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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 3, 1951)
/ Battalion Editorials Page 2 FRIDAY, August 3, 1951 WHY DO WE ALWAYS GET SUCH DRIVERS ? A Nation Pays Tribute . . . ^ARLIER this week, Gladewater, Texas paid tribute to the late M/Sgt. Travis E. Watkins. Along with the citizens of this East Texas town, 150 members of the Armed Forces from Camp Polk, La., the Barksdale Air Force band, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the prayers of Americans across the country gave M/Sgt. Watkins a final salute. Sweat—dripping slowly at first, then in steady rivulets—saturated the clothing of the crowd outside; yet, not a hand was raised to wipe a drenched brow. Five men, Old Man Gets Hospital Hand-Out F'OR THE last two weeks, the American public has been following the touching story of a bearded, weatherbeaten old man who passed out in the streets of Reno, Nev. July 17. The man claimed to be a veteran of the Civil War. Almost everyone doubted his story at first. He insisted that he was Lt. John N. Boyer who served in the Civil War. He professed to be 104 years old. The veterans of Reno accepted this story with skepticism, but they soon received an announcement that there was a Lt. John N. Boyer in the Civil War and that this man was probably he. The sympathy of most Americans went out to this bedraggled old man, who had served his country in Civil War, yet had to go about as a vagabond to get his daily food. Now that sympathy has turned to in difference if not disgust. Manager Edward F. Reed of the Reno V. A. center has ordered an investigation of the matter. A closer check by the V. A. revealed that this man was not Boyer but instead, was really Walter Engle Urwiler, age 69, who had a knack for faking heart attacks, and who used some 40 other aliases. The authorities went to the hospital to confront the old man with this news. But Boyer, who told doctors he was a Pennsyl vania Volunteer and had hitchhiked from an old soldiers’ home in San Diego, had disap peared after receiving expensive treatment r—all free. It looks like old swindlers never die, they just get treats, treatments, then fade away. What’s Next yants” in Washington? It was announced yesterday that Bob Byers, Sr., an Ohio real estate operator and Jmilder, testified at his $500,000 bankruptcy hearing that Sen. Joseph McCarthy (R-Wis) had refused to pay $5,500 which the Senator had lost to Byers’ son, Bob Byers, Jr. Of course the Senator denied that he owed the money. Whether he did or not, the -smell of “political polution” fills the air. Fur coats, subversion, deep freezes, and all sorts of things. What next? refusing to break ranks, dropped in their tracks—faint caused by the intense heat. All business establishments were closed in Gladewater. Flags flew at half mast. High state and military officers, aided by repre sentatives of veterans’ organizations from at least half a dozen Texas cities, combined to pay their respect. Foy L. Smith, minister, slowly and point edly read from the Book of Psalms. This wasn’t an ordinary funeral because M/Sgt. Watkins was no ordinary man. He was the first Texan to win the Congressional Medal of Honor in the Korean War. He was awarded the nation’s highest military deco- tion posthumously for bravery near Yong- san. OPS Issues Puzzling Order As Truman Okehs Controls WASHINGTON, Aug. Just an hour or i 3—(A 5 )— o before President Truman signed the new price control law this week, the Office of Price Stabilization (OPS) issued an order which may have puzzled some people. There was nothing really new about that order. OPS simply was putting into effect an old order which it had issued some time ago to • manufacturers and then had to suspend. What follows is a general, but brief, explanation of what hap pened. Froze Prices they already were charging inflat ed prices by the time the freeze hit them in January. So OPS faced the double job of rolling back prices that were un necessarily high and allowing high er prices when they could be justi fied. In May OPS issued an order to manufacturers, or most of them, telling them this: Fill out our form No. ,8, showing your price before the Korean war, what it is now, and what increased costs you’ve had but only in these two fields: labor and materials. Entitled to Increase Last Jan. 26 OPS froze all prices, including manufacturers’. This freeze couldn’t continue indefinite ly without injustice to some manu facturers whose costs continued to climb and who therefore needed a higher price. At the same time some manu facturers’ prices were too high be cause, for one reason or another, If it shows you’re entitled to a price increase, go ahead and boost your price, figuring how much