THE BATTALION
-THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1940
The Battalion
' STUDENT TRI-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
TEXAS A. & M. COLLEGE
The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and
Mechanical College ot 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
Btatien, 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,
<78444.
Room 122, Administration Building. Telephone
Bpb Nisbet
Keith Hubbard ...
George Fuermann
Hub Johnson
Tommy Henderson
Phil Golman
Pete Tumlinson .„
J. B. Pierce
Editor-in-Chief
Advertising Manager
Associate Editor
Sports Editor
Circulation Manager
Staff Photographer
Staff Artist
.... : Editorial Assistant
.. Editorial Assistant
X. R. Vannoy
THURSDAY STAFF
George Fuermann : Acting Managing Editor
George Woodman Assistant Advertising Manager
Junior Editors
Tom .Gillis D. C. Thurman
Sports Staff
Bob Myers .... Assistant Sports Editor
Jack Hollimon Junior Sports Editor
W. F. Oxford Sports Assistant
Reportorial Staff
Z. A. McReynolds, L. B. Tennison, J. M. Speer
War... . Why?
TWO MEN walked side by side down the street.
The sprightly youthful step of one and the heavy
step of the other indicated the possibility of father
and son.
As they strolled they approached a bridge. Stop
ping to gaze into the rushing waters below, the
two stared in contemplative silence. Suddenly the
younger man spoke:
“Dad,” he began, “What is all this talk of
war ? I hear people every day saying it is inevitable.
One prominent man said we would be taking active
part in war by April. Why must this country, with
every facility for a peaceful existence, enter into
a squabble that does not concern us ? Congressmen
say that the draft bill was passed to prepare us to
meet all eventualities. I was heartily in favor of hav
ing that bill passed; it is always wise to be pre
pared. But now, just as I feared, the talk is getting
away from being prepared for defense. Our leaders
are beginning to mention “going” to war. My ques
tion is, why?”
“Answering your question, son, isn’t as easy as
1, 2, 3, because it involves many lines of reason and
can be approached from many angles. As far back
as accurate history goes wars have been going on.
Every generation, without exception, has fought a
war. That applies to our own country as well. The
reason is that the men that make them do not
fight them.
You have probably observed that current events
are not the cause of war. They only determine the
immediate time for it to start. I, too, feel the strong
possibility of our entering the European war. Whe
ther we will be in by April or not I do not know.
Sometimes I feel that we are already in it.
“But there is only one answer to your question
of why there is a war going on. Without a doubt
this war is a throwback from the last one, and it
has been properly labeled World War II. In reality,
it is merely the second act of the same play; it is
not two different dramas. The causes of the first
war were not settled, and the peace treaty was not
satisfactory.
“If you can explain why we entered the last
war, then that explanation will suffice now. The
cry was “save the world for democracy”.
‘ “I don’t know just what reason the country’s
leaders will give this time, but mark my words it
will be good.”
Texas, Our Texas
SIMILARLY, AS “God Bless America” and “Amer
ica” are not the National Anthem, neither is “The
Eyes of Texas” the' state song of Texas. For the
benefit of those who do not know, “Texas Our
Texas” is the official song of Texas, as established
by an act of the legislature a few years ago. Ris
ing when a song other than the state song is play
ed is showing disrespect to the state song. “The
Eyes of Texas” is the official song of the Univer
sity of Texas, and should not be confused with
“Texas Our Texas.”
Last Saturday when the strains of “The Eyes
of Texas” reached their ears, most of the civilians
and half of the ca!det corps present rose to pay
homage to the state of Texas, apparently ignorant
of the fact that “The Eyes of Texas” is not the
official song of the state.
Here is a copy of the words to “Texas Our
Texas” for the benefit of those who are not
familiar with the song. »
Texas, Our Texas!
All hail the mighty state!
Texas, Our Texas!
So wonderful, so great!
Largest and grandest,
Withstanding every test;
O Empire! Wide and glorious,
You stand supremely best.
Chorus—
God bless you, Texas.
And keep you brave and strong
That you may grow in power and worth
Throughout the ages long.
OPEN FORUM
OUR TRAFFIC PROBLEM
By Walter Sullivan
OUR CAMPUS TRAFFIC problem has grown in re
cent years to such an extent that it warrants im
mediate attention, and the Battalion is to be con
gratulated for its editorial (October 24) written in
recognition of this fact.
At present, Texas A. & M. is enjoying the
greatest enrollment in its history, but from this
pleasure comes the unpleasant result of extremely
crowded conditions of our streets and sidewalks . . .
we can’t remove this problem, but with the great
est of ease, we can better the existing situation.
