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THE BATTALION
THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 1947
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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
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i
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On every campus in |||
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been tried, the new
simpler method of
shaving is winning
men over. The new
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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.
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wTO . JLS
CLOCKIERS