you’re entitled to according to the formula which we’ve laid down for just such a situation. This form must be filed with us by July 2. Then we’ll check to see whether you should have an in crease or whether you’re charging too much and should have your price rolled bock. Some manufacturers filed their form and got their increase before July 2—and some had their prices rolled back—but; some hadn’t filed the form or raised a price before that July 2 deadline. And before it arrived There was a scramble in Congress about pass ing a new price control law. Until it could make up its mind about such a law, Congress told OPS not to roll back any prices. So OPS suspended the whole business about filing Form No. 8 by July which means it suspended both actions on rollbacks and price increases for the manufacturers. Agreed on New Law Wounded and paralyzed from the waist down, he ordered his men to withdraw as he covered their retreat. M/Sgt. Watkins faced certain death without hesitation. He served his country in the greatest way possible. He gave his life that we might live a life free from the fears of tyranny. Dwells on Texas ’ Distinctive Claim to Area Connally Fights for Tidelands Life can be enjoyed by all yeoyle ivho are tvilling to accept it patient ly. WASHINGTON, Aug. 3—(A>)_ ’’ When the fight for control of offshore submerged oil lands gets on the Senate floor you can look for Texas’ Senator Tom Connally to burst forth oratorically as he hasn’t done for years. In fact, he couldn’t wait for tidelands legislation to reach the floor to sound forth on the subject. ‘But She Was In Committee Very Attractive" In Political Scandal WHAT’S GOING to happen next in the ” political scandals about our “public ser- rVER HEAR of the Armed Forces educa- tional program? Well, it is finally beginning to produce results. At a nearby Air Force Base yesterday, a colonel announced that a woman who was “very attractive” had acquired entrance to the base, forming a “very embarrassing sit uation.” The woman had obtained her pass from a corporal, but the colonel hastily added that “she was a very attractive woman and was posing as a lieutenant. There is a lot of dif ference between a corporal and a lieutenant . . . and she was very attractive.” The colonel continued, “I kind of admired her spunk ... to get into officer’s candidate school” . . . But the hilarous thought is how the col onel finally trapped this supposedly viva cious creature. She said that she flew to the base on a military plane. At this point, the colonel put two and two together, thought, and immediately set the FBI on her trail, to see where she ob tained the pass needed for transportation on military aircraft. This is the point in the Armed Forces educational program: to encourage its stu dents to think. The corporal thought that he should give a pass to a lieutenant, the colonel thought that he should give a pass to a lieutenant, the colonel thought about the needed pass, but the person who was really thinking was the major who flew in the lovely miss when all she did was “smile and ask him for a ride.” With the measure still tied up in committee on his side of the Capi tol, and just before the House went into action, he gave a fine preview of what to expect when that issue comes before the Sen ate. give the federal government control of the submerged lands. Dwelling on Texas’ distinctive claim to the area, Conally’s voice rang with pride as he recounted the history of his state as an in dependent republic. “It won its independence from Mexico with arms, with swords in the hands of its men,” he cried, “and with long rifles which the men knew how to shoot. “Finally Texas joined the Un ion, and at that time it was spec ifically provided that it should re tain all its public lands. So those lands were still the property of the State of Texas and its people.” Is that justice ? Is that fairness ? Connally’s speech provoked con siderable comment, particularly in light of the fact that he is up for reelection next year 'if he is to stay on in the Senate, where he has served since 1929. the pro-federal ownership faction in the Senate, a state control bill could be expected to pass by a good margin once it reaches a vote in that body. Congress finally agi-eed on a new law and Mr. Truman signed it Tuesday night. Shortly before he did, OPS announced it was putting into effect that old order which it had suspended. But some dates had to be changed. On Tuesday night it told manu facturers to file Form No. 8 by Aug. 13 and if they think they’re entitled to a higher price, tl " must wait 15 days after fill Form No. 8, before boosting the price. That’s to give OPS time to ^ check on them. If Jones, the widget-maker, files his form on Aug. 13 he must wait