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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 5, 1951)
Battalion Editorials Page 2 THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 1951 Fundamentals . . . rFHE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS controver- sy involving the Legislature and Dr. Clar ence E. Ayres calls for the reconsideration of certain fundamental facts upon which our Constitution is predicated. It is fashionable today to “purge” Com munists, Socialists, and Fascists on the pre mise that they advocate, by definition, the forceful overthrow of our form of govern- ment. Unfortunately these individual “isms” have become loaded words, though the exact meanings are in reality obscure to those who show the greatest negative re action. If Democracy is defined as the absolute rule of the majority, then Nazi Germany was a Democracy. Yet, destruction of the minor ity in favor of constructive changes is for eign to our concept of government. This protection of the minority is one of the fundamentals that contributes to our greatness, and it should not be denied under any circumstances. A static government was not the intent of the founding fathers of our Constitution. They believed that allowance should be made for changes based on the idea that govern ment belonged to the living generation. In other words, each generation has its own problems, and should also have the right and power to solve these problems for the bene fit of all concerned. There is no evidence that Dr. Ayres ad vocates the overthrow of our government, but he may, in the course of teaching Eco nomics, have speculated on the direction in which changes might be made for the com mon good. While we have long opposed Socialistic trends in favor of the “individualistic ele ments of Capitalism”, we do not oppose the right of the individual to discuss or consider any other form of government. This type of constructive thinking is needed much more than an attempt to ‘crys tallize” the present form of Capitalism as the “ultimate” governmental ideology now and forever. A static government must inevitably die. i Seven Decisions That Shaped History’ .An Editorial. Needed: Senate President Elected by Student Body rrHE STUDENT SENATE has an op- portunity to streamline A&M’s stu dent government tonight. On the agenda is a proposed resolu tion for a constitutional amendment which would make the Student Senate Presidency an office voted on by the en tire student body. It would also change the title to Student Body president. Reasons are several and excellent for supporting this needed change. • We believe the student body is more fully aware of its responsibilities now than when the Student Senate was originally created. To continue having this topmost representative of the stu dents elected by only a few is a slap-in- the-face to the student body. • The Senate president is too lim ited in his present position. If he were elected in a Spring campus-wide elec tion, he would have the support of the student body in an official move, rather than just that of the Senate. • As for the name change, the Senate president is now at a disadvan tage. He must operate with represen tatives from other schools who are titled Student Body President. He is urn able to say that he fully represents the student body. • A pressing need exists for these alterations, although they would effect small changes, indeed, in the present method of student representation and government. The age-old Senate argument will probably come up against this motion, however. “Most of us are graduating. Why should we establish a new system for those behind us?” On the contrary—you will be remov ing an obstacle to better student gov ernment for the classes remaining. And we believe the uriderclassmen here will appreciate it. We have the utmost faith in the de cisions of the 1950-51 Student Senate. This body has made some excellent moves. Time is running out, however, and by passing tonight’s resolution to have a campus-wide election for a Stu dent Body President, these senators will enter A&M’s student government an nals as the most outstanding group in Senate history. Bull Session Democracy Needs Constant Change, Progress to Live By THOMAS M. FONTAINE Battalion Staff Writer I T IS SOMETIMES discouraging to attempt to take any side in a political controversy when we observe the unin telligent, uninformed antics of some of the people on our side of the argument. During the last few months it has been very embarrassing at times to admit to being a conservative, a disciple of capitalism when daily we are informed by the' press of another ignorance-inspired attack on Socialists or other believers in a planned economy. Perhaps if the people f who demand drastic measure* against the Socialists gave a more careful study to the over all picture of a wellbalanced, working democracy, they would not be so anxious to deny the Socialists their rights. For a democracy, or any form of government, to remain strong, it must constantly change, must constantly progress, If in any nation only one political line of thought is allewed, that nation stagnates and eventually falls to some more pro gressive nation. Despite all the many