THE BATTALION
THURSDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 24, 1945
M
r
The Battalion
STUDENT WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Office, Room 5, Administration Building. Telephone 4-5444
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
Plssocioted GpUebicrte Press
..Editor-in-Chief
Ed Wendt Soptr Editor I R. L. Bynes ^
F. B. DeLafosse , Sports Writer I J. B. Clark Staff Photographer
J. B.
3. K. Dugan Circulation Manager
Cadet Officers Must Pledge Themselves ...
The promotion list for the summer semester has been
announced by the Commandant's Office. New names are on
the list. New duties and responsibilities await these untriec
men whose actions will influence to such a great extent the
lives of so many on the campus this summer. It is they who
can either extend a guiding hand or wield an unmerciful
scythe of destruction, both mentally and physically.
Over seven hundred new students will arrive on the
campus to initiate their college careers. But what kind ot
an initiation will it prove to be? The answer lies only m the
ability and worthiness of their cadet officers and upperclass
men. All of these students are coming to this college fora
purpose, with one thought in mind. They have visions of aft
er college success made possible by a thorough and complete
education at this institution. They hope to absorb and en
rich themselves with all that this school embodies and has
to offer the humblest of students. But just how many that
come here with those high hopes eventually gain their de
sired goal? How many are actually endowed with all that
this college and its mode of life place before them when
they leave here ? At the present time very few if any are that
fortunate. It’s there before them but only very few gam the
desired ultimate end. But why is this so? Is it lack of ability
of their instructors, both student and faculty? It could be
that the student eventually loses his ambition, and cares
only “to get by”, a far cry from his high entrance hopes.
But even this can not be blamed entirely on the student,
for somewhere in his college life this attitude was allowed
to engulf him; carelessly allowed by a disinterested instruc
tor, who could be a professor or a cadet officer, both dedi
cated to his well being.
But, some cadet officers can not seem to realize that
they have been delegated to supervise the lives of the men
who have been placed under their guidance. They can not
seem to realize the manner in which their decisions and ac
tions can effect the thoughts and actions of their men;
men who are ambitious and willing at the beginning, and
looking to their leaders for advice and guidance, the type of
advice and guidance which is the key to their future. Al
though some can evaluate the merit of the advice meted
out to them, it is a very difficult task for these men for
everything is new to them and they are intensely eager
to best adjust themselves to their new life and surroundings.
These newly appointed cadet officers must realize their
duties and responsibilities and as long as the cadet insignia
adorns their shoulders they must dedicate.their every action
and decision to the welfare and well-being of their men.
Otherwise, they are not only a disgrace to the uniform they
wear but they are also causing the degradation of their men
and violating the trust which they have placed in them. He
must be conscious of this pledge always.
The success or failure of the summer session will de
pend on the manner in which the cadet officers dedicate
themselves to this pledge.
By Dr. A1 B. Nelson
Sugar and sweets will probably
be scarce when you get home this
summer. Someone in authority has
made some errors and canning
sugar stamps have been cut to one
tenth of face
value and those
who trusted the
word of ration
ing officials and
failed to buy
their sugar im-
ygxm . mediately lost
nine tenths of
1 > : their canning su
gar for the sum
mer.
Another un
patriotic strike
has prevented production in the
plant of the Cocker Machine and
Foundry Company, Gastonia, N. C.,
since last January^ 30. This plant
makes textile machinery necessary
to tire production, and after nearly
four months of idleness is at last
to be seized and operated by the
Army. This strike is one of the
reasons behind inadequate tire pro
duction for both army and civilian
needs.
Nelson
Most of the German gold seized
by the American Army is being
claimed by the French and the
Belgians who say it is part of the
gold supply stolen from them by
the Germans. If they can prove
ownership it will probably be
turned over to them.
Free trips to Europe will be
enjoyed by many congressmen
from now on as more and more in
vestigating committees are ap
pointed in order to seek a solution
to Europe’s muddled affairs. Now
that the fighting in Europe is over
investigations can be made into
many situations that were former
ly covered up by military censor
ship and safety measures.
Many advisers of the State De
partment are now saying that the
admission of Argentina to the San
Francisco Conference of the Unit
ed Nations was a definite mistake.
