Page 2
THE BATTALION
THURSDAY AFTERNOON, JUNE 14, 1945
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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.
A Step Toward Better Feeling ...
For many months now, Aggieland has been in dire need
of correcting one of its most outstanding disgraces—that
of the ill feeling between the Cadets and the trainees in
the A. S. T. P. The meeting that should have occurred far
sooner than it did, finally materialized the other evening.
Members of the Senior Class representing the corps met
with leaders of the A. S. T. P. in sincere and genuine fel
lowship to discuss and iron out the differences that have
been on the constant mount on our campus. The meeting
came about through the mutual desire of the leaders of
the corps and the leaders of the trainees, and the results
that it produced were most gratifying.
Whatever petty grievences, grudges, and peeves each
representative formerly sheltered in his heart were for
gotten, ahd those representing the two groups made every
effort to correct the distasteful and ugly situation, and to
bring about a “new era of good feeling.”
That meeting was not held in an endeavor to place the
blame upon some one group, but it was held to recognize the
undesirable conditions that DO exist and that MUST be elim
inated. Both sides were hasty in acknowledging faults,
and both were even quicker in their offer to remedy the
situation. Such is the spirit that Aggies are known for. That
spirit of fair dealing has done the most to bring A. & M.
tbe world fame that it now possesses, and anything less than
that at that meeting would not have portrayed the Aggies
in a befitting manner.
Two wrongs never have and never will make a right,
and whether the blame lies with us or with them is not the
issue. Nor is retaliation the solution. Only through meetings
free of prejudice and malice will'it be that these two groups
can overcome their difficulties. That such can be accom
plished has already been demonstrated, and now the suc
cess of this endeavor will fall upon the corps as a whole and
upon the A. S. T. P. as a whole. The representatives have
met and struck a means of eliminating the contention. They
can do no more. It is now up to the majority of each side
to see justice executed.
Everyone on this campus realizes that the trainees did
not ask to be sent here, nor were they asked for by the corps.
They are here, nevertheless. In one sense, they are our
guests; we are obligated to treat them with certain respect
and courtesy. Yet, while they are our guests, we as hosts
are entitled to make certain demands of them. We must not
encroach upon their rights, and they must not impose upon
ours. There is little doubt but that most of them and most
of us are aware of that fact, but we must not be content with
mere recognition of our faults. We must move to eliminate
as many of our difficulties as possible. It will be a purely
“give and take” proposition. The two of us must have as our
objective the firm resolution to do all in our power to bring
about cordial and congenial relations.
If the two groups that met the other night speak for
the remainder of their lot, there will be absolutely no diffi
culty in achieving our aims. Still, success will come only
through the efforts of every individual now present on the
A. & M. campus.
The Time Is Now ...
That summer-time at Aggieland is the most pleasant
time of the year has never been one of the Aggies’ boasts, for
we all know that old Sol shows us no mercy when he deals
out his rays on the Brazos bottoms. This is the time of the
year that all of us become listless and less enthusiastic in
everything we undertake to do. We attribute that mostly
to the climate at this time of the year, as well as the fact
that A. & M.’s participation in sports is at a virtual standstill
insofar as conference competition is concerned; and when
Aggie sports lag somewhat, the Aggie corps is also inclined
to lag a little in almost everything it does. No one disputes
the fact that it takes a football team, a band, and a yell prac
tice to instill real enthusiasm in everyone of us here, but few
stop to think of the months of preparation spent during hot
weary months just like these that are now upon us to produce
a great team for the gridiron, a strong vibrant band to strut
for us, and a corps of hundreds of cadets yelling their lungs
out for that team and for that school they hold so dear.
Each of us MUST impress upon ourselves the importance
of making the most of the present semester. Our professors
and deans have urged us on with our studies, and we should
profit by their advice and apply it to everything we take
upon ourselves to do. We shall have to make every little sec
ond count in molding a cadet corps that will make us all
proud when that football season does roll around. That means
work for all of us, for we are going to have to have numerous
yell practices for the benefit of the frogs and fish who do
not know the yells and the procedures of a yell practice.