until Aug. 28 before raising his price. But his only reason for get ting the increase will still be for only these two reasons: higher costs of labor and materials. More Price Increases Newspaper Comment Attentive Audience It was reminiscent of old times, when the silver-haired Texan led filibusters against anti-lynch law bills. There were only a half doz en colleagues on the floor when he obtained recognitiion to speak, but that didn’t dampen his enthusiasm. He soon digressed from a pre pared text to get into the stride that has earned him acclaim as one of the most eloquent members of the Senate. Although he will be 74 on Aug. 19, and his movements aren’t quite so fast as they used to be, his tongue is as sharp as ever. Dares Contention Looking about the chamber as if daring someone to dispute his con tention that the federal government is trying to steal Texas’ coastal domain, he voiced regret that Sen ator O’Mahoney (D-Wyo) wasn’t there to hear him. The Wyoming senator is author of legislation to Looking up toward the galleries, where he had an attentive audience even if that on the floor was sparse, the senator asked the rhetorical question as to when those lands went to the federal government. Then, raising both arms in an outstretched, grasping motion, he answered himself: “They never went to the federal government until the Supreme Court, with its long, bony fingers, reached out and said (here his voice assumed the role of a villain): ‘We will take that land. We will make it federal property by deci sion of four judges to three.’ ” Reverting to tones of a man who has logic on his side, he added: “It was not a decision by a ma jority of the Supreme Court. Four judges against three held that that property could be appropriated by the federal government and that the state could be deprived thereof. An eastern newspaper corres pondent, turning back into the press gallery from the chamber, was overheard making this com ment: “Well, that was ole’ Tom’s open ing campaign speech.” Among the spectators in the gal leries was Robert Lee Bobbitt, San Antonio and Laredo attorney, long prominent in Texas politics. “The old boy’s still got some fight in him,” Bobbitt observed, and voiced the opinion it would be a real scrap if Connally and any one of two or three other Texans whose names often ai’e mentioned as potential candidates, found themselves foes in the 1952 election campaign. But, getting back to the subject of tidelands, the Senate debate should prove considerably more lively there than in the House. The proponents for federal con trol are relatively stronger in both numbers and influence in the Sen ate than in the House. Also, un hampered by time limitation on de bate as are their colleagues in the other Capitol wing, the senators can talk to their heart’s content once they gain the floor. State Control Bill But, there is this to remember. Most objective observers here still think the chances are very remote that anything at all will come of the whole debate. President Truman almost cer tainly will veto any state ownership bill, as he did about four years ago. An effort to override failed then, and recent unofficial counts indicate about the same situation would prevail in the Senate this year. The best chance, slim though it is, seems to be that if anything is achieved it will be enactment of a measure which would give the states interim, or tentative, con trol of the lands beneath the mar ginal seas pending the reaching of a final and permanent solution to the problem either by the courts or Congress. And that brings up something else. Because of the new law, Jones may be able to get still another price increase in a little while. The new law not only lets man ufacturers charge a higher price because of increased costs in labor and materials but will let them include the cost of other things, like sales promotion and advertis ing. While OPS has worked out a formula for allowing price increas es under the old law, on Form No. 8, it still hasn’t worked out a for mula for allowing increases under the new law. That will take time. Majority Vote That principle was endorsed by a majority vote of the Senate In terior Committee, which approved amendments offered by Senator Long (D-La) to radically alter a resolution introduced by O’Mahon ey. The Wyoming senator, as chair man of the committee, proposed that the federal government be given tentative control. Notwithstanding the strength of Interpreting The News Although the committee by a divided vote approved Long’s posi tion the measure was not immed iately reported to the Senate floor. Many legislators wanted to wait and see what action the House took. EVERY MONDAY KORA 8:00 P.M. AMERICAN LAUNDRY sj & DRY CLEANERS Will McCormick Get