PAGE 2
-SATURDAY, MAY 4, 1940
The Battalion
STUDENT TRI-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF
TEXAS A. A M. COLLEGE
Th« Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and
Xechanieal 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 ia published
weekly from June through August.
Entered as second-class matter at the Poet 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
4-M44.
1939 Member 1940
Associated GoUe&iate Press
RILL MURRAY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
LARRY WEHRLE ADVERTISING MANAGER
James Critx Associate Editor
E. 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
SATURDAY STAFF
James Critz
Don Burk
W. C. Carter
R. V. (Red) My
ers
Junior
Advertising
J. M. Sedberry
... Acting Managing Editor
Asst. Advertising Manager
Editorial Assistant
Jr. Sports Assistant
Solicitors
G. M. Woodman
Reportorial Staff
E. M. Rosenthal, Lee Rogers, Glenn Mattox, W. A. Moore,
Bob Parker, L. B. Tennison
| CHAINED 1
| WEARINESS |
On every campus, we suppose, the matter of
student leaders, and campus “big shots” boils down
to the same thing—or the same men.
It is at least true at A. & M. that the few
men who WILL do the work eventually do the
things that mark men student leaders.
The Emory Wheel has analyzed the matter,
and we think that they have beefed well. We wish
that we had taken the time to do the same beefing
first, hut we didn’t so we quote the rather winded
Wheel editorial.
This newspaper does not think that the Wheel
(editorial offers a solution. We are sure that it does
riot, but we print it in these columns just to get
.•a load off our chests that any college newspaper
staff is glad to get off.
* * *
On Emory’s campus today there is a small
group of weary men.
In the group are ten or twelve seniors and
four or five juniors. They are tired of Emory, its
■classes and its activities.
They are chained by campus opinion, a roguish
master which binds them with such titles as campus
leaders, “big shots,” “activity men.” They feel
obligated to the university and to its student life.
This small group trudges through activities,
each member living on cigarets, black coffee, late
bours, and nervous energy. Each one realizes his
health is being impaired, each one knows his grades
are suffering. Yet he trudges on. It’s too late
to quit.
The activity man as a senior is sick of it all.
He wants to sit around the hall or house once in a
while and listen to records or the radio. He wants
to talk about his girl, dances, automobiles, and
campus politics. He wants to feel that some night
he can go to bed before 2:30 confident that he
knows his lesson for the next day. He’s sick of
staying up all night, of answering a thousand ques
tions, of making everybody mad at him. He wants
to be “one of the boys” again.
The activity man feels that after three and
one-half years he’s done enough for his fellow-
students and his school. Now is the time to get
out and look for a job. Comprehensives are com-
ing up soon. And yet, that old sense of obligation
is always prodding him. It makes him accept duties
he doesn’t want, do things he’s tired of doing. He
ruins his health, misses' a lot of pleasure, and wears
a couple of keys.
Activities have always existed at colleges and
will exist as long as man can drive pleasure from
a feeling of mastery over others. Cynics say activ
ities exist only because students are foolish enough
to try to build up lines of type under their name
in the senior section of the annual. Others point
out that activities are good because they give
men experience along certain lines, and that men
enter activities because they realize this fact. Still
others sincerely believe that men, without thoughts
of keys and other high honors, enter activities
merely for the love of competition and the sat
isfaction gained from a job well done.
Time takes its toll in activities. Freshmen
come out for them in droves. During the sopho
more year the number drops. As juniors, even
more realize they’re not suited. Consequently in
the fourth year the burden is thrown on a very
few.
Once a man has proved himself a capable and
dependable worker, more work and more responsi
bility is piled upon him. Not only students, but
faculty directors of various activities take ad
vantage of his sense of obligation. They exploit
his willingness to woik for others—to work even
to the extent of his own uin.
With so much to do, the leader (at least the
type who is not genius enough to handle all his
activities and his school wort: satisfactorily) slumps
in his studies. Time taken by his activities forces
him to cut classes. His grades suffer.
At the same time underclassmen see that the
leader isn’t making good grades and begin to harbor
the idea that maybe grades don’t mean much after
all, especially if such respected men—men who
are popular and who “do things”—make only
mediocre marks. The activities themselves suffer.
The few are the powers in so many campus doings
that they have little time to put on single activi
ties. Men who might have handled well the high
positions have to give away to these “all-activity”
men.
