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THE BATTALION
-WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1941
The Battalion Things Worth Reading
;By Dr. Mayo;
STUDENT SUMMER-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
OF 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, is
sued Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings; and is pub
lished 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 3, 1879.
Subscription rate, $.50 the summer session. 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
4-5444.
1940 Member 1941
Pbsocided Collegiate Press
Tom Gillis ; Editor
Don Gabriel Associate Editor
Orville Allen Advertising Manager
V. A. Yentzen Managing Editor
W. F. Oxford Sports Editor
Jack Jones, Bob Crane, R. W. Stenzel Photographers
C. L. Babcock, L. B. Tennison, J. L. Decker Junior Editors
Reportorial Staff
Florence Hollingshead, Douglas Lancaster, Clyde C. Frank
lin, Lucille Thornton, Jean Elwood, D. B. Gofer, Jerry Gleason,
John May.
In Memoriam
With the death of Edwin J. Kiest, A.
& M. college lost a man who has served it in
a valuable capacity for fourteen years. His
services to the institution were given in his
untiring and unselfish manner.
Kiest was most generous in dealing with
the college and with the boys. Through his
donations, he helped furnish the lounge in
the new area which now bears his name.
And many times students of the college
whose financial troubles loomed as a barrier
to graduation found gifts from an anony
mous donor which allowed them to continue.
These were from the benevolent and modest
man whose death is now mourned by the
college.
Dr. T. 0. Walton, president of the col
lege, paid him his greatest tribute when he
said “Many men have contributed their ener
gies—their very lives—to make Texas A.
& M. College the great institution it is, but
none has done more than Edwin Kiest.”
There is nothing more difficult to
take in hand, more perilous to con
duct, or more uncertain in its success,
than to take the lead in the introduction
of a new order of things.
—Nicolo Machiavelli.
Open Forum
From an Old Aggie to Those not so old:
When I went to A. & M.—We didn’t
know much or expect very much either. We
sawed our wood and carried it up to the top
of Ross Hall, or stole in from the more ener
getic fish.
We pumped our water out of cistern's
and used the good old No. 3 round type of
tub, and dumped it on the “Bull” or down
on stoop No. 1 when we were finished with
it.
The “Sink” was located where the “Old
Chem building” was built; there were lots
of good quarter men in days, speed was es
sential. We walked to Bryan and we walked
back, after “Taps”—We though we were
hell raisers, and I guess we were. Mamas
didn’t let their little daughters roam around
College Station in those days.
But times have changed—now the Ag
gies have everything, but one thing, that
any other school in the land can boast of .
WHY is it that the BEST SCHOOL in
the big state of Texas has no UNION BUIL-
ING?
Why is it that when you go down to
visit the place, you have to sit on a bench in
the sun, or climb a mile of stairs to find a
rest room for your old wife or mother? Why
is it that a visitor has to drive a hundred
miles to find a place to stay all night if he
wants to witness the Final Review the next
morning ?
I have been asked these questions by
dozens of people who have been there. I
haven’t the answer.
A school the size of Texas A. & M.
without a Union building or any place for a
stranger to rest or stay over night in com
fort is as out of date as it was during the
days I spent there.
A. & M. is a college now, and ranks with
the High Brow schools in the country, but to
a stranger visiting it who does not know the
traditions behind it, it looks like an institu
tion.
It’s up to you young fellows to bring the
old school up to date, you know that I’m right
in what I say about it; if I didn’t love it, I
wouldn’t give a damn about it.
An old Aggie, who wouldn’t climb that
flight of stairs at the “Y” to shake hands
with John Kimbrough.
I’ll take that back, I’ll get up there
somehow, for that privilege.
Slayton W. Hamner, ’04
Healdton, Okla.
It therefore comes to pass that
every one is fond of relating his own ex
ploits and displaying the strength both
of his body and his mind, and that men
are on this account a nuisance one to
the other. —Benedict Spinoza.
Time is a sort of river of passing
events, and strong is its current;
no sooner is a thing brought to sight
than it is swept by and another takes
its place, and this too will be swept
away. —Marcus Aurelius.
PERSONAL FAVORITES (II)
(This is the second of a series of observations
on the books which the writer likes best—books of
all kinds, nations, and times. He makes no claim to
greatness for any of them, but simply takes the
liberty of occasionally writing about what he likes
because he likes it.)