We cannot expect and demand a yelling corps to spur our
team on to victory this fall unless we prepare—and NOW
is the time to prepare. Our team does not expect to be vic
torious without months of training, and so we now find
them hard at their tedious, tiring hours of work-outs, scrim
mage, and drills. Likewise, our band, throughout the sum
mer, will be in constant preparation for the football season
to give us one more Aggie band befitting our great tradi
tion. The band and the football team are two of the three
most important groups on this campus. The third group is
the corps. The band and the team are preparing themselves
“to strut their stuff” for the rest of us, and it is our duty
to repay them. They do not deem these hot sweltering months
trivial and they are going to carry on with their work as
though the weather were nothing short of ideal.
The duty and responsibility of inaugurating and exe
cuting our objectives will fall upon the Seniors, but for a
successful program of activities, the Seniors will expect and
will be prepared to demand complete cooperation of the
sophomores and juniors. The freshmen will not participate
in the planning of these things, but their role will be one of
the most important—that of forming the bulk of a mighty
corps that will give A. & M. added strength through num
bers. The freshmen can help themselves and they can help
A. & M. by their willingness and eagerness to do all in their
power to participate in intramurals, yell practices, sports,
andall the other great extra-curricular activities. If the up
perclassmen will lead them and provide the example, they can
quickly follow and be prepared for their role next fall.
What all of us must come to, Ole Army, is the stark
realization that our efforts now will determine largely the
outcome of next fall. We MUST be hard at work all this
semester. Hell and high water has never stopped the Aggies
in the past, and a little disagreeable weather should not ruin
one of our greatest opportunities to mold a corps that will
thrive on Aggie traditions, customs, and mannerisms.
BACKWASH
Backwash: “An agitation resulting from some action or occurence.”—Webster.
By Junior Canis
After a week’s exasperation of
a few drops, the frogs and fish are
gradually beginning to see a little
light as to what is expected of
them. Not uncommon at all for
the past week have been gasps of
disgust and dispair on the part
of the second year cadets, but in
due time, the freshmen education
should be under way enough to
curtail those frequent emissions of
despair.
The SU-PREME float-out of the
year seems to have found its vic
tim in the person of one Johnny
Spragins. It seems that the said
victim was reprimanded by a frog
last week for not coming to at
tention at the table when atten
tion was called for announcements
during mess. The reprimand left
Spragins speechless from sheer
surprise; but to top that off, the
frog, when informed of his mis
take in identity, took the liberty
of seeking proof of Spragins’ clas
sification by getting up and peer
ing under the table to see if he
were actually dressed in boots.
R. A. ! ! !
Mr. William Harper has an
nounced that the name so com
monly applied to him be exterm
inated, buried, and forgotten. He
claims that the name is detrimental
and slanders his character, and he
threatens legal action if it doesn’t
cease. It seems to Junior that the
name fits and so long as whisk—
that is Mr. Harper, objects it will
stick.
It is rumored that Buddy How
land has decided to enroll his one
and only in school here. Since the
little beauty that is so frequently
seen on the campus spends more
time here than she does at Tes-
sieland, it might not be a bad
idea.
Those present in Doi'm No. 2
last Sunday afternoon witnessed
an attempt at murder when Rus
sell Benson laid a gallon jug (em
ptied sometime earlier in the day)
across Jimmy Henderson’s head.
The motive for the action is still
undetermined.
It has been unanimously decided
by all the company commanders
under Delbert Runyan that he
must refrain from reclining on
the damp ground at night or buy
himself a good remedy for his
hoarness. That whisper of his
doesn’t sit well with the captains
when he attempts to give a com
mand. What about that damp
ground though ? ? ? ? ?
Anyone looking for Jay Pointer
can find him the quickest by go
ing to Austin, since his life these
days is one constant excursion to
that city.
No sooner does every one get
organized in his company but
what there is a buzz of forthcom-
coming company parties. From the
appearance of things, some people
around here haven’t yet recovered
from those held last semester.
Wine, women, arid song have
taken their toll of casualities from
the Junior Class. Since most
members of that class devoted so
much of their time to this trio,
there is great difficulty finding
anyone with enough grade points
to qualify him to hold a class of
fice or to run for yell leader.
