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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 1951)
{ Battalion Editorials THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1951 ‘Religion is Progressive' Baha’i Faith is Based Working Legislature... On Unity, World Peace £F!V1h!P AT, vonrc nnw fwn -nrinpinal dvafvipfc in lin^ with nnnula + ihn phitno*nG w F'OR SEVERAL years now, two principal ^ reasons have contributed to most people’s waning interest in their state legislature. First, international affairs have become increasingly important in everyday life. In- ternational affairs, of course, direct thoughts toward our federal government and the state department. Second, our federal government has been increasing its power and jurisdiction at such a tremendous rate that many people have just about forgotten why state legis latures exist. But this year’s Texas legislature seems determined to find its place in the sun. Our local lawmakers seem more energetic and more determined to prove state government’s worth than any we’ve heard of in a long time. Two recent legislative actions, redistrict ing and investigation of college spending, have played an important part in the news. Last Monday, the state Senate passed the first redistricting bill in thirty years. The Senate steamrolled approval of a bill divid ing up the state into thirty-one senatorial Minds? Yes, But Not Plugged In H7E HAVE discovered one man’s opinion ’’ of world conditions that is really worth passing along. The man is John Mason Brown, associate editor of the “Saturday Review of Literature,” and former drama tic critic of the “Theater Arts Monthly,” the “New York Evening Post,” and the “New York World Telegram.” The following gems of observation were presented in his speech to the Dallas Wo man’s Club: “The problem now is how can civilized man remain civilized in a world of mechan ized barbarism.” “So many people have minds that are not plugged in. The average person we see daily is not necessarily alive. He walks, talks, and ihdulges in Canasta, but he does not always think.” “Public officials, out of good intentions, I hope, want us to become imitations of the things we loathe, forgetting we are strong enough to keep our liberties.” “To be actually at war is a confession that civilization has failed. To be at peace yet at war is confusing—it gives us a sense of schizophrenia.” “I am convinced that the function of the sizable writer is to see beyond the immediate shadows and to persuade the readers that this cathedral (the world) remains worthy of habitation.” In so many words, Mr. Brown believes that the “iron curtain” really lies under our collective hats. This possibility is admittedly shocking, but “the truth hurts” as the say ing goes. The one note of optimism is that the so called “little man” can and frequently does rise to “heights of heroism,” and this in his opinion is the main hope for earthbound bi peds. districts in line with population changes since 1920. Probably because Gov. Shivers declared it an emergency action, the bill got through the Senate with less than a day of debate. House action may not be as prompt. Re districting of House seats is a bigger job since it has so many more members. Rep. Fly of Victoria, chairman of the redistricting committee, said that he expects his commit tee to have redistricting plans completed by late this week or early next week. The investigation of college spending, prompted by charges that colleges were using state funds for other than educational purposes, is to be conducted by a House sub committee headed by Rep. W. R. Chambers of May. His subcommittee wants the charges of extravagance investigated before it rec ommends an appropriation for 1951-53. Chambers has declared that since college teachers often are underpaid, taxes are high, and many students must borrow money for college, it has become increasingly impor tant that colleges spend their money wisely. The redistricting bill has been needed in Texas a long time. Whether or not the col lege investigation will turn up any faulty spending remains to be seen. But we’re becoming more and more proud of our work ing legislature. A strong, hard working state government is one good guarantee against further fed eral encroachment in local affairs. Keeping Big Crime Under the Light rpHE KEFAUVER COMMITTEE that has A just scratched the surface in its attempt to uncover big time criminals is scheduled to wind up its investigations on March 31. Among its recommendations, however, will be one to the effect that a permanent Congressional Committee be established to continue this work. According to Senator Kefauver the Committee still has “worlds of work to do.” The full effect of the work of the Com mittee to date is difficult to measure. The Internal Revenue Department has gotten some hot leads that undoubtedly brought in enough cold cash to justify further effort along this line. The findings of the Kefauver Committee will also be examined by the Patterson Com mission with a view toward creation of legal roadblocks against organized interstate crime activities. Add to these the deterring effect on po tential big time operators, and a perma nent commission seems to be a good idea. Crime, in our opinion, will warrant con tinual vigilance by a Committee with power to investigate and prosecute where evidence indicates possible guilt. Higher levels of crime so to speak require higher levels of investigation and prevention. We would like to see “crime doesn’t pay” changed