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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 30, 1945)
Page 2 THE BATTALION THURSDAY AFTERNOON, AUGUST 30, 1945 A i 0 r l f c £ <j 1 i i i 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. John F. Spragins, Jr ! Ed i tor-in-Chief Sam A. Nixon, Jr - Managing Editor REPORTERS Clyde C. Crittenden, M. C. Kury, R. W. Simms, B. W. Cantrell, R. G. Reese, H. A. Pate, F. D. Baca, R. M. Wren, Ed BrandL A Misconception of Aggie Spirit... Editor’s Note: The following editorial appeared in part in a 1940 issue of the Batt; and as then, it Is still fitting to the needs of the time. From time to time, criticisms are made in relation to this topic, and therefore the Batt is of the opinion that the matter should be brought to the attention of the corps whenever such things arise. In recent years the term “Aggie Spirit” has been used to back every sort of undertaking imaginable. Too many campaigns for one thing and another have been prefaced with, “Do this because it’s a part of the old Aggie Spirit.” Such exploitation and commercialization of the corps is a crime of the highest order! Commercializing on the Aggie Spirit is a situation comparable to a petition once seen requesting legal per mission to operate a slot machine provided half the profits went to the church. Exploiting the Aggie Spirit is just as bad. If every commercial or private undertaking that comes along uses the disguise of sanctioning its undertaking in the name of the Aggie Spirit, soon the phrase will have no meaning. Nowhere in the definition of Aggie Spirit is found some of the practices now in existence. Many things which really have no place at A. & M. are passed off as a firmly rooted tradition, when, in reality they never have been and never should be. The job of enumerating just what is and just what is not Aggie Spirit would be a task of infinity. Therefore, a great deal of discretion on the part of the individual Aggie at Texas A. & M. has to be exercised in determining the things that are good and that deserve to become a real tradi tion. Those that are bad have no business entering into our mode of Aggie life, and for that reason should be dispensed with. If the task of doing away with something that is un desirable proves too great for one individual or a few in dividuals, the college as a whole should move to see the “undesirable” eliminated. People who task American flags on goods to be sold, are in the same position. They are exploiting the patriotic feeling of the American people. Just as patriotism does not hinge on saluting the flag and bellowing the Star Spangled Banner, neither does the Aggie Spirit and tradition' hinge on supporting the private graft of any individual or group of individuals. The spirit found at Texas A. & M. is unexcelled by any other school in the world. The Aggie Spirit is one of the biggest things for which A. & M. is known. But once in a while, a few of us become a little lax and allow practices among our countless fine traditions. We usually weed them out in time, but each and every Aggie should be constantly on his toes in an endeavor to keep the good and dismiss the bad. So You Want to Play Golf . . . Of interest to the fans of the golf links should be the dreams of some of the college leaders for an eighteen hole golf course on the campus complete in every detail. For a considerable time now, plans for such construction have been proposed; with wartime restriction gradually being lifted it is hoped that construction in the near future can commence. The suggested location is one of the two sites of the approach to the Administration Building at the East Gate. A more beautiful or more splendid site could not be chosen, since that area contains all the elements of nature essential to a modern golf course. A natural stream flows through the considered site, affording proper traps for golfers. The terrain is quite irregular providing varied elevations for the game. Foliage is very abundant on the southwestern edge of the location supplying both beauty and entertain ing obstacles to the game. A more logical location could not be secured at any other site on the entire five thousand acre campus. In the operation of the links, the course will most like ly be restricted exclusively to the Aggies, the faculty, and their guests. Such a restriction would eliminate the over- crowdness encountered at public links; and without an over crowded course, those priveleged to use the greens would find their game improved and more enjoyable. Charges for the use of the greens could easily be cov ered in a blanket fee charged for general Student Activities. That