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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 1949)
p Battalion TVTTOHTAT S J3 Page 2 JLx X X XV X 1X X-/ v3 TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1949 "Soldier, Statesman, Knightly Gentleman” Lawrence Sullivan Ross, Founder of Aggie Traditions Let’s Trade It In for a New Model . . . A restatement of the duties of state government is needed in Texas accord ing to Governor Beauford Jester. We heartily agree with the governor on this point. Speaking before a Citizens’ Committee on Constitutional Revision in Austin last Thursday, Jester said that perhaps the states have not been as aggressive and diligent as they should be in the perform ance of state duties. It would seem that the word “perhaps” was superfluous in this statement, but then one could hardly expect the governor to cut his own throat. A little background on the present Texas constitution will help our under standing the agitation for an immediate change- The constitution was written in 1875, only two years after the Reconstruc tion Period had ended in Texas. The writ ers were largely persons who had been subjected to abuse under the carpetbag reign. Because of their recent experiences with government they strictly limited the powers of the administration they organ ized. The writers in their antipathy towards strong government made the 1875 docu ment so detailed that the most minute change can only be accomplished by a constitutional amendment. As a result, the people of Texas have had to adopt over 100 ammendments, most of them within the last 25 years. If our federal constitution can be tak en as an example, it would seem that a more general outline of government, one which would empower the legislature to fill in the details, would be much more sen sible. Under a more generally stated docu ment, the legislative body could make ad justments in details of operation as they were needed. This process should be much more efficient and speedy than our pres ent set-up. Although a complete revision of the constitution appears needed, there are some parts more decrepit than others. The long ballot is one of these. Today a voter must choose about thirty officials every two years. It is quite evident that having to consider such a large number prevents the voter from making a comprehensive study of the qualifications of all of the candidates. A possible solution which has been suggested is to divide the group into two sections and thus decide on only half the present number annually. Perhaps a bet ter solution among those offered is to make more of the offices appointive and in this way the appointer —the governor, generally—could be held responsible for more of the administrative work. Antiquated also is the prescribed court system. The state bar association has al ready begun investigations of the so-called Missouri Court System which is believed to be the most advanced system in the country. This investigation is being con ducted with intentions of making improve ments in the Texas system on the basis of the findings. Yearly cries for aid from such neces sary institutions as schools, prisops, and mental hospitals (no inference of similari ty in functions meant) reveal a need for an overhauling of the state financial sys tem- It appears that the county unit of government needs to be made more self- sufficient by means of added functions and duties and powers to carry out re- sponsibiilties it already has. All of these conditions substantiate our feeling that the people of Texas and state officials should make a complete investi gation of the situation today and make any needed improvements in our govern mental organization. We are sure that such an investigation would prove the need for a new constitu tion. They Love Singing Commercials Monaco, one of the world’s dwarf countries, is most famous for its capital city’s Monte Carlo Casino. But Monaco, population somewhere under thirty thou sand (depending on the social season) has gone into the radio business. Behind the front of state ownership, French capital owns and operates" the station. To southern Europe in the day time and the world at night, the station beams broadcasts unfamiliar but delight ful to European ears- The only thing that other European radio stations sell is the' particular countries’ particular propa ganda. Radio Diffusion Francais, the BBC and the Armed Forces Network stations are all government owned and have no commercials. Over Radio Monaco singing commer cials sell shoe polish, intoxicating bever ages, laxatives, and anything a sponsor wishes. Soap is still too scarce for soap operas, but one sponsor sells shampoo. Fifty percent of the station’s time is given to popular music; twenty five per cent to serious music; ten to news; ten to drama; and five to sports. The most pop ular program is a counterpart to our Hit Parade. Currently “Nature Boy” is the song choice of Radio Monaco