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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 6, 1947)
Page 2 THE BATTALION THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 1947 Page Hi Its Ch£l man Comn Senal Davie of th “in t state •work of fo “It the i couni recej inter enerj meni sue,’! Bo posit enerj •with Lilie dern cruc: on £ own Brazos History... The Batt’s recent editorial on Bryan has run into some backfire. Writes a day-student, who is a permanent resi dent of that town: There is more to Bryan than meets the eye. There is more to the Brazos bottoms than the casual Aggie ever realizes. Admittedly, we are short in many items which Aggies seek. We have no bowling alleys, only a limited number of theatre seats, and our young women, who would be of the right age to charm Aggies, run off to Denton or Austin or Georgetown. So about all we have is history. We have few nightclubs, and most of them are across the river. But that is where history comes in. Suppose you are sitting in the Avalon, wishing to be in some more glam orous community. Do you realize that two hundred years ago, right where you sit, you might have seen the Spanish priests and soldiers, scrambling down the rocky banks of the Brazos? For you are seated at the famed “upper cross ing of the Brazos,” on the old Spanish trail; the first road in Texas; the life-line spun between San Antonio and Nac ogdoches. The crossing was so important, yet so much in danger from Indians, that when the Anglo-American sett lers came in, they built Fort Tanochtichlan nearby. Ruins of the fort can still be seen in Burleson County. Did your great-grand-dad fight with Lee? Take a look at the memorial stone in the Bryan Library Building. That structure, the stone tells you, was the last home of Hood’s Brigade, the dashing Texas outfit, in the War Between the States. Amuse yourself with this paradox: most land titles in Bryan go back to a grant made by Spain to Stephen F. Austin. But the high school named for the Father of Texas is just outside the line of the old Austin league, and in the Zeno Phillips grant! Ranging around in the Brazos Bottoms, we find that the explorer LaSalle was murdered by his own men on the banks of the Brazos near Navasota; that the Texas Declar ation of Independence was signed on those same banks at Old Washington; that Baylor was founded at Old Inde pendence. Steamboats once came up the river to Washing ton, the capital of the republic, and pioneers expected it to become the metropolis of the Southwest. It didn’t work out that way. Which leaves you, wandering footloose around Bryan on a Saturday night. Sorry, fellow, but history’s all we can offer. Revolutionist Marx... Recent editorials in the Battalion, distinguishing Com munism and other isms, have brought up a number of ques tions. The editors have been asked if they were corrected in classifying Karl Marx as a revolutionist rather than as an economist. Marx was both. Marx’s book “Das Kapital” is one of the greatest economic treatises ever written, in a class with John Stuart Mill’s “Political Economy.” That doesn’t mean that either of these books is perfect: they can’t be, as tjiey contradict each other. But each is a classic presentation of certain economic views. There was another side to Marx, however, which is to be found in the Communist Manifesto, written in collabora tion with Engels. This manifesto was a clear call to revolu tion. Marx did not believe that economic conditions could be improved without blood-spilling. His predictions may have “ been correct for Russia and Germany, but they have long been proved wrong for the United States and the British Commonwealth. It is a serious error to confuse the revolutionary teach- ^ ings of Marx, expanded by Lenin and Stalin, with the “evo lutionary” doctrines of the British Fabian Socialists, headed by Bernard Shaw, Sidney and Beatrice Webb. That is the group which laid the foundation for the Labor government now in power there. Whatever you think of the Labor gov ernment—which is certainly having its difficulties—it is not revolutionary. How badly we have abused the name “Communism” in recent years is told in this editorial from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: The ruling of a federal circuit court of appeals in Illinois that “it is libelous per se to write of