Page Two THE BATTALION, College Station (Aggieland), Texas, Saturday, April 12, 1947:
Pass in Review!...
A. & M. is still a military college, despite all internal dis
sension. Proof was available on the drill field Wednesday
^afternoon, as the corps marched by in review, followed by
rumbling motor-artillery units and snorting tanks. As the
white-helmeted Aggie band played and army training planes
dived, something of the old “butterflies in the stomach”
feeling returned to Aggies who have grown more accustom
ed to the bellyache. The flags, the flashing sabers, the brown
senior boots, were something out of a half-forgotten past, and
a welcome momentary relief from the discordant present.
And best of all, Col. Meloy has ordered five rams removed
from every senior’s record, on the strength of the review!
The Cadet Corps is on the way up again.
Press Freedom...
After three years of study, a special commission exam
ining the present state and future prospects of the freedom
of the press has made its findings. The study was financed
by Time, Inc. ($200,000), and the Encyclopedia Britannica,
Inc. $15,000).
Funds were disbursed through the University of Chi
cago. Neither the donors, nor the university, had any con
trol over or assumed any responsibility for the progress or
conclusion of the commission’s inquiry.
At the outset the commission determined to include with
in its scope the major agencies of mass communication: the
radio, newspapers, motion pictures, magazines, and books.
(In the report “press” refers to all these media.)
The 13-member commission confined itself in this study
to the role of the agencies of mass communication in the edu
cation of the people in public affairs.
According to the committee, freedom of the press is in
danger—mostly from the press itself.
The report says that the danger to freedom of the press
results from the economic structure of the press itself, partly
from the industrial organization of modern society and partly
“the failure of the directors of the press to recognize the
press needs of a modern nation and to estimate and accept
the responsibilities which those needs imposed upon them.”
Some of the committee’s comment follow:
“Our society needs an accurate truthful account of the
day’s events. We need to know what goes on in our own lo
cality, region and nation. We need reliable information about
all other countries. We need to supply other countries with
such information about ourselves.
“We need a market place for the exchange of comment
and criticism regarding public affairs. . . .
“These needs are not being met. . . .
“When we look at the press as a whole ... we must con
clude that it is not meeting the needs of our society.”' ’
This failure of the press the commission terms the great
est danger to its freedom.
* * *
“When an instrument of prime importance to all the
people is available to a small minority of the people only, and
when it is employed by that small minority in such a way
as not to supply the people with the service they require,
the freedom of the minority in the employment of that instru
ment is in danger.”
“The moral right of free public expression is not un
conditional. Since the claim of the right is based on the
duty of a man to the common good and to his thought, the
ground of the claim disappears when this duty is ignored
or rejected. In the absence of accepted moral duties there
are no moral rights.”
“To protect the press is no longer automatically to pro
tect the citizens or the community. The freedom of the
press can remain a right of those who publish only if it in
corporates into itself the right of the citizen and the public
interest.”
Five requirements for freedom of the press are listed
in the commission’s report:
1— A truthful, comprehensive and intelligent account
of the day’s events in a context which gives them meaning.
2— A forum for the exchange of comment and criticism.
3— A means of projecting the opinions and attitudes of
the groups in society to one another.
4— A method of presenting and clarifying the goals and
values of the society.
5— A way of reaching every member of the society by
the currents of information, thought and feeling which the
press supplies.
* * *
The bias of owners gets a going over in the report as
one of the major shortcomings of the press, along with de
liberate distortion of news.
“The agencies of mass communication are big business,
and their owners are big businessmen.” American consum
ers prior to the war paid mass communication establish
ments $1 out of every $27 spent for all goods and services.
Advertising by big business was listed as another link
connecting big business and the press.
Upper-bracket ownership and big-business character
headed the list of the short-comings of today’s American
newspapers, “with brilliant and honorable exceptions.”
* * *
In searching for possible solutions, the commission says
that the press itself must “take on the community’s press
objectives as its own objectives.” It holds that self-correc-
tion is better than outside correction, “so long as self-cor
rection holds out a reasonable and realistic hope, as distinct
from lip service to piously framed paper codes.”
The commission advances the opinion that “government
may and should enter the field of press comment and news
supply, not as displacing private enterprise, but as a supple
mentary source.”
The Ba it a l i on
The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of
Texas and the City of College Station, is published tri-weekly and circulated on
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons.
Member
Plssocided Gr>Ue6iate 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
Vick Lindley ..
