Battalion Editorials
Page 2
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1951
Cast Your Ballot Tonight
rTHE STUDENT SENATE election com-
mittee conducts a campus-wide vote to
night.
Purpose: to let students voice their ap
proval or disapproval of a proposed student
government change which would make the
Student Senate President one elected by the
student body and which would change the
name to President of the Student Body.
In its meeting last week, the Senate fav
ored the change, 20-10, in an unofficial show
of hands requested by its president.
The Battalion has long supported the
idea and considers it a definite step in ad
vancement of A&M’s student government,
provided proper qualifications are establish
ed for candidates for the office.
A question-and-answer series on the elec
tion might help explain the referendum vote
to any student still in the dark, so here it is:
Q.—Why do you think we need a Presi
dent of the Student Body elected by the
students ?
A.—The President of the Student Sen
ate has actually been serving in this posi
tion. His actions and duties call for him to
be the topmost representative of the student
body. Therefore we believe the students
should elect him.
Q.—Then, why the name change?
A.—Senate President Bill Parse has been
at a disadvantage during his term when deal
ing with representatives from other Texas
colleges. He can only lay claim to the indi
rect support of the student body, while most
officers from other schools can attribute
their selections to a vote of the students.
proper
Teague Flails Draft’s
‘Suspense, Indecision’
Olin E. Teague is (he member
of the House of Representa
tives in Washington from Tex
as’ Sixth District (which in
cludes Brazos County.) The
congressman
Station and
has sent a news release which
we think will be of interest to
our readers.—The Editor.
from College
an A&M grad,
I agree with the extension of
service, but cannot endorse the
draft of 18-year olds when, under
the present draft of 19-to-26-year
olds, only 1.2 million are consider
ed as inductable out of a total of
eight million in that age group.
• What steps should be taken on
a long-range, permanent basis to
provide adequate military secur-
eliminate all this indecision and
suspense. .
Such a program should inter
fere as little as possible with
the youngster’s normal pattern
of life.
As a result of the foregoing, I
have introduced a bill which would
leave the present draft age at 19
years, although extend the length
of service to 26 months.
Incorporated in the bill also is
a complete UMT program which
WASHINGTON, April 11—To-
” day, the House of Representa- The bill introduced by this com-
tives is engaged in debating one of mittee recognizes a UMT program, has been "devefoped'Taraely by the
the most crucial issues facing the but the details of the program are American Lee-ion as a result of
nation since World War Il-our not spelled out in the bill. 1 sin- ycaS S work with this matter aS
military preparedness program. cerely believe that UMT is not which was the first UMT bill intro-
Basically, two questions arc in- only desirable, but essential to our dimed in the Senate in 1951 by Sen-
volved. future security; however, I cannot at oi- Russell of Georgia.
• What form should the draft a S re e wit , h such a1 } indefinite pro
take in order to meet short-range posal and one which requires six
immediate military requirements? months basic training.
I believe if we are going to
adopt a UMT program, let us pass
one which will incorporate as fully
as possible all the details of the
program and thereby, let the fam
ilies and youngsters themselves
know exactly where they stand and
The Committee on Armed Ser
vices bill now before the House
has approached this question by re
ducing the draft age from 19 to
18 Yz years, and by lengthening
the required service from 21 to 26
months.
The Battalion
Lawrence Sullivan Ross, Founder of Aggie Traditions
"Soldier, Statesman, Knightly Gentleman”
Entered as second-class
matter at Post Office at
College Staton, Texas,
Under the Act of Con-
press of March 3, 1870.
Member of
The Associated Press
The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of
Texas, is published by students 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. Subscrip
tion 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, Goodwin Hall.
Under this UMT program, the-
average youngster would be lia
ble for four months basic mili
tary training in a special training
corps in his eighteenth year. Im
mediately upon completion of
basic training, he would fulfill
the balance of his UMT require
ments.
Among these alternates are ad
ditional active duty; entry into one
of the reserve programs; entry into
an officer training program (in
cluding college ROTC), or entry
into a university for military, tech
nical, or specialist training.
