Trampling Out the Vintage . . .
Battalion
EDITORIALS
Page 2 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1948
"Soldier, Statesman, Knightly Gentleman”
Lawrence Sullivan Ross, Founder of Aggie Traditions
‘Cold War’ of North and South...
It looks as though the latest “cold war”
is between the Northern and Southern sec
tions of the U. S. A. reviving the old but not
forgotten War Between the States. Oddly
enough, it comes just as everyone thought
that serious differences between the two sec
tions had died out with most of the Con
federate and Union veterans.
At first glance, stories of the new North-
South war seem amusing. They are not.
There is nothing at all amusing in the fact
that hooded night-riders of the Ku Klux
Klan gathered at Swainsboro, Ga., this week
to dedicate themselves to “protection of
white women.” Their dedication is actually
to preservation of segregation in the South,
as admitted further down in their official
statement.
The Methodist Church, reunited only a
few years ago after a Civil-War split, is
threatened with a new withdrawal on the
part of Southern Methodist churches.
What has caused this uproar? What has
brought Southern Democrats to the point
-where they plan to bolt from the Truman
ticket, and either vote Republican (amaz
ing!) or run a separate Southern Democratic
ticket, as was done in 1860?
President Truman favors abolition of the
poll tax, formation of a permanent FEPC,
an anti-lynching law, and the end of racial
segregation. The Supreme Court simultan
eously has ruled that Negroes must be given
education equivalent to whites. (It has not
yet ruled on the question of segregation in
state colleges.)
One sad fact we cannot get away from:
' the United States is not an entity, but a
federation of two or more cultures which
have different ideas and goals. Though we
! give lip service to the Declaration of Inde
pendence and the Constitution, we keep
! our fingers crossed as we read certain
passages. We do the same thing when we
read the Bible. What part of these docu-
; ments we reject depends on the part of
' the country in which we were raised. No
! section has clean hands, unfortunately.
jDemocrats or Republicans?.
• Politically, Southern Democrats are in
something of a trap. Most Democrats do not
trust the Republican party, traditionally a
high-tariff-party. And they are definitely in
disagreement with Northern Democrats, who
are pushing President Truman’s Civil Liber
ties program, aimed in part at Southern tra
ditions of segregation.
A Southern bolt should assure the elec
tion of a Republican. Will that make South
ern leaders any happier? We doubt it. Re
publicans are historically bound to support
just such a program as Truman is pushing.
The New York Herald-Tribune, an im
portant Republican mouth-piece, says on the
matter of segregation in colleges: “The state
of Oklahoma can, if it chooses, continue the
costly farce on which it is embarked . . . the
temper of the Supreme Court in the Fisher
case suggests that an adverse ruling on the
adequacy of graduate schools scrambled to
gether over night would in due time be forth
coming . . . defense of the absurd extreme
in segregation may be a losing battle. Certain
it is that the challengers are not going to
drop the fight now. Nor should they.”
The recent Democratic regimes have giv
en the South much in such matters as re
moving the railroad differential, which for
years held down Southern industry, and in
encouraging Southern manufacturing. The
President’s recommendations, coming as a
fiat to a sensitive section of the nation, may
not have been tactful, but they do come from
a friend. Such suggestions cannot be put into
effect over night, as every Southerner knows.
Few whites—North or South—desire com
plete abolition of segregation, and it is doubt
ful whether a majority of Negroes wish to
end all segregation, either. Unfortunately, in
operating on segregation principles, we have
too often failed to make equal facilities avail
able. There is the true rub. Had we been as
zealous to preserve equality of opportunity
within segregation as we have been to pre
serve segregation itself, we might not now
be in an embarrassing predicament.
A strong Republican party in the South
would be a good thing. Many a “Southern
Democrat” is more a Republican than a Dem
ocrat, anyhow. We wish they could vote their
choice more effectively, something they can
not do when elections are decided in the Dem
ocratic primary. But a large Republican vote,
given solely out of pique at the Northern
group of Democrats would only rob South
ern congressmen and senators of what na
tional influence they now have.
Three Ways in Texas ...
There is raw material in Texas for a three
way political division.
Some ultra-conservatives may want to go
along with the plan of holding a separate
Southern Democratic Convention.