It is not because of our being students at A.
& M. that we should be allowed to walk with safe
ty across the campus; neither is it because of the
motorists’ being a taxpayer, nor because of his
being on urgent business, that he should be free of
correctable traffic obstacles while employing the use
of our city streets. In ours, as In every other pro
blem of its kind, the answer lies in the application of
mutual consideration. It is not that our motorists
and pedestrians’ rights are preemptive, but that we
in our Democratic way of life believe in meeting the
other fellow half way ... as in the words of Ben
jamin Franklin, “each must give a little.”
If the motorist will drive carefully and observe
the legal speed limit, and if the students will do
such things as to face traffic while walking and at
the same time realize that he is walking in traffic,
we may soon eliminate the trials, tribulations, and
danger involved in crossing our campus.
Something To Read
By DR. T. F. MAYO
The People’s Library
THE LIBRARY IS gradually acquiring, as they
come out, a collection of little books, edited under
the series title of “The People’s Library”, which
the Aggies should find useful and interesting. They
are all, so far, clearly and even entertainingly writ
ten by sound people. They are pleasantly gotten up
as to print, etc., and they are blessedly brief! (none
over 125 pages). Each of them constitutes an ade
quate introduction to some field of interest which
you have already vaguely intended to explore, but
from which you have shrunk, perhaps, because of the
size and grimness of the book which you have seen
on the subject.
Here are the titles which we already have. Oth
ers are being ordered.
Which Way America?, by Lyman Bryson. The
shortest and clearest explanation of the meaning
of the bewildering “Isms” which confront us in
the headlines: Fascism, Communism, Socialism, etc.
Incidentally, the author takes a shot at defining
“Democracy”, which we are likely to overlook in
the shuffle!
Here Comes Labor, by Chester Wright. What
we want to know about the CIO, the AF of L,
strikes, labor politics, and the significance of the
Labor Movement to us all.
They Worked for a Better World, by Allan Sea-
ger. “This is a book about five people for whom
the world was not good enough. Their names were
Roger Williams, Thomas Paine, Ralph Waldo Em
erson, Elizabeth Stanton, and Edward Bellamy. It
would not be a bad thing to hunt out, recognize,
and help the men and women like them who are
living now.”
Who Are These Americans?, by Paul B. Sears.
A most enlightening little survey of the racial ori
gins of the American nation, of the raw ingredients
which have been thrown into our melting pot.
Let Me Think, by H. A. Overstreet. The best
introduction I know to an analysis of oneself and
one’s world.
The Attractive Home, by Lydia Powel. Why
should such matters be left entirely to the women—
frequently with ghastly results ?
BACKWASH
By
George fuermann
As the World Turns.
By “Count” Y. K. Sugareff
Request
“Please, explain in your colum how the president
is elected.” Rev. Norman Anderson.
AS ORIGINALLY PROVIDED in the constitution,
the president is still elected by the “electorial col
lege”, composed of as many electors as there are
members in both houses of congress (531). In the
first three presidential elections each elector voted
independently. Since the rise of well organized pol
itical parties, the membership of the electorial col-
Ige ha become purely a party instituion. Each state
conttrols the election within its territory and each
party designates its specified number of electors,
who vote for their party candidate in case the party
wins the election.
At present day election proceeds as follows:
(1) The president and vice-president are nominated
at the party nominating convention. (2) THe politi
cal parties in each state designate as many elec
tors as that state has members in congress. (Texas
has 23 electors in the electorial college, correspond
ing to our 21 congressmen and two senators. New
Mexico has 3 electors, corresponding to her two sen
ators and one congressman at large.) (3) The gen
eral election takes place every fourth year on Tues
day after the first Monday in November. If the
Democrats win the election in a give state, the elec
tors will be those designated by the Democratic
Party, or vice versa. If the Democrats carry enough
states to give their candidate a majority of the 531
electorial votes, we know that our next president
will be the democratic candidate, and yet the pres
ident is not, technically speaking, elected. (4) On
Monday after the second Wednesday in December
(Dec. 16 this year) the electors meet in their re
spective state capitols and each casts a separate
vote for the president and vice-president of his par
ty. These votes are signed and sealed in duplicate
and together with the electors’ certificate of elec
tion, signed by the governor of the state, are
sent to the president of the U. S. Senate. Copies of
these votes are also sent to the Department of
State. (5) On January 6 (three days after con
gress convenes) congress holds a joint session and
the votes are counted. The candidate receiving a
majority of the electorial votes (266) is declared
president of the U. S. A similar procedure is fol
lowed for the vice-president. (6) In case no presi
dent is elected by this procedure, the house of rep
resentatives, voting by states, elects a president from
the three candidates having the largest number of
votes. The senate, voting indivdually, elects a vice-
president from the two candidates having the larg
est number of votes. (7) The president is inaugurat
ed January 20.