The program would be directed
by a civilian commission to be ap
pointed by the President. The main
advantages of this program would
Represented nationally J 36 that ^ is definite and would al-
by National Advertising low the youngsters and their fam-
Service Inc., at New York jlies to make definite plans.
City, Chicago, Los An-
It would not be necessary to
interrupt a youngster’s educa
tion or career since four months
basic training could be taken
during a summer and an alter
nate program selected which
would fit in with whatever plans
he had.
geles, and San Francisco.
Q.—What would you consider
qualifications?”
A.—Probably that he must have been a
member of the Senate, a Senate “sitter,” or
have attended a sufficient number of meet
ings of the Senate to learn its operations.
Q.—Do you think this narrows the field
too much?
A.—Not in the least. The last qualifica
tion would make eligible any man who had
sufficient interest in the position for a year
in advance. And the job should definitely
create interest in the under-classes.
Q.—Why couldn’t the Senate just set the
election without this student body referen
dum?
A.—The Senate’s constitution, unfortun
ately, requires that % the members of that
body vote for an amendment before it can
be passed on to the Student Life Committee
for final approval.
At last Thursday night’s meeting, a ma
jority favored the amendment, but a % vote
couldn’t be reached. The amendment was
presented, however, in the form of a resolu
tion seeking tonight’s election and was
passed.
These are but a few of the questions
which could—and should arise—when you
vote tonight.
Circle the “yes” on the ballot.
You will be insuring more interest in the
colleges student government, as well as giv
ing A&M’s top student leader the position
he deserves and the student body the vote
it needs.
From the City Desk
Batt Re-Named
Official Paper
. . . By Joel Austin
Y OU MAY HAVE noticed the absence of the" “ear” at the
top of our front page designating The Battalion as the of
ficial publication of College Station during the past few
months. ...
This matter came about last summer when the local
city council founds that through a ruling from the attorney
general of Texas, this newspaper would not qualify as an
“official” city newspaper.
The technicality in the law stated that any such paper
designated as the official paper must be published without
fail at least once each week for a period of one year.
During examination period of the Fall semester last year
(February 1950) publication was suspended for one week in
order that staff members might have an opportunity to pre
pare for examinations. From that time until last summer
when the action was taken, not a single week had been missed
by The Battalion in printing at least one paper per week.
The paper had not been printed one year with continuous
publication each week when the question arose as to the
validity of official notices posted in The Battalion by the Col
lege Station City Council. After due consideration, the coun
cil voted to name a Bryan paper as the “official” paper until
such time as The Battalion would qualify.
Printing four full-size papers each week all summer and
then continuing with a Tuesday-Thursday schedule between
semesters, this paper went into the Fall semester with a clear
record of not missing a single week of publication.
February 1 it was capable of meeting all the require
ments of the “official” paper and at Monday night’s meet
ing of the new council, The Battalion was again designated
as the paper to receive all official publications of the city,
which would be valid under the state ruling.
Smith Was Not a Candidate
In our story on the results of the College Station mun
icipal election April 4, there was a sentence that read as
follows: “Lloyd D. Smith received five write-in votes to make
a weak bid for the position now held by winner W. D. Fitch
in Ward III.”
Our apologies to Mr. Smith for implying that he might
have been a candidate. He asked that we inform our readers
that he was not a candidate, but deeply appreciated the vote
of confidence given him by a few voters of Ward III.
Mr. Smith said, “I was not a candidate. Friends had sug
gested that I enter the race but I declined, feeling that I
could not devote the time that should be given to the posi
tion.”
Appreciation Shown for Power Line Purchase
The people of College Hills expressed their appreciation
in many ways for the city council’s final move in closing a
deal with the City of Bryan and REA to buy power lines in
that section of town. The city takes official possession April
15 and the lower domestic rates for College Station will be
enforced at that time.
City officials asked people of College Hills not to be
alarmed if their first bill is a little larger than what they may
have expected. Dates for reading meters in this city come at
a later time than in Bryan and as a result the bill will be for
more than a month’s use of electricity.