Some Liberals have already made up their
minds to vote for Henry Wallace.
Middle-of-the-roaders would stick to the
old party lines, but many of them are al
ready mad about the national party’s appar
ent stand on the tidelands question.
Southern rebel yells have been echoed by
Merritt Gibson of Longview, who was active
in the 1944 fuss. He managed the anti-Roose
velt campaign of the Texas Regulars, who
split from the Democratic party when the
state supreme court held the Roosevelt elec
tors should be listed in the Democratic col
umn.
“Southern Democrats ought to call a
Southern Democratic Convention,” he said
from his home in Longview. “We can’t win in
the national convention! This is not a matter
for convention maneuvering. The peoplb
should rise up and throw the presidential
election into the House of Representatives.”
Threat of Secession , . .
The most pointed threat of political se
cession came from South Carolina, which pre
cipitated the war-between-the-states by fir
ing on Fort Sumter. Nor was t South Carolina
afraid it might have to stand alone.
Even before the President’s recommenda
tions on civil rights, Mississippi and Alaba
ma had indicated dissatisfaction with the
national party’s stand on such matters as
segregation, the anti-lynch law proposals and
the fair economic practices commission.
All these points were covered in the presi
dent’s program in addition to another issue
dear to some southern states—payment of
poll taxes as a prerequisite to voting.
In South Carolina, the Democratic com
mittee chairman of Jasper County, H. Klugh
Purdy, called a meeting Monday to consider
withdrawal from the national party. A state
representative, Nathaniel Cabell, reported
enthusiastic response to a letter to legisla
tors urging review of relations with the
national group.
Over in Alabama, State Democratic Chair
man Gessner T. McCorvey said the South was
going to have segregation no matter what.
Previously, McCorvey had warned the South
might be forced to choose between party
.loyalty and loyalty to tradition.
Mississippi’s Governor Fielding L. Wright
had already suggested a break with the na
tional organization on the same issues. His
stand was brought up to date by the speaker
of the Mississippi House, Walter Sillers. The
latter called for an independent southern
convention to nominate a presidential candi
date.
Gov. Ben Laney of Arkansas said he
might support such a proposal. “There is no
question,” he said, “that the people of the
South are fed-up.”
In this connection, the South had a candi
date for the presidency, Governor James E.
Folsom of Alabama. Folsom said last week
he would seek favorite son status in the
state’s May 4 primary and attacked President
Truman’s policies.
Folsom , said Truman was “hogtied” by
“Brass Hats” and Wall Street. Later, in an
interview, Folsom declared the South should
be left alone to solve its racial problems.
The Battalion
PUBLISHED IS THE INTEREST OF 4 GREATER A & M COLLEGE
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CHARLIE MURRAY, JIMMIE NELSON
..Co-Editors
Vick Lindley Wire Editor
J. T. Miller, Kenneth Bond, Louis Morgan. . . .Managing Editors
Mack T. Nolen Feature Editor
R. L. Billingsley, Larry Goodwyn Feature Writers
Tom Carter, Ted Copeland, Truman G. Martin,
C. C. Mnnroe, C. C. Trail, James E. Nelson,
Otto R. Eunse, J. C, Fails, John B. Singletary.,., .Reporters
Maurice Howell Advertising Manager
David M. Seligman Movie Columnist
Sam Lanford, K. J. Marak, Larry Gray Cartoonists
Art Howard Sports Editor
James DeAnda, Andy Matula, Zero Hammond,
Hershell Shelby Sports Writers
Bob Kennelley Circulation Manager
Balladeer Tom Scott Appears
On Town Hall, Tuesday Night
By OTTO R. KUNZE
Tom Scott, popularly known by radio listeners and con
cert audiences as “The American Troubadour” will perform
in Guion Hall at 8 p. m. on February 10 as a regular Town
Hall presentation.
This Kentucky-born vocalist is recognized as a great
authority of folk songs, having published more than a hun
dred arrangements used by chorale-
groups. Scott, who sings with un
derstanding and skill, believes that
songs express most vividly the
spirit of the American people.
