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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 3, 1950)
The Great Issue Series Is On Trial T HOUGH known by only a few students and faculty members, the Great Issues series this year faced sudden death. Begun at the request of a large number of seniors and veteran students who realized the value of such a program, the course is now enter ing its third year. But this came very near being its final year. Taught only during the Spring semes ter, the course this year faced grave danger until a few weeks ago. Enrollment for the course was promising when it was first offered. This was primar ily a result of those students signing for the course who had made the original request for it. Last year, enrollment dropped to al most half. Letters to The Editor Let’s Do Some Thinking Before We Write From the City Desk For this reason the Executive Council hesitated to allot several thousand dollars for Great Issues this spring. The Council ques tioned the expenditure of such a sum for a E<lito r > The Battalion: express the divine will of the school however the right of a member of , . , ,, , . , , Recently, these columns have and are beyond question, it is time the Class of ’51 to say that Frank course wnicn was apparently not going to be J )een fiPe^ w ith letters to the a few of the artificial props were was in the wrong by questioning utilized by many students. Feeling that it editor, many of which revealed removed. the yell leaders, simply because the u the total lack of serious thought A letter was printed yesterday yell leaders are one class higher should get at least one moie tiy, they voted }3 e f ore being written; others were and w T as signed by 18 members of than Manitzas. to present the course again this year, and sensible answers to legitimate the Class of ’51. A portion of this Without a doubt, there are fresh- yipf»pogciw nnnrnnrintinnq wpto mndp gripes. lettei lead, also any complaints ot iiien ori this campus today who y PP P ,, _ • One of the sensible letters was the Senior Class which Mr. Manit- could offer good advice to seniors Their action will bring nationally known published in yesterday’s Battalion zas may have, he may keep to him- concerning common everyday de- and recognized speakers to our campus again was written by Don Joseph 51 self. Another portion read, . . . cency and the rights of a man to 6 F . A 1 . in answer to ’ " ' " Men who are experts m their Manitzas ’52 Fights Fizzle, Ideas Forgotten By Joel Austin this Spring, fields of endeavor will pass some of their ex perience on to A&M students. Whether Great Issues will be offered another year depends upon the number of persons showing interest in it this year. letter by Frank in which Manitzas voiced objection to our yells during the Baylor Queen presentations. undoubtedly recognize that fact. to them, and attempts by differ- A&M is an institution of higher learning and as such tries to teach students how to think. Thank God We contend that every man, be m0 st of them learn this. But judg- War Threat Complacency Is Dangerous H OW MUCH chance do we stand of avoid ing war with Russia ? College students are not usually pessimistic, but most of us would answer that question with “about as much chance as a snowball in hell.” And that seems to be the accepted idea all over the United States. Tom E. Shearer, president of Parsons College up in Fairfield, Iowa, realized the “inevitable war” attitude of his students, so when school opened in September, he was ready with encouraging criticism. Said President Shearer, “I am shocked to see the complacency and the apparent in difference with which our people everywhere are accepting this threat of total war. Why must we accept World War III as inevitable? We do not need to accept another world war as inevitable. We must not. “Even death, which each of us knows to be absolutely certain for himself, we do not accept without resistance. When disease or injury threatens the,, health of our body, we take all possible measures to preserve that health—to stave off the certain death which wiM, we know, one day overtake us. ■ “But when, as now, the health of our na tion, of our homes, our families, and our very lives are at stake—when all that we hold /K* deair is threatened by this horrible war, we sit back and resign ourselves to this certain death and obliteration and say that war is I*. Behind the Scenes . . . inevitable. “Why, I ask you, why must we be less de termined to stave off this loathsome dis ease of war by every possible means than we are determined to do so when disease by germs strikes our