NEWS In Brief SECOND BLAST ROCKS NEW JERSEY COMMUNITY KEARNEY, N. J. Feb. 16 —UP) A noon hour explosion in the sprawling Koppers coke plant yes terday rocked nearby communit ies and was felt in New York City across the Hudson river. The blast, which occurred in a one-story chemical experimental building, injured two workmen. One Was injured critically. The impact of the explosion brought crowds from buildings into the street in Jersey City, a mile away. In Manhattan windows were shaken in office buildings. Company officials said two part ly-filled 2,000 gallon vats of liquid hydrogen cyanide exploded. The two men injured were the only persons in the building at the time. Damage was estimated by the company at $5,000 to $10,000. Ten persons were killed at the plant last May in an explosion. The Koppers explosion was the second blast in New Jersey today. Earlier, a large oil storage tank at the American Oil Co., at Car teret, was burned after gasoline in a tank truck exploded. No one • was injured. The Koppers Company manufac tures coke and illuminating gas. LOCAL ENTERTAINERS TO BE BARRED ON DALLAS STAGE DALLAS, Feb. 16 —(#)— Local entertainers have been banned from I the Majestic Theater stage here tonight while motion picture ac-1 tors from Hollywood perform for the world premiere of “Bad Boy.” The ban was imposed by the American Guild of Variety Artists. This notification was sent to Carl “Pappy” Dolsen, owner of Pappy’s Showland, who is staging the presentation of personalities at the premiere. The ban will be lifted immediat- »ly if the Hollywood actors, all members of the Screen Actors Guild, will join the AGVA. Interstate Theater officials said the demand has been appealed to the national office of the AGVA. The Hollywood stars, including Lloyd Nolan, Jane Wyatt, Stanley Clements, Martha Vickers and Jimmy Lyndon who appear in the film, were scheduled to arrive in Dallas this morning. The night club entertainers be longing to AGVA were to be paid regular fees for their services. Premier of “Bad Boy” is to bene fit Variety Clubs International and particularly the Dallas tent which supports boys ranch at Copperas Cove, Tex., locale of the picture. Library 30 battalions Battalion PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF A GREATER A&M COLLEGE Volume 48 COLLEGE STATION (Aggielaud), TEXAS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16,1949 Number 125 ; I)o You Know A&M?’ i— ■ —i m ' I IP '2 i fc ' h mmwi ' Mm ^ , by-/; iyfy k j c iM* y / - •< r WMsi m m ' - $!m, v , t >' HOUSE COMMITTEE APPROVE VETERAN PENSION MEASURE ■ WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 —Cf>)— The House Veterans Committee yesterday approved a bill provid ing $90 a month pensions for vet erans of world wars 1 and 2 at the age of 65. The committee’s measure was a compromise of a proposal by chair man Rankin (D-Miss) to start $60 a month pensions at the age of 60. The bill also sets up pensions for non-service connected disabil ities ranging from $20 a month to $90 for total disability, and $120 when an attendant is required. The Truman Administration pre viously had indicated it opposed the pension moves. Veterans Ad ministrator Carl R. Gray, Jr., esti mated that the cost would be around $2,000,000,000 the first year and said costs would go up annually thereafter. TEXAS CITY EXPLOSION BLAMED ON GAS LEAK WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 —(A>)_ The Bureau of Mines today blam ed a break in a high pressure pipe line for a Texas disaster last Oct. 18 that killed seven and injured 14. It said a break in a three-inch line at Texas City probably loosed a cloud of gas which was ignited, causing the explosions and fh-e. (The accident occurred almost a year and a half after a waterfront explosion killed at least 500 per sons at Texas City in April 1947.) The Eyes Have It Observant Aggies Provide Opportunity To Win Prizes By FRANK CUSHING Hey, Aggie, are you pretty fa miliar with the campus you live on? Do you feel that you’ve spent enough time around this place to know every brick? You might be justified in your confidence, and then again you might be surprised at some of the architectural tidbits around (A&M which you’ve never noticed. Just to see how observant ’ you are of your surroundings, the Bat talion today is instituting a “So You Know A&M?” Contest. The rules are easy. All you have to furnish is some information and a small amount of your time to fill oyt the entrance form. The prizes involved should give you plenty of incentive. The “So You Know A&M” se ries will consist of some twenty- odd pictures, odd in view as well as numbers. The photos will be similar to the one of the weather vane in this issue. The subject may be a roof of a building, a lawn ornament, or a segment of a building’s decorations. You will swear that some of the items were snapped at the fa mous forty acres, but all things pictured are in, or on, Aggie- land. A blank like