-TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1941
The Battalion
STUDENT TRI-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
I EX AS 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 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
4-6444.
1940 Member 1941
Pissocided Gofle6*cite Press
Bob Nisbet Editor-in-Chief
George Fuermann Associate Editor
Keith Hubbard Advertising Manager
Tom Vannoy Editorial Assistant
Pete Tumlinson Staff Artist
J. B. Pierce, Phil Levine Proof Readers
Sports Department
Hub Johnson Sports Editor
Bob Myers Assistant Sports Editor
Mike Haikin, Jack Hollimon
W. F. Oxford Junior Sports Editors
Circulation Department
Tommy Henderson Circulation Manager
W. G. Hauger, E. D. Wilmeth Assistant Circulation Managers
V. D. Asbury, E. S. Henard Circulation Assistants
Photography Department
Phil Golman Photographic Editor
G. W. Brown, John Carpenter, Joe Golman,
Jack Jones Assistant Photographers
TUESDAY’S EDITORIAL STAFF
Bill Clarkson Managing Editor
Jack Hendricks Assistant Advertising Manager
Junior Editors
Lee Rogers E. M. Rosenthal
Reportorial Staff
Jack Aycock, Jack Decker, Walter Hall, Ralph Inglefield,
Tom Leiand, Beverly Miller, W. A. Moore, Mike Speer, Dow
Wynn.
Final Review
An Impassioned Plea
THE FATE of final review hangs in the balance
this Thursday when the faculty votes on the senior
class petition for changing the date before final
exams until after them. If the faculty votes the
change, final review will be restored with all its
significance and tradition; in case the faculty votes
“no”, final review will be killed as surely as if it
were stabbed with a knife. The Battalion, the senior
class—nay, the whole school—earnestly pleads with
the faculty, “Please give us back final review as we
knew it before last year.”
The question is not a new one at all. For seve
ral years there have been some who have desired
the ruling as it was made for last year. It was dis
cussed at some length last year before the Student
Welfare committee; it was discussed in the editor
ial columns of The Battalion; it has been considered
once before at a meeting of the faculty this year,
and several questions were raised last year.
'In the first place, those who fostered last
year’s ruling made the claim that decreasing at
tendance at the function was slowly causing it to
die a natural death. By leaving review as it was
last year it will be killed outright with a single
blow. The senior class can satisfy that argument
with a 100 per cent attendance guarantee.
Those who are exempt in all their courses will
be required to wait at school during exam week in
order to participate. These students are one in a
hundred. Surely the school policy is not to be de
termined upon the desires or necessities of one
percent^ These students voted with their classmates
yesterday in an unanimous appeal for the change.
Grades last year were some five or ten per
<cent better than the year before. Those who argue
for the review as it is slated urged this as a reason
for leaving it as is. How could any thinking
person be convinced that of all the factors to be
•considered in the fluctuations of grades, the date
•of final review was responsible for the increase?
'Then, too, the figures quoted were not the figures
of the exam grades—they were semester grades.
Final review could have had no effect on work dur
ing the semester.
Then comes the notice that juniors are due at
camp on June 4. That is nothing new. Juniors last
year were due at camp before school was out. The
orders state that with appropriate excuse, the
juniors may arrive as late as June 9. Final review
is over at noon on June 7. No one, not even the
Army, would expect them to get there before they
were thr-ough school. We feel certain a note from
President Walton would satisfy Eighth Corps Area
headquarters.
The final objection concerns the senior class.
Seniors are exempt from final exams and could be
off to begin their jobs in place of waiting a week
here at school. The senior class has answered that
point very clearly—a unanimous vote to make the
change.
Those who object must not understand the
feeling that can cause 800 men to break into tears
and cry unashamed. They can have no love for the
school nor for the true Aggie spirit that can hold
such a grip deep in the hearts of all who attend.
Final review as it should be is the parting gesture—
when the seniors say farewell to the four best
years of their life. They can never hope to see all
the same faces assembled again. It is the end. It
is the transformation from student to ex-student.