National Defense Progress-Press news from
Fort Lewis, Washington, states that the U. S. Army
is to have a special Rocky Mountain artillery. The
Rocky Mountains form a decisive geographical di
vision of the United States. A specially equipped
and trained personnel is being created to guard
the Rocky Mountain passes. The organization is de
signated as the 99th field artillery and it is com
manded by Lieut. Col. David Ruffner.
“Backwash: An agitation resulting from some action or occurrence.”—Webster.
Aggie-gorged Dallas will ring the profit bell till it cracks in a
manner that’ll make the Liberty Bell blush with shame Saturday when
the greatest mass movement in the history of the sixty-four-year-old
cadet corps becomes a fact.
And that same corps will leave College Station as deserted as a
city plagued with leprosy. Six thousand—and more—Texas Aggies will
make the biennial trek to Dallas. Half a thousand pro
fessors will do the same thing. And there’s a few
thousand Brazos County civilians who’ll be there,
too.
So it’s all roads leading to Dallas Saturday as far
as the Texas Aggies are concerned. They’ll go by every
means of transportation yet devised by man—but the
important thing is, they’ll go!
They’ll go in 1941 automobiles and they’ll ride in
the back of fertilizer trucks, too. They’ll go by airplane,
truck, bus and Uain and, if someone’ll build a canal,
Fuermann they’ll swim or go by boat. Most of them, though, will
use the famed Aggie hitch-hiking license and thumb their way to the
game.
And when they arrive and form for the corps trip parade, the
area surrounding the Dallas Union Terming will resemble a super-mob
scene in a Hollywood spectacle, or one of Mr. Stalin’s mass parades
through Red Square.
Saturday, November 9—the No. 1 day in the 1940-41 life of a
Texas Aggie where activities are concerned.
By Tom Gillis
fi
“FLIGHT ANGELS” contains
the efforts of four young stars who
are not too dry behind the ears yet
but at least three of whom have
a promising future ahead of them.
Jane Wyman is probably the most
up and coming of the bunch, and
she has a whirlwind role as a saucy
blond airline hostess. Wayne Mor
ris is the slow and honest but not
too sure co-pilot under Dennis Mor
gan. Dennis is the temperamental
pilot and the player who shows
least promise in his acting. Vir
ginia Bruce, although still young,
has proved herself several times as
a star and now she goes aloft as
another airline hostess.
Two parallel and rather run-of-
the-mill romances are carried on by
the two pilots and the two hostess
es until temperamental Dennis
Morgan finds his sight has failed.
He tries to up stakes and quit the
business and gets called a quitter
and even wife Virginia Bruce is
disgusted with him. He steals a
newly built plane and is going to
make his final flight testing it.
This he does but crashes in landing.
Of course he redeems himself and
everything is rosy with him hs an
instructor in the Army.
The antics of Jane Wyman are
the best features of this show. She
gets hot under the collar several
times and nearly blasts the airline
company out from under the whole
bunch. This show is rather slow
and cute Jane Wyman nearly steals
it by providing what fast spots
there are. Incidently, Virginia
Bruce could never be an airplane
hostess in real life because she is
too tall.
Pudgy Elsa Maxwell, renounced
in New York as public hostess No.
1, appears in “PUBLIC DEB. No.
1” at the Campus for the rest of
this week. The show takes a poke
at Communism but Comrade Stal-
lin will never feel any staggering
effects. Brenda Joyce, as soup
heiress brings down the cry of
Communist on herself and friend
Ralph Belamy, candidate for Con
gress. Both the soup and the cam
paign are finally saved after broke
and brash George Murphy spanks
the young deb in public. Elsa Max
well has some pretty good philoso
phy but even that can’t make the
picture better than ordinary.
WHATS SHOWING
AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL
Thursday 3:30 & 7:30—
“BOOM TOWN,” starring
Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy,
Claudette Colbert, and Hedy
Lamarr.
Friday 7:30 — “FLIGHT
ANGELS,” featuring Virgin
ia Bruce, Dennis Morgan,
Wayne Morris, Jane Wyman,
and Ralph Belamy.
Nov. 8 punch on Y card
good for this show.