from fallacy to fact, and a perma nent Congressional Committee seems to be a good start. The Battalion Lawrence Sullivan Ross, Founder of Aggie Traditions ’’Soldier, Statesman, Knightly Gentleman” 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 peiiods. Subscription rates $6.00 per year or $.50 per month. Advertising rates furnished on request. Entered as second-class matter at Post Office at College Station, Texas, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1870. Member of The Associated Press Represented nationally by National Ad vertising Service Inc., at New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. CLAYTON L. SELPH, DAVE COSLETT Co-Editors John Whitmore, Dean Reed Managing Editors Andy Anderson, Bob Hughson Campus Editors Ralph Gorman Sports Editor Fred Walker Associate Sports Editor Joel Austin '. City Editor - Today’s Issue John Whitmore Bob Hughson Fred Walker * Managing Editor Campus News Editor Sports News Editor Joel Austin City News Editor T. M. Fontaine, Carter Phillips Editorialists Allen pengelly . ....................... Assistant City Editor Leon McClellan, Norman Blahuta. Jack Fontaine, Ed Holder. Bryan Spencer, John Tapley, Bob Venable, Bill Streich, George Charlton, Bob Selleck, Dale Walston. Bee Landrum. Frank Davis, Phil Snyder, Art Giesc. Christy Orth, James Fuller, Leo Wallace, W. H. Dickens, Fig Newton, Joe Price, Pat Hermann, Ed Holder, Wesley Maooa. Mews and Feature Staff Dick Kelly ‘ ....Club Publicity Co-ordinator Vivian Castleberry .Women’s Editor Jimmy AshlocK, Joe Blanchette, Ray Holbrook, Chuck Neighbors, Joe Hollis, Pat LeBlanc, Dowell Peterson .Sports News Staff Cutdis Edwards../ Church News Editor hid Abernathy. .Make-up Editor Roger Coslett Pipe Smoking Contest Manager Tom Fontaine, Johnny Lancaster, Joe Gray Charles McCullough Photo Engravers Autrey Frederick Advertising Manager Russell Hagens, Bob Hay me..... .Advertising Reptesentativea Following up its series on the principles of Mohammedanism, The Battalion today presents a discussion of Baha’i World Faith. Though younger and less emi nent than Islam, the Baha’i is founded on principles common to all the older faiths. This discussion of Baha’i was prepared by the writer for pub lication during this campus Re ligious Emphasis Week. — The Editor. By CATHERINE GENT IN THE MIDST of the struggle * to establish a world peace, it seems generally agreed that such can be built only on a solid foun dation. It must be predicated on world wide human understanding and love, not alone on mere knowledge and tolerance. The true basis seems to be love, but the problem of how to achieve that today in universal scope looks difficult. In fact, it looks downright impossible. However, there is a farsighted community of optimists scattered throughout the world who are ded icated to one primary objective, that of establishing the oneness of mankind. They are members of a world religion, the Baha’i World Faith, and they number in millions. World Peace Aim This Faith, established now in 2500 centers in 100 countries has world peace as one of its imme diate aims. The world is full of societies and movements, some working for peace, some for the advancement of women, some for the solution of the economic prob lems, some for education, some for a universal language, some for ra cial amity, some for brotherhood and understanding. But the Ba ha’i Faith is the only one that combines all these objectives, under the guidance of its Founder, Ba- ha’u’llah, who first compiled the all-inclusive program from which each in turn has sprung. Young in point of time, this world religion was born in 1844, in darkest Persia, bringing to man kind a faith that, through unre served acceptance of all previous revealed religions, can weld hu manity at long last in a common bond of brotherhood that trans cends nationality, race, or creed and is dedicated to the universal worship .of one God, just as were all the great religions in their original Teachings. All Religions Are One Its writings teach that God has called today for a great assem blage of all mankind, worshipping Him in the knowledge that we are one and religions are one. A Ba ha’i has no contempt for any other religion, quite simply because he believes in it, too. For Baha’u’llah, the young Persian prince of great wealth who sacrificed everything and endured over forty years of persecution, tortures and exile to bring this Truth to a dying world in volumes of beautiful teachings, taught that all God’s Manifesta tions are as one, Each bringing the measure of God’s Truth and Law that suited the capacity and needs of men in the Day in which He came. He taught that to exalt one above another is error. Why haven’t we heard of this before ? The answers are many, perhaps. In a materially-minded civilization, word of a new religious teaching is passed over lightly, rarely investi gated, and quickly forgotten. (First announcement of this world Faith was made in this country at the World’s Fair in 1893! A Faith such as this, culminat ing a cycle of human history, or dained for this day’s problems, teaching the same basic principles of God that all other revelators have brought, is not sensational. Its very dignity and simple truth belies the blatant approach. . Too, the idea that religion is progressive, not final, is unortho dox, a challenging and disrup tive concept to most religious minds today. We accept the idea of the advance of science which is God’s own Law, we won’t go back to the pump on the back porch, but