Page 2
THE BATTALION
TUSDAY, JANUARY 14, 1947
Ben Franklin, Editor ...
Ben Franklin was the grand-daddy of all American news
paper men, and this week both the publishing and printing
industries are paying tribute to him. There is plenty of
reason for doing so.
Not that Franklin was the first
man to print a newspaper in this
country. In fact, Franklin learn
ed his trade on his brother’s pa
per in Boston.
But Franklin was the first man
to become a national figure as a
“printer”, a term which in those
days covered not only the men who
actually set up the type, but pub
lishers, editors, and salesmen as
well. Franklin qualified as all four.
Franklin was the first “columnist,” signing his stuff
Poor Richard. His paragraphs are still being quoted! His
was the first newspaper to print a political cartoon, and there
is reason to believe that Franklin himself drew the cartoon,
which showed a snake cut into thirteen pieces, symbolic of
the disunited thirteen colonies. In addition to all this, Frank
lin was the chief scientist, statesman and diplomat of his
age.
Franklin was not a man who could be stampeded by wild
and sudden swings of mob-hysteria. Neither a radical nor
a conservative, he took great pleasure in puncturing the ar
guments of extremists. His sense of humor never failed,
even in the deepest crises of the American Revolution or
Constitutional Convention. And though he accomplished
enough for forty men, he did not burn himself out at an
early age. Instead, he lived on into his eighties.
Oh, for a man like that today!
Sir Isaac Ignored ...
Do we take full advantage of Cushing Library’s supply
of books?
Recently a student drew out the library’s only copy of
Sir Isaac Newton’s “Principia.” This book is to science and
engineering what the Bible is to religion. It is the basis of
modern physics and mathematics. Were it not for the
“Principia,” three-quarters of the courses at A. & M. could
not be taught.
But how many people have borrowed this book during
the four years it has been on the library shelves? Exactly
four. One a year.
To be sure, we are not a research school. The chief
points of Newton’s great work are in every‘physics and cal
culus textbook. But a prime source is not a book to be ig
nored, even though it isn’t required reading.
We ask again: Do we take full advantage of Cuching
Library’s facilities?
What Will They Do Next??
Little did those Aggies who started the fight for first
run movies at Aggieland ever dream that their problem
would be solved by the decree of a district judge in New
York State.
That is exactly what has happened. Now the old block
booking and priority gag of running pictures thirty days
after Bryan, are gone.
We who have watched the Bryan theater ownership
force Aggies to come to Bryan rather than bring the show
to the Aggies, feel inclined to waste little sympathy on the
unbusiness-like methods employed by the Bryan manage
ment.
Those of us who have waited for taxis or stood up on
buses to go to a show in Bryan, believed that “the chickens
have come home to roost.” During the war years when
thousands of service personnel were enrolled at A. & M., no
offer was made to waive priority showing rights for the
duration of the war. During the years before the war a
sign was erected at the east gate promising the construction
of a theater there. We may be near-sighted, but there just
doesn’t seem to be a theater over there.
We have contended all along that Bryan theater facili
ties could not adequately take care of both Bryan patrons
and the A. & M. student body. Surely the Bryan manage
ment must know that, too. It has been simply a matter of
being unable to adequately serve the public and of adopting
a “dog-in-the-manger” attitude to keep others from supply
ing much needed movie entertainment.
Movie house owners are a shrewd lot and we await their
next move with interest. They hate to let the gravy go by
default, but right now they aren’t sure what they can do
about it.
Already one movie owner has approached the Guion
Theater management with ideas of making Guion into a
second-run show house. The big time operator pointed out
that all the money was being made in second run houses.
Such men as this will bear watching. They are definitely
not interested in providing wholesome entertainment at rea
sonable prices to the A. & M. student body. Another such
move as this by that person and the entire student body will
be given his name. We are tired of seeing private movie in
terests exploit the A. & M. student body while furnishing
inferior entertainment.
Tom Buddy, manager of Guion Hall, has indicated that
he will make every effort to book first run pictures in Feb
ruary. He hopes to be able to keep prices at their present
level but can’t be sure until he determines his expenses under
the new bidding system.
A ‘Plug’ for Research . ..
