PAGE 2
TRE BATTALION
THURSDAY AFTERNOON, MARCH 22, 1945
The Battalion
STUDENT WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Office, Room 5, Administration Building. Telephone 4-6444
Texas A. & M. College
The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of
Texas and the City of College Station is published weekly, and circulated on Thursday
afternoon.
Entered as second class matter at the Post Office at College Station, Texas, under
the Act of Congress of March 3, 1870.
Subscription rate $3.00 per school year. Advertising rates upon request.
Represented nationally by National Advertising Service, Inc., at New York City,
Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Member
Plssocided Colle&iate Press
Bick Goad
Editor-in-Chief
Ed Wendt
Sports Editor
Eli Barker Feature Editor
Blimp Gager Feature Writer
L. H. Calahan Feature Writer
B. D. Agerton Feature Writer
Bill Withers Feature Writer
Charlie Weinbaum Sports Reporter
Sam Nixon Sports Reporter
Dick Dillingham Sports Reporter
Allan Self Sports Reporter
R. L. Bynes Intramural Editor
J. L. Everett Reporter
Charles Kemp Reporter
R. E. Bradfield Reporter
G. W. Dugan Circulation Manager
Our Country . . .
In this land of ours, this America, the man we choose
as leader dons at no time uniform or insignia to denote his
constitutional position as commander in chief of armed
forces. No member of his Cabinet, no civil subordinate, ever
attires himself in garments significant of military power.
In this land of ours, this America, the average citizen
sees so little of the army that he has not learned to distin
guished between a Major and a Lieutenant from his shoulder
straps. When the chief executive addresses his fellow coun
trymen they gather about him within handclasp distance.
Goose-stepping regiments are not paraded before him. When
he speaks to the civilian population, it is not over rank of
helmeted heads.
In this land of ours, this America, there is no tramp
of military boots to entertain the visiting statesman. There
is no effort to affright him with display of mobile cannon,
or of facility for mass production of aerial bombers.
In this land of ours, this America, there is no fortifica
tion along the several thousand miles of the northern border.
In the great fresh water seas that partly separate it from
another dominion no naval craft plies the waters. Along its
southern border there are no forts, no show of material
strength.
In this land of ours, this America, no youth is conscripted
to labor on devices of defense; military training he may take
or leave at option. There is no armed force consistent with
a policy of aggression. The navy is built against no menace
from the Western Hemisphere, but wholly for defense against
that which may threaten from Europe or Asia.
In this land of ours, this America, one-third of the popu
lation is foreign born, or native born of foreign or mixed
parentage. Our more numerous minorities come from fourteen
nations. The native born, whatever nis descent, has all politi
cal and other rights possessed by him who traces his ances
try to the founding fathers. The foreign born of races that
are assimilable are admitted to all these privileges if they
want them. We have minorities but no minority problem.
In this land of ours, this America, the common citizen
may criticise without restraint the policies of his government
or the aims of the chief executive. He may vote as his judg
ment or his conscience advises and not as a ruler dictates.
In this land of ours, this America, our songs are dedi
cated to love and romance, the blue of the night, sails in the
sunset, and not to might or to a martyrdom or political cause.
Our national anthem has martial words; difficult air. But if
you want to hear the organ roll, give the people its compan
ion America ... of Thee I Sing. In lighter patriotism we are
nationally cosmopolitan. Unitedly we sing of Dixie or of
Iowa, where the tall corn grows, of Springtime in the Rock
ies, or of California, Here I Come.
In this land of ours, this America, there is not a bomb
proof shelter, and a gas mask is a curiosity. It is not needed
that we teach our children where to run when death-hawks
darken the sky.
In this land of ours, this America, our troubles present
or prospective come from within—come from our own mis
takes, and injure us alone. Our pledges of peace toward our
neighbors are stronger than ruler’s promise or written
treaty. We guarantee them by devoting our resources, great
er than the resources of any other nation, to upbuilding the
industries of peace. We strut no armed might that could be
ours. We cause no nation in our half of the world to fear us.