Most practical solution lies in the individual
himself. May the freshmen and sophomores realize
that too many activities are a burden, an abomina
ble burden. Let them pick their best fields and
stick to them.
What we need is more balance.
★
DOCTOR, LAWYER,
MERCHANT, CHIEF—
What are you going to be? How do you intend
to pass your unspare time (if any), keep unwel
come animals from the door and earn the right
to pay an income tax?
Probably you don’t know yet; if you do you
may change. Anyway, don’t let anybody rush you.
It’s better to be a street massager at 50, still look
ing for the right job and marking time while you
look, than to be a successful bank president at 20
—if being a bank president doesn’t suit you.
Speaking of being a square peg behind a bank
president’s desk, don’t lose faith in your own ability
to pick yourself a job. Nobody else can do it as
well as you. Try garbage collecting, gas jerking,
yacht owning—anything you want, but keep try
ing until you find something that appeals to you.
You’ll eventually find it; you’re bound to if you
sample enough different kinds of work. By the
time you find your dream job you may be eligible
for an old-age pension, but you will be glad you
tried everything and didn’t stand for any railroad
ing.
—Baylor Lariat.
WAR OF STARVATION
There has been bitter fighting in this war—•
but the armies have been hardly involved in it as
yet. The weapons used have been economic and
diplomatic. And now, as the war enters its second
half-year, the question of food begins to over-
-shadow all others.
Well known are the Spartan measures taken
in Nazi Germany to conserve her meager food
supplies—typical German diet, judged by American
standards, is at a bare subsistence level. The Allies
moved slower in restricting food, but they too have
recently been forced to take drastic steps. England
which must import or die, has clamped down hard
on the nations dining table. Each adult is per
mitted to spend but one-and-ten a week (about 40
cents) on pork, beef or mutton. Whiskey production
has been decreased two-thirds. Across the channel,
in France, home of the gourmets, still more severe
restrictions have gone into effect—^restaurants can
serve only two-course meals, pastry shops must close
three days weekly, etc. And spokesmen for the
allies have intimated this is but the start.
Fear that the Allies may be shut off from es
sential supplies has caused some to forecast their
probable defeat—U. S. Ambassador to Britain Ken
nedy is reported to have said that Hitler has a
55-45 chance of winning. However, the bulk of the
experts are betting on Britain and France if it is
a lengthy war. Germany’s main hope, some think, lies
in “blitzkrieg”—lightning war to force a swift de
cision.
COUNTIES OF THE U. S.
There are 3,072 counties in the 48 states, of
which Texas has the greatest number, 254, and
Delaware the smallest number, 3.
San Bernardino County, in California, is the
largest, with an area of 20,175 square miles, New
York County is the smallest, with an area of only
22 square miles, Bristol County, in Rhode Island,
is the next smallest, with 24 square miles.
Citing another case of extremes, Armstrong
County, in South Dakota, with an area of 540 square
miles has no postoffice, while Allegheny County,
in Pennsylvania, with 725 square miles, has 150
postoffices.
And speaking of postoffices, Leadville, Colo.,
is the highest, being 10,190 feet above sea level,
while Calipatria, California, 175 feet below sea
level, is the lowest.
North Carolina and Virginia have exactly 100
counties each. States have more than 100 counties
are Illinois, 102; Kansas, 105; Missouri, 114; Ken
tucky, 120; Georgia, 161; Texas, 254.
In Louisiana these subdivisions are called
parishes, of which the state has 64.
As the World Turns...
By DR. AL B. NELSON
England expects Italy to declare war. British
merchant ships have been ordered out of the Med
iterranean Sea. The British battle fleet has left the
North Sea and is in the Mediterranean and both
Greece and Yugoslavia have called reserves to the
colors and are fortifying their frontiers. English
leaders just warned the Balkan
states not to wait too long to call
for help or it may be too late.
The British expeditionary force
has abandoned southern Norway,
because the Germans controlled all
ports large enough to supply a great
expeditionary force. Also because
the Chamberlain government in Eng
land is incapable of efficient and
decisive action.
Governor Earl Long, of Louisi
ana, has pardoned many long-term criminals and
commuted the sentences of others as one of the
acts of his outgoing administration. Fortunately
Texas has had the sense to take the power of pardon
out of the hands of the occasional irresponsible gov
ernors and has a Board of Pardons and Paroles to
assist in this highly important function.