Charles E. Murray
J. K. B. Nelson
David M. Seligman
Paul Martin
Corps Editor
Veteran Editor
—Tuesday Associate Editor
Thursday Associate Editor
.Saturday Associate Editor
Sports Editor
Larry Goodwyn, Andy Matula, Jack Goodloe, Dick Baker, Earl Grant Sports Writers
Wendell McClure Advertising Manager
Martin E. Crossly Circulation Manager
Ferd B. English, Franklin Cleland, William Miller, Doyle Duncan,
Ben Schrader, Wm. K. Colville, Walter Lowe, Jr., Lester
B. Gray, Jr., Carl C. Krueger, Jr., Mack T. Nolen
..Reporters
Sincere Investigation...
It is apparent that the legislative committee investiga
ting the A. & M. situation is sincere in its attempt to uncover
the facts behind the outbreak of anti-administration feeling.
With a lengthy list of subpoenaed witnesses waiting to testi
fy, their job should continue for several more weeks, and
hearings on the campus may become a virtual necessity.
Senator Fred Harris, chairman of the committee, has
completely reversed his pre-hearing opinion that the whole
outburst is merely a question of “students sticking out their
tongues at the teachers”. This reversal was occasioned by
testimony, by VS A secretary Ed Fisher, recommending a
change in the statutes in regard to appointment of directors,
a change which would obviously demand action by the Legis
lature.
Very few facts of a pertinent nature have come to light
in Austin. The primary conclusion which may be drawn
from all the testimony is that the VSA has little, if any, real
evidence of financial skullduggery on the part of the admin
istration. That they have personal objections against the
president and his aids is plainly seen. Whether this can be
used as a basis for the president’s removal is a matter of
conjecture, for personal objections never stand up as well
as evidence of illegal operations.
Another fact of note to arise is testimony confirming
suspicions that outside influence played a part in the VSA
demand for Gilchrist’s ouster. Former prexy Dr. T. O. Wal
ton was named as the source for some of the “questions”
asked at the VSA meeting which resulted in demands for the
ouster of Gibb Gilchrist, his predecesor. Both Walton and
“secret files” allegedly in his possession will be subpoenaed,
according to Senator Harris.
We repeat our assertion that only facts—startling facts
—will impress the legislative committee and the people of
Texas sufficiently that action will be taken to remove Presi
dent Gilchrist.
‘AshestoAshes
Dust to Dust!’
Houston Symphony Concert
Well Received by Audience
By Mack T. Nolen
The Houston Symphony Orchestra presented a program
of classical and semi-classical music in Guion Hall Wednes
day night to an audience which applauded both the treat
ment and the selection.
Johann Strauss’ “Voices of Spring Waltz” opened the
program. Rossini’s stirring “William Tell Overture,” which
Conductor Ernst Hoffmann explained is definitely not a
horse song, no matter what the Lone Ranger says, followed
next.
Miriam Formann, the wife of
ex-Aggie, Jack Formann, appeared
as soloist of the evening, singing
the “Violetta Aria” from “La
Traviata” and “Depuis Le Jour”
from the opera “Louise.” The
beautiful Mrs. Formann, in good
voice though not spectacular, was
returned for two encores, “One
Kiss” and “Song of Songs.”
Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Fifth
Symphony, the famous “V” for
Victory Symphony which enjoyed
widespread popularity during the
war, was heard in its entirety fol
lowing the intermission. The or
chestra handled this well-known
opus with excellent taste.
Three encores were given by the
orchestra in the uncomfortably
warm auditorium. They were
Bocharini’s lilting “Minuet, “Prom
enade” by Anderson, and John
Philip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes,”
which was played as well as it has
ever been played. The audience
begged for more, but the heated
hall and a time-schedule prevented
any further presentations.
This performance will be the
last appearance of the Houston
Symphony at A&M with Ernst
Hoffman conducting. Mr. Hoff
mann has resigned from the dir
ection of the group, effective at
the end of the current season.
Next season the podium will be
filled by various guest conductors..
The Houston Symphony has
grown under Mr. Hoffmann’s dir
ection from a nondescript amateur-
organization to a nationally known
and respected symphony orchestra.
To Mr. Hoffmann goes high credit
for this accomplishment. His ab
sence will be keenly felt.
The size of the crowd at the con
cert again proved conclusively that
classical music is appreciated here
at A&M. More of the same is in
order.