None does fear us, no arm against us.
In this land of ours, this America, we have illuminated
the true road to permanent peace. But that is not the sole
moral sought herein to be drawn. Rather it is that the bles
sings of libery and equality and peace that have been herein
recounted are possessed nowhere in the same measure in
Europe or Asia and wane or disappear as one nears or en
ters a land of dictatorship of whatever brand. This liberty,
this equality, this peace are imbedded in the American form
of government. We shall ever retain them if foreign ims
that would dig them out and destroy them are barred from
our shores. If you cherish this lioerty, this equality, this
peace spiritual—then defend with all your might the Amer
ican ideal of government.
The Pulitzer prize winning editorial, written by R. G.
Callvert:
Melting the Ice
“There are smiles that make you happy”, is the theme
and principle upon which the Student Senate is campaigning
to stimulate friendliness among students. The Senators
themselves have been smiling at passersby on the way to
and from classes. Now they urge others to follow their ex
ample. In many cases the results have been amusing, the
senators relate, but all “smilers” admit that it brightens
their day a little, too, to extend this first invitation to
friendship to a fellow Ohio Stater.
Educators have pointed out that the greatest drawback
in attending a large university is its unfriendliness. They
contend that at small colleges the enrollment is such that the
collegian is sure to make the acquaintance of all other stu
dents before he dons the mortar board and accepts his sheep
skin.
That is not the case at Ohio State. President Bevis has
noted how few graduating students know each other on the
eve of commencement. The president asserted that he spends
half the evening when these seniors are invited to his house
to pre-graduation tea, introducing them to each other for the
first time. A friendly smile a little earlier in college careers
would have meant a lot.
If students and faculty alike would participate whole
heartedly in this campaign for friendliness, our friendships
would increase manifold. And the most dismal days of winter
would be a little warmer for many. So smile awhile.—The
OHIO STATE LANTERN.
BACKWASH
Backwash: “An agitation resulting from some action or occurence.”—Webster.
By Eli Barker
SPRING TUNE—s-UP
Hello-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-oo, It seems
that call was practiced more around
the campus during the middle of
last week than any other of the
many known bird dog calls. Could
it have been the Redbud Festival
at Tessie? No, more likely it was
some Aggie who was tired of the
gay social life of the campus and
intended to spend the weekend
listening to echoes in the woods. No
doubt. Gosh, isn’t it wonderful to
go to a school such as this where
there are women everywhere. Just
think what the boys at Texas u.
are missing. My heart grieves for
them.
SAD STORY
And then there was the new
Junior who had stayed here every
weekend this semester until March
17 came around. He had carefully
guarded that new serge in prepa
ration for his first trip away from
the campus so that everything
would be in readiness. He finished
up all his lessons in fine shape and
worked exteremely hard to have
everything prepared for the big
moment. Then came the day of de
parture. He got everything to
gether ,razor, serge, tooth brush,
serge, tooth paste, serge, unmen
tionables, and last of all, serge).
After checking and double check
ing everything, he proceeded with
packing. Then of to big H. (Not
Huntsville). With a triumphant
arrival in Houston he headed im
mediately for the main bunkhouse,
more commonly known as a hotel
mezzanine. But an MP was ap
proaching him. Probably some new
boy who hadn’t learned the ropes
yet and thought he was an offi
cer. But, no, it was the Courtesy
Patrol and the poor fellow was
soaked on two charges, serge tie
and white belt. Boy, was the wind
takn out of his sails.
HARD TIMES
Probably the boys who have it
harder than anyone though are the
Dewdrops who have been whipping
out in shirts which they call semi
khaki and which the other upper
classmen call semi-serge. Everyone
though is having trouble drawing
the line on textiles, but there is
also another problem. For in
stance:
Junior: Second year cadet, where
is the ROTC patch on your shirt?
e Sophomore: I don’t have one
because this is my good shirt.
