Battalion
EDITORIALS
Page 2 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1949
"Soldier, Statesman, Knightly Gentleman"
Lawrence Sullivan Ross, Founder of Aggie Traditions
The Recession Is Here . ..
Despite the cheerful denials of big
business, the national news magazines and
the nation’s used car dealers, our country
seems to have entered the headwaters of
an economic recession.
To be sure, the price break is nothing
like the fearfully destructive bust era of
1929. We hope our economists learned
enough in that school of bitter experience
to prevent a recurrence of those times.
But nevertheless, the signs of “tighter
times” are all around us. That delicate in
dicator of prosperity, the night club busi
ness, has fallen off perceptibly during
the last two months. Used car prices have
been lowered, not only once, but several
times. Customer-enticing sales projects
are reappearing in retail windows and the
“Customer is always right” is replacing
“If you don’t like it we’ll sell it to some
one else” as the sales watchword.
And most important of all to us, jobs
are no longer as easy to obtain as they
once were. Recent graduates tell us they
have been greeted with “We aren’t hiring,
we’re firing” when they approached busi-
Charity or Politics? . . .
The Veterans Affairs Committee in
the House of Representatives approved a
World War I and II pension bill the other
day and it now goes to the floor of Con
gress for decision.
The measure is American Legion-spon
sored and John Rankin-guided, which
does not speak too highly for it. The Le
gion often lobbies for special privileges
without any consideration for the nation
as a whole. Representative Rankin’s re
cord needs no explanation.
Aside from personalities, we ponder.,
the advisability of a pension bill which
would pay every veteran of both world
wars $90 a month at the age of 65. Of
course the veterans make up a powerful
force in the political scene but they should
not be kowtowed to so shamelessly and
expensively.
The veterans did their duty when the
nation needed them and they deserve fair
treatment but this $90 on a silver platter
at the expense of the rest of the country
The Passing Parade . . .
The red-tinged, Bulgarian Fourth Es
tate seems to be committing the cardinal
journalistic sin of creating news:
The communist-dominated press for
the third successive day printed a pur
ported confession today of one of the 15
protestant church leaders facing trial Fri
day on charges of treason, espionage and
black market money dealings.
The latest was attributed to Georgi
Chernev ,head of the Pentecost Church in
★
We have lost all our interest in So
cialism since it was explained that it
meant work for everybody.
ness houses for jobs. One such degree
holder told us that after half a dozen re
buffs he stopped demanding a minimum
wage and began just asking for a job.
What does this mean to us, the students
who will soon graduate and begin our own
job search? It means simply that there
are now fewer jobs, and employers can
be, and will be, more demanding.
With fewer positions to go around, we
must of necessity be better qualified than
the men we compete with. The place and
time to improve is here and now.
When we choose our subjects for
study, we must choose them more wisely.
When we study, our study must be more
intense. And to pass the pack, we must
learn to dig out information for ourselves.
In the post-boom battle for jobs, it will be
that extra kick that takes the position.
As yet, there is no “Early Thirties”
depression approaching. But we are en
tering a definite belt-tightening period.
We must correspondingly tighten our
educational armor.
is beyond fairness.
Perhaps a measure providing $90 a
month for destitute and needy veterans
after 65 would be in order. However to
dole that sum to all is to invite economic
hardship into the home of the distracted
taxpayer.
Supposing that six million veterans out
of our entire population reached the age
of 65 at one time, the poor taxpayer would
have to come across with about five bil
lion dollars a year. And of course the
pension would spread out for a long, long
time.
A few Civil War veterans are still
drawing it down for 1865.
A just and equitable bill must be sub
stituted for the $90 a month plan or a
greaj segment of the American people
will be tempted at some tax-heavy future
date to take off for the. Matto Grosso or
the Australian Dust Bowl, there to scrimp
by until the legislators catch up with them
again.
Bulgaria. Others printed over the week
end came, the papers said, from Yanko
Invanov, supervisor of Methodist churches
and Vassil Ziapokov, congregational
church leader.
