From the Wire
Battalion Editorials
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1951
Page 4
So
T< Determination—It Still Pays
No Need to Hurry
‘Sidelights ? Form
Interesting Fare
Buy a Bit of White House?
By ED CREAGH
By DAVE COSLETT
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IT READS like an Horatio Alger success
story—this 1951 Aggie Basketball record.
“The Aggies? Oh yes, they’re in the con
ference, too.”
That was the pre-season comment. Even
from our own quarters came the remark
that we could make no promises this season.
We made no promises.
But the Maroon and White team didn’t
take that toi mean that we made no effort.
Quite to the contrary, they substituted good
hard work for those promises.
There has been nothing spectacular about
it. It’s been hard-fought—the kind of inch-
by-inch climb that people in the sports world
seldom notice. Could be that’s what makes
it all the more precious.
It was hard work that paid off—paid off
in at least a share of a championship crown.
And hard work, too, that paid off in un
dreamed of national defensive ratings.
That rags-to-riches team goes tomorrow
night to find if it can take sole possession
of the championship for the first time in 28-
long years. Again it makes no promise.
Now the crowds will be cheering. The fans,
who could hardly claim credit before, will
turn out in mass to help the conquering
heroes to victory.
The team-members will still have that
dogged determination that—win or lose—
rates them a well-deserved championship to
those who value sports from more than a
won-loss viewpoint.
We call that a success story with a cap
ital “S.”
Fort Meyer, Va., Feb. 26—(A 1 )—
Yes, you still can get a piece of
the White House to put on your
E t-tt-iat. £ ■ j-x. o tt > 1.1. mantel. Or make into bookends.
VER HEAR of a wire editor? He’s that guy on a news- or stuff into that closet you’ve
paper who has the job of keeping up with the news of the been meaning to straighten out
world and letting the managing editor, the big boss, know wllen y° u 8' ot around to it.
what’s worth space in the paper. But clon,t be in a hurrv -
It’s a job that keeps you well-informed on world and
national affairs. But there’s another aspect
to it, too.
That steadily pounding teletype machine
presents each day one of the most interesting
and well-rounded stories to be found any
where. The wire editor, during his labors,
gets to read this history of the day.
The history is broken down into chap- ne'ss of selling the public such
ters. There’s usually one for what Congress things as bricks, nails and pieces
from the big job of rebuilding the toric rubble to be disposed of, and
White House to keep it from tumb- it’s not likely that kvte-comers
ling down on the head of the pre- will find it all gone.
But don’t be in a hurry,
Write in if you want to, but
next week will do just as well,
the week after next would be
better and some time late next
month would be better still.
That’s the word from a hard-
pressed little organization known
as the Commission on Renovation
of the Executive Mansion, which
finds itself in the mail-order busi-
sent occupant.
There are tons of stuff which
would be just junk if it came
from most old buildings. Coming
from the White House, it’s a
mass of historical souvenirs.
With some misgivings, the com
mission decided to sell these presi
dential keepsakes on a non-profit
basis. It announced this plan in
the middle of last month. So far,
some 30,000 inquiries have flooded
in and they’re still coming. A staff
of eight people here at Fort Myer,
across the Potomac from Washing
ton, is trying to cope with them.
Naturally, these people are be
hind in their work. They’d just
as soon nobody else wrote in for a
Among those who already have
written in, more want bricks than
want anything else. This is lucky
because lots of bricks are avail
able—200,000 or so.
They’re not in the best of con
dition but they’ll do nicely for
paperweights. Or, for around
$100, you can buy enough White
House bricks to face a fireplace.
All told, there are 13 kinds of
souvenirs for sale. Among them are
pieces of stone that could be carved
into bookends, small pieces of hand-
split lath that could be cut into
letter-openers, and square nails
that sound like just the thing for
driving into square holes.
_ Applications for these trinkets
has done or is goin" 0 ' to do And there's an- °t wood from the house where our while. And there doesn’t seem to have come from all parts of the
other about the war situation. The chapters. pr ^ eats t live - - - - be A"* hurr y about writin ^ There ’ s countr y- The lar e est number
vary, of course, with the importance as-
These things are the left-overs a big pile, tons upon tons, of his-
Coslett
More Security Per Dollar .
A, VERY ODD situation exists at the pre-
sent time from which we may learn a les
son. Security is a paramount issue, and se
curity is expensive. Until man changes
through some evolutive or spiritual upheaval
. there is no reason to assume that this will
change as the various wars and crises come
and go. This raises the question of efficient
security — what is it and how can it be
achieved?