It seems that one Frog Rattan
is furnishing Dick Burch with
women. Dick has recently filched
a cutie by the name of Bert Kelly
from the defenseless Frog Rat
tan.
The rumor of a huge fish ball
this sumer has really made a hit
with the freshman class. That
dance for the frogs and the fish
has also made a smash hit with
a certain other class on this cam
pus. Junior thinks it is a swell
idea and would like to see one
come about. Let’s go frogs and
fish!
Scott Haggard has taken an in
ventory of all the freshmen in his
outfit who own Cadillacs and who
have a source of supply for fags.
Mouse Spriegle has also been look
ing on with interest.
Another dance possibility is also
sweeping the campus; that is, the
idea of getting a name band for
a corps dance sometime this se
mester. Junior understands that
contacts are being made right now
to get one under the auspices of
the Seniors. Everyone is in favor
of having as much entertainment
as possible here this summer to
break the monotony. Here’s hop
ing the freshmen will come through
with a huge ball and the seniors
see their “dream” come true.
\ Good Neighbors \
MEXICO . . . NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR
By Ruben R. Caro-Costas
When the Spaniards, led by Her
nando Cortez, set foot on the unex
plored coast around Vera Cruz,
they found a rich, virgin country.
New Spain they called it—then,
Mexico.
The modern history of Mexico
started with the landing of Cortez
in Vera Cruz. The handful of men
under his command overran half a
continent and overturned the Az
tec Empire, which consisted of a
federation of little Indian nations
under the control of a central gov
ernment, that of the Emperor of
Mexico, Montezuma. Highly skilled
in arts and crafts, the people of
the Aztec capital lived in houses
built of red volcanic rocks in the
middle of a volcanic lake high up
in the mountains.
Aztec Influence Still Felt
It took two years of bitter fight
ing for the Spaniards to wrest
control of Mexico from the Aztecs.
They had defeated the Aztecs, but
they had not conquered them. For
three centuries viceroys ruled Mex
ico for the Spanish crown, and the
native people never ceased to
struggle for the little which was
left to them.
Mexico has never yet been con
quered. Several countries tried it
during the sixteenth and seven
teenth centuries, and failed in the
attempt. The country itself—the
land itself—is still the same. The
culture which the Spaniards found
when they came to the Aztec Em
pire has survived all outside influ
ences; and the ancient Indian arts
and crafts still flourish in the life
of the Mexican people.
Mexico’s Geography
Mexico spreads from the barren
country below the Arizona border
to the copper mines in Sonora. The
state of Torreon is the cotton cen
ter of Mexico. Monterrey, the third
largest city in the republic, is the
iron and steel center of the na-
(See MEXICO, Page 3)
:: Your City ::
By Tad Moses'
Housing Problems Becomes Vexing
Through the years some small
businesses had been located just
off the campus. Here and there in
the college environs residences
had been erected by parties unable
to secure campus homes, and by
those who preferred to own their
own homes. With growth in the
academic division there had been
corresponding expansion by the
Agricultural Experiment Station
and the Extension Service. The
Texas Forest Seiwice had establish
ed headquarters on the campus,
and staffs for these agencies had
to be provided with living quarters.
Hundreds of workers were attract
ed by the building program that
was in operation all during the
1930’s. Then came the Triple A
with state headquarters on the
campus and the housing situation
went from bad to worse.
A business district was growing
up in the north gate area and on
the south side. Two real estate de
velopments had been opened south
of the campus and another was
being formed east of the new high
way.
The board’s vacation order
launched a building boom that was
curtailed only when the war effort
created an acute shortage of build
ing materials, and this building
program is due to be revived at
war’s end.
A City is Born
For several years there had been
talk among residents both on and
off the campus of incorporating
the community to insure retention
of the designation of College Sta
tion, Texas, for all time to come.
This talk was revived in the latter
part of 1937 and the early months
of 1938. Several mass meetings
were held and there was full dis
cussion among the residents of the
benefits and liabilities accruing
from incorporation.
A delegation was selected to re
quest a statement of policy from
the board of directors and were in
formed the board would have no
(See YOUR CITY, Page 4)
Edna B. Woods
Ernie Pyle has been called the
GI’s walking delegate to history.