Scott, who has a rich bass voice
of unusual range, is particularly
well equipped vocally to contribute
to the simplest folk song the
dignity of sound musicianship plus
the sincere and natural interpre
tation intended for his songs. Since
he is well versed in the art of sing
ing, he is not bound to the' songs
of any locality. With a keen know
ledge of the background of every
song in his collection, Scott is able
to convey the intended thought and
feeling of each one.
This gay young Kentuckian was
born with a compelling desire to
express himself in music. At an
early age, he performed the unor-*
thodox gesture of breaking into a
schoolhouse at four o’clock in the
vorning to practice on the piano.
He studied voice in high school and
college and sang popular songs and
compositions which every young
vocalist struggles to master. Later
he embarked upon his career of
singing folk songs which has oc
cupied his interest until this day.
Scott was first recognized as an
outstanding entertainment person
ality in 1938 whep he began to
make appearances on Broadway
and joined the Waring Glee Club.
His performances in radio, theatre,
concerts, and clubs have merited
and won him national praise.
Scott is heard regularly over
What’s Cooking?
BELL COUNTY A. & M. CLUB
will meet in Room 103, Academic
Building, 7:30 p. m. Thursday.
BRAiiOS VALLEY KENNEL
CLUB, Obedience Training Class,
2 p.m., every Sunday, front of Ad
ministration Building.
COLLEGE WOMANS SOCIAL
CLUB, 3 p.m., Friday: YMCA.
AIChE, 6 p.m., Saturday. Ban
quet, Sbisa Hail.
TYLER CLUB, 7:30 p. m. Thurs
day, Room 104, Academic.
LANDSCAPE ART CLUB, Tues
day, 7:30 p. m., Room 310 Engi
neering Building. Plans will be
made for the student floral conces
sions for the current semester.
HEART OF TEXAS CLUB, 7:30
p. m., Thursday. ME Shops Lecture
Room. Plans for dance at Denton
to be sponsored by TSCW Club will
be discussed.
VETERANS’ WIVES BRIDGE
CLUB, 7:15 p. m., Thursday.
PANHANDLE CLUB, 7:30 p. m.,
Thursday, Room 428, Academic.
UPSHUR COUNTY CLUB, 7:00
p. m., Thursday, Room 107, Aca
demic Building.
QUEEN
TODAY & FRIDAY
‘CARNEGIE
HALL’
most stations of the Columbia
Broadcasting System each week
day morning from 7:30 to 7:45
CST.
- Admission to the event at
Guion Hall for all those not hold
ing Town Hall season tickets will
be $1 for the general public and
60<‘ for students.
The American Troubadour is
touring the United States under
the management of the National
Concert and Artists Corporation of
New York.
He was previously scheduled to
appear here on January 7.
Letters
NEW TYPE EXAMS
Editor, The Battalion:
Attached is an article worthy of
mention which I took from The
Dallas Morning News. It is satis
fying to know that there are in
structors who are continually try
ing to improve our educational sys
tem.
Yours truly,
BEN EVANS, ’48
Below is The Dallas News’ ar
ticle:
“Dr. Newton Gaines has de
vised a new kind of examination.
“Caines, head of the physics
department at Texas Christian
University, says its just as hard
to think of a good exam question
as to answer one.
“So, here’s Gaines’ idea:
“When a student doesn’t know
DR. R. B. McNUTT
DENTIST
Office in Parker Building
Over Canady’s Pharmacy
Phone 2-1457 Bryan, Texas
opens 1:00 p.m. 4-1181.
-—Features Start—-
1:35 - 3:40 - 5:50 - 7:55 - 10:00
-—Also—
Cartoon - Short - News
Valentine Candies
ARE NOW ON DISPLAY—ORDERS WILL BE
GIFT WRAPPED FREE FOR MAILING
New names for the College Confectioneries
will be chosen by student members of the
Student Life Committee at their next meet
ing.
COLLEGE CONFECTIONERIES
Wrestled With Tornadoes and Politicians,
Feboldson Was First White Man in Nebraska
By LARRY GOODWYN
Latest addition to the galaxy of
legendary American heroes like
Paul Bunyan is Febold Feboldson.