Its downright amazing how much sin
has come to light in Bulgaria since the
Reds have come in. Reminds us of the
skunk who said he was being discriminat
ed against because ever since his arrival
the normally sanitary rabbit burrow had
been smelling like the dickens.
★
A speaker wants to know when “the
taxpayer will be relieved?” Not later than
December 15.
★
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
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talion is published tri-weekly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Subscription rate $4.30 per school
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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, 1870.
Member or
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News contributions may be made by telephone i >1-5444) or at the editorial office, Room 201,
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Office, Room 209, Goodwin Hall.
KENNETH BOND, TOM CARTER Co-Editora
—SEE LEAD EDITOKIAI^-
MOPT/XUE'S
“None of these engineering graduates can make change without
a slide rule!”
The Understanding Heart . . .
Woman Poses Lover-Friend
Dilemma to Batt Sociologist
By DR. CARROLL C. TRAIL,
D.D.T., Battalion Sociologist
Dear Dr. Trail:
I have a problem which will tax
even you. Last Saturday night I
was out on a date with my boy
friend, and in the course of the
evening, he proposed marriage. Of
course, I refused by telling him “I
needed time to think it over,” so
I could formulate a tactful way
of refusing him.
I can’t understand how he ever
got the idea of proposing in the
first place. Never in the twelve
years that we have been going
steady have I given any indication
of being anything more than a
dear friend.
And I want to remain his friend,
but I’m afraid that if I refuse to
marry him, he will break off our
relationship. Ours has been a great
friendship and we have had some
swell times together: quite often
we hop in his Cadillac and go
down to his beach house, or go
for a cruise on his yacht, or per
haps fly to Vienna in the spring.
Yes, we’re great friends, and I’d
like to keep it that way.
Can you suggest a tactful means
of refusing him?
A LITTLE PAL
Answer: Madam, your problem
is not uncommon, I betray my sex
when I say that men are head
strong and- quite often unreason
able. Many of us headstrong un-
reasonables become too serious in
our love life and think that a
young girl’s innocent flirtation is
an invitation to marriage.
Your boy friend has jumped to
the unfounded conclusion that you
are in love with him. And for you
to come out and bluntly tell him
that you are not would be disas
trous. Frustrated lovers so often
Bell County Picks
Duchess Selectors
A committee of three to select
a duchess representing the Bell
County Club at the Cotton Ball
and Pageant was appointed at the
last meeting of the Bell County
Aggies.
Leo Mikeska, M. T. Sheppard,
and George Marks will select a
young lady to represent the club.
Any member who wants to enter a
girl as candidate for duchess should
leave her photograph with Ben
Oliver in Room 78 Leggett, Oliver
announced.
Maj. Cowan to Talk
On Atomic Physics
Major Alvan E. Cowan will give
a lecture on the “Elements of
Atomic Physics,” Thursday night
at 7:30 in the Physics Lecture
Room, Lt. Col. William S. McEl-
henny, Executive Officer of the
Military Department, announced
yesterday.
Maj. Cowan was formerly in the
G-2 section of the Fourth Army,
and served in the European Thea
ter during the war. He is now at
tending Texas University studying
courses in advanced physics.
“As one of the outstanding
speakers in the Army, Cowan is
well versed on this subject and
presents a lecture that can be
understood by all,” McElhenny
said.
TODAY thru WED.
lose their heads and do things of
which they would never think,
(anything to avoid a dangling pre
position) if they were in a more
rational mood. I am thinking of
one young man, spurned by the
girl of his dreams, who decided to
end it all and drank a cup of Sbisa
coffee.
But of course, there are several
ways out of your problem. If his
father is a widower, maybe you
could marry him, and then your
boy friend would think of you only
as a mother to him.
Or, if this plan doesn’t work,
you could take a dose of Sbisa
coffee, or some other form of cy
anide, and he would never know
you really didn’t love him. He
would always remember you as his
true-love.
And that, madam, is my advice
to you.
Army Needs 11,000
2nd Lieutenants
The army still needs at least
11,000 second lieutenants, accord
ing to a release from Col. Oscar B.
Abbott, executive officer of the
Texas Military District. .