Two important union leaders have recently
been shown up as convicted criminals (Willie Bioff
and George Scalise), and Westbrook Pegler, the
columnist, recently said, “I could name a hundred
thieves and gangsters, embezzlers and terrorists
who hold office in unions . . .”
Moses L. (Moe) Annenberg, publisher and dis
penser of racetrack information, plead guilty to
income tax evasion (he cheated the government out
of $1,217,000 in taxes for 1936), and will now have
to pay the United States about $9,000,000 in taxes
and penalties besides facing a prison sentence.
THE BATTALION
SINGING CADETS MAKE BIG HIT AT
TSCW AND THROUGH CENTRAL TEXAS
When the “Singing Cadets” of
Aggieland returned to school Sun
day from their annual 5-day tour,
they had been presented on 16
different programs, including one
radio appearance, in several cen
tral Texas cities, including Mar
lin, Hillsboro, Waco, iWt Worth,
Denton, and T.S.C.W., and Dallas.
The cadets were the honor guests
of the “Early Bird” program pre
sented over WFAA last Saturday
morning. The program had to be
transferred to the Dallas’ Baker
Hotel Mural Room because of the
exceedingly large crowd which at
tended. A statement in the Dallas
Morning News said the cadets drew
the largest crowd of any early
morning broadcast in the history
of Southwest broadcasting.
At Denton the club sang for the
girls and in turn were treated to a
‘backward’ girls’ tag dance. The
cadets also enjoyed having break
fast at T. S. C. W. and upon leav
ing, the girls said that they “were
very proud of their brother
school.”
While on tour the club intro
duced the new song “Texas A. M.
C.” and dedicated it to the wife
of its author, the Tate George E.
Perfect of Dallas, and accepted
it for the school to be used as a
new Aggie hymn.
During the tour several dances
and banquets were given the
cadets, one by Nick Stuart, famed
orchestra leader now playing in
Fort Worth.
Features on the programs in
cluded Pat Patterson and his ac
cordion; Reynolds Smith, soloist,
and Gabe Fajardo, R. D. Saenz,
and I. T. Trueba. Their accom
paniment on the tour was by
Marion Lyle at the piano.
BACKWASH
Bd
George Fuermann
“Backwash: An agitation resulting from some action or occurrence."—Webster.
Fuermann
Backwashin’ around . . . The ju
nior yell-leader election smelled:
In one instance the writer knows
of several Consolidated High
School students
who were hustled
into Guion Hall in
behalf of one of the
candidates. Their
seven votes, how
ever, didn’t make
an y difference in
plk bUHh the outcome as the
candidate in ques
tion was not elect
ed. In several cases
cadets voted more times than the
law allows. Two instances in par
ticular are worthy of note, being
the two voters who cast six ballots
each . . . They’re not pro-Hitler,
but three of the Cadet Singers
were born in Germany—Sig Neu-
bert, Werner Gohmert, and James
Goldston . . . Thursday’s issue of
The Dallas Morning News carried
a lengthy, front-page story in re
spect to the Aggies’ “non-patroni-
zation agreement” where Bryan’s
picture shows are concerned. The
issue in question sold out within a
few minutes after it hit the news
stands and The News reports that
nearly a hundred letters were re
ceived from Aggies asking for cop
ies. The article was reasonably un
biased and presented a fair picture
of the situation . . . Senior Charley
Kyle, replying to a question in re
spect to what he intended doing
after graduation this June: “Well,
the only offer I’ve got so far is a
proposition to dig post holes for
my dad.” . . . One of the campus
drug stores is streamlining with
the age—together with adding a
sure-fire customer drawer, at least
where Aggies are concerned. Re
placing a male cashier with stream
lined and attractive Barbara Mun-
roe, business has already picked up
and the Bryan blonde will probably
start a new vogue where College
Station cash register players are
concerned.
®
He couldn’t be bothered:
One of the stories they like to
tell best in Dorm Twelve concerns
the unruffled composure of Earl
“Bama” Smith. Bama, it seems,
was sound asleep one afternoon
when two or three varsity football
ers placed a foot-long garter shake
in bed with him. Bama stirred . . .
turned over . . . yawned . . . opened
his eyes . . . gradually caught on
to the idea that there was a snake
in bed with him . . . looked at the
snake somewhat disgustedly . . .
and then turned over and went
back to sleep after first muttering,
“Hell, that little ole snake wouldn’t
hurt anybody.”
