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THE BATTALION
■THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 1»41
The Battalion
■A
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 Act of Congress of March 8, 1879.
Subscription rate, $3 a school year. Advertising rates upon
request.
Represented nationally by National Advertising Service,
lae., at New York City, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, and
San Francisco.
Office, Room 122, Administration Building. Telephone
4-6444.
1940 Member 1941
Plssocided Golle6iate Press
Bob Nisbet Editor-in-Chief
George Fuermann Associate Editor
Keith Hubbard Advertising Manager
Tom Yannoy Editorial Assistant
Fete 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 Editor
Circulation Department
Tommy Henderson Circulation Manager
W. G. Hauger, E. D. Wilmeth Assistant Circulation Manager
V. D. Asbury, E. S. Henard Circulation Assistants
Photography Department
Phfl Golman Photographic Editor
James Carpenter, Bob Crane, Jack Jones,
Jack Siegal Assistant Photographers
THURSDAY’S EDITORIAL STAFF
George Fuermann Acting Managing Editor
Soorgre Woodman Assistant Advertising Manager
Junior Editors
Bom Gill is D. C. Thurman V. A. Yentzen
Reportorial Staff
Xjunar Haines, John May, Z. A. McReynolds, J. D. Mehe-
Ban, L. B. Tennison, Mike Speer, James F. Wright.
Cover the Typewriter
IT HARDLY SEEMS nine months since the first
paper of the year come rolling off the presses.
The first magazine came out that same week—
gosh, what a rush! Why it seems like only yester
day. And now comes the time to put the cover on
the typewriter and close the desk.
Editing the “Batf has been a mixture of pleas
ure, hard work, late hours, good bull sessions, and
heated discussions. Ninety four issues—that’s many
a page of copy. In one big file, they’re quite a
volume—bigger than the old “unabridged” on the
desk.
And looking through the file, it seems as
though we can see the face of every staff member
engraved on the stories he pecked out. And all the
heads have the managing editor’s thumb prints.
The year has been a red-letter year in all the
lives of the seniors who find themeslves now ready
to turn over the reins to a new crop of prospects.
Its memory will linger vividly for many a year to
come.
We’ll probably peck out copy and headlines in
our sleep for many a month. We’ll remember the
rush for deadlines, typing in an office resounding
through hall with noise and littered with scraps
of waste paper and cigarette butts. We’ll remember
the midnight stands slamming out the copy for
the papers with the extra pages.
But we’ve gained a lot from our year. We’ve
been behind the scenes on the year’s events and
we’ve found out what it takes to make the old
school click. We’ve met friends that we otherwise
would not have known, and we’ve learned a lot
about judging a person’s character from his appear
ance and his speech. Yes we’ve put in a great deal
of effort on our publications, but we’ve reaped as
much or more than we’ve put in.
Our successors have had their try at the paper
for the past two or three weeks and they’ve shown
they can handle the job. When we started the year
the job looked almost more than we were capable
of handling—it probably looks the same to them.
But let it be said here and now that we believe
they are capable of any task put before them. We
hope we’ve “raised them right” and that they
can pick up where we’ve left off and not have to
spend too long building up to where we are now.
That next year’s paper will be a credit to the school,
we aren’t doubting a bit, but we want it to be a
shining light for all to read and marvel.
As the school continues to grow both in size
and in importance, so must The Battalion grow. It
can only grow as the students themselves grow in
knowledge and in experience.
Editing the “Batf has been a privilege that we
believe is the most enjoyable event of our lives.
Thanks and —30—
After the War
NOW ANOTHER WAR worse than before. Then an
other depression worse than before—and what’s
the world coming to? Purely aside from any sup
position that we may be drawn directly into the
European conflict, the very magnitude of our de
fense program is so great that it leaves many
floundering in confusion as to how we are going
to pull through, whether we shall be able to resume
anything like a normal economic life. This view
assumes that our defense program is creating and
will create so many severe dislocations in our in
dustrial system that according to most economic
theorists, later readjustments cannot be made ex
cept at tremendous delay and cost.
Let’s take a few phases of this problem and
try to determine where we are.
In the first place, there is no good reason to
assume that the gigantic defense program will be
suddenly halted even with an abrupt end of the
war comparable to that of Nov. 11, 1918. A con
siderable portion of what we are now undertaking
as defense will be long continued. Peacetime uses
have been announced for new arms plants being
constructed, and for bomber assembly plants. The
same principle underlies other parts of defense, no
tably naval and ship construction.
