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,