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THE BATTALION
The Battalion
STUDENT TRI-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
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 ; also it is published
weekly from June through August.
Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at College
Station, Texas, under the Aet of Congress of March 8, 1879.
Subscription rate, %& 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
4-1M44.
Editor-in-Chiesf
Advertising Manager
Associate Editor
Sports Editor
Circulation Manager
Staff Photographer
....: Staff Artist
Editorial Assistant
Editorial Assistant
Tuesday Staff
BUI Clarkson Managing Editor
Jack Hendrick —Assistant Advertising Manager
Junior Editors
Lee Rogers E. M. Rosenthal
Bob Nisbet
Keith Hubbard
George Fuermann
Hub Johnson
Tommy Henderson
Phil Golman
Pete Tumlinson _
J. B. Fierce
T. R. Vannoy
Bob Myers
Sports Staff
yers
Jack Hollimon
Assistant Sports Editor
Junior Sports Editor
Reportorlal Staff
Jack Aycock, Don Corley, J. M. Ruling, Ralph Inglefield, Tom
Leland, W. A. Moore, J. M. Speer, Jack Decker.
Conduct Shows Your Age
CHILDREN CAN BE socially the cruelest creatures
known. Naturally they are frank in what they
say—“out of the mouths of babes... ”, and they
lack finesse and tact that comes with experience.
Invariably old people are described as kind
and endearing and sweet and gentle and thought
ful—all the endearing terms in the language.
The middle ground between childhood and old
age is graduated accordingly. Within due limits a
person exposes his age and experience or his lack
of such by his actions and conduct with respect to
the social rights and privileges of others.
We quote from an eminent member of our
faculty, “I like to feel that my students are
adults. Many of them are of legal age and should
act accordingly. At least I give them credit for be
ing men until they prove themselves unworthy of
the title. Then I call them boys.”
Socially conscious members of the student body
are regularly shocked at recurring social blunders
committed by other students. Some prefer to pass
it off as “two-percenters”, but that phrase has
been worn threadbare. Such blunders are committed
so often that 120 boys could not get around fast
enough to make them all. It can’t be just two per
cent, and it representes far too great a proportion
that must just now know how to act or must not
care. Either condition is bad.
The latest incident of note, the program in Guion
Hall, has brought a storm of disapproval from all
sources. Civilians, students, and the entertainers
themselves were impressed—but not favorably—
by the boorish way in which cadets in the audience
showed their opinion of the concert being render
ed by walking out of the hall in droves and in the
middle of the performance. The point is not whether
or not the program was of value—it was—but that
those present should have had the decency to stay
the program out to the end.
Probably the alibi for most was the lateness
of the hour. It was just before supper. But the
concert was over in time for all who stayed to make
meal formation with time to spare.
Somehow it cannot be carefully enough ex
plained that a uniform does not tend to obscure
individual action. One man’s deed is not passed off
unnoticed, but the very opposite effect. Each man’s
deeds_reflect upon the whole corps. And bad deeds
unfortunately weigh exactly twice as much as good
ones. For that reason members of the corps should
not only depend upon the obscurity of a uniform to
cover their actions, but they should each watch
himself that he is above reproach.
Axis
HOW_ SERIOUS and how immediate is the “triple
threat” to America from Rome, Berlin and Tokyo?
Collegiate editorials are speculating freely these
days, and their near-unanimity of opinion is re
markable.
Recent decision of three fascist pdwers to col
laborate more closely, reasons the Tech, published at
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “is desig
nated to prevent the United States from entering
the conflict by threatening a war on two fronts if
we keep extending our help to Great Britain.”
At Brown University, the Daily Herald sees
the Nordics, the Latins, and the Orientals, with
much flexing of muscles, proclaiming “their joint
supremacy and the utter waste of resistance to such
a strength as they represent.” But the Herald asks:
“What strength? It is meant that we should exam
ine these claims of totalitarian invincibility and our
own puerility.” Proceeding with such an analysis,
the Herald believes “the first axiom which, until
disproved, we must accept, is the impossibility of
the defeat of Britain. So long as Britain stands we
are secure in Europe, and the boasts of the Axis are
but empty prattling so far as their ability to harm
us is concerned. And so long as China stands we are
secure in Asia. Our shields are friends, and our on
ly intelligent, our only possible course is to re
enforce these shields. The British have learned. The
Chinese have learned. And we must learn that the
only thing we have to fear is fear.”
The Butler Collegian feels that “this democracy
should continue economic aid to Great Britain, for
only the maintenance of the British navy will en
able the U. S. navy to remain in the Pacific ocean.