the one on page four will be printed at the first of each week for your convenience. Just tear the form out and save it. As the pictui’es are carried throughout the week, write down in the designated space what you believe the subject is, and where it is located. When you have completed your weekly blank, turn it in to the Battalion office at 201 Goodwin. The finished form must be in by noon Sunday of each week in or der to make you eligible. If you misplace your blank, you can make your own. However be certain that you have given the printing day of each picture you have named. Be sure that you sub mit your entry prior to the Sunday deadline. The week’s pictures will be cor rectly tagged on the following Monday. The process will be con tinued until the closing of the con- “FRIENDLY CITY” HAS NEW TAXICAB STRIKE PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 16 —4A>) A taxicab strike on top of a five day walkout of subway, bus and trolley workers left Philadelphia’s millions virtually without public transportation yesterday. Scattered fist fights marked the start of the unexpected cab tie-up. Taxi union leaders had postponed a strike 54 hours until today. But rank and file drivers of Yellow Cab Company quit work anyway at midnight. Complete paralysis of the city’s transportation system was averted by the Pennsylvania and Reading Railroads which operated record numbers of shuttle trains from suburban areas. WEATHER East Texas — Partly cloudy north to cloudy south portion this afternoon, tonight and Thursday. Not much change in t e m p e r a t u re. Moderate mostly northerly winds on coast. Louis i a n a — Mostly cloudy, c o o 1 er extreme southeast portion this afternoon and tonight. Thursday partly cloudy. Moderate temperatures. Gentle to moderate northerly winds on the coast. test. Although, there will be week ly winners announced, there will be no prizes awarded to them. The final winners will be determined according to the highest total of correct captions for the entire contest. Prizes that have been donated by “The Cave” and “The Cam pus Corner” will be awarded to those individuals who can prove that they really do know A&M. The first prize, given to the most observant Aggie, will be an Evans “Boot Lighter.” This boon to smokers consists of a standard Evans lighter skillfully worked into a silver-plated cow boy boot. The decorative boot is five inches tall and is affixed to a colorful, plastic platform. A “Panda” camera, the latest product of the Ansco Company will be given to the student who places second in the pictorial quiz. This nationally advertised 620mm camera is the conveniently small size of 2 1 / i inches square. The third place winner will re ceive an Evans pocket lighter. The small edition of a flame thrower has a handsome seal of A&M at tached. To begin your bid for either the camera, “Boot” or pocket lighter take a long look at the photo of the weather vane. No doubt the cow poke attempting to stay with his activated horse looks familiar to you, but just exactly where is that wind indi cator located? When you are sure you know, write it in Wed nesday’s space. Provided you’ve named the correct locale, you’ve gotten a good start toward a prize. Some of the views taken by the cooperative cameramen will prob ably look like modern art to you, but don’t be discouraged. With a slight strain upon your eye or memory you should be able to carry off first place honors. College Station Churches Plan Prayer Services, Singing, Talks Services have been scheduled for 7:15 tonight in the | Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, and Episcopalian Churches of College Station as the third day of Religious churches. Services have also been scheduled by the Church Emphasis ends. Speakers from all parts of nation are serv- of Christ and the Hillel Foundation, ing as guest speakers at the various services. G. Willard Collins of Nashville, Tennessee, will speak Services have been scheduled for the Lutheran, Christian, I at the Church of Christ oi> “The Power of Singing.” Mr. Collins will point out that there Senior Committee Sets New Regulations For Aggie Ring By CHARLES KIRKHAM “Any student who lacks not more than eight hours of having com pleted the number of hours re quired through the junior year of his curriculum and who has earn ed an equal number of grade points may purchase the A&M ring as soon as the Registrar’s Office has officially posted all grades.” This was the unanimous decision of the Senior Ring Committee yesterday. All grades for the recently com pleted fall-semester will be posted shortly after March 1, Registrar H. L. Heaton told the Committee. He also said that official postings of grades for the present semester would be made in mid-August. After March 1, second semester juniors may order their Senior Rings but delivery will not be made until they have satisfied the re quirements in the newly adopted rule. The new rule means that a man