TESSIE TIDBITS
One of the most amazing things
noted about Tessie was the fact
that all these girls of such varied
descriptions are all going to school
together. Where else on earth
could there be such a heavenly
place?. . . . And the new Redbud
queen, Ernestine Ashe. Who, what,
when, where, and how could I have
missed her this far? Encore . . . .
Then there is the group which
wear their wedding rings on their
right hands. Cute kids.
MISINFORMED
As the new student walked
blankly around the campus ad
miring the shining white stripe
on his cuff, he thought of all the
possible things which it could
mean. One answer stood out above
the other though, it stood for the
equivalent of an ensign’s rating in
the navy. After all, didn’t they
wear one stripe on their sleeve?
Oh, Brother, was he rudely
awakened.
PENNY’S SERENADE
::: 7 i in By W. L. Penberthy ^^mihii
The other day my wife received
a post card from a very dear friend
whose husband was on the Euro
pean front. It said, “Dick has lost
a leg in Germany
but his letters are
cheerful and he
is fine. We are
not worried. He’s
going to dance
out the old year
with me.”
This message
is just one of the
count less ones
that are being re
ceived by those of
us at home. To
Penberthy me the message
smacked of courage, real courage,
on the part of both the husband
and wife.
We are prone to use the word
“Courage” very loosely but I feel
that there are a great many dif
ferent kinds of courage and ex
amples of all kinds are very much
in evidence in days such as we are
now living. Fighting a war requires
a great deal of courage on the
part of our men and women and
there is no place for those who
are lacking. Many times the dar
ing of our men on the fighting
front is matched in degree by a
different kind of courage by men
and women on the home front.
I am sure there are many times
when our fighting men are scared
to death—I know I would be—but
they conquered first their own fear
and went on to accomplish their
objective. I don’t imagine it is a
very comfortable feeling to be re
turning to a carrier after dark
with the gas about gone and the
carrier not where it ought to be.
Situations like this require real
courage but I can’t help but think
how much greater courage 'it will
take on the part of our wounded
men and their families to look into
the future with confidence and a
cheerful outlook. To me that is
what I call super courage.
By Dr. A1 B. Nelson
The War News which the gov
ernment agencies permit to be
printed is in every way satisfac
tory. The Gei'man holdings west
of the Rhine have been practically
wiped out by the armies of Gen
erals Patton and Patch, and the
bridgehead east of the Rhine has
been extended in every direction,
the ground held being more than
doubled in area during the past
week.
The greatest week-end raid of
the war in the Pacific was carried
out against the
Japanese home
land by land-
based Super
Bombers and
Carrier Based
Planes. The Jap
anese fleet was
reportedly caught
in the raid, in its
home waters, and
severely d a m -
aged. It is also
reported that the
Japanese are actively preparing
for landings on the Japanese home
islands. The reconquest of the
Philippines continues to be carried
out without much difficulty.
The Congress is said to be hold
ing up the recommended promo
tions of a large number of officers
to the rank of four star general
because the names of Generals
Patton and Patch are not on the
list. These men have won a name
for themselves, equal to that of
any others in this war, but are
Nelson
not being promoted as rapidly as
some others.
The British reserve food stocks
are very low, according to an of
ficial statement issued by Prime
Minister Churchill and his Cabi
net. This statement is in answer
to demands that the United States
cut its food shipments abroad until
the food crisis in the United States
is eased. Many responsible sources
in this country are charging that
there is no real shortage of meats
and other critical supplies but that
mismanagement of the distribu
tion, and failure to provide for the
slaughter of sufficient animals, are
the twin reasons for the desperate
shortages in some sections of the
nation.
The Gallup Poll reveals that
there is a tremendous wave of
criticism of the government’s cen
sorship policy. According to this
poll the criticism is greatest among
people over thirty years of age and
among those people who are best
educated. One of the greatest
points of criticism is that a great
part of our war news comes from
enemy sources and is afterward
confirmed by our government. The
point made is that if the enemy
already has the news there is no
purpose in our government sources
withholding the information from
our own papers.
