Letters to The Editor: Student Government and Foreign Policy
Senate President
Gives His Views
To the Student Body:
Many questions and criticisms
have come to my attention since
the proposal of a Student Body
President came before the student
body as a whole. The questions are
good, but the criticism is unjust
and unfair because the facts have
not been brought to you.
In this letter I will attempt to
answer the questions and criticisms,
and, at the same time, “air” a few
of my convictions relative to stu
dent government.
In the first place, I feel that
A&M as a military school, which,
of necessity, is operated as a class
system, cannot be democratic in all
respects. Total democracy has no
place here if we remain, as I am
sui'e we will, a military school. I
do think, however, that democracy
to a certain extent is desirable and
beneficial. That, it seems to me,
is what we are arguing, “To what
extent democracy?”
The ideas behind the Senate are
good.
It establishes no aristocracy of
senators.
It allows many to be heard with
out involving an uncontrollable
group.
It is the most practical and
representative body that could be
organize dfor a predominantly mil
itary student body.
It prepares others to take, in
their future years, a senior’s place
in helping to administer a large
student body.
These are important, but then,
too, I feel that anyone who reads
this knows full well that little or
no business of either controversial
or trivial nature can be thoroughly
and rationally considered at any
class meeting.
The opinion ballots of last week
were not counted and tabulated,
not because, as many people seem
to think, that from all indications
it could not pass, and rve were try
ing in every way to get the pro
posal through. It was because few
students knew what a referendum
vote was, that many of them said
that they had not had ample time
to think the proposal out, and
that neither side of the question
had been thoroughly publicized.
Battalion Editorials
Page 2
TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1951
A Tale of Today .
r|NCE upon a time there was a big bomb-
^ er, and it was called the “Flying Fort
ress.”
This big bomber was heavily armed and
able to range far and wide over enemy ter
ritory at extremely high altitudes. The fact
that it was a fortress implied that it could
defeat with its own guns any other aircraft
that sought to oppose its mission.
Eventually the big ship was permitted
to sally forth against the foe, but, oddly
enough, some of these invincible fortresses
failed to return. Obviously the enemy was
unaware that the ship was invincible.
As time went on it was found that the
losses could be reduced by sending fighters
along for protection. Existing fighters,
however, had a very restricted range.
While frantic designers perfected long
range fighters known as Mustangs and
•
Eisenhower:
Riding the Fence
ITNLESS he makes a drastic in the way he
has conducted himself so far, Gen.
Dwight D. Eisenhower will never make the
mistake of Gen. Douglas MacArthur—speak
ing too freely on his own personal beliefs.
But we don’t consider that such a recom
mendation.
There have been many fence-sitters in
history who never amounted to anything.
When Ike was informed of MacArthur’s
dismissal on grounds of insubordination, he
said, “When you put on a uniform, there are
certain inhibitions you accept.”
That is obvious. We can not have our
government split into warring factions over
foreign policy.
But when a man reaches the rank of
General of the Army, when he has gained’
national respect as Eisenhower has, he
should at least let the American public know
some of his aims and ideas—if he has any.
And we don’t know of a single instance
when General Eisenhower has committed
himself on a single thing.
We’d like to suggest again the old Greek
ideal—balance. Neither so much talking that
we are embarrassed in our foreign policy,
nor so little talking that we don’t know what
to expect from our representative to Eu
rope.
Thunderbolts, long range strategic opera
tions became quite expensive in personnel
and equipment. Within 100 days, the first
Mustang had flown, having been designed
and built in record time.
Now long range bombing continued, and
the enemy was eventually deprived of his
major oil resources. This in turn became
one of the decisive factors in later stages of
the war. ,
The magic key, and major tactical
blunder centered around the availability
of long range high performance fighters.
(Any similarity between the above al
legory and the present concept of airpower
and its applications is purely coincidental).
At the present time, many people enter
tain the belief that we can at any time send
a fleet of B-36’s into Russia with atom
bombs, and literally destroy their war poten
tial at one stroke.
The quality of Russian production jet
fighters such as the MIG-15, however, has
been a surprise to the pilots of U. S. Sabre
jets. B-29’s can have jet escort to the Yalu
river, but it is doubtful that deep penetra
tions could be made with jet escort.
We firmly believe that unescorted B-36’s
could not operate against Russian jet qp-
position. This fact may have a great deal
to do with our appeasement of Red China.
Misunderstanding
npHE BATTALION has remained silent on
local questions these past two issues.
We said Thursday that we were anxious to
hear student opinions on the Student Body
President question and we invited letters.
We got them.
While some correspondents have side
stepped the issue and spent their time “cus
sing” The Batt, others have had some con-
constructive suggestions, thoughts, and crit
icisms. And then there were some who made
fools of themselves.
Many side issues have been raised either
directly or indirectly. Some are fundamen
tal, having to do with Battalion policy, how
it is formulated, and where it is expressed.
We feel such a misunderstanding is ser
ious and should be cleared up.