whose major subject requir ed 108 hours for senior classifi- BURMA FIGHTING CONTINUES RANGOON, Burma, Feb. 16 — CP)—Fighting continued Tuesday in the town of Insein, despite offi cial reports of a retreat by Karen Rebels. Corps Donates $1,924.05 To March of Dimes The A&M Cadet Corp pre sented $1,924.05 to the March of Dimes today. The money was contributed by corps members Saturday night at the Military Ball. The money was contributed in conformance with a resolution ini tiated by George Edwards and passed by the Senior Class that the money which would have been spent on corsages for dates be contributed to the March of Dimes. A check for the amount was pre sented to Mrs. R. W. Stanford, chairman of the Brazos County March of Dimes, at the First Na tional Bank today on behalf of the class by Edwards, Murry Cox, and Charles Glass. The amount to be contributed by each student was $2 Edwards said. When asked how the five cents got in the pot, Edwards said that they were trying to figure that one out themselves. Masons of College, Bryan Plan Dinner Sul Ross Masonic Lodge, No. 1300, and Brazos Union Masonic Lodge, No 129, of Bryan will hold a joint banquet to honor George Washington’s birthday Wednesday February 23, in Sbisa Hall. Principal speaker at the banquet will be James W. McClendon, past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Texas. Masonic delegations from neigh boring lodges will also attend the banquet, according to C. K. Leigh ton, Deputy Grand Master of the 29th Masonic District of Texas. cation could order his Senior Ring upon completion of 100 hours and 100 grade points. De livery of his ring would be made upon its arrival at the Regis trar’s Office. The schedule showing required number of hours and grade points to order and receive Senior Rings will appear in tomorrow’s Batta lion. Students who have ordered rings and can qualify under the new system may receive their rings from the Registrar’s Office im mediately. All students qualifying under the new system but who have not ordered may order im mediately. Men in the second se mester of their junior year whose qualification for receiving their ring depends on the official post ing of grades March 1 may order immediately and then receive their ring in time for the Senior Ring Dance to be held April 22. The Registrar’s Office announ ced that Senior Ring orders were mailed to the company manufac turing the ring only on the first day of each month. One month is generally required for the ring to be made and sent to the Regis trar’s Office. “If there is sufficient demand on the part of the estimated 700 students graduating next Jan uary to hold a Senior Ring Dance during the fall semester, (the office of) Student Activities will do its best to give them a dance” stated- W. L. Penberthy, Dean of Aggie Players Begin Casting Modern Drama For the first time in sever al seasons the Aggie Players will produce a modern, sophi sticated comedy, George Dill- avou, director of the Players, said today. Period costume plays have pre dominated the Players’ productions in the past. The play is “The Play’s The Thing.” Dillavou saw it on broad- way while attending Columbia Uni versity last summer. This play is one which I think will appeal to every Aggie on the campus, he said. The play has just recently been released for amateur production and the Players will be one of the first college groups to produce it, Dillavou added. Try-outs for parts in the play will be held in the Assembly Hall Thursday and Friday from 4:30 to 6 and from 7 to 8 each evening. Dillavou said that those who thought they lacked talent should not hesitate from trying out for a part. “I will try to teach you,” he said. Student’s wives and the townspeople as well as veterans and Corps members are eligible to try for parts. Information concerning the play may be obtained from J. Howard Davis in Hart Hall or John W. Laufenberg in Dorm 12. Alec Templeton to Present Early Show Here Monday MISS LOU PROTHRO, of Dallas, is one of this year’s Vanity Fair selections. By BUDDY LUCE Town Hall brings new hope to ticket seekers with the addition of a matinee performance for the Alec Templeton show February 21. Before the addition of the mati nee performance, Town Hall had been completely sold out for the season. Spike White, director of Student Activities, announced that 1724 tickets to the Alec Templeton show had been made available by the added matinee. The matinee performance will be held at 3:30 Monday afternoon and will be a lighter type of program than the regular evening show. The tickets are available at the Student Activities Office now. Templeton’s pranks on the piano have been praised far and wide. The ease with which he jestfully plays classical music is justified by his genuine mastery of the classics. The matinee performance Monday will be of the hum orous and modern variety, whereas the evening performance for hold ers of regular Town Hall tickets