PAGE 2
THE BATTALION
■THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1940
The Battalion
STUDENT TRI-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF
TEXAS A. b M. COLLEGE
Th« 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, $8 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.
Offiee. Room 122, Administration Building. Telephone
4-S444.
1939 Member 1 1940
Associated Golle&iate Press
HILL MURRAY _
LARRY WEHRLE
James Critz
E. C. (Jeep) Oates
H. G. Howard
Tommy Henderson
*Hub’ Johnson
Philip Golman
James Carpenter..
John J. Moseley _
Billy Clarkson
A. J. Robinson
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Associate Editor
Sports Editor
Circulation Manager
Asst. Circulation Manager
Asst. Sports Editor
Staff Photographer
..Assistant Photographer
Staff Artist
Junior Editors
George Fuermann
Earls
Bob Nisbet
A. Shields
Ray Treadwell
J. W. Jenkins ...
cChi
THURSDAY STAFF
Managing Editor
Asst. Advertising Manager
Don McChesney Asst. Circulation Manager
Phil Levine Editorial Assistant
R. V. (Red) Myers Jr. Sports Assistant
Senior Sports Assistants
Jimmie Cokinos Jimmy James
Junior Advertising Solicitors
L. J. Nelson A. J. Hendrick
Reportorial Staff
Jack Aycock, Jim Dooley, Walter Sullivan, D. C. Thurman,
Murray Evans, Joe Taylor, Thomas Gillis, Don Corley, Bill Amis.
BATTALION RADIO STAFF
George Fuermann Battalion Announcer
Charles A. Montgomery , Associate
Ed Robnett, R. M. Shuffler Assistants
Justice to All!
For 64 years this college has needed a
rule or precedent such as that lately submit
ted to the Student Activities Committee by
several seniors, and now going before the
Student Welfare Committee for its recom
mendation.
That no man should hold more than his
share of the important positions of the school
is an opinion expressed many times and by
many people. What has been lacking was the
idea for carrying out the purpose.
According to this plan, each job, such
as cadet colonel, editor of The Battalion, edi
tor of the Longhorn, and others, should be
rated according to its relative worth in re
spect to time occupied in carrying out the
duties of the office, and the influence carried
by the position. A limit of the number of
points a man could carry would be set at
a reasonable number. Thereby one man could
not hold too many jobs, and more boys would
hold them.
This idea to proportion jobs among as
many students as possible, if recommended,
must be submitted to the faculty for final
action and adoption before it can become ef
fective.
That the purpose is justified cannot be
doubted. The point of discussion will arise
as to whether this is a proper means of car
rying otit the idea. There is and will be no
intention of discriminating against any stu
dent for next year’s jobs.
Whether the means is proper we can’t
say. But The Battalion certainly considers
this idea a step in the right direction.
Leaving.. A Real
Aggie
Though the time has not yet come for leave-
taking, it is fitting, with the announcement in the
last issue of the forthcoming transfer of Colonel
George F. Moore, Commandant and Professor of
Military Science and Tactics of A. & M., to say a
word about his service and his oflice.
Colonel Moore is generally conceded by officials
of the college and thinking Aggies to be the most
efficient and capable Commandant ever to have serv
ed the college.
* * *
His job is scarcely one we would want—would
you?—because of the single fact that it is impossible
for the Commandant’s Office, as the old saying goes,
“to please all of the people all of the time.” It’s
human nature that there will always be some stu
dents disgruntled at being “rammed” (though it is
their fault that they are), and some students and
others complaining of the enforcement or enact
ment of some necessary regulation.
Most of these who complain never stop to
reason the thing out. They traditionally blame the
Commandant for “wanting to wipe out all the tra
ditions of A. & M.” They do not realize that the
present Commandant is an ex-Aggie, that he
has been “through the mill”, that he understands
better than any Commandant we have ever had the
true greatness as well as the real needs of the
school, and that in his every action he is trying
to benefit the institution—certainly not to impair it.