He became so successful as a plain
man that he achieved a fame he
never wanted. After Ernie Pyle’s
death on April 18, of this year,
President Truman said, “No man
in this war has so well told the
story of the American fighting men
as the American fighting men
wanted it told. He became the
spokesman of the ordinary Amer
ican in arms.”
HERE IS YOUR WAR, Ernie
Pyle’s first book, published in 1943,
is the story of the North African
campaign. BRAVE MEN, which
came off the press late in 1944, be
gins with the invasion of Sicily,
June, 1943, covers the fighting in
Italy from December until April,
tells of the feverish activity in
England during the two months
previous to the Invasion, describes
the invasion of France, June, 1944,
and ends with the first major break
through the German lines. Since
his books are actually his columns
compiled, re-edited, and published
in book form, they are more in
teresting when read in short
snatches.
Ernie Pyle’s dedication to
BRAVE MEN, “In solemn salute
to those thousands of our com
rades—great, brave men that they
were—for women there will be no
homecoming ever,” seems ironic
now. For correspondents are brave
men too. International law for
bids them to carry guns; yet, their
casualties are just as fatal. Twen
ty-three war correspondents have
been killed in this war.
Before the War Ernie Pyle was
a sort of roving reporter, roaming
the Western Hemisphere. He al
ways referred to Mrs. Pyle as
“that girl who rides beside me.” In
his war books se is referred to as
simply, “that girl.” The farmers,
lumberjacks, and bartenders whom
Ernie Pyle wrote about in the old
days became the privates, ser
geants, and the lieutenants in his
columns. At forty-four Ernest Tay
lor Pyle (always called Ernie, for
there were no strangers among
those who read his column) stood
five feet, eight inches tall and
weighed one hundred twelve
pounds. He was tough and wiry;
he could exist on a minimum of
food and water; his vigorous laugh
displayed his humor; his^ shyness
indicated his respect for others;
his profanity was strictly GI.
Ernie Pyle’s love for the Infan
try was reflected in all of his
writing just as it was in BRAVE
MEN, when he compared the
front-line soldier with the sailor.
Although he believed that sailors
might resent his opinion, he stated
that sailor’s weren’t hardened as
much as soldiers. “The front-line
soldier liver for months like an
animal .... and was a veteran in
the cruel, fierce world of death
.... everything in his life was
abnormal and unsteady. On the
other hand a ship is a home, and
the security of a home kept the
sailors more like themselves. Of
course, when sailors die, death for
them is just as horrible and some
times, they die in greater numbers,
but a sailor doesn’t have to fight
until the enemy comes over the
horizon, and a soldier fights every
thing all of the time.”
BRAVE MEN includes comments
about several Texans. Perhaps, the
best known in this area is Major
Rollin Elkins, better known as
“Satch,” who, according to Ernie,
went around in the green, two-piece
coverall of the Infantry. Lieutenant
General Ira Baker, head of all the
Mediterranean Allied Air Forces,
liked to flatter Ernie Pyle, when
he had guests by saying, “I knew
Ernie when he wasn’t anybody;”
Ernie usually retorted, “I knew
the General when he was a cap
tain.” Charles Morgan of Glade-
water, Texas, was a jovial mess
sergeant in the famous Thirty-
sixth division. And “what Warrant
Officer Ernest Pike of Savoy, Tex
as, didn’t know about practical
ordnance could be put in a dead
German’s eye.”
Of all the officers whom Eimie
Pyle knew, none was so beloved
as Captain Henry T. Waskow of
Belton, Texas. Certainly, the most
moving pages in the entire book
are about him. A few pages tell
the story, which achieves a perfect
balance between death and life on
the battlefield in the face of
death. No other incident written
about this war produces the same
dramatic and saddening effect. It
is done quietly and with sincerity.
Ernie Pyle’s book isn’t all sad
ness. The humor of the American
fighting man is healthy and abun
dant. From North Africa to Italy,
from Anzio to England, and from
PENNY’S SERENADE
England to the invasion of France
on D-day, BRAVE MEN is a real
book. It is filled with deep but hu
man philosophy, genuine men, and
rocking humor; it is also filled
with hate and war. But most im
portant is the fact that BRAVE
MEN is a story of hope, because
the author, Ernie Pyle, saw in hu
man beings the strength of char
acter that builds new worlds and
conquers new horizons.