“Political Ideals”
By Bertrand Russell (England, 1917)
What is a “good” economic system, any
how? What sort of ideal should we set up in
our minds as a means of determining the
goodness or the badness of a social or politi
cal set-up?
A good society, Lord Russell says in
Political Ideals, is on which brings out and
develops the best and happiest qualities'in
each of its members. Now any man’s desires
may be divided into two groups: (1) Posses
sive impulses—impulses to get something, to
beat somebody, in other words to exalt the
self; and (2) Creative impulses—impulses to
express one’s nature in creative work like
making a fine farm, or a sound highway, or
a good poem or picture or tune; in shaping
an excellent character and life; in choosing
and loving our friends and mates; in helping
to shape the world as we think it ought to
be.
It will be noticed that the possessive,
self-exalting desires can usually be satisfied
only at somebody else’s expense: you can’t
become powerful, for example, without taking
away from freedom of action or opinion from
many other people. You can’t win without
making somebody else lose.
On the other hand, the satisfaction of
the creative desires does not in itself involve
the defeat or frustration of anybody at all.
If my chief pleasure is to perform beautifully
delicate surgical operations, then I get my
chief pleasure without interferring with any
body else’s satisfaction. Enjoying my friends
does not diminish in any way my neighbor’s
ability to do likewise.
It follows, then, that the best human
traits are the creative impulses. A good so
cial system, therefore, (Lord Russell says)
is the one which stimulates and develops the
creative impulses of its members, and weak
ens and discourages their possessiveness.
This little book, Political Ideals, having
worked out this yardstick for evaluating
economic and political institutions, proceeds
to apply it briefly to our own system, Cap
italism, and then to Socialism, which is the
substitute usually suggested.
If you have followed this brief analysis,
you can already measure these economic sys
tems for yourself. If you will read Russell’s
Political Ideals, you will always, I think, have
a standard by which to judge of the excel
lence or harness of economic and political in
stitutions: Our own democratic Capitalism,
Hitler’s Nazism, Stalin’s Communism.
COVERING
mmmm
with
>T0MGIIUS
Jack Decker
“Your Honor, I obiect. She won’t give me a chance to ask
any questions!"
BACKWASH
“Backwash: An agitation resulting from some action
Bd
Charlie Babcock
or occurrence.”—Webster
Only 134 Days Until Christmas weekly quizzes, take a look at the
. . . How several Texas Aggies now case of Louis Engelke, a Texas Uni
in the Royal Canadian Air Force versity student from Galveston:
“can’t take it” is explained in a Engelke; who has studied Span _
recent art.de appearing m The ish for half a year , reported foI . ^ and Us Casa Loman ^
— , . . ’ 3.ri examination which was to cov- ft i« tVio nonol mnoionl r
student newspa-
The only distracting thing about
this week is the drastic lack of
run of shows, and one can always
our old standby, the cinema, is
still with us with about the usual
run of shows, an done can always
think about the fact that the reg
ular fall term of school is only
four weeks off. Everyone will
rejoice at this, especially those
of us who have been going strong,
summer school and all, for a cou
ple of years without letting up.
At last, a double feature is
billed in which both shows should
provide average entertainment in
stead of one dud “goldbricking” on
a decent show.
The best of the two “Time Out
For Rhythm,” is a musical comedy
that has a good cast of characters
to bolster a weak story. The lead
is played by Rudy Vallee, whose
acting is surpassed by his sing
ing, even if you don’t care jfcr
his singing.
He is supported, maybe we had
better say held up, by high step
ping Ann Miller, three stooges,
Brenda and Cobina and Glenn
WHATS SHOWING
AT THE CAMPUS
Wednesday, Thursday —
‘TIME OUT FOR RHYTHM,’
featuring Rudy Vallee, Ann
Miller, Rosemary Lane, Bren
da and Cobina, The Three
Stooges, and Glen Gray.
Also “HERE COMES THE
NAVY,” starring James
Cagney and Pat O’Brien.
Friday, Saturday— “THE
BLACK CAT,” with Basil
Rathbone, Hugh Herbert. Al
so “BULLET CODE,” with
George O’Brien.
