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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 23, 1954)
T Page THE BATTALION Tuesday, February 23, 1954 Letters to the Editors Editors, The Battalion: I would like to take this oppor tunity to announce my resignation as managing- editor of The Battal ion. My reasons for this action, af ter four years of working for the publication, are as follows: I feel that as a newspaperman, I cannot work under a situation in which “the general policy” of the newspaper is dictated by persons who are not familiar with the op eration of a newspaper. It has often been said, and loud ly, that students are irresponsible when it comes to determining what should and should not be run in a student newspaper. I don’t believe it. The only criteria one should con sider in weighing news values arc truth, integrity and honesty. John Brandeis, former U. S. Su preme Court justice, once said in an opinion that the greatest dan ger to liberty comes from persons of zeal, well-meaning, but without understanding. The action of the Student Life Committee could be considered in this light. The committee passed a resolution which the entire group had not studied. They did it after a concerted effort by Certain stu dent groups who were displeased with coverage of their activities, both public and undercover. The whole situation stemmed from the John Clark incident in November. Shortly thereafter, the cadet colonel of the corps, his scho lastic officers and the fourth group commander came to The Battalion office and said they thought it was wrong of the editors to have print ed the story of Clark’s ouster. They claimed the printing of the story “hurt the school.” It was not the printing of the story which hurt the school as much as it was the presumptuous action on the part of the students involved in the action. A student newspaper, if it is to function effectively as a training ground, must be free and uneen- sox-ed to provide the most x’ealistic atmosphere for the novice journal ist. Many other colleges also have .publications boards. The reason given for most of them is that the college administi’ators feel that college joui-nalists ai’c too young and inexperienced to successfully cope with the problems of opera ting a newspaper. When they employ this line of reasoning - , the administrators de feat the entire pui’pose of the col lege newspaper: that of an effec tive training gi'ound. In situations where college edi tors are free to make their own policies, the editoi's are in charge of newspapers, not watered-down, roae-eoloi'ed presentations of what the few think the many should be allowed to x*ead. I loved this newspaper as much as a pei'son can love something basically inanimate. My life at A&M has been enhanced by my service on this publication. For you who helped kill her by voting for the Student Life proposal, you have my enmity, for you who tried to stem the tide and save her, my thanks. I don’t want to work for a publication which goes by the name newspaper if it is no longer that. Chuck Neighbors ’54 first attempts to silence the fi’ee press. In the United States, our coun- ti'y’s fathers recognized this ele ment of society, and checked it by assuring freedom of the press in our Constitution. The Battalion has consistently printed the truth, no matter who or what it hurt. Like all newspa pers, The Battalion believed its primary obligation was the disper sal of objective news. But some people here didn’t like that. They objected to The Battal ion printing stories of the senior boot affair, the John Clark case, the theft by students of $2,500 worth of goods, and many other things, all true. These people have won. They have killed the newspaper by taking away its freedom. It’s a sad thing. This can be considei’ed as my resignation. I loved The Battal ion; it was a gi'eat newspaper'. Someday it may come back, free to tell the truth to the people who deserve to know. To all the people here who be lieve iir The Battalion and who have helped us fight censorship, thank you. To those who have helped kill The Battalion, congratulations. I hope you’re happy with what you have. Harri Baker ’55 last Editors, The Battalion: A newspaper was killed night. It. doesn't happen ofteir, and when it does it is a sad thing. Last night a group here acted to put a supervisory board over The Battalion. Cloaking their ideas in high-sounding phrases, this group has killed The Battalion. Neither this group nor any of the other groups or individuals here who supported their idea used the nasty word ‘censorship.’ They didn’t have to. It’s written in their actions. In every country, at some time or another, there arises a group that is afraid of the truth. To fur- their their own aims, this group Editors, The Battalion; Certain individuals and groups on the campus have seen fit to silence an organ of freedom. Al though hiding behind a cloak of words, the proposed publications board can only spell censorship in its worst form. But why do these individuals and groups wish to oversee the publi cations of the campus—more spe cifically The Battalion? Here’s why: When John Clark was ousted from school for expressing his views on student life here, The Battalion printed the w r hole story. People on the campus immediately said The Battalion had, in the act of printing the story, done some thing detrimental to A&M. But was it the act of printing the story or the act of ousting a student that was detrimental ? No disciplinary action was taken against the men wdro were respon sible for Clark’s leaving school. After the Clark incident, definite actions were begun to try to con trol The Battalion, but to little avail. Last night, the persons be hind these actions succeeded in their purpose when they had a cen sorship board passed over student publications. But they hid cen sorship behind the word “supervis ion.” One person admitted that the publications committc was aim ed primarily at The Battalion However, they still insisted that the committee was not to censor but to “advise.” By “advise” the committee said that if they “advised” an editor to do something and he. did not comply, then he would be removed. But they said this was not censor ship. What, then, would they call it ? Does the college fear that if the people of Texas know a few bad things about A&M along with the many good things that our enroll ment will drop ? Is this why they want to “advise” the editors of The Battalion? Arc they afraid of truth ? A&M College has a great past, and, possibly a great future. How ever, if the main object of a col lege is to educate, how can this be accomplished if one of tire coun try’s principal freedoms is sup pressed? Maybe they arc afraid of education. A&M will have a hard time liv ing dowrr the many things that have happened this year. But the suppression of free-thinking, even though it differs from your own opinion, will never help