Officers in other grades can be
used in the Medical, Dental, Vet
erinary and Nurse Corps, and the
Army also has places for first
lieutenants qualified' for duty as
chaplains or judge advocates, Col.
Abbott said.
Volunteers for long-term service
in the higher grades have filled
current officer requirements, and
extended active duty tours are no
longer available for Reserve and
National Guard officers in higher
grades, except for a small number
of technically trained men needed
to replace officers leaving the
army.
The army reported that on No
vember 30, 67,162 officers were
on active duty, but estimated that
this number has increased since
that date.
of This
“One body . . . one Spirit . . .
one hope . . . one Lord, one
faith. Eph. 4:1-8.
Whatever might be the name of
your church, let us remember that
we are all a part of the greatest
organization on the face of the
world, the church of the living God.
If a person were to try to make a
trip he might find several paths
along which to travel and still
reach the same goal. In working
for the Lord, let us remember that
we are all trying to reach the same
goal. So, let’s put aside all hate
and scorn and all pull together.
TODAY
BIG PUNCH
WAYNE MORRIS
LOIS MAXWELL
GORDON MacRAE
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Louis Morgan Associate Editor
Bill Billingsley Wire Editor
Harvey Cherry, Art Howard, Otto Kunze,
John Singletary Managing Editors
Chuck Cabaniss, Charles Kirkham,
Mack Nolen Editorial Assistants
Emil Bunjes, A. C. Gollob, R. C. Kolbye, Henry
Lacour, Carley Puckitt, Clayton Selph, Marvin
Brown Staff Reporters
Joe Trevino, Hardy Ross Photo Engravers
Clark Munroe Feature Editor
Dave Coslett, Frank Cushing, George Charlton,
Buddy Luce, Chuck Maisel, H. C. Michalak,
Marvin Rice, Carroll Trail Feature Writers
Bob “Sack” Spoede, Bill Potts Sports Editors
Leon Somer, Frank Simmen, Andy Matula,
Scotty Swinney, Travis Brock, Ben
Lambkin, Frank Manitzas Sports Reporters
Mrs. Nancy Lytle Women’s Page Editor
Alfred Johnston Religious Editor
Andy Davis Movie Editor
Kenneth Marak, Sam Lanford. R. Morales.
Frank Welch, C. W. Jennings Staff Cartoonists
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Boyle’s Column
Saga of the Pied Piper
Of Ratville’s Crusades
By HAL BOYLE
NEW YORK, —(#)— Once up
on a time there was a young smart
alec rat called Sharpy. Yes, a real
four-legged rat.
One night as Sharpy was nosing
around the nursery of the home
in which he was a non-paying
guest, he came upon a strange
sight.
A little old man only half-a
foot high sat on a footstool bathed
in moonbeams. He was blowing
upon a small reed. And the music
he made was sweet and sad and
wonderful.
Said the little man complacently.
“I’m a Leprechaun—an Irish fairy.
“I heard a baby crying in this
crib, and I though it would put
the poor thing to sleep. You see,
this is a magic reed. When I blow
on it and wish somebody to do
something—why, they just have
to do it.”
“Anything?” asked Sharpy.
“Yes, anything,” said Mac, the
Leprechaun.
Sharpy immediately belted the
fairy in the stomach and grabbed
the reed .He blew upon it and wish
ed: “Get going, Mac.”
The Leprechaun hesitated a sec
ond and then floated up a moon
beam and disappeared, his face
still surprised.
Sharpy ran down to the base
ment and told his family their
troubles were over.
1 So they crept into the cook’s
bedroom. Sharpy piped his tune
and wished for her to get up ahd
put some cheese on the kitchen
floor. She did. The cat came prowl
ing near. Sharpy blew again and
wished: “Stand on your head.”
Up went the cat on its head—
and stayed there.
Overnight Sharpy’s dream of
power grew greater.
He decided — to start with—to
get rid of all the cats, dogs and
people in New York City. Early
the next morning he began the
great rat crusade.
Sharpy transfixed a tax driver
with his magic music, and com-
mandered the cab. He crawled up
on top. As six giant rats held a
megaphone before him, he blew
upon his reed and thought:
“Cats, dogs and humans—^fol
low me!”