Saturday Night Prevue,
Sunday, Monday — “MAN
HUNT,” starring Walter
Pidgeon, and Joan Bennett.
per of Texas Uni-
er a year’s work. By mistake he
took a two-year exam instead of
versity during the the one . year test . He rushed back
and took the one-year exam.
The grade list, posted a week
later, announced that Engelke pass
ed the two-year quiz but failed
the one for one-year students!
• • •
months.
Among other
things, the story
quips: “The boys
from the Univer
sity of Texas are
doing nicely and
Babcock there’s two or
three from A. & M. that we pass- SfoigEl SOH^S
ed some time ago. Good boys, just
lacked the old initiative. They’re
back in Texas now—safe and
sound!” Well, let’s wait until
Thanksgiving and see how the
“University boys” can take it them
selves ... A tale is told of a
private who passed a second lieu
tenant and failed to render the
It is the usual musical comedy
plot that has been used time and
again, but the actors, plus the
musical numbers, make good look
ing at; even the slapstick comedy
provided by the Three Stooges is
not nearly as bad as usual, evi
dently the result of better material
and good directing.
The Casa Lomans give out with
several good musical numbers and
drama in any and all forms with
mor» than their money’s worth of
suspense and thrills, but those
prone to be critical of inplausable
stories and thinly veiled hokum are
due to be disappointed.
The feature has a strong anti-
Nazi flavor with the story con
cerning the capture of Walter
Pidgeon in Germany by the dread
Gestapo. He is accused of at-,
tempting the assination of Herr
Hitler, wtih a high powered rifle,
but he escapes to England where
the hunt continues. The relent
lessness and cruilty of the Nazi
secret police is well played up
throughout the show.
With Joan Bennett providing the
heart interest in a capable way, a
good looking Ann Miller contrib- well chogen cast and with the pop _
entertainment to the
utes good
show.
Billed with “Time Out for Rhy
The conclusion is that Juke Box
Promenaders spent more time re
questing dance selections than they them” is “Here Comes The Navy,”
did dancing Saturday night. starring James Cagney and Pat
With the total number of re- O’Brien. This show is several
quests more than doubled over that years old as the clothes styles
of the preceding week, Tommy will prove, but the typical wrang-
Dorsey’s arrangement of “Yes of Pat and Jimmy who are
customary salute. The chagrined Indeed” led the field for the third forever at one anothers throats,
officer called him back and punish- consecutive time with eighteen always puts the show over, even
ed him for the unforgivable error votes. Balloting for the support- though the same technique is used
by requiring him to salute 50 times, ing cast found “Blue Champagne” for every show they appear to-
second with twelve requests, with gether in. The show has made the
third place going to “Green Eyes” rounds once but it evidently must
have a little on the ball to war
rant another round of the country.
ular anti-Nazi
show to see.
theme—this is a
for polling ten votes.
In the ranks of honorable men-
The World Turns On
:By Dr. Steen:
AMERICA SHOULD GIVE SOME
THOUGHT TO HER POSITION in the
world after the war. America is a great and
powerful country with the most free and
the most highly educated people in the world.
By any manner of reasoning
that can be devised she should
be a leader in world affairs.
Yet, she is not now and she
never has been.
THIS IS DUE TO THE
CURSE OF ISOLATIONISM.
Many Americans have tried
to believe that this country
has no interests beyond the
three mile limit. Washington
steen believed this and so did Jef
ferson. It was a difficult thesis in their
time, and an impossible one now. The iso
lationist always assumes that isolation will
keep America out of war, and that, there
fore, America need do nothing to try and
maintain peace in the world. Experience
has proved that this is not correct. America
has become involved in every war that can
be described as a long, major war since the
declaration of independence was issued. We
took part in the Napoleonic wars, we took
part in the first World War, and we are
taking a limited part in the present con
flict.
THE ISOLATIONISTS INSIST THAT
AMERICA IS DEFENDED BY ITS TWO
OCEANS. This theory is also difficult to
maintain. During the war of 1812 when
troops had to travel in pint-sized sailing ves
sels the British landed an expenditionary
force in America. The argument that an
army cannot be transported across an ocean
becomes absurd when America’s achievement
in 1917-1918 is considered. The oceans have
shrunk a great deal since 1918. They were
not then, and they certainly are not now a
sufficient guarantee of safety. These are
facts which Americans should take into ac
count in forming a policy for the future.