We believe that the Commandant has realized
what are the really good traditions of Texas A. &
M., and has tried to preserve them. In nearly every
case, we believe that those which have died were bad
in the first place. As the Open Forum article print
ed below states, it is necessary from time to time
that bad traditions be weeded out, that new and
good ones replace them. Times change; the same
conditions do not remain forever. A. & M. has
changed and kept pace with the rest of the world—
changed from the giddy, jazz-mad, drunken, “flap
per,” post-war age of the twenties, to a more serious
and genuine age of the forties. And with this change
in the ways of living has come an increasing de
mand on the part of the people that the educational
institutions of the country serve some more serious
purposes than merely to foster raccoon coats, cam
pus vamps and college widows, whiskey flasks, and
extreme forms of dissipation and hazing.
Students, as we said, we do not always realize
that it is the change in times and conditions, the
demands of public opinion, and the real needs of
this school that have been responsible for what
changes have been made—and not a determination
on the part of all the Commandants we’ve had to
make A. & M. life any less rich for the Aggies.
No, we’re not radicals. We’re firm believers in
all the good traditions of the Texas Aggies. And we
believe that all, or anyhow most, of the good tra
ditions still remain. If they are not continued it is
the fault of the Aggies who fail to respect them;
certainly not that of any officials of the college,
for to them they mean as much to those men as
to any student of the college. Think that over.
* * *
But we have strayed from the original subject,
which was to say that we agree with the great ma
jority that Colonel Moore has been the best all
round Commandant we’ve ever had. He’s known his
job and done it. He really knows his military and
his discipline—right now he’s in line for the Gen
eral Staff of the U. S. Army. He’s cooperated
wherever possible with the student body: witness
the return of the Senior Court and of other privileg
es. We respect him, and we wish him the best of
luck wherever he goes—as an ex-Aggie, a Comman
dant of Texas A. & M., and a representative of
this school and all that it means.
Not only to Colonel Moore, but to all those
other officers who will be transferred from A. & M.
at the end of this term, we extend our best wishes.
OPEN FORUM
Following is an answer to the “Open Forum”
article entitled “Dying Traditions” which was print
ed in the last issue of The Battalion. The answer,
“A New A. & M.”, is written by David Thrift, cadet
colonel in 1938-39.
•
A NEW A. & M.
Yes, some of A. & M.’s traditions do seem to
be dying out. And I, for one, feel that a bigger,
greater, and finer A. & M. is being built. An A. & M.
with a tradition of respect for personalities, of re
cognition of student rights, and of a sense of true
values is being built.
The students of A. & M. are beginning to real
ize that they have been living artificial lives in an
artificial world of their own. They are beginning to
realize that what they say, do, and demand of
the other fellow as students has a tremendous ef
fect not only upon them but upon the student’^
future development, character, and success in life.
We are getting away from the idea that to
make men requires force, intimidation, destruction
of personalities, and mental torture. We are coming
to the truth at last, and that is that the only real
development of a man must come through an inner
notivation.
Yes, fellows, we are beginning to stand for
something—something more than one year for three
with its philosophy of getting even, something more
than beer parties and gutter language, something
more than vulgar speeches from atop “Sully”, and
something more than just getting by.
Lynn Landrum, columnist for the Dallas Morn
ing News, said recently that if a student learned in
high school or college to do more than he was re
quired to do, he would never have to worry about
a job at forty-five. But we have been taking the
short cut for everything.
We are going to develop men—men with vision,
men with ideals, men with a true sense of values—
complete men mentally, physically, socially, and re
ligiously. We are going to do this when we pour
our traditions through a sieve, keeping all the
good ones, but sifting out the bad ones and replac
ing them with those which develop and don’t destroy
the finest things in man.
Aggies: Am I right in saying that we have
waited too long now to wipe out some of our tra
ditions ? Am I right in saying that we have not been
developing complete men ? Am I right in saying that
we are gradually getting a sense of true values,
and that a bigger and better A. & M. is coming?
DAVID THRIFT
Class of ’39
As the World Turns...
