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THE BATTALION
THURSDAY AFTERNOON, AUGUST 30, 1945
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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