Recognizing what research means to their business, a
group of Angelina County citizens lately contributed $500
each to the A. & M. Research Foundation’s operating bud
get.
Ernest L. Kurth, lumberman and president of South
land Mills, the pioneer Texas newsprint plant, utilizing
Southern pines by the Herty Process, initiated the fund
raising campaign. Among the other contributors are paper
mills, lumber companies, machine shops, and theaters.
Up to now the Foundation has been doing research in
engineering, the chemistry of fiber glass, plastics, cotton
seed protein, and forest products. It is also active in the
field of airplane design and function.
These Angelina County leaders perceive what research
has done for them, particularly in forestry and wood-utili
zation. In that matter, Angelina County is the center
for the East Texas lumber industry. If every industrial
center of the state would hold a like stake in scientific fact
finding, experimentation and invention, the A. & M. foun
dation would have ample funds for pursuing its constructive
labors.
The Legislature is expected to vote funds for research
in various fields; but business also profitably may lend its
direct support.
Money put into well-constructed scientific research is as
bread cast upon the waters.
Oh, For the Pied Piper!
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BETWEEN THE BOOKENDS . . .
Inside Look at Post-War
Germany Given Readers
DEAR FATHERLAND, REST-f
QUIETLY —By Margaret
Burke White, New York: Si
mon and Schuster $3.
Since the war ended the quest
for the German soul has become a
high intellectual pursuit in which
almost everyone has taken part
except the Germans, who don’t
seem to care much. The latest to
probe for the obscure poisons
which so often motivate the Ger
man is Margaret Burke White, a
literate photographer.
After climbing through the
ruins of several German cities,
the author reports finding a de
pressing number o f Germans
who are just as cussed, quarrel
some and incipiently wicked as
they ever were. In her own
words, she found “few, so piti
ably few”, with the democratic
ideal in their hearts.
The book is approximately two-
thirds text and one third photo
graphs, the latter showing more
talent. Nevertheless, the book is
well written and provides the read
er with a timely insight into pres
ent day Germany.
—o—
COMMAND DECISION By Wil
liam Wister Haines, Boston:
Atlantic-Little, Brown . . $2.50
In the precise sense of the
words, William Wister Haines,
with “Command Decision” writes
a fast-moving narrative of adven
ture. Certainly, it is no major
document of the war, nor is it a
very profound exploration of hu
man experience. On its own level,
however, it is seriously conceived,
and executed with an admirable
competence.
The time is the summer of 1943.
The scene is an American Air
Force base in England, commanded
by General Casey Dennis, an old
army-flyer from the days of Billy
Mitchell. Despite such glowing
descriptions of character as brave
and intelligent and sympathetic
and unswerving, the reader is
forced to admit that the hero is
entirely believable. The problems
of the commander coupled with
vivid action and an ingenious plot
provides an immensely readable
and exciting story. It seems al
most certain that a great many
Americans will be on the edges of
their chairs during the next few
months reading and approving it.
—o—■
VOYAGE TO SOMEWHERE—By
Sloan Wilson, New York: A.
A. Wyn $2.75
One should not be deceived by
the extreme simplicity of this nar
rative or the quiet way in which it
begins; it is one of the few honest
and straightforword sea books to
come out of the war.
Nothing is glossed over; this
is the way things actually went
on board a small craft in the
Pacific area, these are the mis
takes men made and learned by,
these are the things they thought
and did. Like all sea stories
of the present war this story has
little to do with ships and sea-
aring lore and much to do with
human character.
A sound, true tale of American
landlubbers picked for sea duty, it
ignores heroics and concentrates
on the natural human emotions of
the crew. Their conversations,
their gripes, their attitude toward
war and danger combine to give
the reader the truth in its best
realistic form. For reading plea
sure, in addition to something to
think about, Voyage to Somewhere
is one of the best.
Letters
LAUNDRY COMEBACK
Dear Editor:
In the January 7 issue of the
Batt, I read Milton It. Beychock’s
denunciation of the A & M Laun
dry service. I appreciated his hu
mor and, to some extent, his ges
ture. However, there are a few
things which I would like to point
out in this case.