The treaty threatens the United States only when
this nation decides to do what Hitler and his col
leagues wish us to do— be negative, cease to
strengthen the British military machine, and let
Japan go about her imperialistic way, uninterrupt
ed.”
The Eastern Teachers College (El.) News ad
vises that “our best answer to the pompous threat
of the totalitarian powers is to ignore it. Continue
to increase our aid to England and China, who
seem to be keeping the dictators fairly busy at the
present time, and make ourselves strong at home.”
The New Mexico Lobo likewise calls upon Amer
ica to stifle its hysteria about the newest phase
of Axis diplomatics. The alliance, agrees the Lobo,
just “isn’t news.” These three nations have been
informally in a state of cohesion since Germany
began its ambitious onslaughts, and the mere ad
dition of a theoretical forrhality to a known ac
tuality should be no reason for additional jitters.”
The Michigan Daily believes that Japan in re
cent days “has executed one of the most precipituous
backdowns in diplomatic history. Whether the Nip
ponese will persists in sneak aggressions and con
vert grabs under their apologetic smoke screen re
mains to be seen. In any event, pervailing ideas
about the importance of ‘face’ in Oriental psychol
ogy need revision.”
—Associated Collegiate Press
Man, Your Manners
By I. SHERWOOD
A PREREQUISITE TO good manners on the dance
floor is, know how to dance and dance well.
A Gentleman—When he wishes to ask a lady
to dance, he says, “May I have this dance?”, “Would
you care to dance?”, or “Shall we dance?” And
when they part he must always say, “Thank you”
or some other phrase of appreciation.
He should always have the first and last num
bers with the lady he brought and those before and
after the supper intermission, if there is one. An
exception is a dinner dance where he asks his din
ner partner, whether he brought her or not, for
the first number.
At a small dance where there is a hostess he
should ask her to dance, and her daughters. He
must dance with the guest of honor when there is
one.
At any dance where there is cutting-in the man
is responsible for the lady he brought. He should
introduce his friends to her and see that she has
a good time.
In hotels and restaurants where there is no
. cutting-in he should dance with the ladies at his
table, but with none at other tables not in his party.
Having asked a lady to dance a man may not
suggest that they sit down before the number is
over nor leave her alone on the floor for any rea
son. If he becomes “stuck” with a girl who hasn’t
the presence of mind to release him, he may make
some excuse and asked her where she would like
to be escorted.
When a man wishes to cut in, he taps the other
man on the shoulder and says, “May I cut in?” He
should not cut in unless he has been introduced
to her. When he has been cut in on by another, he
should not cut back until they have finished that
number. Nor should be repeately cut in on another
even though he is with different partners.
Girls like their dates to send corsages, but it
is optional with the young man.
Rules in General—Neither a gentleman nor a
lady should purposely overlook a promised dance.
Nor should either of them refuse to accept a cut-in
or suggestion to change partners.
Between numbers they should stand or walk
side by side. A lady is always on the gentleman’s
right.
At a small dance it is proper for young people
to speak to all the chaperons. At a large dance it
is courteous to speak to the chaperons they know.
As the World Turns...
By DR. R. W. STEEN
A stirring political campaign, remarkable in
many ways, comes to an end today. The New Deal
is far less popular now than it was in 1936, and
the numerous polls have shown Mr. Willkie’s sup
port to be steadily increasing. Despite these facts,
it is difficult to see any result other than a victory
for Mr. Roosevelt.
The campaign, always interest
ing, has at times approached the
spectacular. It has pitted the sueve
radio personality of Roosevelt
against the rough-voiced, rather
volatile Willkie. The almost perfect
diction of Roosevelt has been chal
lenged by the garbled pronuncia
tion and curious grammar of Will
kie. In general, the major issues
have been carefully avoided, while
the welkin has been made to ring
with discussions of trivial matters.
The Republicans have made
much of the “third term” issue. It should be re
membered that a third term is entirely legal. Hamil
ton in The Federalist clearly looked with favor up
on several terms for the executive. Washington re
fused a third term for reasons that were purely
personal. Jefferson, it is true, had philosophical
reasons for declining a third term. Few presidents
since Jefferson were sufficiently popular at the
end of eight years to even consider the possibility
of a third term. Factors more potent than tradition
were generally at work. Incidentally, about half of
the presidents have been restricted to one term each,
yet there is little talk of a one-term tradition.
Many time honored customs have been discarded
since that fateful October day in 1929 when the
stock market began its discouraging plunge. It seems
that the two term tradition will join them today.