a man or corporation that they are Communists or Communist sympathizers” should abate the postwar epidemic of name-calling which taxes the patience of many. The opinion offers a clear precedent against the use of the epithet, “Fascist,” as well. The appellate court held that labels, “Communist” and “fellow traveler,” submit an accused to public pre judice and thereby damage his reputation. Perhaps, the defense plea was as significant as the ruling itself. The defense pleaded that the word, “Communist,” had no definite meaning, which is generally true of all name calling. No ’47 Bonfire? ... Another Aggie tradition is in danger. If there is no Thanksgiving Eve bonfire this fall, we will know who is to blame. Ourselves. Response to the appeal for funds with which to pay for wood burned in last year’s bonfire has been disappointing. Less than half the needed sum has been raised. That’s not so bad. What is disturbing is that a great many people on this campus don’t seem to care. Veterans have raised, as individuals, a large part of the money gathered so far. But the spirit shown at Mon day night’s meeting of the Veterans Association was sur prising. That the association decided not to contribute as a group to the fund is quite proper; what upset some of the veterans present was an attitude of “After all, it’s none of our business.” Even if no contribution was made, an ex pression of approval for the campaign would have been in order. Money jars are still around in our eating and coffeeing places. Nickels and even pennies are welcome. Do you want a bonfire this fall? If so, contribute now. A Chance to Help ... This week college students all over the United States are taking part in the World Student Service Federation drive for funds, with which to assist students in countries wrecked by the war. This is a worthy cause. It is hard for us to realize the conditions under which our fellow-students in other parts of the world now live. For us, college life is part work, part fun. For them it is a desperate struggle just to live, let alone study. They need books, supplies, lights, medical care. We are in a position to give those things. Small amounts from each one of us will go far in helping others. By so doing, we will help to build good-will toward America among future leaders of other countries. A dime apiece will,take care of our remaining quota, which is only half that of Texas University. Sponsors of this drive are Don Hanks of the YMCA Cabinet, Bill Andrews of the Veteran Students’ Association, and Mary Andrews of the Vets Wives Club. Let’s get behind them and put this drive over the top. BETWEEN THE BOOKENDS . . . ‘Their Ancient Grudge’ Gives First-Hand Mountaineer Info By Wilnora Barton Rudders’ Digest THEIR ANCIENT GRUDGE by Harry H. Kroll. Bobs Merrill. 1946. The Hatfield-McCoy feud has be come a flaming American legend. Its memory has been preserved in ballad and in folk lore. We all have heard one version or another of this savage private war which brought terror to the beautiful hills of the border between Ken tucky and West Virginia. The author of Their Ancient Grudge gives us his first-hand knowledge of the mountaineers with unusual insight into the lives they led in their lonely and lovely country. Taking the story from the reac tions and viewpoints of the women of the two families of the genera tions concerned, the author makes the terror and furry seem not wanton but tragic, the inevitable result of primitive pride and cour age bred in isolation. Every page of this book has the flavor of authentic mountain lan guage, the tang of humor and pa thos m it. In a restrained and sensitive way, Their Ancient Grudge has the essence of a moun tain ballad, bittersweetness and melancholy, rough fun, vivid ac tion, sudden death, and simple truth. MY TEXAS ’TIS OF THEE by Owen P. White. Putnam 1947. Moving from the feuding days of Kentucky to the equally colorful “Shoot’em Up” days of Texas we have this roistering tale by Owen White, the man who wrote Them Was the Days. The Texas of forty years or more ago, the rough and roaring Texas of the frontier that Mr. White sings of, was the background of his own youth. Outlined in gus ty humor we meet the legendary characters of the West; “Slim” Pickens, the slickest card player Texas ever saw; Red Kelso, and his unexpected funeral; Mrs. Priestly, who