Little trees make a future forest.
Trees hold soil in place.
—JAMBOREE—
(Continued Prom Page 1)
behalf of the corps war loan drive.
Scott urged 100 percent participa
tion in the drive and predicted the
Aggies would reach this goal with
out any trouble. The cadet colonel
pointed out that most Aggies had
either a buddy, a brother or a good
friend somewhere on the battle-
front, and that until the Aggies
themselves go to war the' best way
to help in the war effort is by
cooperating in buying stamps and
bonds.
Maestro Turner announced
another stage show would be given
from Guion Hall theater stage
next Wednesday night immediately
after chow, featuring his Aggie
land Orchestra and local talent.
He urged Agiges who can perform,
sing, dance, yodel, hop-skip-jump,
or do any kind of specialty act to
get in touch with him for a place
on the next program.
Mature timber may be cut and
turned into cash. Young timber
should be left to grow another crop.
— -
Air-Conditioned
Opens 1:00 P.M. — Ph. 4-1181
Last Day Thursday
— starring —
By W. L. Penberthy
Immediately after V-E day I
heard many people express their
joy over the unconditional surren
der of Germany. Some of these
people who had played an impor
tant part on the home front went
on to say that
they did not feel
that they had
contributed much
to .the war ef
fort. I don’t think
any of us at home
feel that we are
worthy to tie the
shoestrings of the
men on the fight
ing fronts, but
maybe our job is
more important
Penberthy than we think.
One of the chief jobs in the fight
ing of a war is that of supply,
and that is where we can help.
I well remember that as a young
ster in the North, snowball fights
were one of the most popular sports
during the winter months and the
success with which we met was
dependent to a large extent upon
how fast we could make the am
munition. It didn’t take very long
for us to get smart and solve this
problem by enlisting our little
brothers, who were a little too
small to throw the snowballs, into
a miniature quartermaster corps
whose job it was to pack the snow
into snowballs and hand them to
us. This increased our effective
ness to a very great extent.
When we buy stamps and bonds
we insure our boys on the front
an ample supply of snowballs in
the form of grenades, mortars,
bombs and shells and thereby make
them much more effective fighters.
During the two weeks period,
June 18-30, we are staging a War
Stamp and Bond Drive as our part
in the 7th War Bond Drive. By in
vesting in stamps and bonds we
are definitely taking a part in in
suring that our fighting-men will
not suffer from lack of supplies
and ammunition. In addition, we
receive interest from our invest
ment so we are doing something
that benefits all parties concerned,
and propositions such as this are
mighty hard to find. r
Box Office Opens at 1 P.M.
Closes at 8:30
i A s D s M ti S ll 0N .9C & 20c
Tax Included
Phone 4-1166
SATURDAY and SUNDAY
From Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer
Prize-winning Novel
Starring ^ BARI
Mm Tamiroff • Francis Lederer
also News and Cartoon
TUESDAY - WEDNESDAY
•uti SYDNEY PETER
GREENSTREEHORRE
himto kj hu IlfllKII • Scats Play by
Vladimir Pozeo and Leo Rostan •Additioaal
„ DNIogoa by /act Noffitt • From the Hotel
by Frtdric Prohoech-Hwlc by Max Sltiaer
also News and Cartoon
Veronica Lake
Eddie Bracken
Sonny Tufts
Two Days of Double Feature
Friday and Saturday
No. 1
with UNE GWYlWt
_ Guru BAR8YM0RE EVtLYH WiK£K>
KING VINCENT LOIS COUIEN PMUIP TERN*
OHIO B8UCE f»m IENKS RICWANO EWSEI
No. 2
Constance Moore
Brad Taylor
“ATLANTIC CITY”
and Porky Pig Cartoon v
Sunday and Monday
Rosalind Russell
Jack Carson
co-starred in
ROUGHLY SPEAKIHG
Plus Merrie Melodies Cartoon
3 Days
Tues. - Wed. - Thurs.
L0UM5
TRADE WITH LOU
HE’S RIGHT WITH YOU