Once upon a time the “minute man” idea
was the accepted method. A large bonfire
was sufficient to create overnight a large
citizen army ready to do battle with the old
squirrel rifle. Few “regulars” were needed,
reserve training occurred in the daily shots
at game, no appropriations were needed, and
military service did not ruin civilian careers
—the plow would be waiting for the farmer-
reservist.
Things have changed radically since this
time. If one were to examine the appropria
tions for reserve activities, however, one
would see that the administrative ideas have
not changed along with the times. In times
of panic the armed forces have a “blank
check” so to speak, but when the sailing is
smooth a five cent pencil requires a requisi
tion through channels in septuplicate.
The sad result is that we spend money,
and neither the government nor the individ
ual reservist has any degree of security.
B-36 crews are not created overnight, radar
screens cannot be maintained on a shoe
string, high speed interceptor techniques are
not a “spur of the moment affair,” and
highly skilled personnel cannot be maintain
ed in the services on a “starvation” basis.
Numerical quantity as such does not win
modern battles.
Under the assumption that a constant
amount of money will be spent over a hund
red year period, we are in favor of a military
expenditure program based on a more uni
form flow of this constant amount. The
“faucet technique” will no longer get the
job done. Such a program would attract
career personnel—thus avoiding personal in
security of the present day reservist: The
false security of reserve units composed of
over age, and over ranked personnel would
be avoided; and the country would have the
security of men who can afford to maintain
a high degree of proficiency in their individ
ual specialties on a career basis.
This practical view should buy more se
curity per dollar until the previously men
tioned upheaval takes place.
sumed by various things on various days.
You as a reader get these top stories.
The wire editor sees to that. But there are
a million interesting things on that wire each day that can’t
run in the paper. The main thing that keeps them out is
space limitation.
As sort of a summary of what these are, let me pick out
some of the lesser happenings of the/(veek end. You may
have seen some of them in other papers. Chances are,
though, that many are new.
STICKS AND STONES -
Studies in Clay—
And Sculptors, Too
W/E STEAL, if we may, from the sports
^ page.
This particular theft is of a column from
AP sportswriter Whitney Martin who, last
Saturday, published a letter he had received
from the father of a disappointed hoy.
The boy was a typical American lad—
he worshipped the idols born on gridirons,
baseball diamonds, cage courts and other
arenas of sport. And the boy was wondering
about this business of the big basketball
scandal.
The letter read in part, “The news of the
scandals has shattered his dreamhouse into
a thousand pieces. Most of it is beyond his
comprehension, of course, but he asked me
what it all was about and he could hardly
believe that the Long Island players whom
he had followed so closely all season could
do anything wrong.
“I know he must be only one of hundreds
of thousands of American boys of the same
age or thereabouts who have had a rude
awakening over this sordid affair. The point
I am trying to make is that the present day
crop of athletic heroes has responsibilities
which go beyond the interests of themselves,
their schools, or their employers in the case
of professional players.
“In this day of fast communication in
volving radio and television and easy travel
there has grown a young army of hero wor
shipers who look upon the athletic stand
outs as people they want to emulate in their
more mature years.”
Mr. Martin ends by urging the young
sters to keep their dreams. Only a small
number of the sports idols, he says, have
“feet of clay.”
Perhaps he’s right. Or perhaps he, like
others who have helped to commercialize
sport, is feeling pangs of blame at having
helped to mold those feet.
Associated Press reported one
from Chicago where a steel-worker,
driving in a dense fog, stopped to
see why the road had suddenly be
come so bumpy.
He found that Ke was driving
astraddle a railroad track. Before
he could reenter the 1930 model
car, a fast passenger train demol
ished it.
From another end of the nation
the wire tells of the reconciliation
of a man and his thumb. A farmer
in a motorcycle accident has an
alert motorist to thank.
The motorist came by after the
farmer had already been taken to
the hospital. Spotting the thumb,
the motorist took it to the hospi
tal where doctors sewed it on the
And the Korean War, like most
wars, contributes those interesting
side-lights that newspapermen tab
“human-interest.”
From the Central Front comes
the tale of “the Stranger with the
BAR.” It concerns the unidentifi
able hero, who, with the help of a
grenadier, wiped out a machine-
gun nest that had kept an entire
company pinned down.
The now legendary stranger
with a Browning Automatic Rifle
appeared. His companion threw a
grenade. The stranger rose to
fire. He got off one shot and his
gun jammed. The same process
was repeated three times.
«
Closer to home is the AP story of
two twins that walked into a Cali
fornia marriage-license bureau. The
two beautiful duplicates were seen
joined by to two male twins. To the
astonishment of all present, the
quartet obtained their licenses and
left for a double wedding.