Most people have known "this /all
along. Argentina has never made
the slightest pretense of having
changed her views or of having
forgotten her love for Nazi prin
ciples. Her only reason for chang
ing was to get on the band wagon.
PENNY’S SERENADE
By W. L. Penberthy
Congratulations To The Graduates ...
Tomorrow night at 6:45 p.m. sixty five seniors will re
ceive their degrees. Out of these sixty five, very few have
been able to go “straight through,” but have taken what
courses they could when they could be on the campus.
Many of these men have returned to take their sheepskins
after having served in the armed forces.
Officially, their degree is a certificate to show that the
holder has completed a prescribed course of study—but to
these men, and to all Aggies, and to all who know and love
Aggieland, it means far more. These men are members of
the greatest fraternity on earth. They have completed not
merely a course of study as prescribed by college author
ities, but also a course in which they themselves were the
instructors, a course based on loyalty, courage, and all
things honorable—a course which may be had at no other
college. These men have not been prepared to “face the
world” by academic instruction alone, but have been schooled
along lines which have prepared them for the hard work
of everyday living. These men, as were all who have gone
before them, are ready to take their place in an America
at war or an America at peace.
To these men who are leaving with their work here
completed, we who remain behind extend our heartiest con
gratulations. You have left your mark on A. & M. At a time
when the school is but a shadow of its former self, you have
carried on with the traditions which are Aggieland — and
they shall not be forgotten. You have set an example by your
determination to get an education which would be well for
those leaving now without degrees to follow.
As you go forth into a world which needs vitally your
technical knowledge and training, you take with you an ob
ligation to fulfill a pledge to the un-numbered Aggies who
have gone before you and given this school the reputation
it has today for producing real and able men. You take with
you memories of happy days here, of men you knew, and of
traditions you love. You take with you a little piece of A&M.
We who remain here are sorry to see you go, but we are
also proud—proud to have known men like you and proud
to be part of the school of which you are products.
Goodbye to you, and good luck.
J. H.,
Some fifty years ago Baron
Pierre de Courbetain of France,
founder of the Modern Olympic
Games, came out with this state
ment: “The important thing is not
winning but taking part . . . the
essential thing is not conquering
but fighting well.”
I feel that the attitude taken by
de Courbetain years ago is the
same as we should have today,
and in my opin
ion our boys have
certainly showed
this attitude in
our Intramural
Program this se
mester. You men
may not know it
but you have giv-
?'/ en those of us
g- 'M working with the
program many
thrills and a
world of satisfac-
Penberthy tion and pleasure
this semester. You have entered
into the various contests with a
lot of interest, enthusiasm and con
fidence. You have done your best
to win the contests fairly and
squarely—we wouldn’t give a cent
for you if you didn’t—but you
have put the playing above the
winning and you have derived a
great deal of benefit from the
program. You didn’t spend your
time/griping about bad decisions—
neither did you boast when you
won nor alibi when you lost.
You Athletic Officers have done
a splendid job and I know that
your organizations are very proud
of you—just as we are. You have
been the backbone of the program
—without your fine efforts and
cooperation the program would
have been a flop. We hope that
the experience you gained through
working with the program will pay
big dividends.
I speak for all who worked with
you in saying that you men who
played and you men who served
and led are a grand bunch of men
and it was a real privilege and
pleasure to work with you. The
best in the world is the worst we
could wish you.
5g£f)GGI€9 IN flCTION..
TIGHTIN’ TEXAS RGGlbV
MANY WILL LEAVE BUT THEY WILL REMEMBER THIS
OPEN
FORUM
It is a good safe rule to sojourn in every place as if you
meant to spend your life there, never omitting an opportun
ity of doing a kindness, speaking a true word or making a
friend.
He who has no inclination to learn more will be very apt
to think that he knows enough.
The angriest person in a controversy is the one most
likely to be in the wrong.
If the power to do hard work is not talent, it is the best
possible substitute for it.
The veteran 455th Bombardment
Group, of which Lt. Col. Philip J.
John of Harlingen, Texas, is Ex
ecutive Officer, was recently
awarded its second Distinguished
Unit Citation “for outstanding per
formance of duty in armed con
flict with the enemy.”
