PAGE 2
The Battalion
STUDENT TRI-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF
TEXAS A. Si 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
reauest.
Represented nationally by National Advertising Service, Inc.,
at New York City, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, and San
Francisco.
Office, Room 122, Administration Building. Telephone
4-5444.
1939 Member 1940
Associated Golle&iafe Press
fJILL MURRAY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
LARRY WEHRLE ADVERTISING MANAGER
James Criti Associate Editor
K. C. (Jeep) Oates Sports Editor
H. G. Howard Circulation Manager
Tommy Henderson Asst. Circulation Manager
*Hub’ Johnson Asst. Sports Editor
Philip Golman Staff Photographer
James Carpenter Assistant 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
Bam Davenport Asst. Advertising Manager
C. A. Montgomery Editorial Assistant
R. V. (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
196,000 to 1
Forgive a Slip
When you pick up your copy of The Battalion
did it ever occur to you that there were over 196,000
chances to make a mistake in it?
Those concerned with writing, editing, and
setting in type the stories of The Battalion strive
earnestly to avoid error in fact and expression. How
ever, odds are against the reporter in many cases
and it is not always possible to play a perfect game
without a single slip.
When creative work is done under pressure by
reporters the chance of error is multiplied and in
many cases a time schedule prevents correction. A
reporter must have a thorough knowledge of words
and must know in what sequence they will be most
effective.
* * *
Copy-readers on The Battalion are the reporter’s
protection. These readers should have a very thor
ough knowledge of the stylebook. These readers edit
the copy, correct any mistakes, and make the story
■conform to style and policy.
The story then has a fifty-fifty chance of get
ting into the pages free of errors if the copy-readers
-do their work perfectly.
From there the story is sent to the linotype
•operator who sets it in type. If you think there is
no excuse for this operator making an error just
sit down at a typewriter some day and try to type
quickly a lengthy manuscript without making a
mistake.
The proof of type is then sent to the proof
reader and, when he finishes with it, it should be
:free from error. This, though, requires the coopera
tion of the makeup printer whose job it is to insert
the corrected line in place of the old one.
* * *
Several years ago the Pacific Printer published
a list of requirements for the perfect proofreader.
The list is as follows:
“He must have some knowledge of current
literature, and for the purposes of quotation he must
be a student of the Bible, of Shakespeare and of
Cervantes.
“He must be up to the minute on the current
German, French, Spanish, Hebrew, and Scandinavian
tongues; of physics, astronomy, geology, mathe
matics, law, geography, mythology, music, art,
drama; of the occult, of heraldry, of metaphysics,
and of the folklore, fashions ’and fads; also the
fourth dimension, the differential calculus, and the
effect of the aurora borealis on stewed prunes.
“He must be up to the minute on the current
events of the day—political gossip from Washington,
what the college of cardinals is doing, and the rela
tive value of peanuts in Posey County, Indiana, and
in Timbuctoo.”
So, when you see a handful of errors in The
Battalion don’t charge it to incompetence. Consider
a four-page paper, 28 columns, 1,000 words to the
column, seven letters to the word—196,000 chances
to make a mistake, and many more than that, when
we have a paper of six or more pages! So if you see
an error, you will know that the mistakes were
reduced to a minimum, but the odds were against
us.
★
Socialists vs. The President
The Socialist Party’s national convention has
charged that the President’s administrative policies
are leading us straight into war.
The Socialists scored the military preparedness
activities of our government and the economic aid
made available to the allies by the repeal of the
embargo act.
H. G. Wells once said that the time would come
and, “possibly in the lifetime of Senator Borah,”
when the United States would not be secure from
invasion by her isolation. It did not come in the
lifetime of the “Senator from Idaho,” but it may not
be far away. In the meantime let’s look at the extent
of our preparedness.
When the President’s Army Expansion Program
is completed in 1941, the United States will have
an army one-half the size of the Czechoslovakian
forces and one third the size of the Polish army, both
of which were easy prey for Hitler’s troops. Our
army will be about the same size as the brave little
band that defended Finland, an area of about the
same size as our state of California.