listeners. To complete their staff, like all Ameri can stations, Radio Monaco has a disc jockey who is fully hep to both American and European jive. He is, of course, an authority on the tastes of his listeners. One fan complained that Harry James’ records' had too many trumpets; other wise European tastes in popular music are about the same as in the States. In all this there is a sort of paradox. In Monaco, singing commercials and re quest-reading disc jockeys are a welcome relief to the usually insipid government stations’ broadcasts; in our own country, the demand is rising that singing com mercials and long request lists be banned from the radio and replaced by something less irritating. Whoever, said it is right; “The grass IS always greener in the other fellow’s back yard.” The Battalion The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas and the City of College Station, Texas, is published five times a week and circulated every Monday through Friday afternoon, except during holidays and examination periods. During the summer The Bat talion is published tri-weekly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Subscription rate $4.30 per school yeai\ Advertising rates furnished on request. The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for republication of all hews dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous origin publish ed herein. Rights of republication of all other matter herein are also reserved. Entered as second-class matter at Post Office at College Station, Texas, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1S70. Member of The Associated Press Represented nationally by National Ad vertising Service Inc., at New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. News contributions may be made by telephone (4-5444) or at the editorial office, Room 201, Goodwin Hall. Classified ads may be placed by telephone (4-5324) or at the Student Activities Office, Room 209, Goodwin Hall. KENNETH BOND, TOM CARTER Co-Editors Louis Morgan Associate Editor Harvey Cherry, John Singletary Managing Editors Clark Munroe - Feature Editor Mrs. Nancy Lytle Women’s Page Editor Bill Billingsley - Wire Editor T. Nanney Book Editor Alfred Johnston Religious Editor Andy Davis Movie Editor Alan Curry - Circulation Manager Kenneth Marak. Sain Lanford, R. Morales, Frank Welch, C. W. Jennings Staff Cartoonists Chuck Cabaniss Charles Kirkham Editorial Assistants Art Howard Sports Editor Don Engelking Assistant Sports Editor Bob “Sack” Spoede, Bill Potts, Leon Somer, Frank Simmen, Andy Matula, Fred Sommers Sports Reporters Joe Trevino, Hardy Ross Photo Engravers Dave Coslett, Frank Cushing, Tex Fields, Otto Kunze, Buddy Luce, Chuck Maiscl, H. C. Michalak, Marvin Rice, and Eddie Smith Feature Writers Emil Buujcs, George Charlton. A. C. Gollob, Bruce Hagee, R. C. Kolbye, Henry Lacour. Carley Puckitt, Clayton Selph Staff Reporters Bookworm Reports the Latest Books Available in Library The Bookworm reports that the following new books are available in Cushing Library. This list is just part of the shipment. Fiction THE SKY IS' RED by Giuseppe Berto MELISSA, by Taylor Caldwell INTRUDER IN THE DUST, by William Faulkner APE AND ESSENCE, bq A. L. Huxley STORM AND ECHO, by Fred eric Prokosch THE YOUNG LIONS, by Irwin Shaw SHANNON’S WAY, by A. J. Cronin THE CHOCOLATE COBWEB, by Charlotte Armstrong ROANOKE HUNDRED, by In- glis Fletcher THE FURIES, by Niven Busch THE WINE OF ASTONISH MENT, by Martha Gellhorn THE HOLLOW NEEDLE, by G. H. Coxe Non-Fiction CHAPLIN, LAST OF THE CLOWNS, by Parker Tyler MAIN STREET MERCHANT; THE STORY OF THE J. C. PEN NEY COMPANY, by Norman Bea sley THE WHIMSEY REPORT; OR SEX ISN’T EVERYTHING, by Parke Cummings RECORDS FOR THE MIL LIONS, by Paul Whiteman FAMILY CIRCLE, Cornelia Otis Skinner HATE, HOPE AND HIGH EX PLOSIVES, A REPORT ON THE MIDDLE EAST, by George Field ing Eliot ZULU WOMAN; HER AUTO BIOGRAPHY, by Christina Sibiya WESTWARD HA!, by S. J. Perelman AN APPROVED HISTORY OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES, by W. M. Henry TOWARD AN UNKNOWN STATION, Allan Lyon TOLSTOY AS I KNEW HIM, by T. A. Kuzminskaia ‘ I’LL NEVER GO BACK; A RED ARMY OFFICER TALKS, by Mik hail Koriakov Between the Bookends Irving Stone’s Novel Shows Different Picture of Debs By Herman C. Gollob ADVERSARY IN THE HOUSE By Irving Stone; Doubleday & Co., 1947. As far back as I can remember, the name Eugene V. Debs has been one to link with ignominy. Car loads of vituperation have been heaped upon this notorious labor leader who incurred the hate of so many while striving to better the cause of the laboring class. At last a distinguished author, Irvin Stone, has stepped up with a biographical novel that will be interpreted perhaps as “radical” by those who have scanned the pages of their history books and remember Debs as the founder and leader of the Socialist Party, and the man who served a jail sentence on the charge of contempt of court in the Pullman