We must not be robbed of this.
Last year something was missing. The whole
corps felt it. There was something wrong with bid
ding each other a last goodbye and then return for
a week’s more school. It’s just not right.
Last year after the seniors left, sophomores
and freshmen ran beserk, causing considerable
damage to the halls and expense to their organ
izations. Without seniors, the same could happen
again this year.
And speaking of decreasing attendance. What
of the parents who drive down at the end of school
to take their boy .home for the summer vacation.
Why should they come a week early for final re
view as it was last year? They will come when
Johnny finishes his exams and therefore will miss
final review and graduation festivities. Where is
your attendance then?
Those who are against the change claim they
are concerned with the student’s benefit. Yesterday
the entire student-body waived these benefits and
stated that they would undergo any so-called sacri
fices. Final review is the students’ party, and for
that reason The Battalion believes the students’
desires should be considered foremost.
At the time the junior class voted the new
method last year they understood that it was a
trial scheme only, and that if after it was held as
it was done last year they did not like the method
and did not think it satisfactory, it would be changed
at their request. At the last meeting of the faculty,
representatives of the senior class were told that no
such agreement was made, and that formal petition
would be necessary to effect the change.
The Battalion has this to say. Final review as
it was held last year is utterly meaningless as far
as students are concerned. It was just another re
view of which the corps underwent some half a
dozen. Putting on a review is no particular enjoy
ment to those participating. Standing for two hours
holding a rifle is no fun. Unless final review can
be held at a time when it will have its full meaning,
it is our opinion that there is no other excuse for
having final review. If it will not fit in with the
school’s plans, why not just forget the whole idea.
Why not forget there is such a thing as love for
the school and for our associates.
The Battalion, the senior class, the whole cadet
corps requests the faculty—either return to us
final review as a flower in full bloom or else kill
it altogether and let’s bury it in some inconspicuous
spot. But please, we beg of you, do not leave us
with the derelict that was last year’s experience. •
Man, Your Manners
BY I. SHERWOOD
The Behavior of a Gentleman
THE DICTIONARY SAYS “a gentleman is a well-
bred and honorable man”—almost any man would
like to be classed as a gentleman.
More than any rule of etiquette is the funda
mental code of honor without strict observance of
which no man can be considered a gentleman. The
honor of a man depends on his word and the gen
uineness of his principles or he is not a gentleman.
A Gentleman Does Not—A gentleman does not,
and a man who wishes to be one, does not borrow
money from a friend except in unexpected circum
stances, and money borrowed must be returned
promptly. All money borrowed without security is
a debt of honor which must be paid without fail
and promptly. The debts incurred by a deceased
parent, brother or sister are assumed by honorable
men as a debt of honor.
One who is not well off does not “sponge” but
pays his way as best he can; sponging is unpardon
able. Don’t consistently use others’ cigarettes or let
others pay the bills.
A gentleman never discusses his family affairs
in public or with acquaintances. Nor does a gentle
man show his letters from a lady to anyone else.
No gentleman goes to a lady’s house if he is af
fected by alcohol. A gentleman seeing another man
who is intoxicated in the presence of ladies, should
induce him to leave".
A gentleman will not be a climber or use others
to gain favors; he is conservative and dignified and
is not an extremist or non-conformist.
As the World Turns.
BY DR. R. W. STEEN
THE WAR is getting all of the headlines, but events
of interest to Texans are developing nearer home.
The legislature has been in session for about six
weeks, and in that time several matters of impor
tance have been given much attention by that body.
One item of interest to all users of the highways
is the truck load limit law. As it now stands it
limits the load to 7,000 pounds. This law not only
limits the load but by interpretation also limits the
size of the trucks. It has undoubtedly worked a
hardship on Texas truck lines, and
has perhaps resulted in certain
areas paying higher freight rates
than they would have paid had the
law been different. The law was
due largely to the lobbying power
of the railroads, but the truck lines
now seem able to care for them
selves. From all appearances the
limit will be raised to about 35,000
pounds. The truck lines asked for a
54,000 pound limit, but will doubt-
to compromise for 35,000 pounds.