This suggests the constantly enlarging role of
the United States—not necessarily a voluntary role
—in world affairs. It requires long-continued and
constantly broadened efforts to match that role in
our commercial life, to say nothing of the neces
sary naval and other defense roles.
But what of this peacetime crisis, the years af
ter the war? Take an example here. The national
resources planning board finds a present need of
2,500,000 new homes. Despite a growth in home-
building the past two years, we have the shortage
from the ten years previous. With a fair expansion,
to make up this shortage after peace comes should
require ten years.
In a study of “Fundamental Economic Issues
In National Defense,” Dr. Harold Moulton, presi
dent of the Brookings institute, takes note of the
fact that “after the World war the existing back
log of productive requirements in such lines as
railroads, public utilities, and housing served to
shorten the period of depression and propel us
into a period of rehabilitation and expansion.”
The expansion, however, proved unsound. In
this emergency we have an even greater backlog,
as well as the experience gained after the last
war. This may be used, Dr. Moulton explains, not
only in the safe working out of production prob
lems, but of “monetary, banking, fiscal, labor, and
consumption problems.” The backlog then is here.
There will be a decline in business activity imme
diately following the war. If the decline is not too
severe, this normal backlog will pull the nation
through with a more stable recovery period. The
time between peace and the normal expansion will
see a decline. Following the decline business itself,
aided by the great demand accrued during the
past years and by the carry-over from defense pro
grams, will be able to expand. But what of the
period in between?
Here the job is government’s. There will be a
demand for spending on public works and provid
ing of relief jobs. The expense will be great, true,
added to the vast debt we already have. But there
is no alternative. A greater expense for a few
years—then a more sound recovery and more lasting
period of prosperity. We have no other choice. Wil
liam Baker in the Michigan Daily. •—,ACP
As the World Turns..
BY “COUNT” V. K. SUGAREFF
SHIPS AND PLANES IS THE ANSWER. The bat
tle of Crete has demonstrated that an air force can
be a serious setback to a sea force. The British had
every possible advantage in defending the Island
of Crete. They had an army, tanks, fortified posi
tions, artillery and the-command of the sea. They
did not have enough planes. The
Germans with their superior air
force nullified all British and
Greek opposition, and they are now
masters of Crete. It is plain that
the British and we along with
them must produce ships and
planes in larger quantities than
the Nazis. The task is herculean
but it can be done. Britain and
the United States possess now
more than thirty million tons of
shipping. British ship losses and
air-raid damage to British ship
yards are forcing us to speed up our production of
ships. We are now turning out tankers, freighters,
and passenger vessels at the rate of one every fifty-
two hours, totaling 2% millions of tons, and in 1943
our shipyards will be turning out 5 million tons
of shipping. Every effort is being made to speed
up our ship-building of all sorts to aid Britain.
The combat and training planes production in
creases too. Several weeks ago the traditional mil
itary and naval opinion on the effectiveness of air
force as a factor in combat gave way to realities.
A “Go ahead” order was given from the White
House. Forty-six thousand combat and training
planes have been ordered, and 3,600 heavy and me
dium size bombers are in the process of production.
In fact, Mr. Knudsen plans an 80,000 planes pro
duction for the near future. We are producing 1,500
planes a month and by the end of this year, we
shall be turning out 2,500.
Do your new clothes shrink? There is always a
small group of people, possessing tools of manufac
turing and means of distribution, who take advan
tage and make big profits in a national emergency.
Miss Harriett Elliott of the Office of Price Ad
ministration and Civilian Supply, stated recently
“The dress that fades, the shirt that shrinks, the
sheets that split are no longer just individual mis
hap.” Many manufacturers are selling to the pub
lic poorer quality goods for the same price or high
er than few months ago. These goods of inferior
quality require, of course, more frequent replace
ment. In the long run the consumer gets less for
his money while the above mentioned group reaps
big profits. Price control and the retention of high
quality of consumers’ goods is one of our most
important current problems in the United States.
Rise in prices usually affects adversely. Often the
wages and salaries do not rise in proportion to the
rise in price. The Federal, State and the local gov
ernment should cooperate in guarding aaginst pro
fiteering such as we had during the last World
War.
Something to Read
BY DR. T. F. MAYO
MORE TRULY THAN IN THE last World War,
the United States is undertaking to save Democracy.
Yet it is difficult to find anyone who can tell you
very plainly what is meant by Democracy. Perhaps
some of your reading during the coming months
may be clarified and made more real to you if you
will weigh and consider at least one definition of
the word. Very probably, it can be shot full of
holes. But you are assured, at any rate, that this
definition has been arrived at through a good deal
of honest and careful effort.