case. For this is a sympathetic presentation of Debs: champion of the working man, sensitive, intelligent, tirelessly un selfish, a man who endured an in exorable grind for the sake of a thankless task which made him one of the most controversial and scorned figures of the twentieth century. In Adversary In The House, Ir ving Stone has once more display ed the literary finesse which has made him a high priest in the literary house of worship. This is not Stone’s first venture into the biographical field. He has also ad apted into novel form the lives of Jack London, Clarence Darrow, and Vincent van Gogh. Official Notices Agricultural School All agricultural students who had com pleted 64 hours or more of work at’ the beginning of the current semester must have their degree plans completed before registration. Assignment cards will not be approved at registration unless accom panied by the student’s copy of his degree plan. Students who have not completed these plans should contact the head of their major department immediately. CHAS. N. SHEPARDSON Dean of Agriculture The emotional contagion which Stone injects into each of his char acters is remarkable and admir able. They become real, ialive, downright human. Gloria Weston; Deb’s childhood sweetheart, fresh, • • vibrant, understanding, who real ized that she would be of only sec ondary importance in Gene’s busy unhappy life which was dominated by his unquenchable desire to help his fellow workers; Kate Metzel, cool, possessed, dominating, a wo man whose character was almost the direct antithesis of Gene’s, but who married him and became his “adversary in the house”; Theo, Gene’s brother, doggedly loyal, who was Gene’s only source of companionship during the most try ing periods of his life. These and the rest of Stone’s characters become part of us—we love with them, hate with them, laugh with them, and cry with them. And a most unusual feature of Adversary In The House is the fact that it is a clean book from cover to cover. Stone seems to be one of the few authors who do not have to appeal to the “goatish disposi tions” of the reading public to make his novels best sellers. His loves scenes are void of sex, seduc tion, and lust, remaining neverthe less tender and memorable. So those of you who feel the “radical” blood teeming in your undisciplined veins may slip into the nearest book store, purchase Adversary In The House, surrep titiously return it home, and, in the wee hours of the morning, when the more “reactionary” among us are fast asleep, read an account of Eugene V. Debs that you won’t find in your history books. SWISS PARCEL POST HELD UP BERN, Switzerland—hP)— Par cel post from Switzerland to the Russian zone of Germany and all sectors of Berlin has been sus pended indefinitely as a result of “transport difficulties,” the Swiss post office says. PALACE Bryan 2‘8879 Tues. - Wed. - Thurs. Fri. - Sat. 'starring Lana Turner Gene Kelly June Allyson 1 Van Heflin "Angela Lansbury g Frank Morgan • Vincent Price • Keenan Wynn Mn Sutton • Gig Voiing ■ ROBERT ARMEY ’ DixecteltfyfiEORfiE SIDNEY ♦ Produced by PANDRO S. BERjqil • a metro.goidwynomYE?piou*" 1 Sticking My Neck Out Rain Soaked, MoonDrenched Flag Not An Enviable Thing By BILL BILLINGSLEY During these false-spring days the front view of the Academic Building is a rather inspiring sight. Students scurry in and out of the stolid old main building, the sun shines brilliantly on the green grass, and the colors on the old- area flag pole flutter in the breeze. Then comes the night. N o longer do the students go in and out of the Academic Build ing; the sun goes down and the moon rises, but the flag still flutters on the flag pole. This is—to be blunt about it— a sad situation. Here we are, with the leading military school in the Southwest, possessor of one of the Army’s highest military effi ciency ratings; with a Student body made up of people who should have unlimited pride in our na tional emblem; and we treat our flag in the school’s most visited area like a neglected bed sheet on a laundry rack. This column doesn’t suggest an armed squad to raise and lower the flag. We don’t even suggest having the minimum military cere mony of a flag detail. But we do suggest that some regularly appointed person or group sees that the flag is raised and lowered in a respectful man ner and not left hanging out all night to share the top of the flag pole with barber shop signs, “Beat Slippery Rock” banners, and other flotsam and jetsam that frequent ly works its way to the' top of the class of ’39’s gift. We have a full complement of non-commissioned army regulars on the campus and some 3,000 military cadets who are familiar with courtesies toward the flag. Does it seem too unreasonable or overburdening to have a regularly listed two or three man cadet de tail, headed by an enlisted army regular, to attend the flag daily? Free Laundry Service Offered For Week at Aggie Radio Shop By GEORGE CHARLTON