The slightly higher commercial rates in College Station
will, of course, go into effect in College Hills. Merchants
and commercial consumers of electricity have been promised
an adjustment in the charges, however, and council action
on the matter should be here by the next meeting.
House-to-House Mail Delivery Possible
For those of you who are wondering about the possibil
ities of house-to-house mail delivery in College Station, there
is still a very good chance this service may be established
soon.
Chamber of Commerce President Joe Sorrels has again
asked that all residents of the city return the cards sent them
by the chamber asking if they would prefer to have this
new mail delivery.
Sorrels asked us to urge everyone to get those question
cards back to him immediately so a representative figure
could be used in determining how the local people feel about
home mail delivery.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Editor, The Battalion:
Down through the years A&M
has always had a few distinct char
acteristics which have distinguished
it from the general run of colleges
throughout the United States.
In the opinion of the student+
body here at A&M these differences
have made the school just a little
bit better than, the rest of the col
leges around these parts.
One of the most important dif
ferences of A&M has been the ab
sence, in the most part, of politics
in campus affairs. Was it Jeffer
son who said “Government of the
least is government of the best?”
Our federal, state, and municipal
governments seem to have forgot
ten this theory. Why is it neces
sary for us here at A&M to follow
the examples of these various
forms of government?
At most schools the President of
the Student Body is considered to
be the most honored position on
the campus. Here at A&M, how
ever, the Colonel of the Cadet
Corps and the President of the
Senior Class have been considered
co-holders of this honored position.
In the last few years the Presi
dent of the Student Senate has also
been elevated to this position, which
in our opinion, is fine and proper.
Why is it necessary to elevate one
of these positions to a rank which
may be considered above that of
the others, especially since the most
convincing argument the advo
cators of this proposed change can
muster is such a weak one ? They
seem to feel that just because the
other schools of this area have a
President of the Student Body we
must have one, too. Here at A&M
we have always taken pride in be
ing different. Why must we change
our policies just to conform to the
standard student governing bodies
of other schools?
The President of the Student
Senate, President of the Senior
Class, and the Cadet Colonel of
the Corps each have their own dis
tinct functions, even though it ap
pears that in recent yeai’s the du
ties and privileges of the Senior
Class have been infringed upon
and sometimes even blotted out by
the activities of the Student Sen
ate.
Whose fault this is we don’t
know, but it is obvious that this
transition is taking place. We see
no reason why, by elevating the
leader of the Student Senate to the
position of President of the Stu
dent Body, this group (the Stu
dent Senate) should become the
dominant organization in campus
affairs and take over duties for
merly done by the Senior Class and
the Cadet Corps.
The ideas expressed by the var
ious campus publications seem to
indicate that any additional power
given to a student governing body
is an improvement of campus af
fairs.
That idea, in our opinion, is en
tirely wrong, and we do not be
lieve that we here at A&M should
have a president of the student
body. If we want to have an offi
cial elected at large, let’s make
him President of the Student Sen
ate, as it is now, not President of
the Student Body, which, from the
title, seems to elevate him to a po
sition above that held by the Ca
det Colonel of the Corps and the
President of the Senior Class.
A1 Rollins ’51
T. E. Flukinger ’51
Reid H. Rogers ’51
(The Battalion firmly believes
that a Student Body President is
necessary for student government
advancement here. Read today’s
editorial.
(We are not advocates of “gov
ernment of the most,” as you have
implied. In fact, you seem to be
advocating a contrast to Jefferson’s
theory by desiring three offices of
equal importance.
(We cannot agree that A&M
must always be different from oth
er schools. It is a poor state of
affairs when we cannot realize ences” such as the title of its stu-
benefits other schools have and dent leader, we would not be en-
refuse to follow simply to remain rolled in school here. The school
“different.” has gained its reputation by many
(If A&M’s pride and recognition more outstanding accomplishments '
is based on such minor “differ- (See LETTER, Page 4)
The program would be controlled
and directed by civilians; and the
The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for republication of all P*’°£iam would build a laigc, tiain-
news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news OQ reservoir Ol manpower Oil a pCl’-
of spontaneous origin published herein. Rights of republication of all other matter manent, democratic basis.
herein are also reserved. I do not know what will come OUt
CLAYTON L. SELPH, DAVE COSLETT Co-Editors ^
John Whitmore, Dean Reed Managing Editors does, I feel, will be a decisive fac-
Andy Anderson, Bob Hughson Campus Editors tor in determining our future se-
Fred Walker 1 Sports Editor curity.
