Page
Battalion
Editorials
Page 2
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1952
Movietime
HEADS, YOU WIN-
«1 ^ V, :
Open Forum
TODAY’S LETTERS columns indicate something that is a
healthy situation. We have men here at A&M who are
gifted with enough intestinal fortitude to stand before an
audience and express their views.
It is very flattering to an editorial writer to be able to
write an editorial which will cause people to think. It also
indicates one of the strongest of the Aggie characteristics.
We have men with guts here. Men who are not afraid to
have their thoughts stand the test of being put into type.
It takes a great deal of “guts” to stand up and say what
you believe and run the risk of standing the gaff of criticism.
This is also something that is the exception rather than
the rule. When editors of The Battalion meet with some of
the editors of other schools, the latter ask—“how do you
cause so much student interest in your editorials ?”
The answer is simple—We have Aggies here.
Full Dress 9 Peace Session
Fixed Bayonets
Good Addition tomorrow; Reds Stalling
To Melodrama
Ttrok&z:—»
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Readers Grumble about Bait
Against Tradition
Editor, The Battalion:
There comes a time in every Ag
gies life when the steam valve
must pop. I have smelled enough , , , j, , , ,
- 1 r .... ... h j. stooge or tool tor a one track ad
of campus politics peculiarities ot .. . , ,. „ e .
x i A tv»Tmorvori/vn Muff coin onrvnr noci/
seniors to take rank in the Basic
Division. Both last semester and
this semester.
They are receiving an emphatic
‘no thanks’.
Reason; No one enjoys being
The Battalion, and of the snow
balling that is presently going on
to suck sophomores and juniors
over into the fish area. My steam
valve has gone “ka-foof.”
First The Batt. Being an editor j^ffer hiin
of a newspaper, any newspaper,
is a big job. But , even though it
is a big job, you chose to run
for co-editor and now you have it.
What have you accomplished? In
my mind very little if anything
all. Second let’s just say you are
prejudiced or pro-administration.
It seems that every time some pro
paganda is dished out, the Batt
reaches out like a hungry perch
and gobbles hook, line, and sinker.
ministration. Nuff said about basic
division and the personnel who
run it.
About the uniform furor. As to
the inspector that said “I haven’t
of our great institution” that I now fessor” is appointed “to know and
pick up a Batt expecting to be not to teach”—which, I fear, is
furious when I put it down. true of too many professors at
Anything we do at A&M can be A&M—then the title of “professor”
termed tradition, for A&M is a is being applied much too loosely,
school of traditions, Is it to be If Mr. Atkins will consult the
entirely revised in one school Fifth Edition of Webster’s Col-
year? I had never realized A&M legiate Dictionary, he will find a
was such a terribly backwards professor defined as being “one
place until I took note of your edi- who teaches, in the higher educa-
torials. tion or in the secondary school
I came to A&M almost entirely grades, any branch of learning.”
seen two cadets dressed alike yet,” because of the traditions which Are then “professors” appointed
If our uniforms are now passing away with amaz- merely “to know and not to
here at A&M can lower our mili- ing rapidity. An education can be teach”? Sure the majority of the
tary standards then maybe the achieved at many schools, but A&M student body desires to learn.
Army had better go to the U of H, A&M is . . . or was . . . A&M. And does not the ideal method of
Baylor, TCU or Rice and see if That used to be “nuf sed” but now learning involve teaching?
