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THE BATTALION -
ThC Battalion Something to Read
PRIVATE BUCK By Clyde Lewis
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 Statical,
fc published thnee imes weekly fr*wn September to June, to
sued Tuenday, Thursday, ana Saturday mornings; and is pub-
Rshed 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, 1870.
:By Dr. T. F. Mayo=
Subscription rate $3
upon request.
a school year. Advertising rates
Represented nationally by National Advertising Service.
Inc., at New York City, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, and
flan Francisco.
Office, Room 122, Administration Building. Telephone
1941 Member 1942
Associated Golle6iate Press
K. HL Rosenthal Acting Editor
Ralph Criswell Advertising Manager
Sports Staff
Mike Haikin Sports Editor
W. F. Oxford Assistant Sports Editor
Mike Mann Senior Sports Assistant
Ohiok Hurst Junior Sports Assistant
Circulation Staff
B. D. Wilmoth Circulation Manager
Photography Staff
Jack Jones Staff Phohographer
Bob Crane, Ralph Stensel Assistant Photographer
Thursday Staff
Ken C. Bresnen Junior Managing Editor
Clyde Franklin... Junior Editor
Robert L. Freeland Assistant Editorial Writer
Jack Lamberson Assistant Advertising Manager
Reportorial Staff
Tom Leland, Jack Kieth, W. J. Hamilton, Nelson Karback,
Tom Journeay, Leonard Griffin, John May, Bill Fox, Doug
Lancaster, Calvin Brumley, Arthur L. Cox, Charles P. Mc-
Knight, C. G. Scruggs.
iSSJSiS^SJmlS-mLLmmmi—^-m-LJllZS^^^^SSSSSSSSSSISSSSSSSSSBSSSBX
America's First Line
Last year $75,000 was alloted to the N. Y. A.
here at A. & M. with the Student Labor De
partment which enabled about 675 boys
monthly to work their way through school.
This is about a third of the jobs which are
held by students here at A. & M. that helps
them overcome some of the financial diffi
culties which their efforts to obtain a col
lege education causes them to have to meet.
For the two semesters of 1941-42, $56,-
000 was alloted to N. Y. A. labor at A. & M.
which allowed only some 500 boys monthly
to hold jobs.
The student labor rolls carry the names
of some 1500 to 2000 boys annually holding
jobs which enable them to gain an education
which otherwise would not be had. Of these
the boys on N. Y. A. come from families in
the income bracket about $1500. In addition
to the fellows who do obtain jobs on the
N. Y. A. and come to A. & M. for higher edu
cational training some 500 to 1000 boys have
to be turned down due to lack of funds.
These boys that are turned down also have
families in the income bracket of $1,500 a
year and scholastic records in the top fourth
of their graduating classes since applica
tions are not even considered where the rec
ord of the boy scholastically is lower than
the top fourth.
If it were possible to give these addi
tional deserving boys financial assistance
there is a probability that approximately 500
more might be added to the college rolls and
be ready to take their place in the nation’s
first line of defense, the democratic educa
tional system.
“A college graduate,” a military spokes
man once said, “no matter what college he
attended and whether or not be had any mil
itary training is as a rule worth an average
of about eight other men in the line who are
without college educations.” How much more
valuable would the graduates of a military
institution be? With the present need for
trained officers for an expanded army how
valuable to the nation is a school especially
designed to train officers? The answer is
quite obvious.
And this answer is that such a school is
practically priceless to the continued exist
ence of such a nation in a world of hate and
war.
From homes all over Texas, where boys
in all walks of life wish to continue the edu
cation begun in our public school systems
applications come every day to the office of
student labor at A. & M. which handles the
N. Y. A. funds. What happens to the boys
that the committee must necessarily refuse
is a matter which cannot be easily dismissed.
Some of these boys undoubtedly obtain
work at other schools; some take up their
life work without a college preparation while
others—who knows? That these boys have
keen minds is shown by the scholastic stand
ing. That they have the desire to learn and
continue their education is shown by their
application for work and college enrollment !
yet their financial status shows that it
will be impossible for them to do so.