when it comes to religion we want it to stop. All the religious writings speak of a “return” and of a “time of the end,” and all tell of the Bearer of Truth to come. In the Hebrew Bible, (John 16:12), Jesus, the Son of God, tells Hisi disciples, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. How- beit, when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you unto all truth.” The Baha’i teachings constitute a great university of knowledge in the fields of human social, eco nomic and spiritual relationship. Any short resume is necessarily sketchy and can hardly touch on the main points. Food for Thought The timeliness of this unique subject has been recognized in the magazine Common Cause, (Sept ember, 1950), “A Journal of One World” published under the aus pices of Robert M. Hutchins and the University of Chicago Press, in the lead article last summer in the small magazine, The Emanci pator, published by a Christian lay man in San Antonio, and more re cently in the Dec. 11 issue of Life. The much-read book, The Proph et, by Kahlil Gibran, in Cushing Library, was inspired by the Ba ha’i Teachings, and there are two books there directly on the Faith and its history and tenest, Pre scription for Living, by Rabbani; and Promise of All Ages, by Townshend. They were placed here, not to stir controversy, Heav en forbid, but to offer food for thought in a world at war. NECK AND NECK LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Editor, The Battalion: An impetus has come to our campus from the plan of a group of visiting students from Austria. They have organized a troop of amateur student performers, who are spreading good will in this country by entertaining with their national songs and dances. We, in turn, plan to visit Euro pean Universities this Summer and present typical American pro grams. The party is to be limited in number because of transporta tion. It will be directed by Mrs. Monroe Carroll of the Baylor Eng lish Department, who is an ex perienced travel director. Won’t you please furnish us with names of students interested in such a project and the particular talents of each, such as singing, dancing, or playing a musical in strument? We should like to have this in formation as soon as possible so that we may contact them and ex pedite preparations for the tour. Pedro L. Barba 1004 South Sixth Waco, Texas Belter Shoes mean a Better Game Faster — Safer — Easier footwork is often the margin that wins the game. That’s why we recommend and sell genuine BALL-BAND Basketball shoes — they’re built for the game. Como in and try them on—they even feel speedy on your feet, Look for the RED BALL on the sole BALL-BAND FOOTWEAR THE EXCHANGE STORE “Serving Texas Aggies” Some Things Considered Needed: An Office For Studen t Senate By CLAYTON L. SELPH r E PRESIDENT of the Student Senate. He is presiding officer of the one all-student organiza tion that maintains representation for every student. He is one of the top four student officials on the cam pus, but he is the ONLY one of these four who has no work ing headquarters, no convenient filing space. He doesn’t even > have a desk. Yet he must attend to a great volume of cor respondence, legislation and other business—business that is concerned with the entire student body. Business majors and engineers know that such an arrangement is not good business. They know that man cannot do his best work if he must run from one place to another to find what he wants. They know, too, that good businesses do not, cannot, operate without prop-* erly maintained records, that are available when needed. The Student Senate has none of these. Student governing bodies at other schools have not only a desk and office, but many of them have an adjoining meeting space for. their governing body. Adequate filing space is maintained so that minutes of the organization, its correspondence through the years, and records of its activities are available to the student legislators. The lack of such space and equipment has hampered our Senate since its beginning in 1946. Many of the early minutes and records are gone. 4 Progress in student government has been greatly retarded. In stead of beginning where the old group left off, each new Senate has been forced to start over again since they have no available records of what has or has not been accomplished. C Several steps to improve the Senate’s situation should be taken. We call them to the attention ai the dean of men and his assistant for student activities. Our recommendations: That a separate office be set aside in some central location for the Senate. That all Senate committee meetings be held there when possible. That the president be provided with a desk that will also be available to the other Senate officers. That a filing cabinet be provided and all available back records of the Senate be placed there and current records maintained. Each com mittee should have separate space or a folder for filing their records, We should like very much to sec some of these steps taken before this school year is out. if > p**i vkv e iii i pul up a pretty front! silk-like TISSUE SHANTUNG with tucked bib-front $17.95 You'll love the fabric of this new Perez classic . . . rayon tissue shantung lovely as silk . . . and you'll love the beautiful detailing: “jewel'' buttons, short sleeves, fly-front closing and o daintily tucked bib-front. Navy, iced coffee or green mint frappe. Sizes 10 to 20. BUDGET SHOP 2nd Floor Smart Shop Bryan LI’L ABNER • Ladies’ Home Companion By AUCapp