• j , . I-,,! ... they can get any better men, just I wonder. - I, for one, greatly admire and
alf because they dress like the army. I wonder how many students now respect the relatively small num-
This uniform deal sounds like come to A&M because they’ve seen, ber of professors who not only
some shady back room politics and have come to love that great, “know” but “teach” as well what
that has smelled up the national boundless, fighting spirit. they know in order that their stu-
government. Is The Battalion the mouthpiece dents may learn. -
It’s about time that we found of t* 10 students, or is it the instru- As for “academic pomposity”
T fhmio-fif the Rot-t- w'w fnv thp ou t where we stand on this ques- men t of any who wish to change and “tomfoolery”—both terms are
, , 5 , , ,, . • , tion If VMI and West Point can onc of A&M’s “ole traditions?” ridiculous and infantile when used
students, but every thing you print, , *■ 11 dIlu ” ebl/ A 1 ur i, on, 4. ,, , ,i , . , ,,,,,,
inrlndinf vnnr pditnrialq qppm likp have their own distinctive uni- as k The Batt to piesent the by a senior to argue the lack of
the writiLs of a misconceived forms, then oUrs should be distinc- request and desires of the students proper academic relationship be-
Lochinvar ^ five too. f° the faculty and military for a tween the student body and facul-
° T C , , , ,, r „ . xi,' Aft. pleasant change instead of the nev- ty members. What is required is
But let’s forget you for the Just because the tfir force goes « > • •, ,,
j j j. i , hi. • , > „• , w ,, er-endmg explanation to the stu- not more academic pomposity”
moment and travel on to the pre- into blue is no sign that the ground , , , r f , ,,, , * A
sent snowballing that is being di- force has to flush boots. If the dent body why we should change or tomfoolery,” but rather a
vected Wards the sophs. Accord- high moguls here wanted to pre- A&M to lts ^ greater determination by faculty
ing to Grady-Smallwood the bene- vent the junking of boots and the I sincerely hope that at some members to teach properly the
airforce from going into blue, ways future date I can pick up a Bat- knowledge they possess and the
and means could be found very tali( m to see our paper at least development by students oi admir-
ea s yi attempting to help us hold on to ation and respect for those fac-
.. „ <■ „ the A&M we hold so dear, After
Just a few lines to a few con- ... t, i
bility and leadership in leading gressmen could work miracles. It a ’ 18 our schooL
them on a paradeground and into f s a known fact that the meanest
the mess hall. Grady Smallwood military men in the U. S. Army
fits in moving to the fish area
Would be responsibility and exper
ience in leadership.
Ha!! That’s a laugh. Responsi-
also says that the position of the g e t meek as kittens when a few
basic division officer and non-com- congressmen start inquiring about
certain facts. If that is the only
way we can get results on this
missioned officer has risen. Bah!!
In what direction? Surely not
upward. Colonel Davis has even
climbed on the “sitowboat” and
dangled rank in front of the pros
pective juniors. Boy things sure
must be getting tough when you or small),
promise rank for any and all just
to cut their own throat.
To Col. E. W. Napier, PAS&T,
I offer my condolences toward his
statement ‘That the sophs were
not taking the problems of the
corps to heart.’ Surely Colonel
Napier, you can do better than
that. I haven’t exactly noticed
you tearing your heart out over
uniform question, then lets get
with it.
Yours for a greater A&M
(whether the enrollment be large
A. B. Crownover Jr., ’52
Against Students
Editor, The Battalion:
Since the beginning of this
school year, The Battalion has
launched its battleships steadily
and unrelentingly upon the term
the Corps. Too many of the boys “tradition.” Any privilege of long
you were directing your remarks standing has become a tradition,
to have seen their own upperclass- and thus open to attack by The
men crucified while they were fish. Battalion editors. I have bdfcome
It’s a known fact that many out- so tired of reading the expression
fits have been begging juniors and “tradition impedes the progress
C. E. Beavers ’53
Bob Dawson ’53
Wallace Schlather ’53
Dean C. Blackwell ’53
C. R. Morrison ’52
D. R. Roberts ’53
E. L. Walker ’53
Bryan Grosjean ’53
®
On ‘Tomfoolery’
Editor: The Battalion:
“. . . a professor is appointed to
know and not to teach ...” The
foregoing is a direct quotation
from a letter to the editor as writ
ten by a Mr. Marvin C. Atkins,
’52 and published under the Feb
ruary 11 date line.
It is quite apparent that Mr.
Atkins is belabored by serious
misconceptions regarding the def
initions and ideals involved in mod-
ulty members who truly teach
what they know. It seems quite
logical that, allowing for a reverse
minority, the admiration and re
spect of students will be accorded
naturally those faculty members
who are good teachers.
What we need is definitely not
more “tomfoolery” or “academic
pomposity. We need more serious
cooperation between the students
and the faculty.
Norwin E. Linnartz, ’53
The Battalion
Lawrence Sullivan Ross, Founder of Aggie Traditioni
"Soldier, Statesman, Knightly Gentleman”
The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and Mechanical College ol
Twins, 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 durinj
txamination and vacation periods, twice a week. Days of publication are Mondaj
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 $.60 per month. Advertising rates furnished on request.
Local Ex-Tessies
To Meet Saturday
The Brazos County Chapter of
the TSCW Ex-Students Association
will meet with Mrs. John R. Ber
trand, 107 Lee Street, Saturday
afternoon.
From 4 to 4:30 the club will lis
ten to the Founder’s Day program
ern institutions of higher learning, which will- originate on the TSCW
If, as Mr. Atkins states, a “pro- campus.