will take on a slightly heavier air. After a performance in Minnea polis, Templeton was lauded by the Minneapolis Tribune which said, “When Alec Templeton plays, the highbrow and the low brow listen side by side, and, what is more, they love it. Though comedy is present, so also is true musicianship. In short, Alec Templeton, pianist, composer, and one-man opera company, completely won his au dience.” This is the first time that Spike White has been able to talk a Town Hall performer into holding a matinee performance. Classed by many as the “incom parable musical genius,” Alec Templeton is a star of concert, ra dio, motion pictures, theatre, and recordings. Templeton has proved his ver satility on many occasions. He recently played with Spike Jones and the City Slickers in an At lanta, Georgia show. He did a parody on Spike Jones doing a parody. That’s something to stop and think about, maybe similar to amending an amendment to something. The matinee tickets on sale in the Student Activities Office now are $1.20 for non-students and 50 cents for students. Men. This statement was based upon an estimate by John Zinn of the Registrar’s Office made yesterday. Zinn estimated 1000 men would graduate in June, 500 in August, and 700 next January. “This decision of the Ring com mittee does not in any way affect the College’s classification of a Senior. Our decision applies only to the ring,” said E. E. McQuil'len, committee chairman. The College classification system was used by the ring committee as a basis for issuing the Senior Ring before the new system was adopted yester day. Completion of three reason ably successful scholastic years at Texas A&M adequately qualified a man to receive his Senior Ring, the committee felt. In effect, the Committee tossed out the deficiency requirements and the method of figuring the grade-point ratio on the total num ber of hours the student has sign ed up for during his enrollment at A&M. Under the former system there were several men on the campus who have over 130 hom*s but cannot receive their rings. Now under the liberalized system^ these men will be able to receive their ring upon request at the Regis trar’s Office. The Ring Committee voted to require full payment for the ring when it is ordered. This regula tion will not effect many students. Other business included the Committee’s re-statement of its policy regarding lost rings. Men who lose their senior ring and I desire to order alnother must present a signed affidavit to the ring committee. This affidavit must testify that his ring has been lost. Members of the Committee pre sent were A. D. Martin, president of the Sophomore Class, Doyle Avant, president of the Junior Class, Don Kasper, president of the Senior Class, Roy Blanton, so cial secretary of the Senior Class, and Charles Kirkham, President of the Student Senate. Other mem bers present were E. E. McQuillen Chairman, Dick Hervey, W. L. Penberthy, R. G. Perryman, and H. L. Heaton. is power in singing because this is God’s .way of praise; singing is one means of teaching; Christians teach sinners of the Bible through singing; and singing is a way of expressing thanks to God. The College Station Christian Church will have as speakers Dr. Carter Boren and Dr. Woodrow Wassam from the University of Houston. Dr. Wassam will preach tonight at the YMCA, and Tom my Butler will lead the singing. The Hillel Foundation will have as principal speaker Rabbi David Leskowitz Jr., of Shreveport, La. He is slated to talk at the Annex tonight on “Jewish Legacy in Re ligion, Culture, and Contribution to Civilization.” Dr. Reavis of the Baptist Church will speak at one cadet company prayer meeting in Dormitory 7, Room 415 after regular services tonight. His regular sermon is en titled, “Why I am a Christian.” Dr. Trussed will lead the singing. Rev. S. T. Eggkie will preach on “Sacrifice of the Mass” at St. Mary’s Chapel tonight. The Episcopal church has Bis hop Quinn as guest speaker. He will hold Confirmation Services Thursday night in the local church. Rev. C. A. Jackson is the prin cipal speaker for the Methodist Church. His topic is “The Song of Love.” An all church banquet is slated for 6:15 p. m. All Aggies are invited as guests of the church. Donald Jarvis is leading the sing ing for the week. Saddle-Sirloiners Set Date for Ball The Cattleman’s Ball will be held in Sbisa Hall on Saturday, March 19 from 8 p. m. until mid night, Carl Griffing, dance com mittee chairman, announced Tues day. Jesse James and All the Boys will furnish music for the ball, which is sponsored annually by the Saddle and Sirloin Club. The old west bar, one of the feature attractions of the dance, will be stocked with soft drinks. Men are invited to wear western style clothes, while the ladies may wear anything from full-length old fashioned dresses to fancy rodeo clothes, Griffing said. MISS MARGARET MALITZ, a sophomore from SMU, is one of the Vanity Fair favorites.