political and social plans and ideol ogies there have been since governments were first organ ized, either one or the other of two viewpoints has been the dominant cause or theme for any certain plan—either the plan fkvors a government that provides security for the in dividual or it is more concerned with the personal freedom of the individual. Balance is Ideal of Democracy One of the sanest analysis of world af fairs in these times appears in Sumner Welles’ new book, “Seven Decisions That Shaped History”. Welles was Under Secretary of State dur ing the Roosevelt administration and played an important part in shaping U. S. policies. We predict that this new book will receive international acclaim. Welles authored, “The Time for Decision” which has been widely quoted since it was published in 1944. His book seemed to pack such a wallop that we include some of his answers to pre sent international riddles. The book backs a policy of containment of Russia by military and economic force as the only hope of avoiding general world con flict, and insists that only a “truly biparti san” foreign policy offers hope of national security at a time when Americans face “what may well be the gravest national cri sis that they have faced since the years of the Civil War.” If by such a policy war can be avoided, he says, “there is the chance that little by little the Iron Curtain will rust away and that the people of the East and West can eventually work together as partners in the United Nations.” Discussing former President Hoover’s suggestion that a Western Hemisphere Gib raltar” be built, Welles says Mr. Hoover typ ifies the rising of a “neo-isolationism that would be as pusillanimous as it would be dis astrous” if adopted by Americans. “What Mr. Hoover has urged upon his fellow citizens that amount nothing less than the scuttling of all forms of collective security, the cynical breach of all the obliga tions into which we have entered since 1945 to help other free peoples resist Soviet ag gression, and the abandonment of all Europe —except perhaps Great Britain—all Asia and presumably all Africa the Soviet Com munist control. “If Mr. Hoover’s advice were followed, it would mean that the United States would soon find herself without an ally in the world.” Mr. Hoover declined immediate comment on the Welles criticism. The book sums up the Truman adminis tration policy in the Far East as a “record of inefficiency and of vacillation,” adding that as a result Americans face “the night mare danger that before long an Iron Cur tain may be down over East Asia and shut out all Western influence as rigidly as it is now excluded from Europe.” If President Roosevelt had survived to lead the postwar nation, Welles asserts, he would not have permitted his representative in China to pave the way for imposition of a Kremlin-type rule upon the Chinese by trying “to force Chiang Kai-shek, as Gen. Marshall did, to bring the representatives of the Chinese Communist party into the Chinese cabinet.” Welles strongly defends the bulk of Pres ident Roosevelt’s war time decisions at Cairo, Tehran and Yalta, which he said eventually will be proved to have been “sound in the light of the conditions at the time they were concluded.” He assails former Secretary of State James F. Byrnes for his role in post war negotiations with the soviet Union, de claring that Byrnes was woefully unschooled in foreign affairs at the time. The former undersecretary also opposes present Western plans for rearming West Germany, holding that disadvantages out weigh the advantages. Welles proposes that “policy for today:” Red China must be excluded from the U.N. until “it officially recognizes that it has been guilty of aggression.” The U.S. must maintain defense outposts from the Aleutians through Japan, Okinawa, Formosa and the Philippines. Japan should be partially rearmed under U.S. supervision. Continued economic aid must go to West ern Europe, along with arms aid to Greece and Turkey. Latin America must be aided in solving economic problems. The U.S. should make it unmistakeably clear that she is always willing to negotiate with the Soviet Union whenever the Rus sians 1 ^acts match their “professions of peace ful intent.” 'All Time Low’ What Has To Public Happened Morality? The ideal of a democracy is to strike the best balance between those two points of view. The ideal democracy will give the cit izen as much individual security as possible without too much inter states history, the situation was reversed. At the time of the writ ing of our constitution, and for nearly a hundred years thereafter, the liberal thinkers, the peopjc branded as radicals, were the de- By RELMAN MORIN Associated Press Writer “War is an evil that embraces fluences in American life, he con ference with personal freedom; it fenders of individual rights, will guarantee him as much per- Jefferson was the leading radi- sohal freedom as possible without cal of his time—not in economic infringing on the rights and secur- but in political theory. He adVo- ity of others. cated and fought for in our consti- Today’s American liberals favor tution the provisions which limit- the security idea; they hope to e d the power of the federal gpv- achieve