would mean that an Aggie could play golf at any time without regard to cost, provided he had paid his Student Activities fee at the beginning of the semester. For the benefit and convenience of Aggies who do not know how to play golf, trained instructors would be on harid to teach them, free of charge. Such provisions would enable every Aggie to learn the game without considering the expense item involved. Five (^Clock Class . . . Starting on August 20 was an intensified and laborious football workout for all men of football material for the great 1945 Aggie football team. One week and more has elapsed since the training began, and scarcely a handful of Aggies has bothered to journey down toward Kyle Field in the late evening to witness the daily workouts. Such neg lect of a duty owed by every Aggie, and especially every freshman, can indicate but one thing—utter lack of in terest in the team and a lack of spirit on the part of a great many. No one should be forced to make a quick trip down there and lend an encouraging hand to the hard-working men on the team. It should be everyone’s desire to do all in his meagre way to help out, and the best way is also the sim plest way; namely, just going down and letting the boys who are hard at it know that the corps, which is the twelfth man, is standing behind the team one hundred percent. Second only to yell practices for telling our men that the old Twelfth Man is firmly behind the team is this practice of journeying down toward Kyle Field each day to witness the work-outs. The team has few and rare oppor tunities to participate in the weekly yell practices, so the only way they can really know the corps is behind them is by the turn-out each day at practice. When the showing is scanty, as it has been for the past week and more, it is only natural that they begin to wonder just how much they can rely on the corps for that twelfth man spirit. A poor show ing as of late naturally doesn’t give these men much en couragement, and without that support of the corps, our team means nothing and can do little. What do you say, ole army? Are we still behind the fighting Texas Aggie football team? BACKWASH Backwash: “An agitation resulting from some action or occurence.”—Webster. By The Collaborators And the rains came to College Station and vicinity; that is, if you know where “vicinity” is. If it were just twenty degrees cooler, this weather would be typical of fall weather around here—bleak and dreary looking with rain drizz ling down like fine spray from a shower bath. Some of the rainy weather apparel you don’t see around here just isn’t found. The only thing we haven’t seen used by some individual is a tow ^sack and apple box. 0 Since there is to be an A.V.M.A. dance this coming Friday night, practically all the vet students are eagerly awaiting a reply from their various girl friends. Some of the replies will probably be in the form of a you-know-what-kind-of letter or telegram, but the others will re ceive the happy tidings that they are about to be visited by their one and only. Even this won’t gladden some of the boys. There is to be a corps ball on Saturday night and it should be a good dance because there is usually a large group of feminine characters at the vet students dance. 0 Here is some food for the thought of a woman-weary Aggie: I’m through with all women, they’re fickle, untrue, They make you, then break you and laugh when you’re through. They wreck and degrade you with motives most base, Then reward your love with a slap in the face. I’m done with all women, there’s not one alive, To win their black hearts, where a flame seems to dwell, That is fed by the men that are under their spell. I’m through with all women, they cheat, and they lie, They prey on us males to the day that we die. They tease us and torment us and drive us to sin— Say, who is that blonde that just now came in? 0 This week Backwash finds it self honored by none other than THE SUMMER TEXAN. Last Last week’s piece about Kearby and his T. U. girl friend caught the eye of Mr. Horace Busby, edi tor-in-chief of that illustrious pub lication, who deemed the para graph important enough to devote the major portion of one of his highly entertaining comment col umns to its reproduction, along with this witty remark: “All of which goes to prove that freshmen live at Littlefield and, too, that news is where you shush it.” Then Mr. Busby goes on to remark on the editorial “Aggieland Looks Ahead” ending up in an incoherent blaze of glory, having accomplished nothing, and wasted several min utes of the reader’s time. Surely, Mr. Busby, a man of your vast ability can find something more constructive