Laundry problems can be solved the easy way for those who go to the Aggie Radio and Appliance Company at North Gate before next Thursday. An offer was extended by the company to do anyone’s laundry in the store’s new Westinghouse laun dromat washer and dryer for dem onstration until next Thursday night. At that time the store will have completed its first week of business. Last Wednesday night the com pany held its “grand opening” in an openhouse sort of atmosphere where people could meander in and out of the store, look freely over the displayed stock, and get a good look at the fancy interior. Persons attending the opening found a modern-like store with a huge glass plate window, a color ful decorated show room, and a few products and equipment com paratively new to this area. Walls of the store are green, and rugs are gray. Four sound proof record booths decorated with lime colored up holstery on walls and geats are off from the main show room; two of them are open, and two closed-in with glass. The acoustics of the open booths are such that a person can stand ten feet away from the record player and not hear the record. If he moves in a few feet closer, he can clearly hear the record. A radio console room, decorated as the modern living room should be, includes among its other stock a Westinghouse television set. Among all this decoration is the stock—radios, electric toasters, wafle makers, electric lamps, elec tric razors, juice mats, ice crush ers, Hoover units, refrigerators, records, electric clocks, freezing units, electric stoves and gas stoves. One bar-like booth is devoteif en tirely to selling records, albums, needles, and stands. Albums every where from “Boogie Woogie” by Freddie Slack to “Bugs Bunny Stories For Children” are sold. Classic albums of symphonies with unspellable titles by artists with unpronouncable names are also in cluded at the “bar.” / v Horticuturists To Offer New Courses The Department of Horticulture announced today that four new courses in vegetable crops will be offered during the next. year. According to Dr. G. W. Adriance head of the department, this move now makes it possible for a stu dent to specialize in one of three fields of horticulture: vegetable crops, pomology, or food process ing. Two of the new courses will be offered next semester. They are Horticulture 322, Spring and Sum mer Vegetables, 3 credits; and Horticulture 434, Grading, Pack ing and Shipping Vegetables, 3 credits. H. C. Mohr, Assistant Pro fessor of Horticulture, will teach both courses. Horticulture 321, Fall and Win ter Vegetables, and Horticulture 432, Structure and Classification of Vegetables, will be offered for the first time next fall semester, Adriance said. The first courses in fruit pro duction and in fruit and vegetable processing, Horticulture 319 and Horticulture 312, will also be of fered in the spring semester of 1949, for the benefit of students who may desire to begin work in either field, Adriance added. This minute respect to the flag may seem like a minor detail. Phy sically it is. Morally and emotion ally it is not. Others seeing our current dis interest in the flag must be poorly impressed. We, who owe so much to what our flag represents, should not be too proud of the attitude either. Granting that they had a few more difficulties, we should ait least try to keep up with the five Marines who stormed up Suribachi with the gas-pipe flagstaff in their hands. Even they didn’t leave their flag out all night. of (Ehis “Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right, hand of God.” Col. 3:1b. Amid a flood of newspaper head lines about international and na- ; tional trouble, of wars and near wars, of strikes, and murders, modern man becomes discouraged when he asks himself, “How is the outlook?” But with only one direct look at God he may reply, “The outlook is dark bu the uplook is wonderful.” There is a need for each of us to look up and out until we see God. Tues. & Wed. ^Angel ON THE JiHAlOl GEORGE BRENUVERA RALSTON AflERNE’GORSTANJE A REPUBLIC PICTURE One Day Only TUESDAY iPresenting the World's Greatest^ Array of Musical Artists | TODAY & WED. FIRST RUN BRYAN - COLLEGE —Features Start— 1:35 - 3:15 - 5:00 - 6:40 - 8:20 10:00 ROBERT MITCHUM BARBARA BEL GEDDES ROBERT PRESTON in 111! BN THE MOON if , BKO-RADIO P.clw. Plus Special Showing of the A&M vs. Rice Football Game of 1940 See Kimbrough, Pugh, Robnett Thomason in Action —Also — CARTOON — NEWS Thurs. - Fri. - Sat. Wallace Beery Warner Baxter Mickey Rooney —in— “Slave Ship” A Re-release Plus Showing of the A&M vs. Rice Football Game of 1940 ALSO — CARTOON - NEWS See . . . ART HARNDEN A. & M. Student —in— THE OLYMPIC GAMES Coming — to GUOIN HALL THREE DAYS Starting Tomorrow For the first time—tn Safer by TECHNICOLOR! * Y ^ Narrafed by TED ny» A J. Arthur RANK PRESENTATION AN EAGLE LION FILMS RELEASE Advance Tickets On Sale at Guion Hall and Student Activities Office. Reserve Your Seat TODAY