combined a lurid past with plenty of self-respect; the Reverend Sam Jones, a noisy emmissary of the Holy Ghost, and many others. In simple terms and lucid style the author presents the pageant of a lawless but infinitely entertaining community. Letters AS WE WERE, In pictures and text by Bellamy Partridge and Otto Bettmann. Whittlesey House 1947. While we’re browsing through-f the American past, we might as well take a look at the story of America’s growth from the Civil War to the revolutionary advent of the automobile as depicted in As We Were, an account of family life in America, 1850-1900. Sometimes exhuberant, sometimes decorous, sometimes tragic—as told in every day terms, we have recreated the era in which Great-grandmother lived. With the delightful word pictures fropi the pen of Bellamy Partridge and hundreds of charm ing and provocative old prints from the famed Bettmann archives, As We Were contains a rare combina tion of amusement and informa tion. Plumbing Skill Aided Goering In Coup d’ Etat by J. K. B. Nelson Crafty Herman Goering cheated the hangman of per haps the prize victim of all time simply because he knew more about German plumb ing than his captors. According to reliable sources, the former Reich Marshal man aged to commit suicide in the Nuernberg jail last October by taking poison he had hidden in the toilet in his cell—a toilet dif ferent from those made in the United States. Goering bragged about out smarting the Americans in a fare well letter to Colonel B. C. And rus, prison commandant, the source said. He gave the following ver sion of that still unpublished let ter. G'oering entered Nuernberg with the poison concealed on his body. As soon as he was in his call, he decided that the G'erman-type toi let would be the safest place to hide the metal cartridge contain ing a vial of prussic acid. There was a slig-ht hump in the outlet through which the water flushed, and Goering gambled that the hump was high enough and the cartridge heavy enough so the container would not flush out. He put the cartridge in the recess and flushed the toilet experimentally several times. The cartridge stay ed there. Goering carried the cartridge to the courtroom with him many times and his luck held. Although his cell was changed abruptly five different times in his absence, each time he had the cartridge with him. Sometimes he carried the vial in his uniform jacket, sometimes rectically, and once or twice he embedded it in the naval cavity. The cartridge, green from cor rosion, was found beside Goering’s body, when the guards went to his cell to take him to the gallows. Shreveport Club Meets Tonight Shreveport Aggies will meet this evening at 7 p.m. in Room 203, Goodwin Hall. Louisianans from the Shreveport vicinity are urged to attend. Refreshments will be served. DUSTY TROPHY CASE Dear Editor, Isn’t it about time someone cleaned up the Trophy Case in the Academic Building ? That is one thing on the campus most visitors see. At the moment it is tarnished, full of dust and cobwebs. Also the light in it is never turned on. The school should be proud of these awards and should see that they are given proper care. BILL FORSYTHE (Ed. Note: We think so too.) What’s Cooking THURSDAY, March 6 7:00 p.m.—Rio Grande Valley Club, regular meeting. 7:00 p.m.—Galveston A. & M. Club, Room 32, Science Building. 7:30 p.m.—Brazoria County Club meets in Room 224, Academic Building. 7:30 p.m.—Texarkana Club meets in Room 204, Academic Building. 7:30 p.m.—Lufkin A. & M. Club meets in Academic Building. 7:30 p.m.—Panhandle Club meets in Room 228, Academic Bldg. 7:00 p.m.—Victoria County A. & M. ’Club meets in Academic Bldg. 7:00 p.m.—Tyler Club meets. 7:00 p.m.—Brownwood A. & M. Club meets in M.E. Projection Rm. All men from surrounding counties invited. 7:30 p.m.—Bell County A. & M. Club meets in Rm. 103, Academic Bldg, to plan picnic and select Duchess. 7:30 p.m.—Eastland & Stephens County Club meets in Rm. 323 Academic Bldg. 7:00 p.m.—Shreveport A. & M. Club meets in 203 Goodwin. FRIDAY, March 7 7:15 p.m.—Junior Banquet, Sbi- sa Hall. 9:00 p.m.—Junior Prom, Sbisa Hall. SATURDAY, March 8 9:00—All-College Dance. MONDAY, March 10 7:15 p.m.