this security with a na- ernment and glorified the individ- tiqnal planned economy. Our con- ua l’ s right to govern himself. v servatives, on the other hand, fight Such a political theory was re- for individual freedom and oppor- garded as almost anarchy at that tuhity; they place their faith in time. The United States eonsem- limited capitalism. The liberals tives, tradition bound to the stronp: all other evils. It sanctions mur- tinued, have not been equal to the want a strong central government, monarchies of Europe, hoped for £ “ r pHIS is a diseased generation— but the next one, if it isn’t de stroyed by war, will be better.” That is the opinion of Dr. John the conservatives believe in local strong central government—he dis- self-government. trusted the individual and sought In the early periods of United to control his mob tendencies. , US Constitution Was the Result The balance struck between those planned economy is Communism, opposing ideas produced one of the Too few people realize that the greatest political documents of all extreme of capitalism is fascism or a cancer eating into the community, and in having a beauti- . e ^ eT Jeffersonian or st j tute dictatorship, loss of free* ire of our lives.” ful service on Sunday. * , Hamiltonian, progresstve or con- dom> and collapso oX d^ocracy, The presumably corrective in- (See CHURCHES. Paged) jseyvative we can pe sure it would Onlv ! a minute • minority would (See CHURCHES, Page 4) der, permits theft, and condones task that confronted them, sexual license. A man is concerned ^*,1 , p, solely with survival. All other bars are down. “We are all at fault—the church- 1 “It is impossible—without tre- es « the schools and the parents in Haynes Holmes, pastor of the in- mendous moral strength—for the the home. , ter-denominational church of New civilian population, far removed “As a clergyman, I recognize our York since 1907. In more than 40 from the front, not to be affected degree of responsibility. years of church work, he says, he by these standards of conduct.” “The churches have not been very time—the United States'Constitu- nazism. Communism and Fascism nas never seen moral standards in implacable enemy of war, rigorous in teaching or practice or tion. are at opposite poles on the eco- Amenca so low as they now are. Dr. Holmes said the influences dis- moral truths. They have become, ,, ... .. ,, , nomic scale; on a national govern- I eople have lost the ability, tilled from the vast wmrld convul- interested in raising money for ^hat constitution had been ment 01 . political scale they are rightiaid wroi? D^HolmerS fZl °a 1917 ^ 1941 ^ P leasant .. ^. ^s around % • &® ftln ^ult practically identical. Both con- me. “In this age, anything goes.” structure These Are Causes These are the causes, Dr. Holmes said, in an interview, underlying recent disclosures of corruption in government and the stories of great, bribery and influence uncov ered by the Kefauver and Ful- bright committees. The clergyman said he believes the present condition of public morality in America is new and ag gravated, rather than an ever-pre sent situation which has suddenly been brought to wide public atten tion. “Something very serious has hap pened to the moral fibre of this generation,” Dr. Holmes declared, “Like a human body, a society can fall victim of a disease and die Interpreting the News , »■ , , , ■, Only a minute minority would never have survived as' long as it fav0 /communism or Fascism for iias • the United States. Bid their less In present day politics, it is fair- intense ‘counterparts are needed ly easy to see that the extreme of and can exist in a democracy. ; 1 Ideas Are Changing Constantly We will never strike the perfect realize the importance of each to balance between security and free- the other. He must never attentpt dom,, for people constantly change right to believe in and fight for their own ideas as to what that to forcibly deprive the other of his balance is. But the existence of his own ideas. v 4 1 two strong elements each striving i n the end the greatest threat, for the idea it considers most im- ( pastj present, and future), to a portant will guarantee our never a democracv is that either of trie ready committed to full military Graying too far from the ideal ideTSZs so dmt^nl it for cooperation. . . balance. erK js the other.- For then, rsnuir cm a tut typt) a umn/nrMm • What Russia thinks about it is -phe security minded person and inevitably the path leads to the THE SI ATE DLIAK1MLN1 is less importa,nt. The Kremlin has freedom minded person must extreme of the dominant idea. ■ : faced with the immediate ne- its fixed policy of aggression by — How Europe Sees Senate Actions By J. M. ROBERTS, JR. AP Foreign Affairs Analyst cessity of explaining to Europe infiltration. All suggestions of ..l 0y , nb . ee „ a . nd . 