When the life of a nation is at stake it
cannot afford to ignore such obvious assets.
That it should retard or stop the progress
of any organization set up to continue the
training of competent American youth as the
first line of defense of these United States
would be very questionable stupidity.
Be Essential
Today, our nation and our government faces
the most important crisis which it has come
to meet in the total years of its history. The
efficient operation of a capitalistic and in-
dustrialistic government has been put to
test and in many cases has already proven
that such a system can organize and pro
duce faster than any other type of govern
ment or economic system set up in the world
today.
That the red tape and inconsequential
policies and trivial arguments being carried
on by governmental agencies will be sub
ordinated and more efficient operation be
brought about is the essence of our victory
effort.
To assist in this each individual must
RISE OF AMERICAN CIVILIZATION by
Charles and Mary Beard.
This is, without a doubt, the most in
teresting, and at the same time, the most
substantial treatise on this subject in one
volume. The authors have spent an incred
ible amount of effort in digging through
documentary material for the background of
their story of American life in all of its
phases since the discovery of the New World.
As the New York Times has so aptly said,
the authors have “gathered into the sweep
of their history, the whole circle of Ameri
can Life—economic, political, social, agricul
tural, industrial, and intellectual—.” It is
not merely q dry factual compilation of
chronological events, but a very fascinating
and moving picture of the major sweep of
forces that have been responsible for the un
folding of events in the development of our
country. A few chapter headings are sug
gestive of the book: “The Clash of Metrop
olis and Colony,” “Agricultural Imperialism
and the Balance of Power,” “The Second
American Revolution,” “The Gilded Age,”
and “Imperial America.”
ADVENTURE FOR DEMOCRACY by W. C.
Phillips.
In a world where the forces of democ
racy are being put to their supreme test for
survival, a suggestion for making democratic
units not only really “democratic,” but effi
cient as well, should be heartily welcomed.
The author, who is an engineer, and his wife,
relate their experiences in several experi
ments which are used to outline their plan
for a “national social unit.” These are then to
be organized into a pattern for a “national
social unit.” The eminent philosopher, John
Dewey, very highly recommends the book,
and the magazine,SCHOOL & SOCIETY, is
of the opinion that it is one of the most prac
tical suggestions to date for making democ
racy work. Whether one agrees with the au
thors, or no, there is a great deal of food for
thought, and the social implications of such
a plan should be of interest to anyone who
really wants to see a workable solution for
democratic institutions.
The World Turns On
-THURSDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 19, 1942
COVERING
caps disMONs
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“We’ve equipped all our ‘jeep’ men wirh parachutes!”
Musical Meanderings
: By Murray Evans
By A. F. Chalk
The effects of the current war on the foreign
trade of Latin American countries is of in
creasing concern to our State Department.
Commercial considerations are for the mo
ment overshadowed by direct military prob
lems, but the implications of the present
Latin American trade problems are not be
ing overlooked in Washington. The effect
these changed economic conditions will have
on our “good neighbor” policy is of particu
lar importance during the present war.
About one third of the external com
merce of South America is with the U. S.
during periods of normal trade relations.
Now that trade with most of the other na
tions of the world has been stopped or dras
tically curtailed, the economies of the South
American countries are being very seriously
affected. The economies of most of our Latin
American neighbors have not attained a very
high degree of diversification, and the loss
of a major part of their export markets
makes it impossible for them to secure the
large quantities of manufactured goods
which they customarily import.
Briefly stated, the problem we now con
front is how best to enable these countries
to secure a reasonable amount of manufac
tured goods during the war. Even if we take
much larger amounts of their agricultural
and mineral products, we will still have great-
difficulty in supplying these countries with
anything approaching their normal consump
tion of manufactured goods. Priorities and
shipping space are examples of the problems
we would likely have to face.
We must first make it possible for these
countries to buy our manufactured products.
The only sources of funds the Latin Ameri
can countries have are: (1) Exports of their
products and (2) Whatever loans we may
make to them. We must, therefore, permit
an increase in their exports to us and/or
grant them extensive loans. After they have
been able to secure dollar credits by either
or both of these two procedures, we then
must do whatever is within our means about
solving the problem of producing and ship
ping larger quantities of the goods they so
badly need.
