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Station's Official
Number 130: Volume 51
i Battalion
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF A GREATER A&M COLLEGE
COLLEGE STATION (Aggieland), TEXAS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1951
Student Body President
Question to Be Voted On
Tonight — Be Sure to Vote
Price Five Cents
Gen. Mac Arthur Fired for Bucking Policy
The Day Came
The effort of cleaning up the “Hole” is finally
rewarded by the inspecting officer looking it over.
On the right the head of the inspecting team,
Col. Paul B. Malone, senior Army instructor for
Texas Organized Reserve, looks over a room in
the White Band. Lt. Col. Douglas Stevens, from
Ft. Sill, left, looks over the room of C. L. Mayben,
of Company 11. The commander of Company 11,
Herman Thompson, is on the far right.
In DeWare Field House
Deep Sea Excursion Prize
For Bait Casting Contest
By ROjGER COSLETT
Fishing Contest Editor
A pass for two on Benny Allen’s
Deep Sea Boat out of Freeport,
aourtesy of Andy Anderson, awaits
the winner of the Battalion’s bait
casting contest. The contest will be
held April 27 in DeWare Field
Bouse. Anderson, fishing editor for
' the Houston Press, will be master
4>l ceremonies for the event.
Anderson is bringing with him,
as other prizes, copies of his fish-
...in’ guide, a fly line, a casting line
and a dozen lures. He will also
have several casting rods for use
by fishermen who have no rods
but who would like to enter the
contest.
Other prizes for the contest will
be announced later.
A demonstration of fancy and
trick casting by a well-known ex
pert and a thirty-minute sound
movie will also be on the pro
gram.
The contest is open to all stu
dents and residents of College Sta
tion and Bryan.
Tournament casting plugs will be
used in the contest. Target rings
will be set at specified distances
from the point of cast. Accuracy
will be the aim of the contestants.
For those who are not casting
experts, The Battalion is spon
soring a fishing contest. The con
test is to be conducted on an hon-
4 or basis. Your word is good.
This contest is also open to all
students and residents of College
Station and Bryan. Fish must be
taught between April 10 and April
24. Your entry must be in by mid
night of April 24.
Fish must be caught by either
the spinning, trolling, bait cast
ing, fly or still fishing method.
Salt water entries are not eligible.
Pictures of your catch are not
necessary, but we would like to
have one for possible use in The
Battalion.
To become eligible to win a
prize, just provide us with the
following information:
On April , 1951, I caught a
—(kind of fish) that measured
inches in length. I caught the
fish in—(name and location of
lake, river, stream or pond, which
is in (or near)—(name of town.)
I caught the fish on—(type and
make of rod—-if using rod), using
—(type and brand of bait),—(test
of line in pounds), and a—make of
reel).
Mail your entry to:
Fishing Contest
The Battalion
College Station, Texas
with your name, address and phone
number.
Dig out that rod and reel, amble
on down to your favorite fishing
hole and catch that big one that
got away last year. You may be
the winner.
Chamber Elects
Rogers to Head
New Committee
Another step toward better
city government was taken
yesterday when the College
Station Chamber of C o m-
merce met and formed a spe
cial committee to coordinate the
Chamber with the city council
The meeting, originally called
for Monday, was cancelled due to
the lack of a quorem present.
The committee will work along'
with a similar group representing
the city council in an effort to
study and solve problems confront
ing the city. The Chamber is al
ready working with the council on
plans for a new city charter.
Chairman of the newly formed
committee is Ralph Rogers and as
sisting him will be Wendell R.
Horsley.
The Chamber discussed plans for
giving money to the college for the
sending of brochures and pamh-
lets to high school seniors through
out the state. This plan is to try
to encourage graduating seniors to
come to A&M next Fall.
“No definite conclusion could be
reached because the financial re
port for the coming year is still
incomplete,” said Joe Sorrells, pres
ident of the Chamber. “Our mem
bership campaign is almost finish
ed although we are still receiving
applications for membership,” he
added.
Miss Marie Cobb, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Charley C. Cobb, was
officially named as the Chamber’s
representative to the A&M Cotton
Pageant and Ball. Nominated by
Les Richardson, Mrs. C. B. God-
bey, and R L. Hunt, Miss Cobb ac
cepted by the Chamber directors.
She has not as yet selected an es
cort for the event.
Referendum Vote
Scheduled Tonite
The question of whether or
not A&M will have a Student
Body President will be decided
tonight in a campus wide elec
tion. The Ballots will be dis
tributed through the first ser
geants and Dormitory Senators.