—All students major ing in range or forestry meet in Range Dept., Ag. Eng. Bldg. Range, Forestry Club To Organize Monday A range and forestry club or ganizational meeting will be held in Range Department, second floor Agricultural Engineering Building on Monday, March 10, at 7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Estimates by department heads place the number of students ma joring in this field at about 40. All classes from freshman to grad uate students majoring in these fields are urged to be present. The Range Department is a recent ad dition to the college curriculum. With over 60% of the Texas land area in range land and another 20% in forest lands, the necessity of efficient management is ap parent. Heard on WTAW FRIDAY—MARCH 7 a.m— 6 :00—Sign On 6:00—Texas Farm and Home Program 6:15—Coffee Club 7 :00—Martin Agronsky 7 :15—Cowboy Melodies 7:30—Tik Tok Time 7 :55—Gems for Thought 8 :00—Breakfast Club 9 :00—My True Story 9 :25—Hymns of All Churches 9 :45—The Listening Post 10 :00—Breakfast in Hollywood 10 :30—Galen Drake 10 :45—Ted Malone 11:00—Hollywood Reporter 11:16—Bryan Public Schools Music Program 11:30—Let’s Go Shopping p.m.— 12 :00—Baukage Talking 12 :15—Gladiola News 12 :30—Across the Footlights 12 :45—Price Tune Up Time 1 :00—Walter Kierpan 1:15—Ethel and Albert 1:30—Bride and Groom 2 :00-—Ladies, Be Seated 2:30—Edwin C. Hill 2 :45—Safeguards for America 3:00—Tommy Bartlett Show 3 :30—Melody Merchants 4 :00—Introduction to the Week-end 4:30—(to be announced) 4 :45—Dick Tracy 5 :00—Terry and the Pirates 5:15—The College Speaks 5 :30—Little Show 5:45—The Sportsman 6 :00—Headline Edition 6 :16—Elmer Davis 6:30—Sign Off SATURDAY—MARCH 8 a.m.— 6 :00—Sign On 6 :00—Texas Farm and Home Program 6:15—Good Morning Music 6 :30—Texas A&M Farm Review 7 :00—Martin Agronsky 7 :15—Cowboy Melodies 7 :30—Arlow at the Organ 7 :45—News Summary 8 :00—Wake Up and Smile 9 :00—Your Home Beautiful 9 :15—Bible Messages 9:30—Junior Junction 10 :00—Happy Birthday Party 11:00—Sidewalk Interview 11:15—Tex Williams 11:30—The American Farmer p.m.— 12:00—Make Your Request 1:00—Opera (Die Walkuerie)—Wag ner 4:00—Tea and Crumpets 5 :00—Jimmy Blair 5 :15—The Chittison Trio 5:30—Sports in the New York Man ner 5:45—News Summary 6 :00—Musical Memoirs 6:15—The Songspinners 6:30—Sign Off A Look Into the Future . . . above all it means that the coun try is finding its way back to normal living. Pleasure Boom Dying, As Spenders Become Extinct By Dave Bruce, Jr. Free spending is tapering off sharply in amusement centers where in recent years, money for pleasure has flowed freely. This spending slump is being felt by night clubs, theaters, race tracks, and other entertainment spots. It also has cut into railroad revenues and has eased considerably the shortage of hotel room so much that some hotels are offering special week-end- rates. Tourists and vacationers with money to spend on pleasure are choosing, their entertainment more carefully. They shop around for amusement, as they shop around for clothing and furniture. Briefly the picture for the pres ent and the possible outlook for the near future are as follows: TRAVEL will absorb less of John Q. Public’s money than last year. There is no longer the postwar urge to travel just for travel’s sake, and the majority have less money to spend for enjoyment. However, the de mand for accommodations for traveling abroad greatly exceed the supply of available facilities. HOTELS are having more va cant rooms, and food sales, ex cept for banquets, are down. There also has been a decided drop in liquor sales, a most sen sitive indicator of spending trends. The fact that week-end patronage is really low seems to indicate that the traveling is being done by business during the week and not by pleasure- seekers on week-ends. RACE TRACKS are drawing larger crowds than a year ago, but betting is off 10%. The $2, $5, $10 windows are more popu lar, and less “big money” is passing through the $50 and $100 windows. NIGHT CLUBS are perhaps the hardest hit of all. Some re port business off by 35 to 45 per cent. The heavy tippers are carefully scrutinizing their checks once again.. MOVIES have attendances and revenues that are far higher than before the war, but pro ducers are convinced that this industry, too, is to feel the end of the spending spree. SPORTS offer a partial ex ception to the trend toward tighter spending for amusement. Professional baseball and foot ball leagues are looking for ward to a big year, but