Your attention is invited to a discussion
of Battalion policies which will appear on
this page tomorrow.
It was meant merely to give the
Senate, for its consideration, a
cross-section of how the student
body feels relative to the propo
sal. If the cross-section is not a
true one, then it is of no value to
the Senate as was the case last
Wednesday. These are the facts
from one who was instrumental in
not having the votes counted.
Personally, I do not favor A&M
having a Student Body President.
I do want the student body to elect
the president of the Senate, but
only under the following or similar
conditions:
(1) That the Senior Class nar
row the field of aspirants to three.
(2) That the candidates have had
some experience in the Senate
either as a Senator, a Senate “sit
ter” or as a visitor who has indi
cated an interest in student govern
ment by attending at least one half
of the Senate meetings. These lat
ter two would have to be deter
mined by an accurate roll call.
These are my ideas and I firmly
believe in them. I do not believe
that I am as narrow minded as
some and I believe that my opinion
might conceivably be changed, nor
am I so prone to criticize when I
don’t know what I’m talking about.
Bill Parse
President
Student Senate
Opposed to Student
Government Change
Editor, The Battalion:
The idea that student govern
ment at A&M should be enhanced
by the addition of a Student Body
President is being supported by the
following reasons:
• A student body popular vote
is needed for true democracy in
government.
• A definite spokesman for
A&M students is desirable in deal
ings with other schools.
I would like to say why I think
these statements show no cause
for a change in our present set-up.
The words “democratic vote of
the entire student body” are very
appealing, and at first glance op
position to such a move would
seem unthinkable. But as with
other Noble Experiments, I believe
that the spirit of a direct election
of a president by the students
would be honored in name only.
Its idea is democratic in theory,
but in practice it becomes made-to-
order for heavy-handed student
politics. The freshman and sopho
more vote would be the result of
shrewd guessing at best, or more
likely the result of careful “guid
ance” if upperclassmen decide the
younger students need help in see
ing the relative merits of each sen
ior candidate.
We have right now the closest
practical approach to democracy
we could hope to attain—its only
fault is its lack of publicity. (And
by “publicity,” I mean public at
tention from all sources; not only
from printed matter but also from
discussion between students and
their senators.)
Representatives are chosen by
the residents in each dorm—a divi
sion small enough for every group.
These senators are capable of elect
ing a nominal head of the student
government, with the title of Stu
dent Senate President, and with
the power if you please to speak
for the student body in dealings
with other schools.
Why do wc need to change?
Jim B. Russell
NIW1
WHENEVER THIS
HAPPENS TO YOU . . .
The Battalion
Lawrence Sullivan Ross, Founder of Aggie Traditions
"Soldier, Statesman, Knightly Gentleman”
DON’T BE UNHAPPY . .
LOOK AT YOUR . . .
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Western Diplomacy
In the Near East
Editor, The Battalion:
Although the Near East is of
vital importance to the security of
America and the Western world, it
was one of the areas most politi
cally neglected by the democracies.
There are compelling reasohs
why the U. S. should interest it
self in the Near East. The area
comprises about two million square
miles and has a total population of
nearly two hundred million people.
It is rich in natural resources
and has one of the world’s largest
oil pools and the richest deposits
in phosphates, magnesium and pot
ash. Centrally located where Asia,
Europe, and Africa meet, its ports
are highly prized and its airports
strategically situated.
Naturally fortified by two seas
and extensive desert tracts, it is
the only solid line for the defense
of Europe.
Threat of Communism
The Communists, who have al
ways recognized the importance
of the area and always aspired to
control it, have been dextrously ex
ploiting its economic and political
weakness. They are cleverly using
the deadly weapons furnished grat
uitously by the Western powers:
the Palestinian refugee problem
and the European imperialist poli
cy.
Day in and day out the people
in the Near East are being sub
jected to a vicious propaganda
extravagantly financed.
Failing to understand the Near
Eastern mentality in spite of their
long association with Near Eastern
people, the Western powers are
trying to appease them by prof
fered loans and technical assist
ance.
What the people of the Near
East need most is not dollars or
EGA money. They need something
more essential and more life-giv
ing. They need justice; they need
freedom, and they need a straight
forward, mutually-beneficial for
eign policy.
Recent public declarations of
leaders in Near Eastern countries
and the introduction of many a
resolution in their parliaments in
dicate a re-orientation of foreign
policy and better relations with
the Communist world. Valuable
strategic products, for example,
were exchanged for Russian wheat
because the Western powers in
sisted on selling their wheat for
har'd dollars.
All who were wejll-acquainted
with the Near East [viewed with
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DUNCAN
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and
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and waitin’ for you
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
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Serve Yourself a Cup
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No obligation . . .
Just to please you
C. E. GRIESSER
Electric Co.
South Side
College Station
concern the clouds that are gath
ering, for in every Near Eastern
country from Iran to North Africa
there are feelings of frustration,
resentment and disappointment and
—what is even more dangerous—
a feeling of impending trouble.