Much attention has also been given to a new
drivers license law. That some change is needed all
will agree, as the present law is little more than a
farce. It is not yet possible to say what the pro
visions of the new act will be, but there doubtless
will be a new act. A carefully worked out drivers
license law properly enforced, would be of great
assistance in reducing the traffic toll on the high
ways.
A twelve grade school system has been proposed.
Legislative committees are considering this propo
sal, and will probably look upon the proposal with
favor. The scheme may have to wait a few more
years though before being finally adopted. Many
of the American states have a twelve grade system,
'and some of the Texas schools have twelve grades.
The proposal now before the legislature would pro
vide eight elementary grades and four high school
grades.
Finally, there is the eternal matter of money.
The crying need for more funds: funds to pay old
age pensions, and operate the school system and
colleges, and pay for the operation of the eleemosy
nary institutions and the prison system, and do the
hundreds of other things the state has to do, will
have to be met in some way. At present there are
three proposals which are receiving serious con
sideration. There is a proposal for a state income
tax. It has a good deal of support, but probably
will not be adopted. Then there is the governor’s
plan of a 1.6% transaction tax. It probably has
more support than the income tax, but it is as yet
far from certain passage. Finally there is the pro
posal for a new omnibus tax. This would of course
increase the levies on oil, sulphur and other natural
resources, as well as place taxes on many other
items. Judging by the past, it would seem that the
omnibus tax plan is most apt to be adopted, but it
may be that 1941 will be a year in which all rules
are broken.
less
Steen
be glad
t^HIO STATE
LABORATORIES' USE
5000 FROGS'
A YEAR, AT \5? EACH/
UNIVERSITY OF CHATTANOOGA
STUDENTS' HOLD A CONTEST
EACH YEAR TO UELECT THE
BACHELOR °* UGLINESS/
This campus statue bears'
THE INSCRIPTION. ‘JOHN HARVARD,
FOUNDER, 1038! Alt OF THESE
STATEMENTS' ARE FALSE FOR
JOHN HARVARD DID NOT FOUND
THE COLLEGE; |T WAS FOUNDED
IN IfcSfe, AND IT IS NOT A STATUE
OF HARVARD BECAUSE NOBODY
KNOWS WHAT HE LICKED LIKE/
BACKWASH
By
deorye Fuermann
"Backwash: An a citation rasnltinc front aoma action or occurrence."—Webster.
Life Magazine at Texas A. & M . . .
In the past three years, Life pho
tographers have been on the A. &
M._ campus five times; twice to
cover the annual Cotton Ball, once
to cover polo at the college, once
to take pics of A. & M. gridmen
and this time to
" picture the annual
Sophomore Ball
and the accompany
ing National De
fense Week events.
Only once However,
has a picture-story
been published, and
that was last Sept,
when the football
Fuermann article was guided
to the press by Don Burke . . . This
time it seems to be reasonably cer
tain that the article will be pub
lished. If so, it will probably be
carried as one of the “Life Goes
to a Party” series. However, the
vastness of the corps’ full-dress
mounted review and the mass rally
in Kyle Stadium last Friday may
rate the pics a place as a news-
feature. Either spot is fine, but the
latter means two things more than
a “party” coverage. To wit: Earlier
publication and more space . . .
In the event the article is publish
ed—and it’s ten-two-and-even that
it will be—you can look for it
March 21 if it goes as one of the
“party” series; a week earlier,
March 14, if it’s placed as a news-
feature . . . Selected by Life’s rep
resentatives as a mythical “queen”
of Friday night’s Sophomore Ball
was lovely, photogenic Ethel Marie
Kelly, brown-eyed Houston beauty,
who crossed things up by returning
to her home town Saturday morn
ing and thus not putting in the
expected appearance for further
photographing Saturday night.