bodies. “This acceptance of the inevitability of another war is the cry of little people who feel that they have no solution. They don’t know the answer. Neither do I. I am little people and I don’t know the answer either. But I am one of those little people who does n’t like to be pushed around. As one of those little people, I hereby offer a challenge to those who, by reason of their high and ex alted position, claim to be big people. To them, you and I must say, “Find a way to stop this awful holocaust while there is still time.” “Fortunately, we can speak to these po litical officeholders in a language they un derstand—votes. We can demand that the candidates for office who expect our votes will have a solution to offer. You and I can expect and, by our votes demand, that those who occupy or aspire to occupy political of fices shall find other and more constructive solutions. If we make that demand strong enough, if we make it clear that we will not be satisfied with war as the only answer, the candidates will certainly exhaust all pos sibilities in finding a peaceful solution.” It’s extremely amusing to us to sit back and recount the many things that have come about since the middle ot sum mer in this small, but active city of College Station Every- v w nl1p opprnc fn p*6t excited over an incident and with till the the Corps would be better off with freedom of speech. But these 18 , , A ma p e + 0 fjcrht for various things, these fights less . . . complaints by underclass- seniors would undoubtedly be the Pledges they make to ngm men about subjects of no concern i as t to recognize that fact. seem to JUS.t tizzle out and he 101 gotten. . , . The item which to us is the most outstanding in this list is that little epic resulting from a mid-night fire which thoroughly destroyed a home in College Hills on the night of July 28. v Fire Call Delayed After careful examination (to our satisfaction anyway) ei icarmu K uns tii u the cause for the local fire department’s delay in answering Lacking this knowledge, these the fire call could be attributed to faulty telephone sei vice ditions of this school. Our beliefs in the wrong by giving yells during me n will always be a thorn in the a t the college power plant. The signal was finally given by are in accordance and complete har- Queen presentation, that is his side of a school that has always, „ i™! nn ] l y l p rnfl , 1 w h n had been radioed from Bryan that nlony with this tradition-as it right. It is not the right of any and we hope will always, had the i 10 ?. aJ P ^ JCN,^ttldprl was originally intended. We believe member of the class of ’51 to say tradition of turning out the best ‘Tie was Dlazing away unailt . in it because there are many good that he can’t believe so. If he be- me n in the world. After the incident was past news, a group 01 people 111 arguments in its favor and we have Keves we should have played the We are not writing this letter to the immediate area of the destroyed home began a campaign been a part of it. Aggie War Hymn, that is his right, chastise any member of the stu- to “see that something was done about fire protection” in Col- But the day a senior sets him- And, it is the right of anyone to dent body. Rather we are writing , Station Thev circulated a petition which bore some self up as a campus “god” and be- give a sensible answer to his ac- it in the hope that more men will Tof , y-u ^ • -ur -r „ +ri rutw fi Alm little rehson before making 100 signatures the night it was presented to the City Coun- The other letter—the one we con- ent parties at changing old tradi sider as totally ill-founded as to tions and customs.” content and showing absolute lack of reasoning and, in places, even he a lowly frog or a member of the i n g from the actions of what we downright ignorance—was also in class of ’80, has a right to express hope is a minority around the cam- reference to the aforementioned his opinion without fear of censor- p U s, we can’t help but believe that letter by Manitzas. ship, or retaliation from his sup- SO me people leave here without Class distinction at A&M is one eriors. ever learning this art. of the oldest and most revered tra- If Manitzas believes that we were it in the hope that more men will lieves that all his actions, as well cusations as was done in the afore- use as his written and spoken words, mentioned sensible letter. Some Things Considered Our Sophomores Need Waking Up It is not such a dogmatic statement as derclassmen have no right to ques- jylggK tion anything said or done by a senior.” Think it over. And as far as Senior Ring wav ing goes, we can do that