Miss Sheri-
Neison d an birt does reflect on the Harvard
“culture”, on the attitude of its student representa
tives, and on their informational background.
Illustrative of the saying that “politics makes
strange bed-fellows” we find the third-term move
ment for Franklin D. Roosevelt, the great defender
of the “masses” and of “democracy,” is being pro
moted by the great political machines of the coun
try, such as the organization of “Boss” Hague of
New Jersey, the Kelly-Nash combination of Chicago,
Tammany Hall of New York and the seriously crip
pled Long machine of Louisiana. To cap it all, for
mer Governor Earle of Pennsylvania, who went
out of office amid charges of corruption equal to
those in Louisiana, has just been given the appoint
ment as U. S. Minister to Bulgaria by the President.
* * *
“Russia offers peace terms to Finland” is a
late news report. Peace if the Finns turn all
their frontier fortifications over to the Russians.
Those are the same terms Germany offered Czecho
slovakia, and then it stepped in and took the whole
country after the Czechs had disarmed. The pres
ent Russian offer may have the good effect of
forcing other European nations to give Finland ef
fective aid.
THE BATTALION
BACKWASH
By
George Fuermann
“Backwash: An agitation resulting: from some action or occurrence.”—Webster.
Backwashin’ around . . . Unique
in A. & M. dance history was Fri
day night’s more-than-successful
T Club prom. Only members with
dates could attend—st^gs were
taboo. . . Don Lindsay, all of ten
years old and a
fourth-grade stu
dent in the con
solidated school,
was no little cha
grined when a
comitteeman in
formed him that
he was ineligible
to vote in the
Ugly Boy contest.
“It’s not fair,”
quote he; “Our whole class wants
to vote.” . . . Aftermath of an
aftermath: Tommy Henderson
pointed out the following ironical
quote from The Battalion of Jan
uary 3, 1939, “The Athletic Coun
cil today declared that no coach
is being considered for any posi
tion in the Athletic Department
. . . despite the unsuccessful foot
ball season of 1938.” . . . An As
sociated Collegiate Press feature is
currently appearing in college and
university papers throughout the
nation in respect to A. & M.’s
world-famous project house sys
tem. It recently appeared in The
Battalion . . . Oddity in the news
is the birthday situation in the
football-playing Robnett family.
Nolan’s birthday is March 6; a
day later is Ed’s annual celebra
tion; and Marshall’s birthday is
the day after that on March 8. . .
“Tuxedo Junction” was the most
oft-requested number at the dances
that something must be done, Law
rence Welk declared that the num
ber was asked for more often than
all other numbers combined. . . .
Buster Keeton, incidentally, baton
ed the “Champagne Music” for one
number.
9
His most embarrassing moment:
Number one plight of the week
end was that which confronted
Lawi’ence Welk at the Coast Ar
tillery Ball Friday night. His shoes
—a brand-new pair— were hurting
his feet in a way which almost ef
fected his disposition. Realizing
that something msut be done, Law
rence spied the large feet of his
bass player. It wasn’t long until
the bass player was ghoeless and
Lawrence had donned more com
fortable shoeing. Lawrence and
his beauteous songstress, Jayne
Walton, both did their share of
dancing. “I’ve had a marvelous
time here,” said Jayne, “and es
pecially with all these wonderful-
looking cadets so prevalent.” For
merly a San Antonio girl, Jayne
met several cadets with whom she
had gone to school, including Jack
White, Harry Schellhase, Hal Lan
drum, and Gene Bond.
•
“It’s a mystery to me.”—Welk:
“I can’t understand,” Lawrence
declared, “how these girls that
attend A. & M. dances stand up
under the terrific punishment they
take. I tried to dance for a few
Fuermann
PALACE
Wednesday - Thursday
Friday - Saturday
FATE GREENE
■FRED MacMURRAY;
QUEEN
Wed., March 13
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MARGARET MITCHELL’S
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GONE WITH THE WIND
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HOWAilD* DeRAMLLAND
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Mat. 75^ incl. Tax
Nights - Sun. Mat. $1.20
Buy Reserved Seats Now
Hours of Show
10 A. M. - 2 P. M.
7:30 P. M.
minutes and never was I success
ful in taking more than a few
steps with a girl until someone
cut in. The remarkable thing is
that they seem to like it.” Even
Jayne was mystified. “The beat
ing a girl takes at an Aggie dance
is something to write home about.