to do than that. 0 Fast becoming an almost Aggie tradition is one Fish Kemp’s car, if it can be called that. It seems that most of the Senior Class now rely on the said vehicle for trans portation, despite the fact that they usually end up pushing it home. 0 Scene I: Room 202, Dorm 6, Time: August 28, between 10 and 11 p. m.; Characters; X (still un known), and x (a small, odd-faced, black cat, now defunct); Action: x’s tail is being sliced off to a point two inches above the point of origination by X (still unknown). After performing this cruel and heartless deed, X departs, his iden tity completely masked. Scene II: Same; Time: A little later; Characters: x, protesting thusly—meow; an experienced vete rinarian, McDerrmont, hero (?) of this tale; other veteranians, who offer technical advice. Action: Mc Derrmont is injecting a spinal anesthesia into x’s leg. x promptly keels over, as it seems that no one present remembered that mule anesthesia isn’t meant for cat cases, especially if the amount given is enough for five mules. Scene III: Second floor bath room, Dorm 6; Time: a little more later; Characters: x’s missing tail in a corner; somebody else’s hand; Action: A tear, very large, drops from owner of hand as said hand picks up the tail gently. Scene IV: Second floor, Dorm 6; Time: who cares?; Characters: Occupants of scene; x’s tail; Ac tion : The second floor occupants are being questioned somewhat sim ilar to the procedure given by a local draft board. One of the questions was, “Did you have a hand in this?”, which was obviously the wrong way to ask it, because X could say “no” and still be clear with his own foul heart. The ques tion to ask was, “Did you have a hand on this ? ” An unending search goes on, so don’t be surprised if you are confronted with the same question soon. In view of the facts herewith presented, the Collaborators will give to the apprehendor of X (still unknown), a reward consisting of two (2) dirty mess hall spoons. •.Good Neighbors PARAGUAY. FRONTIER COUNTRY By Ruben R. Caro-Costas Paraguay is one of the inland countries of South America. Bound ed by Bolivia and Brazil on the north, Brazil and Argentina on the east, Argentina on the south, and Argentina and Bolivia on the west, she finds herself isolated from the rest of the woidd. Paraguay’s territory can be divid ed into two divisions, Eastern and Western Paraguay. Eastern Para guay comprises one third of the territory and is located between her two great rivers, the Paraguay and the Parana. Most of her million people live in this section of the country, tilling her fertile and rich soil and tending the cattle. Western Paraguay remains largely a wilderness with few settlements, where the great “quebracho” for ests are found. This section of Paraguay occupies two thirds of her land. Paraguayan Climate About two thirds of Paraguay lies within the temperate zone and one third in the tropics. Her land climate is subtropical and is subject to stimulating changes. The beauty of her land, with its towering palms and orchids, strike the visitor’ eye. It is a fascinat ing scene, as legendary as the bravery of her people, who are a blending of Spanish and Guarani, which in the Indian tongue means “Warrior”. A Bloody History Paraguay was settled early in the sixteenth century in an attempt to find a “northwest passage” to the fabulous gold and silver mines of Bolivia and Peru. Spain being far away from her, Paraguay acted early independent ly of the mother country. This country was the first in South America to choose its own gover nor, in 1531. After several up risings against the Spanish crown, Paraguay obtained her independ ence without bloodshed, in 1811. In 1816 Dr. Francis was made dic tator for life and after ruling his country with an iron hand for twenty-four years, he died, leaving the national treasury well filled, a unified country, and a good army. He was followed by Lopez, who continued the development of the country by building one of South America’s first railroads and by passing a decree giving lib erty to all children of slaves. He was followed as president of Paraguay by his son, who was then Minister of War. Lopez II made the Paraguayan Army the best in South America. He was a cruel ruler and he tried to imitate Na poleon. He declared a war on Brazil and Argentina which is one of the most devastating conflicts in history. The Paraguayans were greatly outnumbered in the strug gle, but fought on until the male population was virtually extermi nated. Of Paraguay’s million and a quarter people fewer than 300,- 000 survived the war and the diseases and famine which follow ed it. In addition Paraguay lost about 