Democracy is a dynamic equilibrium between
the highest reconcileable degrees of (1) freedom
of individual initiative and, (2) equality of op
portunity.
It does seem to me that when we use the word
“Democracy”, we imply both of these elements:
(1) freedom of individual initiative; and (2) equal
ity of opportunity. Yet it either freedom or equal
ity is pushed very far, it threatens to encroach on
the other. If, for example, each member of a boys’
gang is left absolutely free to assert himself in
his own way, it will not be long before a few strong
boys rule the rest with a rod of iron. And then what
has become of equality of opportunity? If the same
complete freedom of individual initiative is given
to their elders in the world of businecs, the same
death of equality of opportunity will ensue.
On the other hand. Suppose that both in the
boys’ gang and in the business world the group in
sists on safeguarding equality of opportunity so
strictly that it becomes dangerous to be at all out
standing. What becomes of individual initiative? It
is either crushed when it does appear, or smothered
at its source before it asserts itself.
BA(KWA$y
By
George fuermann
MUSICAL MEAN DERINGS
“Backwash: An agitation resulting from some action or occurrence.”—Webster
Today, as Backwash goes to press for the last time under its current
by-line, 808 Texas Aggies either have received or will receive to
morrow night their degrees, representative of at least four years of
college work — representative of being for at least four years a Texas
Aggie.
And these men will receive their degrees under conditions which
have known no parallel since the hectic days of World War I. Five
hundred and thirty-seven of them are taking-up
roles for which they had no anticipation four years
ago as freshmen — they’ll be second lieutenants in
the U. £>. Army.
In any case, graduating seniors have, a re
sponsibility without denial, but June, 1941, has
presented them with a significant responsibility
which no other A. & M. graduating class has known
in the institution’s 67-year history.
• • •
A. & M.’s No. 1 Tradition
Texas A. & M. is perhaps the nation’s most
tradition-steeped major educational institution. But
of these traditions there’s one which stands head and shoulders above
the field. That’s the tradition established in the last World War by
the thousands of Aggie-exes who took part in that conflict.
Aggie-exes already in the service are recognizing well their re
sponsibility to carry on a job begun by the men in ’17 and ’18. The
high standards of performance set by those men is to this day a
challenge to the Aggies taking part in the current battle.
It’s a truism without denial that the Texas Aggies who took part
in the first World War were possessed with a devotion to duty which
knew no bounds.
The institution is depending on its graduates of the class of ’41
to encore the performance of the college’s ‘old grads.’
• • •
Fuermann
The National Emergency
By Murray Evans
The much-touted Glenn Miller is
still the high priest among the
current hands. In a recent poll con
ducted over 171 campuses Miller
placed first with 191 votes. This
is his second consecutive year to
be acclaimed the top-flight orches
tra in. America.
Tommy Dorsey, the old perfect
ionist, came in for second prize with
139 votes. Dorsey owes his second-
best popularity largely to the out
standing success of his recording,
“I’ll Never Smile Again,” featur
ing Frank Sinatra and the Pied
Pipers. His success in his first
motion picture, “Las Vegas
Nights,” also boosted him up any
amount of notches toward the top.
Next in line came Kay Kyser,
Benny Goodman and Jimmy Dor
sey. Jimmie’s position may be
slightly overweighted, however, be
cause he has been playing numer
ous college engagements here of
late. (This poll was taken, in case
you forget its being mentioned in
the preamble, from college campus
es, 171 of them.)
Artie Shaw placed a miserable
11th, but this was because he for
sook the ways of jitterbug jive.
Since he has organized his new
band, he has done some wonderful
work on records, and it is this
which brought him back up into
11th place.
Ginnie Sims was voted the best
female vocalist for 1941, and Frank
Sinatra (Tommy Dorsey) was first
among the males. (Author’s note:
This is to state that anybody has a
tin ear who heard Sinatra in “Las
Vegas Nights” and doesn’t agree
that he is the best of the lot by
far. And if you’ve gathered I like
his work, you are right.)
Following Sinatra were listed
Ray Eberle, (Glenn Miller) Bob
Eberly, (Jimmy Dorsey) Kenny
Sargent, (Glenn Gray) and Harry
Babbitt (Kay Kyser).
The most promising band for
1941 was said to be Vaughn Mon
roe, but Bobby Byrne (he of the
fine trombones) and Bob Chester
were in there crowding him close
for this rating.