The president of the Student
Body would automatically be
come the president of the Stu
dent Senate, if the proposal pas
ses.
General Received Dismissal
News Calmly Says Aide
(Editor’s Note: Russell Brines,
AP Bureau Chief in Tokyo, was
captured in Manila when that
city fell to the Japanese. He re
turned to covering General Mac-
Arthur in the Philippines cam
paign and remained with the
General throughout the rest of
the Pacific war and the occupa
tion of Japan.)
By RUSSELL BRINES
TOKYO, April 11—<A 5 )—General
MacArthur received the news of
dismissal from all his commands
today “magnificently and without
turning a hair.”
Maj. Gen. Courtney Whitney,
military secretary of the United
Nations command, told newsmen
MacArthur would have no comment
“for the time.” He added:
“I just left the General. He
received the word of the President’s
dismissal from command magnifi
cently. He never turned a hair.
His soldierly qualities were never
more pronounced.
“This has been his finest hour.”
The firing of MacArthur, by
President Truman, came with the
drama and irony which has mark
ed the five-star general’s 47
years of active military life.
Even in defeat, he added another
precedent to a career studded with
them—the first dismissal of his
tory’s first United Nations com
mander.
The general with the dramatic
touch went out under circumstances
more like the stage than war. His
notice came without warning dur
ing a quiet luncheon at his home.
Throughout a career of three
wars and tumultous peace, MacAr
thur has shouldered aside precedent
to follow his destiny with meteoric
and controversial brilliance.
He liked to say, as an explana
tion of many things: “I shall
keep a soldier’s faith.”
Today, at the apparent end of
(See DISMISSAL, Page 4)
. Pompeo Coppini—Depictor of Texas History
Sully’s Sculptor Visits Campus
The man who immortalized Sully
returned to the campus today. And
his bronze creation of the “Soldier,
"'Statesman and Knightly Gentle
man,” still stood where he had
watched it unveiled almost 32 years
ago.
. The man is Pompeo Coppini, one
of Texas’ leading sculptors. He
arrived here today for a short visit
on the campus.
His General Sul Ross Statue, a
landmark to A&M students for
three decades, is only one of many
Texas commemorative works of
art to come from his studios.
The San Antonio resident also
produced the Littlefield Memorial
^ Fountain at Texas University,
the Confederate Group located in
front of the State Capital at Aus
tin, and the Baylor Memorial.
He also sculpted the six bronze
figures in the Hall of Texas
Heroes at the Centennial in Dal
las in 1936.
Sculptor Coppini was bom in the
Italian province of Moglia in 1870,
a descendant of a noble and wealthy
family mined by the Austrians in
the War of 18G6. He turned down
a rightful title of nobility, prefer
ring to earn all that he got from
life.
After studying in Florence, Italy,
under the best teachers of his time,
he was graduated from the Aca
demia de Belle Arts. He finished
the eight year course in three
years, winning highest honors and
prize money over students of eight
to twelve years training.
In his attempts to follow his
chosen field of work, the young
artist was forced to spend several
years in the Italian Army, paint
signs, clerk in a store and sell
wine. From his profits as a wine
merchant, he returned to Florence
to open a studio.
Coppini arrived in the United
States in 1896 to spend several
months wandering around New
York before landing a commis
sion to make portrait busts of
several New York notables.
He soon went to Omaha where
he modeled all the groups and oth
er sculpture work for the govern
ment building at the Omaha Expo
sition. He also prepared many of
the groups for the Pan American
Export Exposition held in Philadel
phia in 1899. And, upon return
ing to New York, the sculptor open
ed a studio in partnership with
Arthur Fendel.
Sully’s creator came to San An
tonio in 1910, where he built his
present home and studio in Alamo
Heights. And, though he still
maintains an office on West 14th
Street in New York, he prefers to
spend as much time as possible in
his Texas home.
His General Sul Ross Statue was
done for the State of Texas which
presented the work to the college.
Speaking of that statue, Coppini
has said:
“It was an honor to do a
statue of such a great man. He
was a great Indian fighter, par
ticipating in 136 battles and had
five horses shot under him. As
governor, he was elected twice
by a handsome majority and died
as president of A&M College.
“At the college Ross was respect
ed and admii’ed, but not as an ex
governor but because of his love
for the students. He loved the col
lege sufficiently to reject a nomi
nation as Railroad Commissioner.