too. Sid Abernathy ’49 Jerry M. Zuber ’48 cil. By Clayton L. Selph Quit Writing Letters And Get Behind Team Editor, The Battalion: All this “Letters To The Editor plished!? Has it convinced any certain person as to which individ ual or individuals were responsible Gur sophomores certainly are a dynamic lot. They held their election for class officers and student senators Wednes- day night. Two-hundredsixty-three out of an approximte 950 for the events of the past week- voted. We’ve never heard of a group more end? Hell no, it’s merely caused interested in the welfare of their class and dissension among the Twelfth Man. .. . . ffj, . Dissension among the fwelith Man its influence m campus affairs. sure isn’t gonna boost the morale This same 950 will be the very group 0 f our fighting Texas Aggie Elev- who will complain loudest when their Soph en. Ball isn’t up to snuff and when the Student There’s been a lot said on the Senate puts them off in a corner at Kyle subject of class distinction. Thats bt: , , tj -n M • • j 4-u 4. an integral part of the Corps and Field. It will never cross their minds that they are responsible for a considerable part of it. Within the Cadet Corps a sophomore to A&M, regardless of class, is an Selph w vpr ; littia oovTo but in student govern- A ^' ie and a P art of the Twelfth Vy umuu , T 1,- p ^ i has very little say-so, out m stuaeni govern Man _ A s a true Aggie, he should contract terms, samples, etc. For weeeks after this deal ‘Petty GirT Gets Whistle - By FRED WALKER If you are a respected critic of thejlrama, a rigid connoisseur of the-body beautiful or plagued by acute ulcers “The Petty Girl”— showing today and tomorrow at the Campus—won’t do much to improve your temperament, but if you are a normal individual, who suffers no phobias or illusions, this two hours of pure paradoxial entertain ment will prove to be a welcome spa^k. Columbia must have had the Aggies in mind when “The Pet ty iQiiT” was, put into production for rarely has anything been so well received at College Station. Talk about an oasis in a des ert!., For the title role of' George Pet ty, the selection of Robert Cum mings was in no way erroneous. Whether the original Petty lead suchjan “uninhibited” life is unim portant, for all that glimpsed Cum mings’ performance will be unwil ling ];o connect anything but a non chalant, persuasive light-hearted ness with the artists name. Cum mings is an artist himself with dead pan repartee, and his added expressions of chargrin are a riot. As for Miss Caufield—ay, yi, yi! The young ladies’ limbs are no mean example of cheesecake and It embraces nothing more than the adventures of an unsuccessful commercial artist who, while per suaded to change his style to the higher forms of art by a seductive patroness, really yearns for “the good old days.” He meets an old- fashioned schol teacher (Caufield) ment he does have a. voice. Sophomores can t expect to get deep down inside, a big re- a square deal if they aren’t interested enough to present sponsibility and concern toward a their case. great bun,ch of guys who give their Officers elected by a class so little interested in class every football game. All activities can’t be expected tffbe very enthusiastic in their /ofTh e Twelfth £.w«l together as one. That is one of A&M’s; finest traditions. I came a long way to the best school in the world because I felt this way. There was a lot of criticism of various people and classes after last weekend. Maybe 1 some feel jobs. The Sophomore Class officer run-off is scheduled for Monday evening. If you sophomores are at all concerned with the success of your class activities we suggest you make it a point to be there. If you are not interested, then make no complaints when you get a raw deal. Our Letters to The Editor Policies the abbreviated costumes that so whom he proceeds to “un-old-fash- emphatically exhibit these charms ion.” are a wonder to behold. If Miss Caufield’s dramatic ability were to be questioned of the audience of Nov. 2, 99% would probably ask, “She can act yet?” Call this picture a glorified flesh show, cheap advertising, Hollywood burlesque or anything you like, hut to a healthy male of active age (And, brother, do we fit that description), who eternally seeks an outlet from an “unfemalian” outpost, this zany little ditty outsells Hadacol. The plot is not the important ele ment involved and for that reason it will be dealt with in short or der. The picture ends with a pitch ed battle between both females for possession of the middle man, plus the exhibition of 12 lovely Petty Girls. The music is not the best ever written, but