AMERICA HAS REFUSED TO JOIN
OTHER COUNTRIES IN MOVEMENTS
TO MAINTAIN PEACE. We have, instead,
followed a policy of helping end wars after
they have gotten under way. America is
too great a country to operate only in the
negative. In the past we have always let
something happen, and then have announced
that we were opoposed to it. It would be
better to adopt a positive policy and say
that we stand for certain definite things. In
the past America has too often been a coun
try with its head hidden ostrich-like in the
sands of isolation crying peace in a world
which knew no peace. It might be better
if the new America took an active part in
working for a better world.
The private carried out the punish
ment and was about to continue
on his way when a major who
had witnessed the proceedings came
up and made the lieutenant re
turn the salutes—all 50 of them!
... A tribute to the memory of the
late Augustus Jarred Allen, ’39,
who was lost somewhere in the
jungles of the Panama Canal Zone
recently while performing in the HoilCymOOn
capacity of an officer in the U.
S. Air Force. Allen was one of
the most conscientious and unas
suming men to ever come to Ag-
gieland, earning most of his col
lege expenses in the employ of the
Commandant’s office and the mag
azine stand near Sbisa hall ....
From the officials of the local
mess hall units comes a plea to
the cadet corps for a united effort
to preserve the aluminum pots
and pans now in use, for it will be
White Collar
Workers Subject
To Many Hazards
Swivel Chair Tends
To Break Down Physical
Ability Due to Inaction
tion were: “Till Reveille,” “Yours,”
“In Apple Blossom Time,” and
“Sweeter Than the Sweetest.”
• • •
When Jim Collins, an Aggie
graduate of 1940, and Walter Sul
livan, class of ’41, completed their
training at the Engineering School
in Fort Belvoir, Virginia recently,
they asked for a five day leave
before being assigned to their
permanent posts. Jim wanted to
be married, and Walter was to be
his best man. .
The setting—the Navy
ly the reason.
The best of the week, “Man
Hunt,” is to play the prevue melo-
Instructor’s
Positions Open
In Air Corps Now
However, wedding plans had to
be postponed when Collins was re
impossible to acquire a new supply fused the requested absence. But
Sullivan was granted his five-day
furlough.
So, Collins reported to his mili
tary post a single man, and Sulli-
think that van whiled away the time at Coney
with those Island.
during the present national emer
gency.
• • •
Irony Of Life
Say fella, if you
you’re having trouble
The United States Civil Service
Commission has announced that ap
plications for the position of stu
dent instructor in the Air Corps
technical school are now being re
ceived and that all persons inter
ested and qualified are urged to put
in an application.
Any of the following types of
“The average person, if consid
ering the question at all, likely will
is pio a - conc i ude bbe white-cpllar
worker lacks hazards such as sur
round the man or woman in indus
try. Accident prevention cam
paigns, which have been directed
toward making factories and plants
safer places in which to operate,
have given rise to this popular
notion. Nevertheless, the fact re
mains that those in offices also
are confronted with hazards which
are no less real simply because
they are somewhat intangible and
often insidious in their efforts,”
states Dr. Geo. W. Cox, State
Health officer.
“A prominent health educator re
cently topped his list of office
hazards with the swivel chair. He
indicated that in its virtue lies its
vice. Being comfortable, the of-
individuals can qualify for the posi- fice worker either by choice or a
tion of student instructor: Indi- measure of necessity remains in it.
viduals having completed three Thus its harm is not of itself, but
Pickin’ Up Plates
years of a four-year course in an
engineering school of recognized
standing; individuals having com
pleted three years of a four-year
course in vocational training or in-
in the physical inaction for which
it is responsible, coupled with bad
posture due to undisciplined sit
ting.
“Again the male office worker,
Who will succeed Glenn
as the outstanding recording orch
estra ? According to statistics,
Jimmy Dorsey will be his succes
sor. It is odd to note that what
ever band the Hotel Pennsylvania
in New York City presents is us-
:By J. Elwood=
Miller ing very
dustrial education; individuals hav- despite his comparative physical in-
ing received a college degree and activity is prone to Consume more
having majored in applied science; food than is good for him. Excess
individuals having received a col- weight in many cases results. And
lege
well for itself of
That type of slow ballad frequent
ly stays popular for a long time.