By JERRY BENNETT
Battalion Staff Writer
“Fixed Bayonets” starring
Richard Basehart, Gene Evans
and Michael O’Shea—20th Cen
tury Fox—Campus Theatre.
“Fixed Bayonets” is 20th Cen
tury Fox’s arty contribution to mo
tion pictures dealing with the Ko
rean War (“The Steel Helmet”,
“A Yank in Korea” “Retreat
Hell!”)
Making use of countless boxes
of soap flakes backed by a plenti
ful supply of painted scenery this
movie tells the famiiar story of a
valiant group of Hollywood stars
who are left behind to hold off a
ruthless enemy while the American
army makes a successful retreat.
ALTHOUGH THE films’ real
ism is impeded by the obvious.mov-
ie-lot scenery, “Fixed Bayonets”
is packed with some top-notch sus
pense seldom seen in a war movie
where the accent is usually on ac
tion and one-sided victories.
A vivid picture is painted of
men stranded in a frozen wilder
ness, surrounded by an invisible
enemy who is slowly diminishing
their small force one by one, A
scene not soon forgotten is a medic
trying to walk through an unchart
ed mine field to rescue a wounded
soldier. By cutting background
music and dialogue to use only the
Munsan, Korea, Feb. 15—bP)—
Truce negotiators will hold an im
portant full dress session tomor
row to hear a new communist pro
posal for a Korean peace confer
ence.
Vice Adm. C. Turner Joy, chief
U.N. negotiator, returned today
from Tokyo where he has conferred
for two days with Gen. Matthew
B. Ridgway and two, high ranking
officials from Washington.
Staff officers working on pris
oner exchange plans reported some
slight progress Friday. The ses
sion on truce supervision marked
time. Col. Don O. Darrow said it
sound of the medic’s feet on fro
zen snow as he chances each step,
the director is able to terrify the
audience with maximum suspense.
AS USUAL THERE is the cow
ard who fears responsibility (Rich
ard Basehart) but eventually is
forced to take command when all
other officers are killed. Basehart
successfully underplays his role
adding a freshness and ariginality
to a character already portrayed
several times.
Gene Evans (“The Steel Hel
met” turns in a commendable per
formance as the capable but over
confident sergeant.
Although ‘‘Fixed Bayonets” for
tunately lacks an excess of hack
neyed flag waving, it is the film’s
tense direction and suspenseful
highlights that place it above the
ordinary battle field melodrama.
looked as though the Reds were
stalling until after Saturday’s plen
ary session.
There has been no hint as to
what the communists will suggest
in their new plan for a post-ar
mistice peace conference.
Reject Proposal
Previously the U.N. agreed to
talk about the withdrawal of for
eign troops from Korea and a fi
nal peace settlement, but rejected
a Red proposal to discuss other
Asiatic problems related to Korea,
Joy conferred in Tokyo with
Gen. John E. Hull, army vice chief
of staff, and U. Alexis Johnson,
deputy assistant secretary of state
for the Far East, as well as with
General Ridgway. Hull denied
bringing instructions from Wash
ington, but there was speculation
that the two officials might be
taking a hand in the stalled truce
talks.
Col. George W. Hickman said
staff officers discussed the new
nine-point communist plan for ex
changing prisoners. He said that
except for the basic disagreement
over voluntary repatriation only
disputes over wording separaate
the two sides now.
The Reds are holding out for the
forced repatriation of all prisoners
while the U.N. insists of giving
each man a choice.
Hickman said U.N. and Red staff
officers agreed to study remaining
differences overnight and “see if
we can’t come closer.”
Darrow said both sides at tht
truce supervision session rehashed
arguments over troop rotation ani
the number of ports of entry to
lie inspected by neutral teams.
He said there also was some || •
cussion of a new Red demand that
inspection teams check on specifit
design as well as the overall typt
of supplies and equipment moving
into Korea during an armistice,
“We are not far apart on a lot
of these issues. We could settle
them early, if they wanted it,”
Darrow said. “I think they reali-
ize that what we have left to do
won’t take long.”
Key Issue
The staff officers aren’t even
discussing the key issue in the
truce supervision deadlock—wheth
er the communists have the rightti
build and repair military airfield!
in North Koi’ea during an armis
tice.
DR. M. W. DEASON
Optometrist
313 College Main
(Formerly Corky’s)
3:00 to 5:00 Ph. 4-1106
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