“In spite of his outstanding rec
ord as an Indian fighter and gen
eral in the Confederate Army, I
think' he is well depicted as a
statesman and college president.”
Coppini’s statue of Ross was
unveiled at 2:30 on Sunday, May
8, 1919 before a gathering of
approximately fifteen hundred
persons.
Dr. William B. Bizzell, then pres
ident of the college, and Betsy
Ross, grand-daughter of General
Ross, took part in the ceremonies.
Judge Norman G. Kitrell of Hous
ton was main speaker.
During his visit today, Coppini
will witness the Federal Inspection
Corps Review. He plans to return
to San Antonio tomorrow.
General Ridgway Named to Take
Over All of Mac Arthur’s Commands
Washington, April 11—UP)—President Truman fired
Gen. Douglas MacArthur today on grounds he failed to sup
port—and publicly sought to change—the grand strategy of
the United Nations war against Red aggression in Korea.
In a sensational statement released at the White House
at 1 a.m. (E.S.T.) after days of soul-searching and indecision,
the President announced:
“With deep regret I have concluded that General of the
Army Douglas MacArthur is unable to give his wholehearted
support to the policies of the United States government and
of the United Nations in matters pertaining to his official
duties.”
Acting with lightning speed on that conclusion, once he
had reached it, the President:
• Relieved the 71-year-old MacArthur of his four-fold
Firing Mac Big
Bust-Congress
Washington, April 11—CP)—An
gry congressional critics today call
ed President Truman’s removal of
Gen. Douglas MacArthur as Pacific
commander a “tragic error” and
“the forerunner of a Far Eastern
Munich.”
Explosive reaction among law
makers included demands that Mac
Arthur testify before the bar of
American public opinion on his
view that the fate of Europe hinges
on the gage of battle with Com
munism in Asia.
This runs directly counter to the
Truman administration’s efforts to
localize the fighting in Korea and
avoid all-out war with Red China.
Senator Taft of Ohio, chairman
of the Senate Republican Policy
Committee and a possible Republi
can presidential candidate next
year, led the attack on the presi
dential decision.
“The President has made a tragic
error, not only because of the loss
of one of the greatest military
leaders in U. S. history but because
the decision indicates a determina
tion to continue the wavering, plan
less course in the Far East and
points to either a stalemate in Ko
rea or to ignominious concessions
to the Chinese Communists,” he
told a reporter.
Senator Knowland (R - Calif)
called the decision a “forerunner
to a Far Eastern Munich.” Know-
land has been a persistent critic
of Far Eastern policy.
“By his action, the President has
yielded to British and American
critics of General MacArthur,”
Knowland said. “Our position in
Japan and the whole Far East is
in jeopardy. It is also a great vic
tory for Secretary of State Ache-
son and his Far Eastern policies.”
Knowland said it is imperative
that MacArthur tell his side of the
story to Congress—a move the gen
eral seemed tree to approach under
the President’s authorization to
MacArthur to “travel to such
places as you select.”
Senator Wherry of Nebraska, the
Republican floor leader, said Mac
Arthur now should “tell the Ameri
can people what the reasons are
for his disagreement with admin
istration policies.”
“The President has removed the
general without consulting the
American people or the Congress
about the matter,” Wherry said.
“Anything can happen in Congress
now.”
Wherry said Mac Arthur’s views
had “caught fire in the country.”
Contending that the majority of
the people will back the general.
Senator Kerr (D-Okla), one of
the fii'st openly to criticize Mac
Arthur, said he regrets “that the
President found it necessary to take
this action.” Mr. Truman, too, ex
pressed his regret.
“However,” Kerr said, “the job
is too important and the responsi
bility too great for anyone to have
charge of it who is not 100 per cent
on the team and with the team.”
Ken- said Mr. Truman is “respon-
(See ‘BIG ERROR’, Page 4)
m
li
Pompeo Coppini’s General Sul Ross Statue was first unveiled in
it’s site in front of the Academic Building on Sunday afternoon,
May 10, 1919. The General’s grand-daughter, Betsy Ross, drew
aside the flags in which the statue was cloaked while an estimated
crowd of fifteen hundred spectators stood at attention to the
strains of the national anthem. The statue, more familiarly known
as Sully, has remained a campus landmark through the years.
duties as Supreme Allied Occupation Commander in Japan;
United Nations Commander in Chief for Korea; United States
Commander in Chief for the Far East; and Commanding
General of the United States Army in the Far East.