After a long stay on the medio
cre list, Gene Krupa’s “Flamingo”
is finally catching on. Keep an eye
on that record. Glenn Miller has
ually the outstanding recording three other best sellers this week—
orchestra the next season. This “Booglie Wooglie Piggy,” backed
has proved true in the cases of up the “Boulder Buff,” “Adios,” and
Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and “Sweeter Than the Sweetest.” All
Glenn Miller. If Jimmy Dorsey three are done in the best Miller
keeps up his present rate he is style.
almost certain to follow in the foot- 0 * xi j j , • >
Some of the good records which
degree and having twenty
late, credits in physics. All applicants,
except those with veteran’s pref
erence, must be between the ages
of 20 and 35.
For further information those
interested should avail themselves
o f the annoifncements and corres
pondence in the office of the dean
of the school of engineering at
Texas A. & M. college.
“I Know Why,” will be very pop
ular. Both songs are from his
latest picture—a movie, by the
way, that all Miller fans must
not miss. Charlie Spivak of “In-
excess weight can be a healthy
liability. On the other hand, a lim
ited number of the female conting
ent are likely to be too stream
lined-conscious. Over-emphasizing
this idea frequently results in
breakfastless days, light lunches,
and insufficient dinners. Mal-
nourishment with its untoward ef
fect upon well-being, as well as a
consequent lack of resistance to
disease, is another conducive to
health nor maximum vitality.
“Emphasis on the need of physi
cal conditioning as a direct result
of the present emergency should
be reflected to some extent in a
steps of Glenn Miller. Some of
his best records which are still ^ aven t caught on yet are Harry
popular are Blue Champagne,” James It s Peaceful in the Coun- termezzo” fame has recently turn- constructive change in the office
^ ours, The Things I Love,” and an d King Sisters Love Me ed out a new one. “If It’s True” worker’s habits. More daily exer-
Green Eyes. He frequently plays a Little Little, and Charlie Bat’- j s the tune in question; Charlie cise in the open, a more rational
part of the record in a slow tempo net’s “When the Sun Comes Out.” Spivak’s recording naturally fea- attitude toward food from both the
and the other part a good deal A sure hit is Kay Kyser’s “The t ures an excellent trumpet solo, over-eating and under-eating stand-
rank high in- popular opinion.
Locally the best seller of
a
? S , ter '„i” d !? 0 ’ hiS vocalis ‘ s ' Cowboy Serenade." The tune may Bob Crosby and Dinah "shore have pointe,"adeq"uate"amou'ntso°f 7eep^
Helen O Connell and Bob Eberly, be a typical cowboy song, but contributed their recordings of “Do and a curb on exercises of all kinds
it has a certain appeal that will Y ou Care?” Mitchell Ayres’
the go over big with the fans. Tommy “Time Was” features
last week was Tommy Dorsey’s Dorsey’s “This Love of Mine,” phone section. Also the
“Yes indeed.” It is one of the best backed up by “Neiani,” is still be- the song are of interest
ing given a big build-up by the
Victor Company. Both of OT nnnill __ - ,
tunes are very slow, W +w u.L P of a few years chmery do much to eliminate indus-
are natural buffers against the dis
advantages to which the office
population is subjected.
he has put out in a long time—and
that’s saying a good deal when
Tommy Dorsey is concerned. An
other fast seller is Gienn Miller’s
“You and I,” backed up by “The
Angels Came Thru.” Both of these
tunes are very slow. “ ’Til Rev
eille” by
doesn’t
larity.
an odd saxo-
lyrics to
“In» factories safety committees,
thp * aS ^ Saturday a number safety education, and protected ma-
h . , of P°P ular tunes of a few years chinery do mu
seem to hurt their popu- ArtLXw-!T“R ' “’.Y’r t0 ^ haZa, ' dS ' °" the ° ther hand '
, t haw a Be * m the Begume,” in the office the removal of less
Gene Krupa’s theme song, and pronounced but just as real haz-
Below are a few records h, keep Clenn MiUefs “Sunrise Serenade," aTT^end la^ upon personal
Kay Kyser has been do- tanooga “hoo Chi," y ° U ra . ,lMr hear to ' understanding, and
coupled with day’s popular songs?
tion.”