«
Another Texas AP story con
cerns the Wichita Falls great
grandmother who finally became a
Civil Service worker at 75-years of
age. The government decided her
position as volunteer organist at
Sheppard AFB rightfully came un
der Civil Service. •
These little stories brighten the
A wox’k of the wire editor and of the
I iOiinnlmfii men wb ° en ^ ess ^y *- be ' w i re
L news over the nation. Occasionally
these unsung men of journalism
provide a few sidelights themselves.
An instance of this occurred re
cently when Harlingen asked Dal
las via the AP wire for permission
to test their transmitter unit. The
standard test-line for a teletype
is “The quick brown fox jumped
Plans for high school and over the lazy dog’s back 1234567890
junior college visitors, elec- sending.”
Apparently such near tragedies
are gettiing to be a habit in the
Windy City. Another wire story
tells of a man who, on his sixty-
fifth birthday was having his car
towed.
As the tow-truck and car crossed
a rapid transit line the tow chain
broke. He abandoned the vehicle
just in time as an electrically pow
ered train smashed it to bits.
*
farmer. At last reports the farmer
will keep his thumb.
From across the sea comes the
embarrassing plight of a rugby
player who, before fifty thousand
fans and many times more tele
vision viewers, lost his pants. Co
operative players from both teams
formed a huddle around him while
he re-dressed himself,
l
Then the grenadier scored a
direct hit. The man with the BAR
tossed the weapon aside, grabbed
an M-l and rushed forward to bay
onet three of the four Red machine-
gunners.
Just as quickly as he had ap
peared, the stranger vanished.
Equally interesting is the AP ac
count of the 11-year-old Korean
lad, nick-named Kim, who led an
Allied patrol to two American of
ficers he had saved from captuire
by North Korean Reds. The young
ster fed the two Americans while
awaiting a chance to lead rescuers
to them.
i
In Texas, the omniscient wire
reports a theft in Odessa. Some
one got away with a drilling tool,
the building and research costs
for which amounted to $250,000.
The thieves were evidently well-
equipped—the 20-foot long bit
weighed 2,300 pounds.
i
Accordingly, she took the re
quired physical examinations. Now
she has a social security card and
all the official documents to show
the airmen, sweethearts and wives
that still find the welcome sign al
ways out before her home.
body knows why—have come from
such North-Central states as Illin
ois, Michigan, Indiana and Wis-
cinsin.
If you want a White House
souvenir yourself, write to “The
Commission on Renovation of
the Executive Mansion, Fort
Myer, Va.”
Don’s mail any money— they’ll
mail you an application blank when
they can get around to it. The
blank will tell you what’s to be
had and how much it will cost.
Prices range from 25 cents up.
All merchandise sold “as is,” and
most of it is in pretty sad shape.
Terms: cash in advance, after
you’ve received the application
form. Don’t send currency—a pos
tal note or money order will do.
You pay the postage. All the
money that comes in goes for
packing and other costs.
One last word: Don’t say I sent
you. There are a couple of girl
clerks, up to their eyelashes in let
ters, who would never forgive me
for drumming them up more busi
ness.
Bible Verse
AND UNTO man he said, Be
hold, the fear of the Lord, that
is wisdom; and to depart from evil
js understanding.
—Job 28:28
Davis Takes Place
In ASME Contest
Hubert P. Davis, senior mechan
ical engineering major, took sec
ond place in the American Society
of Mechanical Engineer’s triangu
lar meet at Texas University last
Saturday.
Davis spoke on Electric Strain
Gauges.
The meet, sponsored by the
South Texas Chapter of the ASME,
was a warmup for the Eighth Re
gion Conference today and Satur
day at LSU. Davis and Philo H.
Duval, senior, will represent A&M
at Baton Rouge.
Davis was awarded two volumes
of “Strength of Materials,” engin
eering textbooks by Timoshinko.
Charles E. Davis, a Rice student,
won first place in the contest.
Councilmen
Name Escorts
For Visitors
The Battalion
Lawrence Sullivan Ross, Founder of Aggie Traditions
"Soldier, Statesman, Knightly Gentleman'*
The Battalion, official newspaper bf 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 $.50 per month. Advertising rates furnished on request.
News contributions may be made by telephone (4-5444) or at the editorial office, Room 201, Goodwin
Hall. Classified ads may be placed by telephone (4-5324) or at the Student Activities Office, Room 209,
Goodwih.Hall.
tion of the Agriculturist edi
tor, and election for the best
agriculture professor were
discussed at a meeting of the Ag
Council Wednesday night.
