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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”
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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
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LI’L ABNER Love’s Old Sweet Song
LFL ABNER
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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
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