But it’s wonderful!”
•
It’s a dachshund:
The day before Lawrence ar
rived at Aggieland he was pre
sented with a dachshund which is
as yet unnamed. Lawrence en
joyed his stay at A. & M. so much
that he wants to name the dog
something typical of the college,
and thus begins another contest.
The winner will receive five of
Welk’s latest recordings. The
judges are Lester Hambrick,
Charles Hamner, Dick Pitts, and
Frank Corder. Anyone can sub
mit an entry by mailing a sug
gestion for the dog’s name to the
writer, Box 4479, College Station.
The contest closes Friday noon and
the winner will be presented with
the records that night.
•
The attractive and charming
coed escorted to Friday night’s
T Club dance by varsity football
er Derace Moser was Naomi An
derson. Not particularly an un
usual fact in itself, the whole
thing takes on believe-it-or-not
proportions when it is realized that
Naomi attended the prom after
first making the 2,000 mile Cali-
fornia-to-Texas jaunt. A San
Francisco native, Naomi left the
“Golden Gate City” last Tuesday,
arrived at college Friday morning,
boarded a train again Sunday
night, and will complete her whirl
wind venture when she arrives back
in San Francisco tomorrow night.
Derace and Naomi were introduc
ed last October when the Aggies
played Santa Clara in San Fran
cisco. /
Said Naomi: “I’ve never enjoyed
myself as much as I have this past
weekend. I can’t find words to ex
press my feelings about A. & M.
and the Aggies—but I wish I
could enroll here!”
Short Story Contest
Deadline Extended
It has been announced by The
Battalion that the deadline for its
Magazine Short Story contest has
been extended until April 1st. This
is the last possible date that short
stories may be turned in. The
deadline was extended to allow
more students to participate. Sev
eral stories have been turned in to
date.
Acceptable stories will be pub
lished in The Battalion Magazine
and cash prizes of $5, $3, and $2
have been offered for the three
best stories.
Three shows are open for dis
cussion in this department. They
are “THE COUNT OF MONTE
CRISTO,” “THE GREAT VICTOR
HERBERT,” and “LITTLE OLD
NEW YORK.” Because of noth
ing but personal preference in the
music line, I’d say the second is
the best, and also because of a
flare for Dumas’ books, I’d say
the first is next. However, nobody
else will agree with me, so I imag
ine that the average Aggie will
prefer the last one. All three
shows are top-hole.
Just a line about the new theat-
ter at the North Gate. The Cam
pus will not open its doors for
some time yet because Buddy
Walker has not returned from
Oklahoma. When he returns it
should open in about a week. In
the meantime we all sit and wait,
but expectantly.
“THE COUNT OF MONTE
CRISTO,” is an old show, but that
very fact proves its worth and
popularity. It has withstood the
test of time, therefore it is almost
immortal. Both matinee and night
show today, it ought to draw a
good crowd.
“LITTLE OLD NEW YORK”
is on at the Palace beginning
Wednesday, and is another good
show. The inventions of Robert
Fulton and the time he had pro
moting them form the background
for the show.
C. M. WRIGHT
Underwood
Elliott-Fisher Co.
A sent
TYPEWRITERS
ADDING MACHINES
SUPPLIES
Sales — Service
209 E. 33rd St. — Phone B-7
Bryan, Texas
Also about “GONE WITH THE
WIND.” It starts tomorrow, if
you remember. The opening will
be tomorrow night at 7:30 and
a large crowd is expected.
WHATS SHOWING
AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL
Tuesday, 3:30 and 6:45—
“THE COUNT OF MONTE
CRISTO,” starring Robert
Donat.
Wednesday, 3:30 and 6:45—
“THE GREAT VICTOR
HERBERT,” with Allen
Jones and Mary Martin.
AT THE PALACE
Beginning Wednesday—
‘LITTLE OLD NEW YORK,’
with Fred MacMurray, Alice
Faye, and Brenda Joyce.
AT THE QUEEN
Beginning Wednesday —
“GONE WITH THE WIND,”
starring Clark Gable and
Vivien Leigh.
Expert Radio
Repair
STUDENT CO-OP
Phone No. 139
North Gate
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