Visitors on high school day will
be escorted by W. E. Watson, Bob
by Griffin, Jack Birkner, James
Lehman, Doug Wythe and Lynn
Pittard, C. N. Shepardson, dean of
the school of agriculture announc
ed.
Doug Wythe, Jim Tom House
and Leo Mikeska will conduct tours
for junior college guests April 28-
29.
Contrary to procedure in for
mer years, the editor of The Ag-
Dallas answered, again via the
wire, “Start your fox jumping.
Pen him at 10:32.”
Nor could another operator re
sist temptation when a chance
arose for a dig at another paper.
The Dallas News received a short
note on the wire from Galveston
News which x-ead “Congratulations
on excellent Texas state mat ser
vice.” Mats, in case you’re unfam
iliar with the term, are the form
in which pictui'es are transmitted
between papers.
Another AP paper sent a mes
sage a few moments later. At the
end of the xxxessage was this x-ath-
er. pertinent question to the Dallas
News—“Did you service (send)
riculturist Magazine will be elect- gome. Galveston cheesecake in state
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
John Whitmore, Dean Reed
Andy Anderson, Bob Hughson
Ralph Gorman
Fired Walker
Joel Austin
Co-Editors
Managing Editors
Campus Editors
Sports Editor
Associate Sports Editor
City Editor
ed in April
Ballots for the election of the
best professor in the School of
Agriculture must be turned in by
March 1, Malcolm Dyer said.
Deadline for clubs to turn in ac
tivity outlines for Open House Day
was set as March 15.
,9 9 9 9”
mats
If nothing else, it’s an interest
ing racket.
It’s A Good Time
To Trade for A
BETTER USED
CAR
at CADE’S!
LOOK THESE A-l VALUES
OVER NOW
1950 FORD Custom Deluxe 4-Door;
radio, heater, overdrive, white
wall tires, fully equipped.
1950 CHEVROLET Special Deluxe
Convertible Coupe; radio heat
er, white wall tires, plastic seat
covers.
1950 CHEVROLET Vi'Ton Pickup;
radio, heater, deluxe cab, spot
light, low mileage.
1949 CHEVROLET Club Coupe,
clean.
1949 FORD Station Wagon; radio,
heater.
1947 PLYMOUTH Club Coupe;
Special Deluxe; radio, heater.
1946 CHEVROLET 2-Door; new
laint, clean.
Cade Motor Co.
35 Years a Ford Dealer
North Main — S. College Ave.
\
4
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EXAMINE A
SET TODAY
THE EXCHANGE STORE
“Serving Texas Aggies”
LI’L ABNER
Forbidden Fruit
By A1 Capp
HERfc.-;
Today *8 Issue
Dean Reed
Joel Austin
Fred Walker
Leon McClellan
Managing Editor
Campus News Editor
... Sports News Editor
City News Editor
T. M. Fontaine, Carter Phillips .Editorialists
Allen Fengelly Assistant City Editor
Leon McClellan, Norman Blahuta, Jack Fontaine,
Ed Holder. Bryan Spencer, John Tapley, Bob
Venable, Bill Streich, George Charlton, Bob
Selleck, Hale Walston, Bee Xjandrum, Frank
Davis, Phil Snyder, Art Giese, Christy Orth,
James Fuller, Leo Wallace, W. H. Dickens,
Fig Newton, Joe Price, Pat Hermann, Ed
Holder, Wesley Mason..... News an4 Feature Staff
Dick Kelly. Club Publicity Co-ordiaator
Vivian Castleberry ' Women’s Editor
Jimmy Ashlock, Joe Blanchette, Ray Holbrook,
Chuck Neighbors, Joe Hollis, Pat LeBlanc,
Dowell Peterson... .'.Sports News Staff
Curtis Edwards Church News Editor
Roger Coslett Pipe Smoking Contest Manager
Tom Fantalne, Johnny Lancaster, Joe Gray,
Charles McCullough Photo Engravers
Sid Abernathy Make-up Editor
Autrey Frederick —..Advertising Manager
Russell Hagens, Bob pfcaynie Advertising Representatives
Marketing Group
To Hear Dawson
O. D. “Dooly” Dawson, agricul
tural vice-president of the Second
National Bank in Houston, will
speak to the Marketing and Fin
ance Club at its pieeting in room
2A and 2B of the Memorial Stu
dent Center at 7:30 p. m. tonight.
Mr. Dawson majored in Agricul-
tui’al Education while at A&M, and
was connected with the Federal
Soil Cqnservatiion Service in Fort
Worth before taking his present
position.
fSilills