Does it appear we are preparing to enter the
war on the side of the allies, or does this along with
the repeal of the embargo act look like wise legis
lation to safeguard our country?
Just a Suggestion
Students here will recall that it was well into
the school year this session before many telephones
had been ordered installed in the dormitories, and
much longer still before they were installed.
The Battalion suggests that some plan be work
ed out before the end of this term by the class
leaders and administrative officials of the college
with the telephone company so that telephones may
be ordered and installed immediately at the start of
the next session and all future sessions.
We think it can and should be arranged. The
student body in the future should not have to wait
so long for their phones.
*
PENMANSHIP
A convention of penmanship teachers and super
visors recently at Atlantic City was told by one of
its members that poor handwriting costs American
business $80,000,000 a year. She cited the average
sales slip as a good—or bad—example.
Horace Greeley, the speaker said, was a great
man, but he would have been greater had he been
able to read his own handwriting. The compositors
who set Greeley’s editorials into type probably
would have agreed that life would have been much
happier for them if the old master hadn’t been
such a poor penman.
A good, legible handwriting is something it is
nice to have, but few people have it. The invention
of the typewriter destroyed many potential penmen.
People used to say of a man that he was ‘plenty
smart’, because he wrote such an elegant hand. In
telligence, of course, has nothing to do with it; it’s
purely a mechanical accomplishment. Edgar Allen
Poe’s handwriting was small and perfect, resembling
a copper-plate engraving, while Horace Greeley’s
looked like the work of a moron—but each was a
genius in his particular line. One had the knack for
it, with the possible addition of a bit of training,
and the other didn’t. But both got their ideas across
just the same.
BOOKS YOU’LL ENJOY
NEW BOOKS AT THE COLLEGE LIBRARY
MARXISM: AN AUTOPSY, by Henry B. Parkes
Macleish
THE NOVELS OF JOHN STEINBECK, by
Harry T. Moore.
THE TREE OF LIBERTY, by Elizabet Page
MARXISM: AN AUTOPSY, by Henry B. Parkes
PROMISE OF LOVE, by Mary Renault
GOVERNMENT AT YOUR SERVICE, by Ar
chie Robertson
ABRAHAM LINCOLN: THE WAR YEARS by
Carl Sandburg
THE WAY FORWARD, by F. B. Sayre
F.O.B. DETROIT, by Wessel Smitter
LONG VALLEY, by John Steinbeck
HORSES AND AMERICANS, by Philip D.
Stong
THE MARCH OF MIND, by F. S. Taylor
CHINA AT WAR, by Freda Utley
GROWING PLANTS IN NUTRIENT SOLU
TIONS, by Wayne I. Turner
THE FATE OF MAN, by H. G. Wells
MAN’S COURAGE, by Joseph Vogel
The TRAMPLING HERD, by Paul L. Wellman
As the World Turns...
By DR. R. W. STEEN
The number of independent states in this world
was reduced by one last week. Denmark, a progres
sive, well-governed country with a long and hon
orable history, was placed under the “protective
custody” of German arms. This can have only one
meaning. Denmark has become, at least for the time
being, a part of Hitler’s Germany,
and will doubtless be looted as sys
tematically as other areas won by
German arms, though perhaps with
less cruelty.
The independence of Norway is
threatened, and depends upon the
outcome of naval and land battles
now raging. Latest reports indicate
that the British fleet definitely has
the upper hand, but German troops
still control most of southern Nor
way. Germany will doubtless find it
very difficult to supply them by sea,
and it seems improbable that men and supplies for
really serious fighting could be brought in by air.
British troop are said to be landing in Norway, and
with the sea routes open there should be little
restriction on the number of men or the amount of
supplies that the allies can send.
The German occupation of Norway met with
little opposition. This was due in part to the element
of surprise, and in part to assistance from within
Norway. The Nazis in Norway seem to have given
valuable assistance to the German troops. If a Nor
way remains after all this is over, there should be
ample evidence for a few hundred charges of treason.