AT THE CAMPUS
Thursday, Friday Saturday
—“PUBLIC DEB. NO. 1,”
with Elsa Maxwell, George
Murphy, Brenda Joyce, Mis-
cha Auer, Charlie Ruggles,
Ralph Belamy, and Maxie
Rosenbloom.
That’s Tex behind the lady holding the snake’s head. She’s Mrs.
Marie Abrams, carnival owner who had purchased the snake. He’s 28
feet long and muzzled. (Marie refused to be pictured with an un
muzzled snake—which is “tact” in red letters!)
HMIDKERCHIEF TEST PROVES
VITAL Z0HE RLUIHVS SPOTLESS
it came—in the guise of a mag
azine advertisement. “Guaranteed
to kill mosquitoes,” it read . . . And
One dollar was sent and a few ty ant * va * ue * ‘
Tex Flynn Again.
The item in last Saturday’s col
umn concerning Robert (Tex)
Flynn and his experiences with .
Frank Buck has caused no little ^ 1 ^ a ^'
comment. Most cadets have wanted
to hear about the narrow escapes days later a medium-sized package
Tex had during his eight-month’s was received containing two simple
employment with the bring-’em- wooden blocks about four inches
hack-alive artist, so here’s one in square and both smooth-surfaced,
his own words: On the surface of one of the
“Early one morning as we were blocks was painted a black ring
entering the lion house we heard an about an inch in diameter. The
unusual commotion which warned directions were simple: “To kill
us that something was wrong. We the mosquito, place him in the
looked inside and could see down center of the black ring; then
one side of the building the dim strike the two blocks together and
line of lion cages. The animals rub briskly until mosquito is quite
were in a turmoil, pacing the floor dead!”
and roaring as though the world '” =
was coming to an end. We weren’t
long in finding out the trouble. A
careless workman who had been
working on a nearby panther cage
had left the ceiling door in the
cage open. It was an easy trick for
the black panther to escape and
he was playing havoc withip the
confines of the entire animal house.
He had already killed two kan
garoos, several African deer, and
three water fowls. One of the men
in our party had his express rifle
handy, and just as the panther
leaped at two of us, he fired, a well-
aimed shot and saved both our
lives.”
Then there’s the story about the
near-tragedy in the snake house.
Tex and the snake house manager,
Texan Cole Schmidt, were remov
ing a 28-foot Indian python and
noticed that the snake was a little
more restless and mean than usual.
Before they had a chance to leave
the enclosure to get more men, the
snake struck—quickly winding
several coils around Cole’s body.
Four men were necessary to un
wind the deadly snake but after a
few hectic minutes Cole was freed
with no more damage than a lac
erated hand.
•
This Is Sad.
Meaning the story one of the
ranch-living Aggies is telling about
modern commercialism. It seems
that ranch life was just the thing,
but mosquitoes were fast bringing
to the country a little problem of
personal defense which cried out
loud for an answer. In short order
Mrs. Elias Compton, selected as
one of the 10 outstanding women
of 1939, .is the only woman ever to
receive an honorary LL.D. degree
for motherhood. She is the mother
of three famous men.
Always clean and free
from goo no matter
how often you smoke
it. Challenging higher-
priced pipes
in briar quali-vfcwSl
WM. DEMUTH ft CO., NEW YORK
When in Doubt About
Your Eyes or Your
Glasses, Consult
DR. J. W. PAYNE
Optometrist
Masonic Bdlg. - Bryan
“On To Dallas”
Ag-gies!!
We’re ready—to get you
ready for this big corps
trip. You’ll find a com
plete stock of regulation
uniform goods as well as
smart civilian clothes
and furnishings at both
our College and Bryan
Stores.
New Arrow Reg. Shirts
New Arrow White Shirts
West Point Bombay
Shirts
Reg. Serge Slacks
Sam Browne Belts
New Reg. Trench Coats
Alligator Rain Coats
Insignia, All Types
Reg. Interwoven Socks
Reg. Dress Hats
Reg. Dress Caps
Bostonian and
Mansfield Shoes
Smart Luggage
Some 21,500 cars and trucks are in regular day to
day service with the Bell System. The great majority
have bodies specially developed by telephone engi
neers. Many are equipped with power winches, air
compressors and pole derricks. Each of the many
types is designed to handle particular functions in the
construction and maintenance of telephone plant.
Planning, purchasing and operating the world’s
largest fleet of commercial motor vehicles is a big
job in itself. Yet it is but part of the far bigger job:
providing the finest, fastest, friendliest service to
the millions who daily use the telephone.
Why not give the family a ring tonight?
Rates to most points are loicest after
7 P. M. any night—and all day Sunday.
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