0 ^ her his ' that the exhibition in the U. S. weakness and indecision in the Senate over the troops-for-Europe West are an encouragment to'Rus- issue is not solely isolationism. sia, if not an actual invitation to 'v’™; 1 ' 5 ’ is in mortal dan- Europeans depending heavily on ^ vhen^i‘''ready a'nd not fodeSUe JgSf " ^ CZ ISl much before. She,vi.Uike anything, torians have demonstrated. Mortal Danger IS THIS MATCH FIXED ? “Americans are trying to live ter informed than they used to be without God and it can’t be done, about its characters and political They have been trying it for about workings. But millions aboard will 30 years. But the laws of moral- take the Senate action in its worst ity are as exact and inexorable light because, in their critical at- J ruman should come to it for ap- as the laws or physics or chem- titude toward America, they wish proval before sending more than istry. When they are violated, to do so, or because of fear and H 16 already-promised four dm of course, which causes America to conduct its troop dispositions in a goldfish bowl. The Senate idea that President things go wrong—even to the ex- insecurity, tent of a terrible explosion.” The great corrosive agents, Dr. Holmes said, have come directly from the two World Wars in which the United States was engaged. German Reaction sions to Europe is, for one thing, a part of a long conflict between that body and the executive de- Germany is one spot where the partment of the government for reaction will be most important. Some Germans will take the Sen control of President foreign affairs. The is constitutionally the LETTERS ate’s effort to keep a check-rein f e . nera l manager of foreign af on presidential dispatch of troops ^ airs * because of its right to as notice that the U. S. does not P ass 01 ? treaties, the Senate has al The Battalion Lawrence Sullivan Ross, Founder of Aggie Traditions ’[Soldier, Statesman, Knightly Gentleman” ways likes to consider itself a sort of board of directors.. 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. au letters to the editor must be signed spurred into action toward greater by the writer and free from- obscene ip , rw-u and libelous references. Letter writers German sell delense. OtheiS Will unsigned letters will be published. Thoughts on Vital Aspect of Education Editor, The Battalion: at homers have been forced to com promise their views with-the facts of life. When the chips are down, the Senate nearly always rises to the CLAYTON L. SELPH, DAVE COSLETT John Whitmore, Dean Reed Andy Anderson, Bob Hughson Fred Walker Joel Austin Vivian Castleberry Co-Editors Managing Editors Campus Editors Sports Editor City Editor Women’s Editor LI’L ABNER Romance Rears Its Ugly Head Today’s Issue John Whitmore - Andy Anderson Fred Walker Vivian Castleberry - Managing Editor Campus News Editor Sports News Editor City News Editor T. M. Fontaine, Carter Phillips Editorialists Leon McClellan, Jack Fontaine, Ed Holder, Bryan Spencer, Bob Venable, Dale Walston, Bee Landrum, Frank Davis, Phil Snyder, Art Giese, Cristy Orth, James Fuller. Leo Wallace, W. H. Dickens, Fig Newton, Joe Price. Pete Hermann. Wesley Mason. B. F. Roland, Ivan Yantis, Sid Ragsdale, Bill Aaberg, Ide Trotter, John Hildebrand. Chuck Neigh bors, Bob Selleck, Bill Streich, Curtis Edwards. labwai-fi Uesu'd Stiff WntaW Pick Kelly ...Chib Publicity Co-ordiaitor Allen Pengelly Assistant City Editor Jimmy Ashlock, Joe Blanchette, Ray Holbrook, Joe Hollis, Pat LeBlane Sports Staff Writers Sam Molinary, Bob Alderdice Staff Photographer Sid Abernathy Page Make-up Joe Gray Photo Engraving Shop Manager Tom Fontaine, Johnny Lancaster, Charles McCullough, ft. ft. Peeples, ft. D. Witter.. Photo Engravers Autray Frederick - Advertising Manager Ruiseil' H*g«as, Sob Hayiue Advertising Representatives intend to do the whole European defense job, and will perhaps be Isolationism - , — 4. tt d • 4. j a a Isolationism itself is of course, a wanting their name withheld must make a tear the U. o. intends to Set up no a> . „ a,,, + a , , • , / personal request to the co-editors. No adequate screen between Germany ,, t01 ’ , m , 01 , ra , ma hUy and Russia for protection during the mobilization period, and there fore will consider rearmament as a dangerous dare to the Soviet. Which school will predominate is occasion—the League ■ of Nations a vital question. fight being the principal exception T . . , . These same lines of thought will which proves the rule. But Europe testing is one ot the Riost im- ex i s t j n France. But will be less badly needs some reassurance about portant parts of our grade deter- ira p 0r t a nt because France is al- it right now. mination and the method used is — of interest to the students. Unless a quiz makes a student think the quiz is a failure in meas uring that student’s education. For we know the greater part of edu cation is thought training. If stu dents must depend on note memory to get by, what kind of education do they get? Does a true and false quiz stim ulate good clear thought ? It is my humble opinion that it does not. On the contrary a true and false quiz confuses good clear thought. J. W. Boldmau ’50 (Reader Goldman, The Bat talion has long held your same views. We commend you for ex pressing yourself on this all-im portant issue and invite further comment on the matter from stu dent 5 and faculty alike.—The Ed itor.) J ' • A: '• - MOW, I'M GOKIMA TREAT YOUSE TO A RIDEL IM "TH'TUNNEL OF LOVE'' -FOR fltEEff/ AH'LL TAKE > / DOES AHYTHIN6S THASS FREE.Y ) V ‘rL PREETOWSS in&IewsiveOGo^'m? By Al Capp NOT AS LONG YOUSE BEHAVED LIKE AGENTUELM^H BUB.