it remains pleasant and refreshing throughout. Lyric writer Johnny Mercer is as good as ever. Elsa Lancaster is thoroughly de lighted as the semi-old maid school- marm and Melvin Cooper is his usually reliable self. The screen play, based on a story by Mary McCarthy, is not too good, but it breaks forth with many sharp cracks when they are needed most. Today’s “Letter to The Editor” marks the second time this, week comment expressed by a member of The Battalion staff has appear ed in that column. Because we have heard several questioning re marks about Batt staffers writing letters to the editor, we feel an explanation of our policy and of the purpose of the letters column have any questions concerning our to discuss a letter with its author before publication if we think its contents harmful to him or to oth ers. Names will he withheld from let ters only if the writer requests it in person and gives what we think is sufficient reason for doing so. We urge you to contact us if you The Battalion Page 2 Lawrence Sullivan Ross, Founder of Aggie Traditions ’’Soldier, Statesman, Knightly Gentleman” FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1950 The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, is published five times a week during the regular school year. During the summer terms, The Battalion is published four-times a week, and during examination and vacation periods, twice a week. Days of publication are Monday through Friday for the regular school year, Tuesday through Friday during the summer terms, and 'Tuesday and Thursday during vacation and examination periods. Subscription rates $6.00 per year or $.b0 pen month. Advertising rates furnished on request. is due. Our letters column, is maintained for the express purpose of provid ing a forum for student opinion, regardless of whether the student is a freshman or senior, hometown dub member or Batt staffer/civil-, ian or corps man. The Battalion letters column is controlled and edited by the co editors. All Battalion opinion ex pressed there is found in “notes” written by them. Letters written by Batt staffmen, like letters written by all other students, are completely unsolicit ed and represent the opinion of the writer and not especially the opin ion of The Battalion. Batt staffers must follow the same rules as any other student when submitting a letter for publication. Battalion opinion is expressed in our editorial column, in editor’s notes and in articles signed by the co-editors, only. Because we think it. a good pol icy, We do not answer or comment on letters written by our own staf fers. If you want to know our opinion you will have to ask us in a letter of your own. Our general policy on letters: We policies. began, several meters of various types were on display in the city hall. Any person who dropped by the office to pay utility •tills or carry on business with city officials would'most likely have been led to believe that the Council was going to have the, meters installed. But. again, after many ways to get around the meter installation had been discussed, the matter was dropped. How About the Electricity Kates? And now with the electricity rates question facing peo- it was justified and maybe some l^ e of this city, is the same thing going to happen, or will don’t. Are some sore because we the matter be settled before all interest is lost and residents came out on the short end of the 0 f the areas concerned in the project forget the savings' that score? Whatever the reason may Pni] ]a K P tVipr-p? be, let’s forget it and get behind vuuiu uv, uicxy;. , _ , , , , . our team with a unified Twelfth Inc Bryan Lity Commission must be dealt with about Man from here on out. the power lines which they operate in College Hills. Why Our head yell leader was criti- should these people be required to pay almost one-third more cized a great deal. Donnie Joseph for electricity than other College Station residents’ SeWanif the ,, ., hoping the coll'ge station City Council will tackle game. But were they his alone? this incident at their next meeting Monday, Nov. 13. That ? Every Aggie should shake Donnie’s still a long way off, but by that time the Bryan officials mat (See LETTERS, Page 6) be ready to do business with this city. TALK OF THE TOWN Where Everyone Meets To Enjoy Good Food at Popular Prices Air Conditioned Loupot’s Trading Post—Agents LPL ABNER There’s No Accounting For Taste By AI Capp News contributions may be made by telephone (4-5444) or at the editorial office, Room 201, Goodwin print all letters written by students Hall,” Classified ads may be placed by telephone (4-5324) or