Joel Austin City Editor —Olin E. Teague
Vivian Castleberry Women’s Editor
Phi Eta Sigma
Data Due Saturday
The cumulative historian’s 1’ec-
ord of Phi Eta Sigma is due on
or before April 14 in the office
of the Faculty Adviser, Room 107
Academic Building, Dr. J. P. Ab
bott, Dean of Arts and Sciences
announced today. All charter mem
bers should attach a recent pic
ture, he added.
Places have been reserved for
all charter members at the Spring
Initiation Banquet on May 7. Tick
ets may be secured when the histor
ian’s record is turned in, he said.
Any charter member who did not
receive a written invitation should
see the Faculty Ad” iser as soon as
possible, he advised.
Today’s Issue
John Whitmore Managing Editor
Andy Anderson Campus News Editor
Allen Pengelly City News Editor
Fred Walker Sports News Editor
T. M. Fontaine, Carter Phillips —Editorialists
Allen Pengelly ....; Assistant City Editor
Leon McClellan, Jack Fontaine, Ed Holder, Bryan Spencer, Bob Venable, Dale
Walston, Bee Landrum, Frank DavisJ 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 Neighbors, Bob Selleck, Bill
Strcich, Curtis Edwards, Howard Heard Staff Writers
Jimmy Ashlock, Joe Blanchette, Ray Holbrook, Joe Hollis,
Pat LeBlanc ..Sports Staff Writers
Sam Molitiary, Bob Alderdice Staff Photographers
Sid Abernathy Page Make-up
Joe Cray : : —Photo Engraving Shop Manager
Tom Fontaine, Johnny Lancaster, Charles McCullough, R. R. Peeples,
R. D. Witter , Photo Engravers
Autrey Frederick Advertising Manager
Ru-seli Hagens. Bob Haynis..— : Advertising P-epresentatives
Dick Kelly—— ;_Glub Publicity Co-ordinator
‘Nancy O.’ Contest
Li'l Abner’s
Readers Will
Grab Prizes
Have you entered your favorite
girl’s picture in the “Nancy O.”
contest ?
You didn’t know anything about
it?
To you ardent readers of Li’l
Abner goes the honor of deciding
how the “face on the girl” will
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ing operation.
You not only will receive the
honor of seeing your girl friend’s
picture, but you will also win for
her a complete Conover Career-
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sonal supervision of Candy Jonds
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On top of these many honors,
the lovely winner will be presented
to the television audience on Can
dy’s NBT program “Star Night at
the Astor.”
The winner will also receive a
dozen hats in various colors, which
will be flattering to your young
lady—whether she be blonde, brun
ette or redhead.
The contest closes on April 21
so you’d better get those entries
in promptly. Just mail them to The
Battalion, College Station, Texas.
They will be forwarded to the
New York offices of United Fea
ture Syndicate, sponsors of the
“Nancy O.” contest.
For
M
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BATTERY SPECIAL
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INSPECTION AND*
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GOODYEAR SERVICE
200 E. 26th — Bryan
DIAL 2-1200
DINE AND DANCE
at
FLAMINGO LOUNGE
Weather Permitting, Our NEW
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FINEST FOOD IN TOWN
NOTE:
We are closing Thursday for the opening of
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We especially invite our friends and custom
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Come out and see our new club and join in
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BILL KELLEY, Manager
Flamingo Lounge Empire Room
PHONE 6-1271 PH. RURAL 8532 - F21
LI’L ABNER It Tells Fish Stories
By A1 Capp
Bible Verse
1 ET your light so shine before
"men, that they may see your
good works and glorify your Fath
er which is in heaven-—Mat 5:16.