Brig. Gen. William D. Hall, Dep
uty Commanding General of the
5th Air Force, pinned the blue
battle streamer to the group’s
standard in a recent ceremony at
its base in southern Italy.
While leading its wing on a
mission against the vital enemy
oil refinery at Moosebierbaum,
Austria, June 26, 1944, the 455th’s
formation was attacked by more
than 150 enemy fighters. During
one of the fiercest air battles in
15th AAF history, the group bat
tled across the target for a fuc-
cessful bombing run.
Gunners of the group destroyed
34 enemy fighters while holding
their own losses to 10 B-24’s.
The 455th was first cited for its
destruction of the Steyr Walzla-
gerwerke, vital enemy ball bearing
plant at Steyr, Austria, April 2,
1944. While fighting its way
through more than 75 enemy fight
ers to reach the target, the group’s
gunners definitely destroyed 27.
Col. John has served as executive
officer of the group since its for
mation, and for the past 16 months
in Italy. v
Col. John was commissioned in
the Corps of Engineers in 1932.
An engineer in civilian life, he re
turned to active duty in 1940, and
was transferred to the Air Force
Sept. 20, 1940.
The Colonel’s wife, Mrs. Philip J.
John, resides at Floresville, Texas.
Staff Sergeant John T. Estes,
19, of Hereford, Texas, tail gun
ner of a B-17 Flying Fortress of
the 95th Bombardment Group, has
been awarded the 4th Oak Leaf
Cluster to the Air Medal for “mer-
torious achievement” while partici
pating in Eighth Air Force bomb
ing attacks on vital industrial tar
gets in Germany, and on Nazi air
fields, supply dumps and gun em
placements in conjunction with ad
vances by Allied ground forces on
the continent.
Sgt. Estes is a member of the
Fortress group which was cited
by the President for leading the
first American bombing attack on
targets in Berlin, in March, 1944,
and was cited previously for its
outstanding bombing assault on
railroad marshalling yards at Mun
ster, Germany, in October, 1943.
As a component of the distin
guished Third Air Division, the
group also shared in a Presidential
citation given the entire division
for its historic England-Africa
shuttle bombing of an important
Messerschmitt fighter plane plant
at Regensburg, Germany, in Au
gust of 1943. While flying more
than 300 combat missions, the 95th
has dropped over 17,000 tons of
bombs on Germany and German-
held targets.
The AAF gunner is the son of
Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Estes of Here
ford, Texas.
214 SOUTH MAIN
BRYAN, TEXAS
The Department of Fish and
Game has received recently a letter
from 1st Lt. Otheil Erlund, a form
er major in Fish and Game, written
somewhere in Europe. Quotations
from the letter follow:
He says, “Although I have had
some awfully close calls, I have
not been wounded yet. I do have a
couple of pieces of shrapnel in one
of my fingers, but the aid station
fixed that up in a few minutes and
I went on my way. That happened
coming through the Siegfried Line,
which is still the hottest spot I
have ever been in. The other day
I had a little bit of a close call.
A panzerfaust (German Bazooka
or antitank rocket) hit beside a
tank which I was only about 5 feet
from. The only thing that hurt was
the concussion. One of my ears
has been bad ever since, but I think
it will gradually clear up. The blast
blew me off of my feet ....
“Last time I wrote you I was
executive officer of the company.
Now I am commanding the com
pany. The man who was command
ing the company got very sick right
in the middle of a fight and I had
to take over. I suppose I will keep
it until he gets back . ”
Although details are lacking, it
is known that Erlund distinguished
himself in leading his patrol in
enemy territory, doing an im
mense amount of damage and ulti
mately getting his patrol back
safely into the Allied lines. He
was awarded the oak leaf cluster
to his Bronze Star.
Erlund received his degree in
Fish and Game in January, 1943.
While a student here he was a
member of the singing cadets and
in his senior year was a cadet
captain.
Try Our
Sunday Chicken Dinners
. A. & M. GRILL
ALTERATIONS
LAUTERSTEIN’S
PHONE 4-4444
We have Brown Rubber
Heels Any Size
Holick’s Boot Shop
STUDENT CO-OP
Bicycle and Radio Repair
PHONE 4-4114
Many will leave the campus at the end of this semester, the major
ity not to return for a lengthy period. But no matter how long they are
gone there are certain experiences and incidents enjoyed here at A.