Edward J. Flynn, political boss
of the Bronx, has arrived in Italy
as the personal representative of
the President and is to call on the
Pope and visit the battlefront. This
is the person whose reputation was
such as to cause the Senate to re-
By Edna B. Woods
During Religious Emphasis week
on the campus, a group of recent
religious books was displayed.
Since these books are being read a
great deal, this column is devoted
A. S. T. P.
Excerpts
Tessieland was invaded last
week-end by men from ASTU
3800 as well as Aggies. Jim
Breese, a second company man,
saw Denton for his first time Sat*
urday and has decided that he
doesn’t want to go to heaven when
he dies. “Heaven is too far from
home, just send me to T.S.C.W.”,
he says, and a welfish gleam
creeps into his eyes. Bob Craig and
Ralph Hess, ex-second company
men were also present at the
‘Rosebud” dance. Craig is to re
port to Ft. Sam Houston this
week.
A peculiar noise, akin to that
produced by a Sherman tank roll
ing over a corrugated steel roof (if
one could only visualize such a
bedlam!) was heard on the second
floor of Dorm 3 late Tuesday af
ternoon. The cause of the noise
proved to be Byron Luckenbach,
cramming for a P. T. exam. He
was practicing “sit-ups” in his
bunk.
Another week gone by and all
A.S.T.P. men still marvel at the
previously unheard of consistency
of the Texas weather. For six
weeks now, every Wednesday has
been dry, and the nearest to rain
so far was last week when the sun
hid behind some good looking, low
hanging clouds. In case any read
ers don’t understand, Wednesday
is drill day for the A. S. T. P. The
infamous weather also holds a per
fect record for th weekends. Ev-
ry Saturday since the start of the
semester has been a wet rainy
day. Of course, no one kicks about
the weather because we all like
to leave for the weekend in wet
sagging uniforms. We know that
when we return on Monday the
sun will be shining brightly any
way.
’This rumored that a group of
hardy souls took a trip around the
“mile and six-tenths" late Satur
day night. Correct, Messrs. Goode,
LaBash, Sterle, and Goodwin?
The old alibi that he spent the
weekend with his brother was par-^,
tially correct for Calvin McGillis.
But where was brother Dick? You
guessed it—at the Tessie formal at
Denton. Calvin’s blind date was
none other than the president of
the Tessie student body. Did you
have a nice, long visit with your
brother, Cal ?
Feather Merchants Inc. (or is it
Ltd.), operated by Sid Pats and
“Guts” Armstrong, took on the as
pect of a bustling clothing estab
lishment Monday night. Numerous
cases gave further proof to the
theory that G. I. issues are either
too large or too small.
Glenn Johnson and “Lover” Per
ry, whose chief claim to fame is
his knowledge of electricity, also
made the trek to Denton. An orchid
cuts deeply into a solder’s pay,
doesn’t it, G. D.?
Why does Harold Ort say that
no one goes past July? You might
find the answer on his bulletin
board.
Since last week, little change
has been made in the company
baseball squad, and the following
men will represent the unit on
the team: Bob Athey, Archie
Broodo, Gerald Cooper, Ed Cushen,
Ken Faylor, Bill Freeman, Fred
Goodwin, Jackie Lowe, Rick Mayta,
Lou Oddo, Bud Parshall, Bill
Plant. Bob Rappl, Morris Rosen
thal, Henry Rust, All Stetter, Ed
Swire, Henry Wendrycki, and Tom
Robbins. The team is looking bet
ter in its practice sessions and
should be able to give a good
amount of opposition to any seiw-
ic or school ball clubs in the vi
cinity. Saturday the team will play
its first game of the season against
the Bryan Field. Game time will be
3:15 o’clock and the Aggie dia
mond will be the scene of play.