By “COUNT” V. K. SUGAREFF
A rise in the price of agricultural products is
not likely to come soon. Germany can not buy from
us such products, because of the blockade. The
allies, who need and can buy our agricultural com
modities, have found more advantageous markets in
Latin America. They have also been forced to buy
such products from Bulgaria, Greece,
Hungary, Rumania, Turkey and Yu
goslavia, in order to curb Germany’s
supplies. Moreover, Lord Lothian,
the British ambassador, told our
western farmers at St. Louis about
two weeks ago that England and
France are “severely rationing”
their people. They want to reduce
consumption and “compel savings.”
The government borrows these sav
ings to wage war. Thus “cannon be
fore butter” is being enforced in the
allied countries now, as. it has been in Germany
since Hitler started his rearmament program. Still,
the U.S.A. for the first year of the war by $400,000,-
000 over the average of the last five years. Wheat
may not reach the $2.73 of 1920, however.
The cost of the war is already being felt
throughout the world. England is to spend $8,000,-
000,000 for armaments this year and France’s bud
get calls for $6,000,000,000. We are spending $2,-
000,000,000; Japan about $1,600,000,000, and accord
ing to best estimates Germany spends between 14
and 16 billion dollars a year.
These outlays for armaments become more ser
ious when we take into consideration the real cost
of our armaments. Foreign nations get more ma
terials for their money than we can because of our
higher prices and wages. Fifty million dollars will
buy a 25,000-ton battleship in the U. S., a 33,600-ton
one in England, and a 43,000-ton one in Japan. Be
sides, foreign nations are developing productive ma
chinery which is adaptable for war purposes, a real
challenge to us in time of war.
V. K. Sugareff
This lovely trio will be featured on the program of the University
of Texas Girls’ Glee Club Friday night in the Assembly Hall. The
girls are Carlie Barnes, Roberta Struss, and Mary Sue Ries with
accompanist Frances Stripling. Also on the program is the film
“Jamaica Inn” starring Charles Laughton and Maureen O’Hara and
selected short subjects.
BACKWASH
B«
George Fuermann
“Backwash; An atritation resulting from some action or occurrence.*'—Webster.
Between the lines . . . New York’s
World Fair has asked the college
through the Mid-Winter Sports As
sociation^ to loan the famed Sugar
Bowl trophy for
display purposes.
T. C. U. loaned the
trophy last year
and it is expected
that A. & M.’s
Athletic Council
will okay the deal
this year . . . Or
chestra leaders on
the campus have
indicated that re
cordings are having the biggest up
swing in years and are almost on
a level with the all-time high es
tablished during pre-war days . . .
A letter from Warner Brothers
says that every Aggie who makes
the U. C. L. A. game in Los Ange
les next October will have a date
with a movie star—which probably
depends on your point of view . . .
Last week’s junior yell-leader elec
tion witnessed some unusual write-
in votes. Harry Boyer, “Count”
Sugareff, Gerronimo, and W. Lee
O’Daniel all received one vote each.
•
The Aggie Hitch-hiking Station:
The highway junction at Hearne
recently took on a new significance
to Aggie hitch-hikers when the
newly constructed Miller Service
Station built—at their own ex
pense—a long bench skirting the
Austin highway to be used by Ag
gies waiting for rides. For years
Aggies have dreamed of having
similar benches on every important
hitch-hiking corner, but it remained
for the Hearne filling station to
start the ball rolling.
•
The Green Bench:
The bench is painted green and
there is no reason why the idea
can’t mushroom and result in the
erection of Aggie benches over the
entire state. Hearne’s Miller Ser
vice Station pioneered the move
ment . . . LET’S KEEP IT GOING!
If you have any suggestions as to
how the movement may be pushed,
let Backwash know about them. If
you know anyone in your own home
town who might be willing to con
struct such a bench—it’s not a
very expensive proposition—then
tell him about the idea and sell
him on it.
•
More prestige to Aggie hitch
hiking:
Not only will such a movement
add to the comfort and convenience
of hitch-hiking, but the very fact
that the benches will have signs
on them reading “Aggie Hitch-
Hiking Station” will make it eas
ier for cadets to get rides.