at the Student Activities Office, Room 209, Goodwin Hall. The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for republication of all news dispatches cred ited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous origin published hereun. Righlg of republication of all other matter herein are also reserved. and employees of A&M College and residents of College Station, if they are free from obscenity, and pro perly signed. We reserve the right Entered as second-class matter at Post Office ,at College Station, Texas, under the Ast of Congress of March 3, 1870. Member of The Associated Press Represented nationally by National Ad vertising Service' Inc., at New York City, Chicagoi Los Angeles, and San Francisco. DAVE COSLETT, CLAYTON L. SELPH.... Co-Editors John-Whitmore, L. O. Tiedt Managing Editors Sid Abernathy, Jerry Zuber Campus News Editor Frank N. Manitzas Sports Editor Joel Austin City News Editor ‘ No Big Black Bear For Big Bend Park LI’L ABNER AH IS-c^Ir'. WO'GOTTA MAKE AS SAFE AS / UP YORE MIND, EF AH WAS / WHO YO'D LIKE IN MAH FO'ANEW MAMMY'S P PAPPY- ARMS, y WHO IS YO' LOOKIN AT W1F SECH AD- MEIE-RAY- SHUN? I \ Snake in Eden BASIL RUMBONE. r . r AH ADMIRES HIM, BECUZ HE NEVER GOT CAUGHT ON ANY ■ SADIE HAWKINS DAY//' By Al Capp Today’s Issue L. O. Tiedt Jerry Zuber Frank N. Manitzas JoeL Austin Managing Editor Campus News Editor . Sports News Editor City News Editor T. M. Fontaine, Carter Phillips Editorialists Ralph (Gorman, Ray Holbrook, Harold Gann, Joe Blanchette, Pat LeBianc, Dale Dowell, Jimmy Curtis, Ctygck Neighbors, Fred Walker Sports Writers Emmet# Trap*, Jerry Clement, Bob Hendry Cartoonists Ray Williams, Roger Coslett Special Assignments Bob Hughson, George Charlton, Tom Rountree, Leon McClellan, Raymond Rushing, Wayne Davis, Robert Venable, Herb O’Connell, Norman Blahuta, John Hildebrand, Jerry Fontaine, Jack Fontaine News and Feature Writers Washington, Nov. 3 — g—The Interior Department says Texans need have no fear of the Big Bend National Park being stocked with black bears. Paul Franks, acting director of the National Park Service, told the office of Rep. Clark Fisher of San Angelo, Tex., that he had looked into reports that it was planned to import bears into the park. Franks said he found there was no such intention. Complaints have been made to the congressman that there already was a predatory animal problem in the Big Bend area. The refined, bulletproof Nguj york apartment of BiQ Stanisloose WELL, DOC- T YOU NEED ID GET WHAT'S V AWAY FROM IT ALLJ. f YOUR W IF YOU STAY HERE, VOIDICT? ) YOU'RE. APT TO A SUFFER FROM A N SHOCK—ABOUT 25,000 VOLTS, 'D SAY. , : * WE BEEN DRIVIN' TREE DAYS, BOSS. WHY DON'T WE HOLE IN OKAY-BUT I W] DON'T KNOW HOW WE'LL BE ABLE > VMAKEA < SOFT BUCK IN V DIS UOIKY DUMP- oogpatch ini IPiSSS IT'S UNCIVILIZED.^ NO POOL JOINTS, NO PROTECTION RACKETS, NO SLOT MACHINES/'' NO CHANCE T'MAKE NO BETS ON NUTTINZ' AH'LL I BET DAISY j MAE ^ DON'T KETCH LI'L < ABNER, AH'LL BET WILDER YOKUM NABS BASIL RUMBONEf/ SOMETHIN'THESE SQUARES IS WILLIN T'BET ON. r . r WHATEVER IT IS, ^ WELL TAKE IT OVER// F ■ > A committee was appointed to find out just how the present means of fire protection was lacking so that the council might have something to go on if fire protection is inadequate. The petitioners seemed satisfied and left the meeting with the idea that something was evidently going to be done about their requests. ■ This all took place late last summer and as far as we know the committee has never met. Water Kates Considered At one time last summer the city council considered the possibility of setting up a new system of water rates in College Station. The idea was discussed to some length and husTness ^since ' last * week-end * ^has members tentatively agreed to investigate Bryan’s new sys- ben fine, but what has it accom- tern of charges for water. After much publicity concerning the “lofver” rates, which Bryan had established, the council met one month later only to find that approximately eight people would benefit from the new rates, and in a few cases some water consumers would even be paying more than was required under the present rates. Parking Meters Dropped And digging back a little further into the summer’s ac tivities we find that some discussion was made by the city council about the installation of parking meters in the North its traditions, true indeed. But Gate area in order to provide parking space for shoppers in also very man (i.e., Jim Pianta’s that section. definition of The city manager contacted more than a half-dozen part S of the ^Twelfth companies who manufacture the meters asking for prices,