The Republicans will doubtless carry many more
states than Maine and Vermont, and will probably
increase their membership in Congress. It will be
a good thing for the country to have a real oppo
sition party again.
Meanwhile the United States faces serious prob
lems both at home and abroad. The slurs and asper
sions of the campaign must be quickly forgotten in
order that citizens may talk, not as Democrats
or Republicans, but as Americans. It is to be hoped
that the next campaign will find this country a
part of a world at peace; that the Republican party,
as the opposition party, will get around to pro
posing a really constructive program; and that
the Democratic convention will at least go through
the motions of living up to its name in choosing a
candidate for the vice-presidency.
R. W. Steep
BACKWASH
Bg
Gearge fuemsnn
“Backwash: An agitation resulting from some action or occurrence.”—Webster.
Wherein the history, of The Battalion’s tri-weekly column “Back
wash” is the subject of a discussion . . . Born in the year 1939, the
column’s name was the suggestion of one Max Durham, at that time a
sophomore pre-medical student. With the collaboration of N. Webster,
a dictionary writer of some note who defined the word as “An agitation
resulting from some action or occurrence,” Durham’s nomination be
came a fact and today the column, or parts of it, appears
in two other metropolitan Texas dailies and formerly
appeared in one other major collegiate publication.
Backwash made its debut June 6, 1939, in the first
issue of The Summer Battalion edited by William H.
Murray. The column appeared somewhat spasmodically
throughout the remainder of that summer, but it was
September 23 of the same year that Backwash began
its first regular appearance with the beginning of the
1939-40 long session. During that session 105 of the
columns were written—91 in The Battalion Newspaper;
Fuermann n ine in the T. S. C. W. student publication, The Lass-0;
and five in The Battalion Magazine.
Backwash is generally divided into several items—usually four, five,
or six—which fall in one of six classes: humor, human interest, feature,
news, sidelight, or editorial.
The column’s success, if any, belongs to A. & M.’s corps of cadets
for whom and about whom it is written. Hundreds of cadets constantly
send by mail, or verbally, many of the items which are published. With
out this assistance Backwash would be impossible.
The column’s avowed purpose is to be a mirror of Aggie thought
and a column definitely written according to the Aggie way of things.
... A column written for and about the Twelfth Man ... A column
based on the belief that the Aggie way of doing things is the best way.
Your writer has asked a repre
sentative committee of five seniors, This Time, and Twice More,
two juniors, and a sophomore to go An Aggie freshman was writing
through last year’s columns and a story-theme at the behest of his
select from them the items which in English professor, and writing
their opinion are the best in the either stories or themes was def-
six classes mentioned above. This initely not his strong point. The
has been done, and at intervals tale was a wild, romantic outburst
throughout the current college year, about a young Southern belle, full
these items will be reprinted. To of all the blood and drama that
that end, the following items are hot blood brings forth. The climax
the committee’s selection for cream- was in the sentence, “She threw
of-the-crop humor items during open the door and, uttering a pierc-
acquaintance. With a determined
throb in his voice he quizzed the
girl as to “Whatcha doin’ Saturday
night?” Quick as a flash she came
back with “Gotta date.”
“What about the Saturday night
after that?” the poor fish asked.
“Gotta date.”
Still undaunted, the optimist
stuck his neck out once more: “And
the Saturday night after that?”
“Gotta date.”
His honor at stake, the fresh
man bowed out with, “God, woman,
don’tcha ever take a bath?”
(From the column of November
4, 1939.)
9
The Wisdom of Socrates.
Then there’s the story concern
ing. John Kimbrough and the Aggie-
Rice tilt. It seems that following
the game A. & M.’s All-American
back was riding an elevator in the
hotel where the team was staying.
It was a crowded elevator, like all
elevators seemed to be after that
game, and among its passengers
-TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1940
were two middle-aged gentlemen
not at all affected by the hub-bub
of gridiron warfare. Each of them
carefully scrutinized John—not in
any ordinary manner, but much as
they would :a thoroughbred race
horse; one of them even touching
his broad shoulders and feeling his
arm muscles. All this without a
word from either of them. Finally,
just as John was expecting them
to look at his teeth for age-determi-
nining purposes, one of the fatherly
gentlemen tapped him on the
shoulder, stood on tiptoe, and whis
pered in his ear, “Son, you should
play football!”
Look Your Best For
The Game and Dance
Jones Barber Shop
Bryan and North Gate
Stomach Comfort
Why suffer with Indi
gestion, Gas, Gall Blad
der Pains or High Blood
Pressure? Restore your
Potassium balance with
Alkalosine-A and these
troubles will disappear.