Engineering schools in American
Colleges and universities will grad
uate this June fewer than one-third
of the number of engineers requir
ed to play important roles in ever-
expanding defense industries, ac
cording to an estimate by Dr. H.
P. Hammond, dean of the school of
engineering at Pennsylvania State
college.
Long before President Roosevelt declared the existence of a na
tional emergency the vast majority of the American public was all-the-
way conscious of the fact.
But here at Texas A. & M. where military training has become a
keynote, the fact was even more evident.
With the world on fire, personal and petty affairs must take a
back seat. The definite national emergency which now exists makes
no room for play. Playing time is at end — the seriousness of the
situation immediately ahead of us requires that we give our whole be
ing to the defense of our nation.
This is a time which calls for less consideration of dues and a
great consideration of duty.
• • •
Encore the 1917-18 Performance
There’s no time for sentimentalism.
There’s no question, either, as to what the Texas Aggies will
do with their responsibility. They met it before — they’ll do so this
time.
Texas A. & M. furnished the nation’s armed forces with more
officers than any other American college or university in the last
conflict. That fact has been so oft-repeated that it has lost its punch
here at the college.
But when the war-to-be has ended — if it comes — the American
public will again read the same statistics as concerns World War II.
More important than that, the class of ’41 will make for the
United States Army what one man recently termed “Some pretty fair
country officers.”
We’ll take that phrase — some pretty fair country officers — and
the Aggies will build upon it a - —
reputation which will even eclipse
that of the past war.
The responsibility is here—it’s
our job to meet it all the way.
LAST CALL — They may become col
lector’s items in the future as the supply
is about gone and additional recordings
are not planned.
Records:
“The Spirit of Aggieland”
“The Aggie War Hymn”
“Fd Rather Be a Texas Aggie”
9
On Sale:
CASEY’S CONFECTIONERY
AGGIELAND PHARMACY
LIPSCOMB PHARMACY
Before putting away garments
for the summer hang them outside
in the sun and air for a few hours.
Brush each article thoroughly be
fore returning it to the house in
order to dislodge eggs or larvae of
moths.
If the diet of everyone in the
United States could be raised to
what is accepted as a good diet, ap
proximately 20 percent more milk,
35 percent more eggs, 70 percent
more citrus fruit, and 100 percent
more of some types of vegetables
would be consumed than have been
used in recent years.
More foreign students are en
rolled at the University of Califor
nia than in any other college or
university in the United States.
The youngest of the 1941 grad
uating class at the University of
Washington also will be the young
est ever graduate from that school.
WIIATS SHOWING
AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL
Thursday 6:45 — “LAS
VEGAS NIGHTS,” with
Tommy Dorsey, his orches
tra, and Bert Wheeler.
Friday 6:45—“FREE AND
EASY,” starring Robert
Cummings, Ruth Hussey, Ju
dith Anderson and C. Aubrey
Smith.
AT THE CAMPUS
Thursday — “DOWN AR
GENTINE WAY,” featuring
Don Ameche, Betty Grable
and Carmen Miranda. Also
“BLONDIE PLAYS CUPID,”
with Penny Singleton and
Arthur Lake.
Friday, Saturday —
“GREAT AMERICAN
BROADCAST,” starring
Alice Faye, John Payne and
Jack Oakie.
Sunday, Monday — “THE
GREAT PROFILE,” with
John Barrymore and Mary
Beth Hughes. And “LONE
WOLF KEEPS A DATE,”
with Warren Williams and
Frances Robinson.
Were Real Aggies Now!
At the end of our Freshman year in business at
Aggieland we thank you for your patronage.
The first year of the beautiful new
West Park Community Center has
been successful And we know that
our effort to please will assure us of
continued growth.
WE’LL SEE YOU NEXT FALL.
SOUTHSIDE FOOD MARKET
Ray Oden, Proprietor
Telephone 4-8244
COURTESY CLEANERS
“Best Work — Quickest Service”
Homer Mathis, Proprietor
Telephone 4-4264
0AKW00D REALTY CO.
H. E. Burgess, ’29
Casey-Burgess Bldg. — Telephone 4-4244
MADELEY PHARMACY
G. E. Madeley
Telephone 4-4144 for quick delivery
WEST PARK REALTY CO.
H. E. Burgess, ’29
Casey-Burgess Bldg. — Telephone 4-4244
WEST PARK BARBER SHOP
Harry Gorzycki, Prop.