• • •
Statistics
Briefly: More than $1000 was
spent by the internationally-circu
lated picture mag in the three-day
coverage of A. & M. last Friday,
Saturday and Sunday . . . Approx
imately 400 pics were taken in that
time ... If any, between 10 and
25 of the pictures will be publish
ed .. . Shots were taken which
showed a cross-section of the Aggie
way of preparing for and going
through a weekend, the highlight
of which was an important ball.
Flash globes did their flashing
in the following order: At H. H.
Hickman’s Student Co-Op> show
ing two cadets “hocking” a radio
in order to make financial con
nections for the weekend; at
Holick’s boot shop, showing a shine
boy in the middle of a mess of se
nior dress boots as he was hustling
to get the footwear ready in time
for the ball; mass shots in Sbisa
Hall showing the cadet corps eat
ing; at Law Hall, showing cadets
vacating to make room for incom
ing T.S.C.W. girls; at Law Hall)
showing cadets making corsages in
connection with the floral conces
sion held by A. D. Lasell; mass
shots of all cadet officers; at the
review of the cadet corps, taken on
the ground and in the air; at the
Kyle Stadium ceremony; at the
Y.M.C.A. as the three busses ar
rived from T.S.C.W.; at the Soph
omore Ball Friday night; at Frank
lin’s and Hrdlicka’s following the
ball; close-ups of cadets and their
dates on the campus throughout
Saturday; at the Aggie-Rice bas
ketball tilt Saturday night; at the
Corps dance which followed the
game; at Law Hall as the T.S.C.W.
girls embussed for Denton; and
general shots over the entire cam
pus showing typical examples of
student life at A. & M.
• • •
Nig and Don
From New York City came Don
Burke, sports editor and editorial
associate of Life. From Houston
came Francis (Nig) Miller, top-
notch photographer who has been
with the publication since it was
founded as a branch of Time and
Fortune magazines.
The stories the pair can tell
about the coverage they have made
for Life in the past two years
sound like excerpts from dime nov
els. Run-of-the-mill events to them,
the yarns make for good blood-
and-thunder, hell-for-leather listen
ing to the average American.
Principal point of consternation
to Nig is the fact that Texans
seem to feel that because his home
is in Houston he isn’t a real honesty
to-goodness, 24-caret Life repre
sentative. The genial photograph
er’s favorite story in that connect
ion concerns the time he called on
an oil executive in Houston to plan
for a series of shots on that in
dustry.
“What!” the exec exclaimed
when he learned that Nig wasn’t
from New York. “Just a damn
local yokel!”
“Well, you see,” Nig came back
at him, “they send me out on the
unimportant jobs.”
The exec said no more.
• • •
Superstitious
The truth is, however, Nig is one
of Life’s ace photographers and
remains in Houston because that
is a central point for the mag
azine’s coverage.
Superstitious to the nth degree,
he’s a strong believer in his hunch
es regarding every shot he makes.
On one occasion a black cat crossed
his path as he was driving on the
campus. Immediately he threw the
car into reverse, backed to the
corner and drove around the block
to avoid crossing the cat’s path.
Another time the writer dropped
a comb out of his pocket.
“Don’t touch that comb,” Nig
cried. “Let me pick it up for you—
it’s bad luck to drop a comb and
pick it up yourself.”
In Aggie terms, Don and Nig
were both “swell guys” and every
one who met either of them re
marked about the fact.
One picture, incidentally, of Ca
det Colonel Bill Becker, has a
cover chance, Nig said.
So now it’s all-out waiting for
Life magazines to hit the news
stands during March. Remember,
the article probably will be pub
lished, but don’t be too disappoint
ed if it isn’t. There’s a war and a
new set of quadruplets to offer
competition.
Because President Ernest Hop
kins feels the “white collar” aspect
of higher education has been over
emphasized, Dartmouth college has
a student workshop this semester.
There are 3,286 home demonstra
tion club women and 2,578 D-H
Club girls enrolled in 16 counties
of Extension Service District 2.
“THE LETTER” is one of those
Bette Davis triumphs which fairly
drips with drama. It has her doing
several things besides just getting
mad, popping her eyes, and draw
ing down the corners of her mouth.