The team will play again in Hearne
on Sunday afternoon against the
Hearne POW nine.
fuse confirmation when the Pres
ident appointed Flynn as Ambas
sador to Australia. Who pays the
expenses and furnishes transpor
tation priorities for this gentleman
who has already been refused of
ficial standing as a representative
of the United States Governpient?
to brief descriptions of some of
the most popular ones.
Sholem Asch is the author of
the two outstanding books of re
ligious fiction. The first of these
books, The Nazarene, which was
published in 1939 is a novel based
on the life of Christ. “The story,
set in a framework of modern Po
land, is retold from three different
points of view. First there is the
narrative as a modern Polish Jew
ish scholar hears it from the lips
of one who claims to be the rein
carnation of the Roman military
governor of Jerusalem. Then there
is the fifth gospel written by Judas
Iscariot, and finally there is the
story as the Young Jew remembers
it when he realizes that he him
self is the reincarnation of a
discipline of the Pharisee, Rabbi
Nicodemon.” The Nazarene is a
great book, beautifully written by
a scholar and an artist, vividly
portraying the life of Christ, his
fidends, his enemies, and the life,
customs, and religious ideas of his
time.
Four years after publication of
The Nazarene, Sholem Asch com
pleted its sequel. The Apostle—a
novel based on the life of St.
Paul. “It is primarily a work of
exposition, an account of the
growth of early Christian doctrine
and the spread of Christianity, and
an interpretation of Christianity
as the culminating, finest step in
Jewish religious development.”
Creating the character of St. Paul
is the outstanding achievement of
the book. Written in a spirit of
great reverence, The Apostle at
tempts to break down prejudice
and ignorance and is concerned with
the original union of all people
who professed their faith in God.
One reviewer remarked that read
ing the Book of Acts to see what
tiny clues Mr. Asch has expanded
into major episodes and what huge
gaps in Paul’s story he has filled
with his own imaginings was a
fascinating experience.
Thomas Mann, one of the out
standing novelists of this century,
has written a very literary tetra
logy based, on the life of Joseph.
The bibical story of Joseph is blunt
and bare when compared with Mr.
Mann’s elaboration of it into four
volumes—Joseph and His Brothers,
Young Joseph, Joseph in Egypt,
and Joseph the Provider. In their
entirety, the tales of Joseph “are
a vast and leisurely fable on the
nature, state, and destiny of man,
constituting a work of encyclo-
p e d i c scholarship, imaginative
power, and magnitude of concep
tion.” A distinguished contribution
to 20th century literature, these
four volumes have been translated
from the German by Mrs. H. T.
Lowe-Porter. They are filled with
symbolism, and full appreciation
of their style and beauty is the
reward of careful reading.
Pierre Van Paasen’s book, The
Forgotten Ally is a passionate
defense of the Palestinian Jew,
whom he contends is not only for-
'See BOOKS, Page 6
TIGHTIN’TEXAS AGGIE?"
CLASS OF 1942
Robert A. Robinson, Jr., serving
with the Ordnance Section of
Seventh Army Hadquarters, has
recently been promoted to the rank
of major.
Overseas thirty months, he wears
seven stars on his campaign rib
bon for participating in the Fedela-
Casablanca, Tunisian, Sicilian, Nap-
Is-Foggia, Rome-Arno, Southern
France, and German Campaigns.
Robinson was commissioned a sec
ond lieutenant May 17, 1942, and
sailed for duty in the United King
dom on September 1, 1942.
Major Robinson is the son of
Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Robinson,
Sr., 1476 Godwin St., Houston,
Texas.
Smoking the Rhine River after
the Colmar pocket had been clear
ed out was pretty soft work, but
Capt. Sam Kesner, 1300, 1300
Pennsylvania, Dallas, Texas, as
sistant chemical officer of the
Third Infantry Division, recalls
that all of the Colmar operation
wasn’t quite so simple.
Capt. Kesner belongs to the
Chemical Warfare Service, but
there’s a slight misnomer in that
word “service”. Although the
CWS belongs to the Army Service
Forces, some of the tight spots
Capt. Kesner managed to work
himself into and out of—hardly
ring of rear echlon chair—borne
strategy.