attend ance is not expected to hold to the high level of 1946. The boom in spending for plea sure that now is declining has been fed almost entirely by sur plus cash accumulated during the war, and this surplus is dwind ling fast. The shift in spend ing habits will bring new prob lems to some businessmen, but The Battalion The Battalion, official newspaper of the Texas and the City of College Station, is Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons. Agricultural and Mechanical College published tri-weekly and circulated Member Pbsocided CpUe6»cite Press Texas, tered as under thi e 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 Vick Self Vick Lindley Charles E. Murray J. K. B. Nelson David M. Seligman Paul Martin Andy Matula Wendell McClure Martin E. Corps Editor Veteran Editor —Tuesday Associate Editor .Thursday Associate Editor .Saturday Associate Editor Sports Editor .Sports Writer CrossTv Advertising Manager Ferd B. English, Franklin cfel&nd, Wiiliam MUIct," D^Te i)iBncan, CirCUlatl0n Manager Ben- Schrader, Jack Goodloe, Wm. K. Colville, Walter K. — — t —~ vvaas. TV alter JV. Lowe, Jr., Lester B. Gray, Jr., Carl C. Krueger, Jr., Mack T. Nolen -Reporters 1 Records and Players, Paints, Varnishes, Wall Paper. CHAPMANS Next to P. O. Bryan Eureka! Rumania Can Be Reached The Batt Office was the picture of despondence. No work was being done, nothing was being accomp lished. All the editors (and recent ly all the reporters have been appointed editors so there will be no feelings hurt) were sitting a- round the phone, looking terribly melancholy and sad. No one had received bad news. In fact, the phone hadn’t rung all day. The editors had gathered quietly in mutual sorrow because there was no phone service to Ru mania. Solitary tears sneaked down mournful cheeks. It was like a funeral. “I’d give anything except my honor if I could only talk to some one in Bucharest,” said the rewrite man. “There’s nothing I’d rather do than pick up that phone and hear a Rumanian speaking,” said the sports editor. At that moment an enterprising young reporter dashed through the door shouting that phone ser vice to Rumania was restored. The editors stared coldly at the phone. Then they stared at the cub. Rising quickly they smashed the receiver over the young man’s head. He had spoiled their fun. They don’t speak Rumanian. YOU", VES SIR! WE’LL RESERVE A JEEP FOR YOU This week-end for the dances. AGGIE JEEP JOINT Phone 4-1124 Aid to Be Given On Income Tax Problems Officials from the Department of Internal Revenue will be located on the second floor of the YMCA all day Friday and Saturday, giv ing information to those people stuck with their income tax re turns. In a release by Olin E. Teague, Texas congressman, he said, March 15 this year is a crucial date for all of us with respect to Federal income taxes, but appro priate action by many World War II veterans will save them con siderable inconvenience and money. Special provisions of the Revenue Act exclude for taxation purposes all active-service pay received by enlisted men. Also excluded are benefits and subsistence allowanc es under the G. I. Bill and Public Law 16, mustering out pay, tra vel allowances and terminal leave pay bonds, pensions, disability compensation, and government in surance refunds”. College Men Welcome SIMPLER SHAVING! i World’s Most Modern Razor Wins New Friends Everyday Mystic, Conn. |> On every campus in ||| America where it’s §|| been tried, the new simpler method of shaving is winning men over. The new Enders Razor gives the world’s simplest shave. Safer, swifter, smoother shaves are assured by the Enders with its amazingly simple construction. It’s all one piece—no mechanics, no gadgets! All you do is click the blade in and shave. Further more it doesn’t clog, it’s easy to clean and stays clean. Blades.are sharp and long lasting—the razor is shaped to snuggle right into your hand. Just try it. Your campus store has the new Enders at a special introductory price. You’ll like Enders simpler shaving. SPECIAL OFFER... RAZOR AND 5 BLADES...49?! Plus 20% Federal Tax See our new line of College Jewelry styles for women and men. AGGIE BELTS and BUCKLES .... With plain or tooled western straps. NEW T SHIRTS Just arrived. ? t r tv WlMSERieVTaTObj g • o'ansbv wTO . 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