And before the show is over she’ll
have the audience hating her with
a purple passion for being such a
despicable liar‘and unfaithful wife.
The show really starts off with
a bang, several of them in fact, as
Betty empties a pistol into the
body of her former lover. The rest
of the show concerns the events
leading up to and after her trial
for this murder. The latter comes in
as the one piece of evidence which
will prove her infidelity to her hus
band and convict her of a murder
charge too. It takes her husband’s
entire fortune, finally his faith, and
the scruples of a good lawyer to
keep the matter out of court.
The motions of the plot in this
show are practically nil. The story
is unfolded by explanations and
drama, of which it has plenty. Jam
es Stephenson, as the honest law
yer but better friend, comes plenty
dose to swiping some scenes from
master-star Davis. He’s a man to
notice. Bette’s weak and trusting
husband is Herbert Marshall and
Bette seems all the more low down
for trifling on such a trustful soul.
All the actors play their char
acters with such a clarity that one
can see the type from the first
minute. Bette is a clever, sly, neu
rotic wife and the other definite
types can be seen just as plainly.
The sum total of the effect of this
show will probably be depressing
but it is highly recommended for
heavy and haunting drama and ex
cellent acting.
The film presented by the Cam
pus Film Club two weeks ago was
such that it is now brought back
as a regular feature for those who
didn’t get to see it. It is the British
film “NIGHT TRAIN,” and it
builds up enough suspense to drive
a good man mad.
It is a spy story dealing with a
British scientist in Czecho-Slovakia
who knows how to make armor
plate. The present war breaks out
and there proceeds to be a highly
exciting battle between British and
German secret agents to get pos
session of the old fellow. The sus
pense of whether the British will
get his knowledge or not is so
cleverly built up that it is posi
tively nerve-frazzling. It is made
more so by two provincial English
men who stop in the most tense
moments to wrangle over such
trivial matters. The actors are rel
atively unfamiliar but good British
ers.
Even including a little English
propaganda, this picture is an ed
ucation in the methods of foreign
agents. The way the British and
German agents battle wits is an
object lesson in fast brain work and
lots of nerve. It takes a good man
to do the things these fellows do.
This show will probably leave you
without finger nails because it is
all action, fast and clever, which
has suspense that is maddening.
WHATS SHOWING
AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL
Tuesday 3:30 & 6:45—
“MEN AGAINST THE SKY,”
with Richard Dix, Kent Tay
lor, Edmund Lowe and Wendy
Barrie.
Wednesday, Thursday 3:30
& 6:45—“THE LETTER,”
starring Bette Davis, Her
bert Marshall, James Ste
phenson, Frieda Inescort and
Gale Sondergaard.
AT THE CAMPUS
Tuesday—“THE WITNESS
VANISHES,” with Edmund
Lowe and Wendy Barrie.
Wednesday, Thursday—
“NIGHT TRAIN,” featuring
Margaret Lockwood, Rex
Harrison and Paul von Hern-
reid.
Dr. A. Benbow
DENTIST
Phone 375
Astin Building - Bryan
CAMPUS
15c to 5 p.m. — 20c after
TODAY ONLY
A NEW UNIVERSAL PICTURE
—also—
Cartoon - Sports
Tomorrow and Thursday
Margaret Lockwood
Rex Harrison
—in—
“Night Train”
—also
Selected Short Subjects
Mattresses made in Cherokee
County under the 1940 cotton mat
tress demonstration program total
ed 2,140.
DON’T GAMBLE ON
THE WEATHER
Just as sure as the days
of the week roll around
we . are going to have
rainy days.
You can go to classes
and go about your busi
ness with a feeling of se
curity if you are wearing
one of our fine
Trench Coats
or
Rain Coats
Price
$4.00
to
$13.50
The Exchange Store
“An Aggie Institution”
♦ §
1 }
* ,
*
/ *
% >*
\ j
A *
< *
/• -
t 3
r *
* i
ft •