Job Of Top Navy Commander? J. M. ROBERTS, JR. AP Foreign News Analyst HTHE question now seems to be JL not whether Britain will get the supreme allied naval command in the Atlantic but whether it will go to Admiral McCormick or to no one at all. Intelligent people try to get the facts on both sides of an issue. Ig noramuses just shout and howl. The North Atlantic Pact Organ ization agreed, a long time ago, that there should be a joint naval command just like General Eisen hower’s supreme land command. It was agreed, with full approval by the British admiralty, that the command should go to the com mander of the United States At lantic fleet. have considered a unified command unwieldy. World War II, which provided more sea fighting than a war with Russia might be expected to produce, was conducted without such unification. The delay in formal appointment of the Atlantic commander was ac companied by a similar halt in plans for an overall command in the Mediterranean to be headed by a Britisher. Works With Eisenhower Now, through a gradual process of adjustment, an American com mander works with General Eisen hower in the Western Mediterran ean, and a British sphere, invol ving more land than sea, is being worked out for the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean. Whether a unified command will ever develop thei'e has also become more than problematical. At any rate, the Atlantic matter hardly seems to be very pressing now, and may be permitted just to rock along. Commands can be worked out when you have a clearer idea of the type of war to be fought. from SANDWICHES STEAKS FINE FOOD FIXED JUST THE WAY YOU LIKE IT 12th MAN INN North Gate “We Serve the Best” LPL ABNER Just Sweet Talk By A1 Lapp* Fechteler Promoted That was Admiral William M. Fechteler, who has now been pro- The Battalion moted to chief of naval operations. McCormick is the new commander. BRAIN FEVER,EH? IT'LL TAKE QUITE A WHILE,TO CURE THAT. START WITH THIS PILL. Lawrence Sullivan Ross, Founder of Aggie Traditions ''Soldier, Statesman, Knightly Gentleman” The Battalion, official newspaper of 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. Entered aa second-class matter at Post Office at College Station, Texas, under he 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. The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for republication of all news dispatches cred ited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous origin published herein. Rights of republication of all other matter herein are also reserved. Britain’s top officials knew that by getting an American commander they were also getting assurance that the United States would pro vide him with the strength to do the job, of vital importance to the defense of Britain. But tradi tional pride of sea power stirred up a political hotbed in Britain, and the business has been rocking along without action. First reaction to President Tru man’s promotion of Fechteler was that, besides appointing a man who had not been too much involved in the Navy-Air Force fight, the President was also permitting the reopening of the Atlantic command case. British Commander CUCKtE.rr-AH'LL MAKE HIM A SUCCESSFUL DOCTOR ff AH'LL TAKE SOFT-HEARTED JOHN'S RAID GUTA TH' ^ BOILIN' WATERA''— ^ SUDDENL^^ 64 ^" THAT # AH FEELS < WAS QUICKrr- 17’ MUST WRITE JW nt/r/T’A'/s up rod . AH FEELS \ , ,rzi. ; * c* ■ x rr- rL-V MUST WRIT TW^ZjjTH/SUP FOR < vY THE MEDICAL 1 ' ^JOURNALTP) DON'T M HE'S SO THANK 1 THANK CUTE VO,' N ME. THANK ) WHEN HE DOCTOR.'// MODERN J JABBERS MEDICAL S 'BOUT SCIENCE/'/ MODERN 'MEDICAL UENCEJ7 <a LI’L ABNER Love’s Old Sweet Song LFL ABNER 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. JOEL AUSTIN Editor Andy Anderson Associate Editor and Sports Editor Pat Morley Women’s Editor William Dickens Feature Editor Frank Davis -City Editor Frank Price Ira Vail. Editorialist ira v an Photographer John Lancaster. ft_ D. Witter. Charles McCullbugh, Jin; Tftfcapsto Photo Engravers Owen Lee Advertising Manager Allen Pengelly, B. F. Roland. Frank Davis, William Dickens Staff News \Vriters Ray Rushing Test. Rountree. Gus Becker. Ray Holbrook Sports News Writers Calvin Janak Picture File Clerk Some observers even though Mr. Truman might be paving the way for a British commander. On sec ond thought, it would seem that an American commander is just as im portant to the British as ever. But by reopening the matter of the commander the whole matter of whether there should be a supreme command is also reopen ed. The late Admiral Sherman, who went to Britain in an effort to smooth things over, is reported to *\M-M-NOTICE HOW TH' DOCTOR LOOKS AT DAISY MAE — LIKE A LOVESICK HAWG.'T MEBBE YO' BETTER DRAP A SLY HINT T'U'L ABNER, PAPPY/T m y re !> <