•
Let’s have action:
Backwash’s suggestion that the
corps push a movement to dot the
state with Aggie hitch-hiking sta
tions—similar to the one erected
by the Miller Service Station in
Hearne—has been accepted with
evident whole-hearted approval.
Now—let’s do something about the
idea . . . Let’s push the thing until
we succeed in having these hitch
hiking stations erected. Don’t fail
to let Backwash know about any
suggestions you may have in re
spect to the movement. A forth
coming Battalion will carry an ed
itorial which will include a defi
nite plan of action, but, remember,
you can help write this editorial if
’7s>u will let Backwash know yonr
own ideas in respect to making
this undertaking a success.
9
Fate of the Sugar Bowl:
Thursday’s column mentioned
that New York’s World Fair had
asked permission to borrow the
famed trophy for display purposes.
The Athletic Council has since de
cided to loan the trophy—with
certain necessary reservations. Be
cause of the tremendous interest
shown by the corps and hundreds
of campus visitors in the Sugar
Bowl, it will not be loaned until
June when the long session has
ended. Also, the Athletic Council
ruled that the trophy must be re
turned before the beginning of the
1940-41 long session next Septem
ber. The display trophy will include
a card telling who holds the trophy
and will be excellent publicity for
the college.
University of the South, Sewanee,
Tenn., campaigned for a sustaining
fund of $500,000 and received
$503,685.
Ten miles of radiator supply heat
to 152 campus buildings at the
University of Wisconsin.
WHAT’S SHOWING
AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL
Saturday 6:45 and 8:30—
“HE MARRIED HIS WIFE,”
starring Joel McCrea, Nancy
Kelly, Roland Young, Mary
Boland, Cesar Romero, and
Lyle Talbot.
business lunch
SPECIAL!
®
Business people who like
to dine well at a modest
price, enjoy our lunch
eon special where deli
cious food is served
promptly.
•
COLLEGE
COURTS
Coffee Shop
East Gate
HELLO FELLERS...
We welcome you our place always. Your laughter
and pep cheers us up. Plenty of room, too— Come in
and play records and relax.
Remember Mother on May 12. We have a nice selec
tion of Mothers’ Day cards and gifts.
HASWELL’S
“Give With Pride”
By TOM GILLIS
The ex-husbands, suitors, law
yers, and future husbands of at
tractive little Nancy Kelly stage
an intricate mixup in “HE MAR
RIED HIS WIFE”, Saturday
night’s show at the Assembly Hall.
And with Nancy’s calm good looks
and ready smile, she well deserves
the attention of them all.
Joel McCrea and Nancy are di
vorced but friendly, and she firmly
and sweetly insists on alimony.
But Joel gets jailed for non-pay
ment. On the advice of his lawyer,
Roland Young, he tries to relieve
himself of the financial responsi
bility by getting Nancy remarried
to Lyle Talbot. This would have
been splendid except for the intru
sion of the smooth Latin, Cesar
Romero. His “romeo-ing” rushes
Nancy off her feet. “A husband is
a husband,” argues the lawyer, but
rather than see his ex-wife married
to Romero, Joel proposes to her
again and is delightfully accepted.
Nancy is somewhat piqued though,
when she learns of the plotting to
escape alimony, so she accepts the
proposal of Lyle Talbot, too. Two
bridegrooms and the one bride
stage a dizzy climax, but the title
suggests the ending.
“He Married His Wife” is an
ordinary show but with a much
better than ordinary cast. Mary
Boland lends her talent as an old
matron to help the plotters get
the wife remarried; Cesar Romero
plays the slick, amorous, bird-dog
to help upset the plot. Nancy Kelly
is the center of the whole thing, as
she should be, whose fresh young
beauty also inflames Lyle Talbot.
Roland Young, timid and bashful,
completes the number of six well-
known stars in this one feature.
Announcing the Opening
—of—
Willo'wood
Located Midway Between Bryan and
College on New Highway No. 6
“WHERE GOOD FOOD IS BETTER”
We Cater To Your Private Parties
and Dinners
G. C. Carnes, Mgr. Phone 1201J
HERE IS cA
COOL TIP!
. . . Yes Sir! These
slack ensembles are
the coolest things you
can wear when it is hot.
Not only are they cool
but they are attractive.
Keep your feet cool
by wearing a pair of
these attractive sum
mer sox.
THE EXCHANGE STORE
An Aggie Institution