One bright aspect of the Latin American
trade problem is that our demand for many
of their mineral and agricultural products
is increasing and we will probably continue
to increase during the war. The copper of
Chile, the rubber of Brazil, the oil of Vene
zuela and Colombia, and the tin of Bolivia
are cases in point. The increased demand
for such products will help offset the loss of
their other export markets. Still another
fact to be considered is the possibility that
we may have to act as the bread basket for
many of our allies, and the demand for food
stuffs may become so great that we will need
a large amount of the production of our
neighbors.
put aside those things which do not have di
rect bearing on the Defense effort and the
ultimate success of this nation’s winning the
war. Individually do we realize what we are
up against? Individually are we doing any
thing about it? Are we removing all the in
consequential and trivial things from our
lives in order that we may no longer waste
effort when this effort has become so im
portant to the nation?
For all intents and purposes the
blues are dead. They have little or
no appeal to the masses any more.
There are any given number of
name bands today who are always
willing to prove that jive has its
jewel, but blues proponents are
practically extinct. Take, for in
stance, the story of a famous Ne
gro band recently. When its leader
was requested to play a blues tune
he looked startled, as if he had
never heard the word, and replied,
“Blues ? Man, we can’t play no
blues in here. Not for this crowd.
Maybe some other time.” And then
the band straightway glided into
some sophisticated ballad number.
Formerly, when “blues” was
mentioned, you just naturally
thought of jazz. As a matter of
fact, blues was synonymous with
jazz at one time. But now nobody
plays them anymore. Woody Her
man, the band that allegedly plays
the blues (or so say the billings)
plays a couple of “show’/ blues
tunes and lets it go at that on all
his jobs. Coleman Hawkins, one of
the truly fine Negro bands, trots
out a blues but rarely.
If fine, musicians have deserted
the blues. Even Negro vocalists
and bands have turned their collec
tive backs on their native form of
music.
The truth of the matter is that
the blues are “just played out.”
They are, technically speaking, mo
notonous. They are simply too
easy to work with, too cut and
dried, too formularized. The chord
pattern is repeated over and over,
and there are but four changes in
the course of its standard 12 bar
length.
Blues were necessary in earlier
days because they afforded a con
venient, simple vehicle on which
to hinge the limited variations
known and practiced at that time.
But modern swing and jive is much
more complicated than early jazz,
talent has improved infinitely, and
there is a need for a music theme
more intricate, one that is more
worthy of present day talent.
So it is no wonder that blues is
in a bad way, that it is becoming
as extinct as the Dodo bird, that
musicians of most calibres shun it
like a plague.
Child Care Program to be Organized
By State Health Officer for Defense
der to assure that the best re
sources of the state can be brought
to bear on planning.
“We recognize,” said Doctor Cox,
“that the Health Department is but
a part in the whole picture of
growth and development, and we
will need aid and guidance from
the general groups listed as well
as nutritionists, home economists,
day nursery and nursery school
workers, as well as volunteers, but
we must provide a unified plan
to safeguard our children in any
situation.”
Training programs for certified
child care volunteers will be made
available to local defense coordi
nators shortly, according to Doctor
Geo. W. Cox, State Defense Co
ordinator and State Health Offi
cer.
The program as provided under
the office civilian defense is in
tended to provide a nuculeus of
training voluntary workers in local
communities to aid in the care of
well children as distinguished
from volunteer nuring aides trained
through Red Cross assistance. The
program is an extensiom of the
present program of child growth
and development of the State
Health Department.
With mothers needed for defense
work or being drawn into indus
trial activities, this training pro
gram will provide a volunteer
group capable through a back
ground of information regarding
the normal development and every
day care of the child to care for
groups of children adequately.
Courses now under consideration
will be made available to anyone
with time, ability, willingness to
work, and a sincere interest in mak
ing a contribution to the growth,
development, and welfare of the
child.