& M. that they will not soon forget. Such as, marching to mess, at
top; being greeted by that ever faithful but ever annoying alarm clock
at 6:45 a.m., at center; and the colorful, typical Aggie bull session, at
bottom.
: Student Reviews:
“HOME IN INDIANA”
“Home in Indiana” is primarily
the story of man’s love of horses
and racing. The narrative begins
with the arrival of a wayward
young nephew, Sparke (Lon Mc-
Callister) at the home of his un
cle, '“Thunder” (Walter Brennan,)
in Indiana. Sparke is ready to run
away until he finds out his uncle
owns the Roundtree horse breed
ing farm, once famous over the
state but now completely run-down.
His uncle has lost out except for
one mare “Lady”, formerly a cham
pion racer but now blind and past
her prime. When Sparke learns too
that his uncle has tui-ned to drink
for consolation, with the daring
of youth he decides to take mat
ters in his own hands. Unknown to
the family, he steals the breeder
stallion from his uncle, Thunder’s
former partner, but now bitter riv
al, to breed with Lady. The pretty
girl, Char (Jeanne Crain), from
the neighboring farm is Sparke’s
accomplice in this secret effort to
give Thunder another chance. The
plan works with characteristic
Hollywood success; the foal is a
champion from the beginning.
With Sparke as driver, the colt,
Maureen II, wins one race after
another climaxing her victories
with the state handicap and a purse
of $10,000. To make the triumph
complete uncle Thunder’s colt nos
ed out the entry of his rival. Al
though Maureen goes blind at the
end of the handicap, Thunder’s for
tunes and self-respect are restored.
Sparke has found himself and his
true love, and “home in Indiana”
at Uncle Thunder’s Roundtree ifed-
iates happiness and beauty.
Sparke’s love affair is secondary
in the story. He is much interested
in Cri-Cri (June Haver) the daugh
ter of Thunder’s rival. Cri-Cri is
a glamour girl not much interest
ed in a county boy such as Sparke.
By contrast, Char is attracted to
Sparke from the beginning, even
though Sparke is not aware of it.
He continues to fawn on Cri-Cri,
ignoring Char’s amourous atten
tion. Cri-Cri returns his affection
only after Sparke has won several
races and is the focus of attention.
Sparke finally realizes after Char
makes him jealous that she is the
one he really loves.
Thunder (Walter Brennan) is
seen first as an elderly race horse
driver who has lost everything, in
contrast to his former partner who
is sitting on top of the world.
Thunder has turned to drink and
to memories of his great days as
the owner of Champion horses.
When he stages a comeback thru
his nephew’s efforts, Thunder be
comes his old self again.
Lon McCallister plays the role
of Sparke. It is his first picture
and he handles himself with un
usual natural ability. Sparke is
shown as an ambitious country
(See STUDENT, Page 4)
arnpus
Opens 1 P.M. — 4-1181
AIR-CONDITIONED
THURSDAY
ARTHUR TREACHER
MARION HUTTON
KIRBY GRANT
THOMAS GOMEZ
ANNE GILDS
(WILL OSBORNE
AND ORCHESTRA
Plus Color Cartoon - Short
A&M ALTERATION SHOP
Aggies! A.S.T.R.P.
We give you 2-day service
on all Patches, Stripes, Al
terations.
BRING IT TO TILLIE
Friday and Saturday
2 Days of Double Feature
No. 1
Feature No. 2
“Youth Runs Wild”
starring
Bonita Granville
Also Disney Color Cartoon
Sunday and Monday
OEANNA GENE I
DURBIN SKILLY f
tn W, Somerset Maugham's §
1 "rIchard whorf I
DEAN HARENS ?
GLADYS GEORGE ?■
JTOSON DAVID BRUCE j
» r °<kK«<l W FEU * GALE SONDERGAARD 3
and “Popeye” Cartoon
3 Days
Tues. - Wed. - Thurs.
Also Marrie Melodies Cartoon
Vit
\i
1 a
14
r
♦4
M
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