He has just been enshrined by
Paul R. Beath in a book issued by
the University of Nebraska Pfess
and illustrated by Lynn Frank,
mother Nebraskan. Here is Frank’s
conception of the Big Swede:
Febold is credited with being
the first white man to settle the
prairie state. He gouged out the
Platte River channel from the
Rockies to the Missouri by hitch
ing buffalo to a snow plow. Be
fore he retired to the California
Valhalla of good midwesterners,
he wrestled successfully with
tornadoes and drought, politicans
and blizzards.
Had there been trees in Nebraska
his exploits probably would just
have been added to the Paul Bun
yan legend, but pioneer Nebraska
had no trees to speak of. i 1
Feboldson broke into print twen
ty years ago in the Gothenburg,-
Neb., Times, whose editor had
spotted the character in a lumber- ,
man’s journal. He “caught on”
quickly and readers sent in their
versions of his deeds to add to the
growing legend. As one commen
tator notes:
“Mr. Beath’s spirited account
throws light on the making of
legendary heroes and confirms the
belief that such heroes are made
rather than born.”
014, FUDGE!
Seventy-year-old Thurman Craven learned yes
terday in Park Avenue Hospital in Rochester why
that piece of fudge he swallowed two weeks ago was
so tarnation hard to chew. It’s core was a half-
dollar around which the fudge had melted in his
pocket.
WHAT IS AN ITCH?
A definition of an itch which strikes us as
probably incorrect and wholly inadequate has been
made by Dr. George N. Bishop, of the department
of neuropsychiatry at the Washington University
School of Medicine. It is, says Dr. Bishop, a con
tinuous weak prickle, deriving from pain spots on
the skin. If it becomes a continuous strong prickle
it is pain, and if the prickle temporarily accumulates
it is an aching pain.
This is what an itch is to Dr. Bishop, but it
is not what an itch is to us. An itch is what you
get the minute both arms are full of packages—
usually an itching of the nose. It is what occurs
to timid people introducing prominent people, usual
ly, in these cases, a violent itching in the small of
the back. It is what plagues you every time you
get into a barber chair and the sheet is tied firmly
under your chin for a hair-cut. A snippet of hair
is dropped on your nose, where it becomes some
thing half-way between an itch and a desire to
sneeze. Another is dropped down your collar. An
itch is all these things to us and more, and heaven
FEBOLD FEBOLDSON, a hero who was made—not born.
only knows what proportions it would assume if
we took up, say, trapeze performing.
Under all the circumstances we have mentioned,
an itch becomes a continuous strong accumulated
nuisance, and we challenge Dr. Bishop to pick up
a double-armful of packages and say'otherwise.
TODAY’S QUOTE
The government’s chief economist says prices
may drop this year. And if not the prices, those who
pay them.
THE DIRTY BUM
An annoyed housewife in Honolulu, has com
plained to police that a prowler repeatedly removes
dresses and slips from her clothesline and returns
them a few days later—soiled. i
“HOT” FOOD
If you’re having a hard time getting anything
to eat nowadays, don’t bleed, pal—just check this
yarn from Copenhagen, Denmark. A stranger in the
Danish town of Aarhus was asked to leave a restau
rant because he needed a shave. All the barber shops
had closed and he had no razor with him. Hungry
and desperate he turned in a fire alarm.
The firemen overlooked his false alarm when
he explaind his predicament, took him back to the
station with them and gave him a shave.
Then, and only then was the hungry individual
admitted to the restaurant.
the answer to an examination
question. I give him the privilege
of omitting it if he can write a
better, or at least as good, ques
tion in its stead.”
“Serious students like the sys
tem,” said Gaines. “Poor stu
dents like nothing about exams—
no matter what the system.”
FOR GOOD . . .
X
Home Cooked
Food
Eat at
A.&M. GRILL
Open 5:30 a.m. ’till
11:00 p.m.
TODAY — THRU
SATURDAY
THE STORY
OF A
0UY
WOMEN
GO FOR!
wih ANNE REVERE
TL DYERS'FUR STORAGE HATTERS
American
/z-ISSS'tt
LAST DAY
EEUt USE!
. ..Tauntingly
...Jauntily Ajjp
Directed by
IOSEPHI.IM
Produced by
FRED KOHUAR ZO
CENTURY-FO*
TRIUMPH!,
F RID A Y & SATURDAY
—Bis Double Feature—
S U N D A Y and M O N. DAY