Doctor Cox indicated that final
details of subject matter would be
referred to the Texas Inter-pro
fessional Commission on Child
Growth and Development which is
made up of outstanding physi
cians, dentists, nurses, educators,
welfare workers, and others in or-
Army Sends Call
For Rated Specialists
There has been an urgent call
put out by the War Department
for all kinds of technicians, cooks,
clerks, radio mechanics, repair
men, bakers, welders, photogra
phers, chauffers, linemen, truck
drivers, painters, and other spec
ialized technicians.
. between Douglas and Miss Garbo
Rosebud! A very unassuming wiu be eiijoyed thol . oughly>
word, perfectly good English, but Melvin Douglas saw service in
most interesting. Around this sev- the first World War and later as
en letter word is built the story a newspaper reporter before be-
of “Citizen Kane.” It is really a comin S an actor - He is now one
. „ , ir „ of the screen’s most popular act-
one-man production. Orson Welles , , ...
ors and will be co-starred with
conceived the idea, wrote the story, N orma Shearer in “We Were
directed it, and played the starring Dancing,” soon.
role of Charles Foster Kane, the
world’s third richest man. Joseph Caldwell, a Princeton
The film is really a photographic graduate, was the first president
masterpiece. The angle shots, the of the University of North Caro-
shots purported to be ancient news- lina.
reels, the cinematography, are all
superb. It was named as the best
picture of the year by the leading
experts. “Citizen Kane” represents
a new high in the dramatic achieve
ment of the motion picture in
dustry. The most amazing thing
about the whole picture is the fact
that it was made by people who
do not have a star’s; reputation.
To get back to the story of
Charles Foster Kane, the film
opens just as Kane is dying in his
extensive castle in Florida. He is
the world’s most generous and
stingiest man, all at the same time.
Kane’s last word uttered on his
death bed was “rosebud.” - While
reconstructing his life for a fea
tured program on the “March of
Time” the producers try to dis
cover the meaning of the word and
its significance to the man who
spoke it.
A special reporter is assigned to
track down the meaning of the
word. He visits Kane’s employees,
enemies, friends, former wives,
anyone that had any contact with
the deceased multi-millionaire.
Kane’s life from birth to death is
gone over to find out the meaning
of “rosebud.”
“Citizen Kane” can be summar
ized in one word, extraordinary.
Here is one last word about the
picture at the Campus tomorrow
and Saturday. Get in at the be
ginning or the story will lose its
significance. Also note the similar
ity between the story told on the
screen and the life story of Ameri
ca’s most powerful present-day
journalistic overlord.
Greta Garbo started her film
career in Sweden.
After starringi in
:a picture there,
:she was brought
ito America by
Louis B. Mayer.
She got her start
fin the film world
iby posing as a
'model for a de
partment store.
Greta Garbo' Some of her most
recent pictures are “Ninotchka”
“Camille,” “Anna Karenina,” and
“Conquest.”
Miss Garbo is an entirely new • • •
Garbo in “TWO-FACED WOMAN” FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
at Guion Hall today and tomor
row. The old Garbo is a ski in
structor in the mountains; the new
one is a vamp with all the ways
of the world at her fingertips,
skillfully employing them to win
Melvin Douglas as her husband.
The picture has been produced
in marvelous manner. The script is
excellent, and some of the scenes
Dial 4-1181
TODAY ONLY
Box Office Opens 2 P. M.
“THE BUCCANEER”
with
FREDERIC MARCH
AKIM TAMIROFF
AH Day Today—Benefit
Show, Fish & Game Club,
A. & M.
9 “GREATEST EVER MaUE!”
The Mercury Actors
News - Cartoon
WANT TO WIN
HER?
• Shower her with at
tention . . . bring her
here where the food is
wholesome and for music
that will put sweet swing
in her heart.
HRDLICKA’S
Movie
GUION HALL
Thursday and Friday, Feb. 19 and 20
3:30 and 6:45
Go Gay With
imroFowsuAs
ITW0-FACED WOMAN
Constance BENNETT*Roland YOUNG
) ROBERT STERLING - RUTH GORDON
Directed by GEORGE CUKOR
Produced by Gottfried Reinhardt
News
o-
Cartoon
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