So, COME ON OUT, AGGIES;
LET’S PUT THIS ACROSS—
YOU’VE PUT EVERYTHING
ELSE OVER THAT YOU’VE
STARTED OUT TO DO.
This is a movement that deserves
the cooperation and support of ev
ery Aggie and former Aggie. LET’S
DOT THE STATE WITH “AG
GIE HITCH-HIKING STATIONS.”
Pre-Meds Visit
Baylor Medical
School In Dallas
Twenty members of the Pre-Med
ical Society accompanied by Dr.
G. E. Potter, biology professor and
sponsor of the club, visited the
Baylor Medical School in Dallas
last weekend on their annual in
spection trip to one of the Texas
medical schools.
The group left college last Fri
day after lunch and arrived in Dal
las later in the afternoon. They
were guests at the Theta Kappa
Psi fraternity house Friday night.
At 8 o’clock Saturday morning
the members of the club divided up
into groups headed by members of
the Theta Kappa Psi fraternity.
Each group visited various depart
ments of the medical school sep
arately. Among the various classes
visited in the Anatomy Building
was the anatomy class and the
class in surgery.
The next building visited was
the Baylor Hospital, where the
students viewed an operation and
a blood transfusion. They also vis
ited many of the various laborator
ies located in the hospital. From
the main part of the hospital, the
students were shown through the
adjoining charity ' hospital where
the junior an senior medical stu
dents do some of their clinical
work.
From the charity hospital, the
pre-med students were shown
through the Florence Nightingale
Maternity Hospital—that is, just
the first floor! Here the original
hot-water incubator which the
Dionne quituplets used was being
displayed.
Alec Templeton, blind pianist,
has learned to play the chinems in
the tower of the campanile at the
University of California at Berke
ley.
AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL
Thursday and Friday, 3:30
and 6:45—“JAMAICA INN,”
starring Charles Laughton,
Maureen O’Hara, Robert
Newton, and Evlyn Williams.
Benefit of the Saddle and
Sirloin Club.
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The Saddle and Sirloin Club has
picked for its benefit show this
week as an added attraction to the
concert by the University of Tex
as Girls’ Glee Club one of the out
standing pictures of 1939 and with
an academy award winner in the
leading role. “JAMAICA INN” re
ceived honorable mention for the
outstanding movie of the year, and
Charles Laughton, the main actor,
received the Academy award in
1938 for his performance in “Hen
ry VIII”. This particular triumph
of Laughton also introduces a new
comer to the Hollywood screen,
Maureen O’Hara, whose looks, fig
ure, and ability promise to take
her far.
Laughton plays the role of the
haughty and pleasure-loving old
English innkeeper who manages a
whole gang of ruffians. The Ja
maica Inn is on a rock part of the
English coast, and by changing
the position of the light on shore,
ships are lured to be dashed to
pieces on the rocks, where they are
plundered by the gang. Robert
Newton is a young government in
vestigator who gets involved and
falls in love with Maureen O’Hara.
Laughton’s portrayal of Squire
Pengallan shows how luxury-lov
ing and utterly self-centered some
people can be. He views nothing
except as it will please him and
satisfy his greed and pompousness.
Fastidious about his handsome
clothes and more so about his food,
he will not even deal and associate
with his lowly gang except through
one of their number.* After seeing
the men in the gang, it might be
somewhat understandable, but
much of the best acting in the
feature comes from members of
this uneducated but hardy mob.
Long remembered will be the part
played by Emlyn Williams, one of
the yunger members.
Even the death of Laughton, af
ter being discovered in his unlaw
ful activities, gives him opportunity
to show off himself and show his
contempt of the common English
man. He retreats from an angry
mob into the rigging of a sailing
vessel and stares down at them. As
a final gesture, he warns “Make
way for Pengallan” as he plum
mets to the deck in their midst.
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AGGIES...
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BRYAN, TEXAS
See our complete line of
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Patronize Your Agent in Your Organization
CLASS OF ’41
NOW IS THE TIME to
order YOUR pair of
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right now. Ask our
customers. See us or
cohtact our agents.
HOLICK’S BOOT SHOP
NORTH GATE
*
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