The German navy has been reduced by about
half since the fighting began last week. Their losses
may have been even greater than this, with the
result that the German fleet can no longer be con
sidered a matter of great importance. British losses
seem to have been light when the extent of the naval
fighting is considered. Incidentally, the Germans
will doubtless be accusing the British of unfair
tactics, as the warship which led the British des
troyers at Narvik is one which the Germans claim
to have sunk at the battle of Jutland in the first
World War. It seems that the Warspite, like the
Ark Royal, is practically immune to German propa
ganda.
* * *
The predicted entrance of the Fergusons into
the race for the governorship has come to pass.
This campaign should rank second to none in color
and interest. It seems that the Ferguson candidacy
will cut into the O’Daniel following to a considerable
extent. It will probably mean a runoff primary be
tween either O’Daniel or Ferguson and the leader
of the other group of candidates. However, a runoff
primary between O’Daniel and Mrs. Ferguson is
easily within the bounds of possibility.
R. W. Steen
THE BATTALION
BACKWASH
By
George fuermann
“Backwash: An agitation resulting from some action or occurrence.”—Webster.
Fuermann
Down Military Walk . . . The
Senior Ring Dance’s Russ Morgan
and his 18 partners in music-mak
ing can be heard nightly via New
Orleans’ station
WWL from 11:30
until midnight.
Russ, who is rhy-
thming from the
Roosevelt Hotel,
has a style not un
like Anson Weeks
but has four more
brasses than An
son and uses five,
rather than three,
fiddles. He attends to a great deal
of the singing chores personally
and “Music in the Morgan manner”
may be the order of things at
T.S.C.W.’s annual Senior For
mal . . . The Singing Cadets, who
will serenade our Denton sister
school on April 25, will be feted
with a “girls tag” dance while
there. Glee club membership will
probably jump tremendously in the
next ten days . . . 1940’s social
season is seeing some records set
for long distance travelling to reg
imental balls. Escorted by Mick
Williams, Bonnie Jean Titley air-
planed from Missouri’s Stephens
College to attend the Cavalry hop,
and coeds from Louisiana, Missis
sippi, and other southern states
haven’t even been unusual this
year . . . Aggieland’s best jam ses
sions are those that take place af
ter Friday afternoons WTAW
Clambakes go off the air. Last
week it was Harry Springfield at
the piano, Jack Rudy at the organ,
John Stephens on a sax, and Lloyd
Jenkins trumpeting. Incidentally,
the session in discussion resulted in
the “discovery” of a mystery num
ber which will be played on this
week’s Clambake . . . Molly O’Dan
iel, without benefit of biscuits, at
tended Saturday night’s corps
dance. Continually cut-in on, ca
dets averaging two and a half
measures dancing time each.
•
There’s a new “number one” or
chestra:
Backwash’s weekly orchestra poll
shows the “Ambassador of Rhy
thm,” Anson Weeks, taking over
the top spot in Aggie opinion as
far as bands on the campus this
year are concerned. Seventy-five
questionnaires were given cadets
who customarily attend all the
corps dances, and the results show
Anson in first place, Bernie Cum
mins slightly behind, Shep Fields
third, and Lawrence Welk, Del
Courtney, and A1 Kavelin neck-and-
neck for fourth place spot. “Tux
edo Junction” is still tops on the
Aggie hit parade for the eighth
consecutive week. “Put Your Little
Foot” went out entirely and “All
The Things You Are” moved up
from third to second place with
Russ Morgan’s theme song, “Does
Your Heart Beat For Me” third.
These facts are based on the num
ber of requests received by band
leaders at the preceding weeks’
regimental ball and corps dance.
•
Anson Weeks and company:
Definitely one of the finest per
sonalities to visit the campus this
year, Anson’s entire band was made
up of unusually excellent musicians.
His “sweet-swing” style is a new
experiment with him and, as he
pointed out, “We’re still learning
things about it ourselves.” The idea
of so-called sweet swing is that
more stress is placed on strings
and woodwinds rather than brasses.
A few month ago Anson let four
of his brasses go and added three
fiddles who were formerly with
Wayne King. Incidentally, probab
ly one reason that Anson’s rhythms
made such a hit with the corps was
the fact that he is the first sweet
swing band on the campus this
year. Greatly impressed with the
college, he decided that he wanted
to play the “Aggie War Hymn” at
the corps dance and spent all Sat
urday afternoon working up the
best arrangement of the song that
the writer has heard played by a
popular dance band.