And they did. Out from the
Houses, shops and skyscrapers
poured cats, dogs and people, ca
pering together in the streets be
hind Sharpy. Brokers forsook their
ticker tape, bums left the Bowery.
: But when the tremendous mass
of cats, dogs and people reached
the waterfront up spoke a grey,
wise old rat: *
“If you get rid o fall the people,
Who will rule the world?” caution
ed the wise bid rat. “Why we’ll
Arts And Pastimes Filled
Washington’s Entire Life
By GEORGE CHARLTON
George Washington whose birth
day we celebrate today is the most
commemorated and remembered of
the past Americans, but how many
of us actually know how versatile
our first president was?
Washington is remembered pri
marily as the great American sol
dier and statesman. We probably
overlook that he was a scientific
farmer, a boxer, a scholar, and an
inventor.
As a scientific farmer he experi
mented widely with various ferti
lizers, often mixing them himself,
and practiced crop rotation to bal
ance his farm program. He desired
to leave his land in better shape
than he had found it. By scientific
breeding he improved his livestock
so much that he doubled the wool
production of his flock of sheep
and greatly increased the milk
production of his cows. He also
branded all his cattle and mules.
In the role of an inventor, he
designed and improved the plow
and invented what he called a
“barrel plow,” a crude, but work
able grain drill for sowing peas
and small grain.
But basically Washington was a
scholar. He was familiar with
Shakespeare, Homer, and the oth
er classic writers. He has written
letters which show us his overall
knowledge of many subjects as
well as his clever choice of words
in expressing himself.
Naturally most of the biograph
ies dealing with Washington’s life
emphasize his prowess as a soldier.
And well they may, for his New
Jersey campaign was proclaimed
by such men as Frederick the
Great as the most brilliant of the
century.
One hundred and sixty-eight
years ago a group of his friends
and former officers met and first
celebrated Washington’s birthday.
Then Virginia society began
the custom of celebrating the
occasion with balls and dances.
The custom spread rapidly and
by the time of his death, Wash
ington’s birthday was being ob
served throughout the nation.
The holiday became official when
on December 30, 1799, both the
houses of Congress passed a res
olution that the people should
come together and celebrate his
birthday “in such members and
manners as may be convenient.”
Congress commemorated the
name of Washington for us but it
took a German almanac published
in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to be
stow upon our first president the
title by which we know him best—
“The Father of Our Country.”
have to—the rats. And do you
know what that means? It means
that in time rats will become tame
—like people? We’ll have to worlj
for a living. Do we want that?”
Sharpy hesitated. But the lust
for power was strong in him. He
raised the reed to blow again. In
stantly the wise old rat snatched
the magic instrument from his
paws, broke it in half, and threw
it on the ground.
That broke the spell. The rats
ran for the nearest holes. The cats
began to chase the rats. The bark
ing dogs began to chase the cats.
The people started to run after
their dogs.
Moral: Nobody wins in a rat
race.
Tech Schools Open
For AF Reserves
Air Reservists under the juris
diction of the 2591st AFRTC have
r been requested to inform the head
quarters if they desire to attend
technical or service schools be
tween July 1, 1949 and June 30,
1950, W. S. McCulley, AF repre
sentative, has announced.
Reservists who plan to drop out
of school during the fall semester
because of curriculum changes will
have an opportunity to renew and
extend their training during the
time they are not in school.
Applications for the course must
be submitted in time to reach the
2591st AFRTC, Ellington Air
Force Base not later than next
Sunday.
Reservists desiring more com*
plete information about Technical
and Service School courses may oh
tain it from W. S. McCulley, AF
Liaison Representative, Room 220,
Academic Building.
TODAY thru WED.
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CHALLENGE
OF THE LAST
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mTXaCOW/Z.
starring ROD CAMERON
ILONA MASSEY |
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WARNER BAXTER
INGRID BERGMAN
SUSAN HAYWARD
Love knows no mercy when
two women fight for the love
of five men!
“ADAM HAD
FOUR SONS”
Re-release
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