97% of College
Students Read
School Paper
College students across the na
tion find their own school paper
good reading as disclosed by the
National Advertising Service. Nin
ety-seven and two-tenths per cent
of all college students read their
school paper, ninety-one and four-
tenths per cent read the school
paper regularly, and seventy-six
and two-tenths read the school pa
pers from cover-to-cover.
In a survey by the NAS, it was
found that sixteen per cent of
the total mentions were given to
Life, ten percent to Reader’s Di
gest, ten per cent to Time, and
seven hundredths of one per cent
was given to Saturday Evening
Post. These were the four top rank
ing magazines mentioned in the
survey.
The service also found that col
lege students are independent in
their choice of brands, make fre
quent purchases of many products,
and pay above the average prices.
In the same survey it was found
that the average college student
listened to the radio for fifty-five
minutes during the day and one
hour and thirty-six minutes during
the nighttime. The survey shows
that only thirty two per cent of
college radio sets are used during
an average evening and only seven
per cent are in use during the
choice 8 to 10 block of time. The
reason for this was found to be
the dormitory and fraternity re
strictions on the use of radios after
8 p. m.
Man is of few days and full of
trouble. He laboreth all the days
of his youth to pay for gasoline
chariot, and when at last the task
is finished, lo! the thing is junk
and he needeth another. He plant-
eth cotton in the earth and tilleth
it diligently, he and his servants
and his asses, and when the harvest
is gathered into barns, he oweth
the landlord eight dollars and for
ty cents more than thq crops is
worth.
He borrowth money from the
lenders to buy pork and syrup and
gasoline and the interest eateth
up all that he hath.
He begets sons and edhicateth
them to smoke cigarettes and wear
white collar, and lo! they have soft
hands and neither labor- in the
fields nor anywhere under the sun.
The children of his loins are or
nery and one of them beeometh a
lawyer and another sticketh up a
filling station and maketh whoo
pee with the substance thereof.
The wife of his bosom necketh
with a stranger and when he re
bukes her, lo! she shooteth him
in the finale.
He goeth forth in the morning
on the road that leadeth to the
city and a jitney smiteth him so
that his ribs project through his
epidermis. He drinketh on whoo
pee juice to forget his sorrows and
burneth the lining from his liver.
All the days of his life he findeth
no parking place and is tormented
by traffic cops from his going
forth until he cometh back.
An enemy stealeth his car; phy
sicians remove his inner parts and
his teeth and his bank roll; his
daughters showeth their legs to
strangers; his arteries hardeneth
in the evening of life and his heart
busteth trying to keep the pace.
Sorrow and bill colectors follow-
eth him all the days of his life, and
when he is gathered to his fathers
the neighbors sayeth: How much
did he leave? Lo! he hath left it
at all. And his widow rejoiceth in
a new coupe and maketh eyes at
a young sheik that slicketh his
hair and playeth a nifty game of
bridge.
Woe is man! From the day of
his birth to the time when earth
knoweth him no more, he laboreth
for bread and catcheth the devil.
Dust he was in the beginning and
his name is mud.
—ROBERT QUILLEN
Finding Errors . .
Treasury War
---Tax Evasion
By H. W. Spencer
Many U. S. money lovers are
due for a big surprise with the
compliments of the Treasury as its
army of some 27,000 agents shall
be giving the recently filed income
tax returns extra-special study.
This year more unreported in
comes and unjustifiable deduc
tions are expected than ever be
fore.
Last year’s Treasury’s crack
down turned up 1% billion dollars
in additional revenue. Agents are
expected to do much better in the
current purge against the bereaved
U. S. taxpayer. This means that
larger numbers of taxpayers will
have to show that their expense
accounts are not padded, that
claimed dependents are allowed by
law, that costs for expensive hob
bies were not written off as busi
ness losses, and that the whole
story of their capital gains is
shown in black and white by their
tax returns.
The Treasury’s task is so prod
igious that only about 3 percent
of the returns of all kinds filed this
year will receive audit. Of these
about half are expected to pro
duce additional revenue — some
from honest errors, some for out
right evasion.
★
Those receiving the closest scru
tiny will be, of course, the higher
income returns. A $25,000 return
has a 50-50 chance of being aud
ited, while in the highest groups
practically every return is checked.
Thus, the Treasury hits hardest
where there is the best chance for
retrieving big money.
In order to cope with the re
dundant low income returns spot
checks are made, particularly in
questionable cases. In addition,
special local tax drives are an
nounced and crackdowns are made
where evasion seems likely. This
usually frightens many evaders in
to appearing voluntarily to get
right with the Treasury.