• Named Lieut. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway, field com
mander in Korea, to succeed MacArthur in all these com
mands. that means Ridgway hot only will direct the U. N.
campaign in Korea but also wind up the Japanese occupation,
assuming peace treaty plans go through.
• Named Lieut. Gen. James A. Van Fleet, commander
of the Second Army at Fort George G. Meade, Md., to take
over the Eighth Army command in Korea from Ridgway.
• Issued a set of secret messages exchanged between
MacArthur and the joint chiefs of staff here. The evident
aim was to show that MacArthur had scorned successive
Washington directives to clear anything he said on major-
political or military policy with either the State or Defense
Departments.
The order relieving MacArthur of command was Mr.
Truman’s answer to the General’s persistent campaign of
public statements to get the United States to follow a dif
ferent policy in the Far East and especially, with its U. N.
Allies, in the Korean war.
Essentially he has advocated expanding the war to in
clude direct attacks on Red China. He has presented Asia
rather than Europe as the critical theater of conflict with ag
gressive Communism.
His dismissal amounts to reaffirmation by Mr. Truman
of United States policies for a strictly limited war in Korea,
if possible, and for treating Europe as the ultimately decisive
area of contest with Soviet Communist power.
Bombshell Explodes
The bombshell announcement was made by Press Secre
tary Joseph H. Short at a hastily summoned White House
news conference.
The President told MacArthur he is free to “travel to
such places as you select”—thus freeing the General to re
turn to this country after an absence of nearly 14 years.
There were immediate demands in Congress that he come at
once to Washington to give his views.
In addition to the heretofore secret messages, orders
sent out shortly before midnight to bring about the spectac
ular shakeup in the Far East were also released.
The secret message file showed MacArthur had been cov
ered in a general presidential order last Dec. 6, clamping
down on policy statements by all government officials. He
had been bluntly reminded of this by Mr. Truman’s direction
on March 24, after issuing his famous bid to the Red com
mander in Korea to talk peace as U. N. forces reached the
38th Parallel.
Backs Martin
Meanwhile, on March 20, the record showed, MacArthur
had sent to House Republican Joe Martin (Mass) the letter
endorsing Martin’s idea of using Chinese Nationalist troops
on Formosa to open a “second front” against Red China, and
adding his own conviction that Asia rather than Europe is
the critical theater of conflict with world Communism. Mar
tin released the letter last week.
U. S. Eighth Army Headquarters, Korea, April 11
—(/P)—Lt. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway had no comment
for the press today when he learned he had been named
to succeed General Douglas MacArthur.
A press officer traveling with Ridgway said “his
only comment was a terse no comment.”
It was not reported when the new Allied Supreme
Commander will fly to Tokyo to take over his new duties.
Ridgway was visiting front lines with Secretary of
Army Frank Pace.
There was also an exchange of messages between the
Joint Chiefs of Staff and MacArthur on the question of arm
ing Korean troops. This showed MacArthur raising a ser
ious question whether more Koreans should be armed in
view of weapons needs for the developing Japanese police.
Thus the White House sought to meet a MacArthur
statement last weekend that the recent release of 120,000
South Koreans from military units was the result of a policy
decision made in Washington and beyond his power to con
trol.
Feuding; Many Months
While the Truman administration’s feud with MacAr
thur goes back many months, two events apparently were
decisive in bringing on the showdown. One was the Gener
al’s 38th Parallel statement, in which he not only invited Red
peace talks but also implied the United Nations might alter
their policies and attack Red China.
This set tempers rising in Allied capitals here and
abroad. For not only did the policy makers have no inten
tion of expanding the war, but as the messages now released
show, they were planning their own much less belligerent
bid to peace. Once MacArthur had spoken this was scrapped.
The second incident was the MacArthur letter to Martin.
Martin is a leader of the President’s Republican opposition;
he used the letter in attacking the Presidentially sponsored
Universal Military Training Bill in the House.
Confers With Staff
That was last Thursday. Almost immediately Mr. Tru
man began conferring with Secretary of Defense Marshall,
Gen. Omar Bradley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, and
other advisers on whether he should fire MacArthur and if
so, how.
The President is understood to have been cautioned in
these conferences that if he did act so drastically he would
face a political battle of staggering proportions. His ad
visers believed MacArthur’s return here would set off an
other “great debate,” this time over Far Eastern strategy
instead of European defense.