Sold by
Lipscomb’s Pharmacy
ing scream, fell prostitute upon the
floor!”
The professor was unmoved. He
returned the paper with one unruf
fled comment: “We must learn to
1939-40'.
It Can’t Happen Here.
Best of the current gridiron gig
gles concerns the T.C.U.-U.C.L.A. distinguish between a fallen woman
game a few weeks ago. One of the and one who has momentarily lost
Frogs had carried the ball and was her balance.”
tackled hard. Looking up, he saw (From the column of November
that his tackier was Strode, 9, 1939.)
U.C.L.A.’s negro end. •
A minute later he was tackled Life’s Minor Tragedies.
PALACE
WED. - THURS.
FRI. - SAT.
story of
football’s ®
most colorful 'H
again, this time by Washington,
negro halfback.
One of the movie-going Aggies is
telling about the Dallas theater
Breezing through the line a third " hlch d °. es, ' ‘ a ' wayS b °“ f eW
time, the T.O.U. back was again short subjects when a new feature
hit hard. This trip it was Robinson, 18 bcln S sho J n ;, but holds the old
another U.C.L.A. negro back.
ones over. Walking in on a new
feature this past week end he was
A fourth time the Frog lugged appalled to find the same shorts
the ball and a fourth time he was being shown that he had seen the
hurled to the ground. Getting up, he night before _ „ Don , t you E y ER
found to his surprise that his tackl- change yQur shorts? „ he blurted in
er was a white boy. disgugt to the usherette>
The T.C.U. lad stuck out his hand was a f u n quarter hour before
and inquired cordially, “Dr. Liv- be understood the resulting slap in
ingston, I presume?” f ace and the poor girl’s aloof
(This item appeared in the col- and indignant attitude,
umn of October 28, 1939. Although (From the column of Jan. 27,
Backwash does not claim to have 1940).
been the first to print the story, it ® •
came to the writer first-hand from Optimist.
a T.C.U. squadman and was later A Cavalry freshman, recently in
reprinted in a dozen different forms need of a date, proceeded to phone
in a hundred other publications.) a Bryan belle of more or less short
PREVUE II P. M. SAT.
NIGHT
James Cagney
Ann Sheridan
—in—
“City of Conquest”
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7tT
WIMBERLE
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w.vj.xy
CLOCKIERS
COLLEGE and BRYAN
'cMoviz fpeAKmr- |r
By Tom Gillis
For a rough and tumble motion
picture of two rough and ready men
“BOOM TOWN” is a show that is
guaranteed to please. With the
fighting and swearing and gambl
ing that characterized the infancy
of the. oil industry, Clark Gable
and Spencer Tracy show the world
a thing or two on how to live and
enjoy it. As hijack drillers with
stolen equipment they drill for their
first well and they skip town when
the well fails with the sheriff be
hind them too close for comfort.
They play for oil wells like we play
penny ante poker and take their
fights and their oil where they
find them. With such zest and drive
that they make and lose several
collective and individual fortunes,
Tracy and Gable play the oil
industry back and forth from the
bottom to the very top, making
several stop overs in both places.
This feature has its setting in
the boom area around Burkburnet,
Texas, and many oil men who wit
nessed the mushroom growth of
the area have declared that it is
a most authentic picture. The stars
too are genuinely authentic with
four big name players. Hedy La
marr however only appears for a
short time. Clark and Spencer
create one of the best scenes in the
show by parading around their
hotel room stripped to their suits of
long flannel underwear.
“BOOM TOWN” is a show that
will be hard to beat and has made
a strong bid for its place in the
movie sun. It is well worth the
time and money to see.
November Special
HATS CLEANED and BLOCKED
500
New binding, ribbon or leather, 25^ extra—used only
when ordered or necessary to make satisfactory job.
See our agent in your hall.
AMERICAN STEAM LAUNDRY
BRYAN
University of Wisconsin has a
mail-order dating bureau.
The world is just beginning to
use electricity intelligence, accord
ing to Dr. Frederick P. Woellner,
professor of education at the Uni
versity of California.
Assembly Hall
SPENCER
1 ; 1
GOING TO DALLAS?
Be prepared for the first official corps
trip by getting- your tobacco supplies,
pipes, candies, etc., before you leave
GEORGE’S CONFECTIONERY
South Station
6ABIE-TRACY
A
( Screen Play by John Lee Mahln • Based on a Story by James Edward Grant
Directed by JACK CONWAY Produced by SAM ZIMBALIST
Wednesday and Thursday
3:30 and 6:30 Each Day