Capt. Kesner quit a nice soft job
with a chemical company in North
Africa to join the Third the day
the division “took off for Sicily,
and since has spent most of his
time figuring out more ways to
play the tune ‘Smoke Gets In Your
Eyes” to the Krauts.
Working with Major Albert Sa
fin, 2925 N. Eldorado, Stockton,
Calif., and Lt. Col. James L. Mc-
Gehee, Picayune, Miss., the divi
sion chemical warfare and ordnance
officers respectively, Capt. Kes
ner helped develop the first phos
phorus grenade on the Anzie beach
head. Not content to hear a first
hand report of the grenade, the
Captain went out on the try-out
patrol and saw its operation for
himslf.
He landed at H-hour in southern
France, smoking the beaches to
cover the landings of second wave
infantrymen, but some of his hot
test moments came in the recent
Colmar campaign.
He led a detail from the 168
Chemical Smoke Generator Com
pany to smoke the Guemar bridges
across the Fecht River when the
attack started and was ready to
smoke Ostheim until that town was
called too hot for a crossing. Sgt.
William B. Connelly of Portland,
Oregon, did take a load of smoke
pots to Ostheim but lost them to
a Kraut 88.
Moving south to accompany in
fantry, Capt. Kesner and Sgt. Con
nelly were halted by an enemy
road block. Sgt. Connelly got out
of his jeep, noticed a piece ol
glass under a back wheel. He dug
around and pulled out a Germar
plastic anti-tank mine.
On the night of the Colmai
canal crossing, Capt. Kesner’:
smoke detachment set up a smok<
line with smoke pots in case i
screen was needed before dawn
then later took his generator:
across. The pots burn about fiv<
minutes and are used when it’s im
possible to tote oil to the two
man generators which burn 5(
gallons of fuel an hour.
Once south of the canal its wa:
necessary to drive the chemica
unit’s two-and-half ton trucks pas
five kayoed French tanks and with
in 800 yards of a Kraut anti-tanl
position. The trucks made it okaj
and the generators were set u]
south of the Infantry. A strong
south wind covered the division’:
movements to the front.
Near the little town of Riescheii
south of Neuf-Briszach Maj. Sa
fine led a smoke detail to agaii
smoke positions south of the in
fantry. An enemy self-propelle<
gun opened up from 800 yard:
across the river, scattering the de
tail. Although under excellent ob
servation by the Kraut gunner
Major Safine rallied the detail, se
up the pots and covered infantr;
movement north of Neuf-Brisach
For his actions the major has beei
nominated for the Silver Star.
Capt. Kesner is bucking for thi
Regular Army, and—no kiddih’—i
looking forward to hitting th Pa
cific theater. That one leaves u
a little foggy.
Capt. Larry R. Smith, a squadroi
intelligence officer of Fort Worth
has now completed thirty months o
overseas duty with the veterai
93rd Bombardment Group.
He was assigned to the unit ii
July, 1942, shortly before it lef
for the European Theatre of Oper
ations and became the first B-2'
Liberator group to attack the en
emy from England. The 93rd i
now commanded by Col. W. E
Robertson, Jr., of Charlotte, Nortl
Carolina, and is a part of Maj
Gen. William E. Kepner’s 2nd Ai
Division.
As an intelligence officer, Capl
Smith briefs Liberator air crew
of his squadron before they tak
off on missions and interrogate
them after their return. He als
supervises target identificatioi
training for the bombardiers am
navigators of the group.
His parents, Mr. and Mrs. L. E
Smith, live at 3104 Wingate St
Fort Worth, Texas.
The 93rd Bombardment Grou]
has bombed enemy targets fror
Oslo, Norway, to the Ploesti oi
field area in Rumania. The uni
was cited for its famous Ploest
mission, and all officers and en
listed men in the ojrganizatioi
wear the blue Distinguished Uni
Citation ribbon.
*
A
*
* f
M
V