Mr. Beychok registered the fol
lowing complaints: “Size 11 socks
shrunk to size 4, yellow socks
stained to b 1 u e, dress shirts
shrunken beyond repair, laundry
numbers stamped where laundry
numbers were never meant to be,
sheets ripped, underwear torn. . .
someone has deemed it advisable
for me not to soil more than a
certain number of pieces of cloth
ing.”
Thats quite a bit of shrinkage
he got in those socks. Regarding
the shrinkage and discoloration
his clothing has suffered, I might
suggest that Beychock use a little
more discretion in the future by
selecting better quality of socks
and shirts—if better socks and
shirts can be found. I haven’t been
able to find a decent grade of
clothing either since I’ve been out,
but I would hardly blame shrink
age on the laundry. As for tear
ing- and ripping, yes! I definitely
had a number of articles torn and
buttons ripped off. However, I do
appreciate the times the laundry
has sewn articles of torn clothing
for me, without request or charge.
There is no doubt in my mind,
though, that the laundry can dis
continue damaging our clothing if
it will. I do not expect the chief
scrubber to reply to these charges
in this column, but I do want to
see a reply in the way of better
laundry service in the future.
Sincerely
John H. Chretien
(Editor’s Note: Feel sure that
Beychok was using an exaggerated
form of humor to put over his
point.)
The Battalion
The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of
Texas and the City of College Station, is published semi-weekly and circulated on
Tuesday and Friday afternoons.
Member
Associated Cptle&iate Press
Entered as second-class matter at Post Office at College Station, (Aggieland),
Texas, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1870.
Subscription rate $4.00 per school year. Advertising rates on request.
Represented nationally by National Advertising Service, Inc., at New York City,
Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Allen Self Corps Editor
Vick Lindley Veteran Editor
David M. Seligman Tuesday Associate Editor
Charles E. Murray Friday Associate Editor
Paul Martin Sports Editor
Larry Goodwyn Assistant Sports Editor
Ike Ashburn, Jr Annex Editor
Wendell McClure, Peyton McKnight Advertising Managers
Gerald Monson Circulation Manager
Ferd English, Arthur Matula, Wm. Colville, Dudley Burris,
J. M. Nelson Reporters
A1 Hudeck, Jack Herrington Photographers
What’s Cooking
TUESDAY, January 14
7:30 p. m. Business and Account
ing Societies, joint meeting, Ag.
Engineering Lecture Room.
7:30 p. m. Marketing & Fi
nance Club, Room 312, Ag. Bldg.
Speaker, W. A. Wilson, East Tex
as Chamber of Commerce.
WEDNESDAY, January 15
7:00 p. m. Freshman Class Meet
ing, Assembly Hall. Freshman
Ball plans.
7:00 p. m. Brown County A. &
M. Club, ME Shops Lecture Room.
Extra-special program surprise.
THURSDAY, January 16
10:00 a. m. Music Group of A.
& M. College Women’s Social Club,
Home of Mrs. T. W. Leland, 561
Walton Drive, College Hills.
Four New Eco
Courses Added
The Economics Department took
a definite step toward a greater
educational development goal ac
cording to Dr. F. B. Clark, Eco
nomics Department head, when it
announced Saturday that a new
system of instruction, together
with new courses, will be innova
ted during the spring semester.
Primary economic courses, num
bered 203, 204, and 403 will have
one instruction period per week
consisting of one lecture to all sec
tions of the course, while the re
maining two periods will be spent
with individual section instructors.
Other new courses offered are
‘Theory of Business Cycles,’ cov
ering the history, causes, and cur
rent effects of business cycles;
‘Economics of the South’, ‘Compar
ative Economic Systems’; and ‘Col
lective Bargaining and Labor Dis
putes.’
Agronomy Seniors
To Have Barbecue
Seniors graduating in Agronomy
and their immediate families will
attend a barbecue Tuesday night,
January 14 at the Animal Indus
tries building.
The meeting will open with a
short discussion of unfinished bus
iness. After this there will be an
election of officers for the next
semester. This will be the last
meeting of the Agronomy Society.