50,000 square miles of her territory. Some fifty years later Paraguay once more went into war, this time against Bolivia. This war was fought over the Chaco territory. After several years of fighting, Paraguay drove Bolivia away from the Chaco and pursued her army into the Andes, but was unable to conquer Bolivia. Finally a truce was worked out and a treaty was signed in 1938 and accepted by both countries. Paraguayan Economy Cotton is the leading money* crop, and accounts for more than one quarter of the value of all exports. Tobacco and citrus fruits rank next to cotton, while rice, sugar, corn, By Paul S. Ballance THE GENERALS OF WORLD WAR II No doubt the plans for defeating the enemy in this great world con flict have been laid by the leaders of the four Allied Nations, but these plans have been executed by the top ranking generals of this and the other three Allied Na tions. There have been several books written by and about our generals, and this article will deal with some of these books. Alfred A. Knopf published in 1943 a vol ume entitled “These are the Gen erals”. This volume is written by a group of well known correspond ents and writers, who have more or less studied the lives of the indivi duals whom they have written a- bout. General Johnson Haygood has written about our Chief of Staff, Gen. George C. Marshall, General Haygood says that when the President appointed General Marshall as Chief of Staff of the the Army, he picked not only a man who is America’s best pre sent-day soldier but one who many years ago was reputed to be the outstanding military genius of America since Stonewall Jackson. Marshall is a graduate of the Vir ginia Military Institute, and not a product of West Point. Marsh all’s first and real assignment came when he was stationed in the Philippines, and he was then only a first lieutenant. George C. Marsh all was sent to France as a Captain on the General Staff in World War I. He was soon promoted to the rank of Colonel. Marshall was quite universally recognized as one of the outstanding men of the A. E. F., but he could not be advanc ed to high rank on account of pe culiar promotion laws. After the war, this man was reverted to his pre-war rank of Captain, and he had to climb the ladder of rank all over again in a peace-time ar my. In 1936 George Marshall was made a Brigadier General and it was from this position that he was advanced to be head of the Ameri can Army, as Chief of Staff. Oth er generals mentioned in this vol ume are Douglas MacArthur and his rise to responsibility and pop ularity; General Dwight D. Eisen hower; General Henry H. Arnold; Lt. Gen. Simon H. Buckner, who was killed on Okinawa; Lt. General Mark C. Clark; Lt. General George S. Patton; Lt. Alexander A. Van- dergrift, and a half score of other important American generals. For the individual biography of one of the outstanding soldiers of this war, Francis Trewelyan Miller has written a volume entitled “Eis enhower, Man and Soldier”. Over two hundred years ago the Eisen hower family first came to the New World to find freedom from oppression in the Old World—today General Dwight Eisenhower is the hero who has led the Armies of the Allies against the Axis strong hold in Europe to bring freedom to the lands to which his family fled. The author begins the volume by giving a brief history of the Eisen hower clan and later the happen ings and events in the lives of the Eisenhowers’ while Dwight and the others were youngsters. The re cords in the War Department at Washington definitely state that Your City BY GIBB GILCHRIST Eleventh of a Series STRIVE FOR A MODEL MUNICIPALITY Although some concern was ex pressed by local residents at the time of the incorporation of Col lege Station, such a step was con sidered then and is considered now vital to the welfare of this com munity. To be sure, progress has been slow but generally it has been satisfactory. Many forward-look ing men have served unselfishly as city officials and all have work ed toward a common objective. It is not too much to say that this objective should be the creation here of a model municipality of its size and character. There is a long road ahead, but at the same time it is only fair to say that we are “on the beam”, and that we are making progress. One of our most sei'ious defects, common to many communities, is that the majority of our citizen ship has simply taken the city’s government for granted. For ex ample, very few of us go to the and beans are extensively grown for local consumption. The principal industries are those concerned with livestock and its by-products. Livestock is the lead ing industry. There are five heads of cattle