These drives are concentrated
primarily on the self-employed,
since salaried workers have rela
tively little opportunity to evade.
Farmers, professional and busi
nessmen, service traders (taxi
drivers, tailors, plumbers, etc.),
or wherever there are no accurate
records on earnings and expenses
or where cash is received directly
serve as plumbs for Treasury
agents. Evaders are also spotted
by agents in checking big cash
transactions and by their watch
ing resort centers, gambling hous
es and race tracks.
It is also interesting to note that"
the Treasury is adhering to one of
Adam Smith’s canons for a good 1
tax; that is tax should be inexpen
sive to collect. Since the present
drive started in 1945 the Treasury
has been able to collect $20 for ev
ery $1 spent for tax enforcement.
A TRU-ART FOR YOUR SWEETHEART
plus '
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WEDDING RINGS
In selecting a wedding ring to be
cherished for a lifetime our recom
mendation is Tru-Art, long famous for
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SANREY PARR
BRYAN
Commissary Open
Mon-Wed-Fri 3 to 6
The Student Commissary is now
open on Monday, Wednesday, and
Friday, from 3 to 6 p.m. it was an
nounced by Carey Clark, Jr., man
ager. Located in the rear of 214
Houston St. by the side of Kyle
Field, the new store recently be
gan operation on a cost-plus ex
pense basis to provide students,
especially married ones, with
cheaper foods. Carey lauds his es
tablishment with “Lowest prices
in the state of Texas!”
Customers are asked to bring
their own grocery containers be
cause “the cost of paper sacks is
so high that prices would have to
be raised in order to furnish them
with each purchase.”
BOWLES - DAVIS
FLYING SERVICE
Timberlake Airport
% Mi. N. of North Gate
DALACE
■ pHObi h l- 3 879
BRYAN, TEXAS
PREVIEW, SAT. NIGHT-
ALSO SUN., MON.,
and TUESDAY
LARAINE DAY
— In —
“THE LOCKET”
WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY
FRIDAY and SATURDAY
FRED McMURRAY
— In —
“SUDDENLY lUS
SPRING”
Engineer - Educator
Plans 1-Week Visit
Col. Willard Chevalier, national
ly-known engineering educator and
speaker, will make his annual vis
it to the campus April 14-21, it was
announced today.-
Engagements already arranged
for Col. Chevalier, who is execu
tive assistant to the president of
McGraw-Hill Publishing company,
New York, include talks before the
College Station Kiwanis Club on
April 15, to all engineering stu
dents April 17, to students at Bry
an Field Annex April 18, and to
the engineering faculty April 21.
dent Engineers Council April 18
A dinner-meeting with the Stu
dent Council also has been sched
uled.
PAL HOLLOW GROUND BLADES ARE MADE IN U.S.A..
CANADA. BRITAIN AND SO: AWERICA.SOLD THE WORLD OVER
Opens 1:00 p.m. Daily
FRIDAY - SATURDAY
DOUBLE FEATURE
“AND THEN THERE
WERE NONE”
VINCE
C0RDAY* BARNETT
) [A o JANE ELISHA
W GREER • COOK, JR.
_ ▼ Ptoducej Dy WILLIAM BERK£
SUNDAY and MONDAY
ROSALIND RUSSELL ALEXANDER KNOX
SISTER KENNY m
DEAN JAGGER V
PHILIP MERIVALE- BEULAH BONDI • CHARLES DINGLE
Produced and Directed by DUDLEY NICHOLS • Screen Plair by Dudley Nichols. Alexander Knox and Mary McCarthy
SATURDAY, April 12
7:15 p.m.—Stan Kenton Concert,
Gnion Hall.
9:15 p.m.—Stan Kenton Dance,
Sbisa Hall.
SUNDAY, April 13
5:30 p.m.—Newman Club Initia
tion and Dance, Chapel Basement.
MONDAY, April 14
7:15 p.m.—Newman Club, Chap
el Basement.
7:00 p.m.—Range & Forestery
Club, Range & Forestry Dept., Ag.
Eng. Bldg. Dr. V. A. Young, speak
er.
7:15 p.m. — Collegiate Chapter
FFA, Ag. Eng. Lecture Room. Mr.
James, Extension Service, speaker,
TUESDAY, April 15
5:30 p.m.—Landscape Arts Club
picnic, Hensel Park.
7:30 p.m.—Kream & Kow Club
meets in Creamery Lecture Room.
eOTTLED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE COCA-COLA COMPANY BY
BRYAN COCA-COLA BOTTLING CO.