It’s through THE STATE
FARM BANK PLAN
First—secure a loan through your .
cooperating banker. Second—pay j
cash for your car. Third—be sure
to get State Farm’s low-cost, broad-
coverage policy. You save money
through lower financing charges. I
Cash usually commands a better
deal. You save money on the cost j
of insurance. Keep your money i
working where you earn it. Hold ,
onto your War Bonds 1
Before You Buy • . . See
Me FIRST1
U. M. Alexander, Jr.,
’40
Rm. 5 Casey-Sparks Bldg.
North Gate Phone 4-726!
STATE FARM MUTUAL
AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPAN’
World’s Largest
Tales From Tessieland
New Columnist Enlightens
Aggies on TSCW Activities
By Jo Ann Rummel
Correspondent, Lass-0
Hello there! Since this is my
first time to write this column, the
thought of all you many many Ag
gies who will read this (I hope)
has me scared stiff.
Last week we Tessies all bright
and rested after the holidays (it
says here, anyhow) returned to our
Monday morning classes. That’s
always fun ? ? ? Everyone is still
drooling over Christmas parties,
dances, and just plain being
HOME. I’ve heard reports of gay
times at several A. & M. club dan
ces, among these are Hereford,
Sherman, Vernon, El Paso, and
Houston.
has just gotta go, cause ‘dead’
week starts here Friday, and in
the meantime there are last min
ute themes, notebooks, reports,
which mean blood, sweat, and
tears in my case. No doubt you
are having trouble meeting dead
lines, too. And finals start the
24th and end the 1st. Darn, will
this month never end?
Mrs. V. J. Rejibian, Armenian-
born Dallas book reviewer, spoke
to us Thursday on our second an
nual New Voters’ Day assembly
program. President Hubbard led
263 new voters in the pledge.
Last night, Ezio Pinza, star bas
so of the Metropolitan Opera Com
pany, appeared here in a recital
on the Concert Drama Series. Mr.
Pinza was acclaimed by Time Mag
azine as “the greatest singing ac
tor of his generation.”
The Lass-0 ran an article last
WATCH REPAIRS
REGARDLESS
of size, make,
age — any
watch in any
condition can
be made to
function pre
cisely right
here.
4 DAY CLEANING
1 DAY CROWNAND
CRYSTAL SERVICE
week about Baty and Batey, the
basketball and football stars of
A. & M., for the benefit of con
fused girls. I’m still not sure
about which is which, but I do
know that he’s an Aggie and that’s
enough for me. By the way, men
tioning the Lass-0 reminds me to
tell you that for $2.50 you can have
a years subscription for it. I
thought that some of you might be
interested. Besides, it’s one sure
way of avoiding a destable empty
PO box.
Well ,this is all she wrote. I
have to return to the monster
(my theme). See you next week.
DR. N. B. McNUTT
DENTIST
Office in Parker Building
Over Canady’s Pharmacy
Phone 2-1457 Bryan, Texas
A Campus Leader
That Really Leads!
Here’s a rugged moccasin
style oxford, by Edgerton,
that deserves a try-on at your
first opportunity. Unusual
comfort and amazing value!
THE
NORGE
QJaldropflg
“Two Convenient Stores”
THE
EXCHANGE
STORE
“Serving Texas Aggies”
College Station - Bryan
V / J
MARK HELLINGER presents
Ernest Hemingways _
RS
, Directed by
» UfUVERSJl RELEASE [J^£®fRTSI0 DMAK
.t.k BORT LANCASTER
AVA GARDNER EDMOND O’BRIEN
ALBERT DEKKER SAM LEVENE
TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY
Opens 1:00 p.m. Ph. 4-1181
TUBS., WED., & THURS.
“MAKE MINE
MUSIC”
WALT DISNEY’S
Technicolor Production
With the talents of
these stars
Dinah Shore
Eddy Nelson
Jerry Colona
Benny Goodman
ALSO!
Tom ’n Jerry Cartoon—News
Bullet for blazing
bullet... the lustiest
JULES LEVEY presents
ABILENE TOWN
starring
RANDOLPH SCOTT ,„d ANN DVORAK with
EDGAR BUCHANAN and RHONDA FLEMING
A JULES LEVEY PRODUCTION
Directed by EDWIN L MARIN “V. '
Associate Producer HERBERT J BIBERMAN
Released thru United Artiels '