for every inhabitant. These reach the world market in the form of canned meat, frozen meat, beef extract, dried beef and hides. These account for more than a third of her foreign trade. The forests, farms, and livestock of the country are owned mostly by Paraguayans, who furnish the raw materials for manufacturing plants owned by foreign capital of Argentina, Britain and the Uni ted States. There are a few small factories for production of bever ages, foodstuffs, soap, shoes, fur niture, leather goods and furniture. Education and Culture Education is free and compul sory. Private and government- owned elementary schools are wide ly spread over the country. Tech nical and vocational education is receiving more emphasis. The National University has facilities for the study of law, engineering, radio-telegraphy, medicine, den tistry, agriculture, and aviation. Asuncion is the capital. It is a beautiful city where the new meets the old with a mingling of the modern and the colonial. Her houses are built in sharp contrasts against the modern buildings, but throughout the city a Spanish at mosphere still predominates. Having one of the smallest pop ulations in South America, Para guay has encouraged immigration. German, Italian, and Russian, along with the Spanish,form the culture of Paraguay with Spain havinlg the leading part. polls. It has been claimed without contradiction that on occasion of at least one election twenty voters banded together could have elect ed the King of Siam as mayor of College Station. This condition may be because of a satisfactory con census of confidence, or it may be simply because of indifference or unconcern. We do need to stimu late a greater interest in our civic affairs. One of the best ways to do this is for the City Council to propose modern, outstanding objec tives and to seek them, to raise issues, and to make long-range plans. Such activities are bound to create interest—and usually, op position. The Texas A. & M. College is the core of this municipality. Not only the elected officials but also the entire citizenship have an ob ligation to the boys attending school at A. & M. An opportunity is here to create a wholesome en vironment and to maintain only those things which make for high character and for outstanding cit izenship. Another objective should be to strive always to improve the municipal relations with our sister city of Bryan. We still have the problem of determining jointly just where the corporate limits of the two municipalities should lie. There are many other joint mu nicipal problems to be determined fairly, constructively, and on top of the table. We need a joint com mittee composed of men and women of vision and of unselfish civic ambition to work on behalf of both municipalities on matters of mutual interest. STUDENT CO-OP Bicycle and Radio Repair PHONE 4-4114 Tyler, Texas was the birthplace of General Eisenhower, but the rec ords at West Point state Denison, Texas, and Mother Eisenhower em phatically states that it was Deni son and she corroborates it with the family Bible. Dwight Eisen hower spent much of his boyhood in Abilene, Texas. He was one of the most popular among the youths of the town. In school and in the social doings he was always a leader. He earned the nickname of “Ike” early in life, and it has followed him to this day. In 1911 Dwight Eisenhower entered West Point, and this was the beginning of his life as a soldier. The author follows him through his assign ments and accomplishments from that day in 1915 when he left West Point to the present. Eisenhower as a man as well as soldier is stres sed in this most interesting nar rative, and his human characteris tics are cited. These titles are in the College Library, and are well worth reading, for an insight into the lives of the men who have been partially responsible for our victor ies in this great world conflict. China grows more rice than any other country, but must import rice to satisfy the demand. We have Brown Rubber Heels Any Size Holick’s Boot Shop ampu\ Air-Conditioned Opens 1:00 P.M. — Ph. 4-1181 Thursday & Friday DOROTHY McGUIRE • ROBERT YOUNG -Jlv HERBERT MARSHALL ’m. ^ into radio pi emme also Color Cartoon Saturday Only Double Feature Here’s No. 1 Benny GOODMAN -fr And His Band Linda DARNELL Lynn BARI Jack OAKIE Here’s No. 2 ' starring ’ . . ROBERT LOWERY PHYLLIS BROOKS Sunday and Monday Rita Hayworth Lee Bowman “TONIGHf AND EVERY NIGHT Plus Popeye Cartoon Unusual Occupations Short Tuesday - Wednesday SUSANNA TURHAN FOSTER BEY bmk KARLOFF GALE SONDERGAARD ’^june VINCENT JMIMAS GOMEZ JANE FARRAR LUDWIG STOSSEi Plus “Woody Woodpecker” Cartoon 214 SOUTH MAIN BRYAN, TEXAS