Are we waiting for a similar
tragedy such as that of Nationalist
China or Korea to. pay some at
tention to this troubled area?
Isn’t it wiser that immediate
steps be taken by Western powers
to remedy this danger before it
takes the form of a tragedy?
Surely you Americans cannot sit
on the fence and watch the Near
East, the cradle of your religion
and the source of world spiritual
inspiration and the backbone of
your defense threatened with un
told disaster.
Sheer self-interest demands a
different attitude. What is ur
gently needed is a just and dem
ocratic foreign policy in this area,
and who other than the USA could
rightfully claim such leadership.
Right Policy Needed
I do not want to add to your
already heavy burden. You do not
have to send your boys to fight
in the Near East. Nor do you have
to invest billions there as you have
been investing elsewhere.
What is needed there is a just
and vigorous policy under your
leadership. Your world prestige
and the high principles for which
you stand are enough to wield
enormous influence in support of
such a policy.
I believe that, to insure peace
and the cooperation of Near East
ern countries, a policy consisting
of two stages should be followed.
The first stage should have for
its objective the final settlement
of the problems causing friction
and the bridging of the wide gulf
that separates the Near Eastern
countries and the Western World.
This gulf could be only bridged
by:
• Enforcing a final solution of
the Palestinian refugee problem
by returning the people to their
country and the resettlement of
those who cannot in other neigh
boring countries with ample com
pensation. to enable them to start
life anew.
• Evacuating British troops
from Egypt, Iraq and Jordan.
• Establishing the unity of
Egypt and the Sudan.
• Putting an end to the colonial
system in North Africa.
If left to European colonial pow
ers, these problems will never be
solved. Without American leader
ship and active intervention these
problems will remain a festering
and sore point endangering the se
curity of the area and the peace
of the world.
Organization Next
Once these vexing problems are
liquidated and the house put in
order, the next phase will be the
immediate formation of a Near
Eastern bloc.
Regional organization of the
Near Eastern countries with 200
million inhabitants, great deposits
of essential strategic resources, and
important air and sea communica
tions, was of the greatest impor
tance and urgent necessity.
Any delay in framing a strong
foreign policy under the active
leadership of the United States
with a view to solving the burning
problems of the Near Eastern coun
tries and forming one healthy co
operating union of these countries,
would be to the detriment of the
Western World.
Only in this way, can the Near
East be saved from disasters of
Communism.
Only in this way can it contribute
effectively to the material balance
of the Western powers with its
huge potentialities which arc now.
neglected and allowed to disinteg
rate for want of a positive policy.
Only in this way can the Near
East rally around a flag of liberty
and democracy.
I do not claim this policy in the
Near East will bring peace, but I
can claim it will be one of the
most effective deterrents from war.
It is my sincere hope and the
hope of 200 million inhabitants
of the Near East that America
will awaken to the gravity of this
situation in this all important area.
A. M. Lasheen
(Some readers will remember
Lasheen for his informative se
ries on Mohammedanism publish
ed in The Battalion dnring Re
ligion* Emphasis Week. From
Cairo, Egypt, Lasheen is a grad
uate horticulture student.—The
Editor.)
6 MONTHS OF LIGHTS-WITHOUT RE-FUELING!
NO FOOLING WITH RE-FUELING • NO FIDDLING WITH WICK5 •
NO FUSSING WITH FLINTS
New PARKERqFLAMINAIRE
MADE IT THE #A»I|I MK CO., U.I.A.
light* dear, clean and hot with cold bvtane got
Get Your PARKER FLAMINAIRE at . . .
THE EXCHANGE STORE
“Serving Texas Aggies”
CONDENSED STATEMENT
of Condition
First State Bank k Trust Company
Bryan, Texas
At the Close of Business April 9,1951
ASSETS
Cash and Due from Banks $1,331,898.51
U. S. Government Obligations 2,962,200.00
Municipal Bonds 69,500.00
Loans and Discounts 1,439,642.53
Banking House and Fixtures 64,407,74
Stock of Federal Reserve Bank : 6,000.00
Other Real Estate 2.00
Other Assets 8,578.12
TOTAL ASSETS $5,882,228.90
LIABILITIES
Capital Stock - - $ 100,000.00
Surplus — 100,000.00
Undivided Profits I 148,966.51
Reserve for Taxes 26,116.93
DEPOSITS'
Individual ; $4,735,286.45
U. S. Government 71,433.81
Banks 81,557.14
Other Public Funds •• 618,868.06
TOTAL DEPOSITS - $5,507,145.46
TOTAL LIABILITIES * - - $5,882,228.90
Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
OFFICERS
W*J. Coulter, President
W. S. Higgs, Vice President
J. N. Dulaney, Vice President
Pat Newton, Cashier
O. W. Kelley, Assistant Cashier
Curtis Mathis, Assistant Cashier
L. E. Nedbalek, Assistant Cashier
Willard E. Williams, Assistant Cashier
LI’L ABNER
3*^
The Unwanted
By AI Caop