•
Still more:
Songstress Eunice Clark was the
most popular yet. Only twenty
years old, demure, very proper,
quiet, and lovely, she can’t have
dates while on the road. Neverthe
less and notwithstanding, she had
57 requests for the same on Friday
night and tied Claire Nunn’s rec
ord with 93 requests Saturday
night. Her favorite songs are “Darn
That Dream” and I Thought About
You” and her only comment on the
college after a tour of the campus
was—^breathlessly — “Ooo-o-ohhh
. . . I LIKE this place.” Most in
teresting and amazing of all, to
Eunice, was the tremendous size of
the mixer in the kitchen of the
new dining hall. In Aggie terms,
Eunice was a “swell gal.”
•
Quoting Anson:
“In the past six months we’ve
had countless requests to play the
Texas A. & M. school song from
dancers in every hotel, night club,
and college that we have played at.
It’ll be a pleasure to fulfill that
request in the future.” More than
that, Anson now has copies of all
the Aggie songs, and Jack Little
john will send a special arrange
ment of “I’d Rather Be A Texas
Aggie.”
by Dob Nisbei
By D. C. Thurman
In “FULL CONFESSION,” Vic
tor McLaglen assumes the same
type of role which won him the
Academy Award in “THE IN
FORMER”. He portrays Pat Mc
Ginnis, brutish murderer, who kills
a policeman and manages by a
trick to throw the guilt onto Mi
chael O’Keefe, a night watchman.
This is a story from real life,
people with flesh and blood char
acters. Stirring elements in the pic
ture are Pat’s love for Molly, a
waitress; Michael O’Keefe’s daugh
ter’s marriage at the time when
O’Keefe is accused of the murder
of the policeman; the battle of
wills between Father Loma and
McGinnis, the real murderer, who
APRIL 16...
Only 7 Weeks Left In
This School Year
JUNIORS
ORDER NOW
. . . and get your fitting
before school is out.
Don’t put off until to
morrow what you can do
today.
Remember that symbol
of distinction . . .
“Made by Mendl &
Homak”
UNIFORM TAILOR SHOP
North Gate
Pres. Mildred H. McAfee of Well
esley College this spring will be
the first v/oman ever to give a
baccalaureate address at Purdue
University.
-TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 1940
FLYING CADET EXAM
BOARD IS LOCATED IN
BASEMENT OF HOSPITAL
The Flying Cadet Examining
Board for the 8th Corps Area is
at present examining candidates
for appointment as flying cadets
in Ward 7, in the basement of the
College Hospital. Anyone interested
in taking the examination who has
not already done so should make ap
plication with the president of the
Board at his first vacant period.
The Board will be here until Wed
nesday afternoon.
HAVE YOU SEEN BOB DALTON’S
NEW SPRING and SUMMER
SAMPLES?
He will be taking orders for Hamilton Clothes
until Friday noon, April 19th.
Room 207 - Aggieland Inn
1896
To The Class of ’42
NEXT YEAR’S
JUNIORS
Our
BI - SWING
BLOUSE
—especially for Aggies—
Lowest Price
Quality
Workmanship
Guaranteed Fit
SEE US BEFORE YOU BUY.
All Military Supplies
Wanted; Agent In Every Hall.
ZUBIK AND SONS
—44 Years of Tailoring —1940
[ > ■o'i w
II ^ 1
If
could save O’Keefe from punish
ment if he would confess.
McGinnis becomes indebted to
Father Loma for his life, for Fath
er Loma gives his blood in a trans
fusion to McGinnis who is near
death as a result of a fight with
his fellow convicts.
Upon his recovery McGinnis is
paroled and the story becomes rath
er involved when McGinnis serious
ly wounds Father Loma while try
ing to force the Father to per
form a marriage ceremony for
Molly and himself. Repentant, Mc
Ginnis offers his blood to save the
priest’s life, but the priest refuses
to accept. McGinnis understands
what he wants, and ....
fin ' es A—*.
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