remedy the situation. With deep regret I submit my resignation. Jon Kinslow ’55 Former City Editor Editors, The Battalion: I hereby submit my resignation as feature editor of The Battalion. This resignation is given with both a feeling of regret and a feeling of pride. I’m proud of my three years with The Battalion because I can look back and say I w'orked with a news paper — one that never bowed to any group and one that never gave up its primary purpose of printing the truth. Its aim w r as printed boldly on its masthead—“Published Daily in the Interest of a Greater A&M Col lege.” And to the day the censor ship bodh'd was placed over it, it carried out that aim. I think it is unnecessary to elab orate on the things the paper has done for* the college, the commun ity and the students. When Col lege Station residents pass their new school buildings, they’ll re member. When members of the college staff pass the Memorial Student Center and see new pro jects and new-born demorcatic or ganizations, they’ll remember. When students look at the improve ments made in the last few years, they’ll remember. Yes, a lot of people will remember a lot of things. There never has been nor will there ever be an organization which can meet the demands and needs of the people of America without constructive criticism. Improve ment is the synonym for America and this applies to everything in cluding colleges. A&M has made many gains over the years, gains which we were proud of. Yet, like anything else, there are many things to be sought. Only through constructive criti cism can these things be accom plished. With the coming' of the editorial board yesterday, A&M hurt itself and its students much more than either realize. A&M is in a head- on race backwards. But the board is here, and no mere words in this letter will do anything about it or cause anything more than a few curse words. So I hand you my fesignatioi) and keep my pride and regret. I wonder if those who Voted in the board can keep half as much ? Bob Hendry '54 Ex-Battalion Feature Eidtor gitation bowl in my left, for as long as I can stand it. Bob Boriskie ’55 Ex-News Editor The Battalion Lawrence Sullivan Ross, Founder of Aggie Traditions “Soldier, Statesman, Knightly Gentleman” The Battalion, official newspaper of the Agricultural and Mechan ical College of Texas, is published by students four times a week, during the regular school year. During the summer terms, and examination and vacation periods. The Battalion is published twice a week. Days of publications are Tuesday through Friday for the regular school year, and Tuesday and Thursday during examination and vacation periods and the summer terms. Subscription rates $9.00 per year or $ .75 per month. Advertising rates furnished on request. The Editor (or to whom it may concern) The Battalion Dear Sir: As I tender this resignation from the staff of The Battalion, there is little 1 can say that hasn’t been said in various letters reprinted in these columns. I deeply regret the need to sever my connections with the newspaper, but to continue writing under an editorial board would be more of fensive to me than anything I can imagine. The light has been turned out on the campus, and 1 certainly do not choose to remain with those who prefer to grope about in the dark. For the record, I would like to say I have not always been in ac cord with editorial policies, but to establish a censoring panel is a gigantic leap in the wrong direc tion. I can speak with a great deal of authority on the subject of “canned news” since I lived on it for three and a half years, along with the entire Japanese civilian population. As a prisoner of war, 1 was giv en only the War news the Japanese Wanted me to hear, so I never be lieved anything they told me. Under an editorial board, A&M students will be given only the news considered fit for them to read. How much will they believe, and for how long? Since I already possess a paid-up subscription to The Battalion for the remainder of the school year, I plan to receive future issues fully prepared. I Will sit down with The Battal ion in my right hand and a regur- Sntered as second-class matter at Post Office at College Station, Texas onder the Act of Con gress of March 3, 1870. Member of The Associated Press Represented nationally by National Advertising Services, Inc., at New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Fran cisco. The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for republi- cation of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in the paper and local news of spontaneous origin published herein. Rights 'if republication of all other matter herein are also reserved. News contributions may be made by telephone (4-5444 or 4-7604) or at the editorial office room, 202 Goodwin Hall. Classified ads may be placed by telephone (4-5324) or at the Student Activities Office, Room 209 Goodwin Hall. — Cixi Jobe. -Actuig-Editor Mm cvean//v g Save Your Money! Save Your Clothes! CAMPUS CLEANERS Editors, The Battalion: The Student Life Committee has set up a publications board to guide and assist, in other words censor, The Battalion. Sponsors of this board say that censorship is not intended. Yet they readily admit that the editors would be removed if they differed in opinion with the board and con tinued to publish the paper as they saw fit. The grounds would be in competence. If this isn’t censor ship, what is it? It is not a newspaper’s job to print stories that will merely be pleasing to the readers. Its job is to print the news, whether pleas ant or unpleasant to certain in stitution and individuals. There has been a drive in recent years to limit news and news sour ces in all parts of the country. This country was not founded on such principles and when the col lege segment of the population, men who will be leaders of the na tion tomorrow, begin to think along this path, our social system is cer tainly on the downgrade. This move toward censorship has been so open that Sigma Delta Chi, the national professional journal ism fraternity, has had to go on record recently as opposing cen sorship in any form or inference. Therefore, I feel that the only course left for me is to separate myself from The Battalion and this publication board. Gerald P. Estes ’55 pages of The Battalion. On the editorial page, as on the editorial page of any other newspaper with a spinal column, the opinions of the editors have been openly pub lished. And for this, among other things, a censorship board was set up. Sure, it’s not called a censorship board, but do you think a news story on the John Clark affair would have appeared in The Bat talion if this board was in exist ence then ? But the school was hurt by print ing the story, you may say. Stop and think—was it the printing of the story or the forcing out of school of a student who expressed his opinion that hurt the school? Some people didn’t want that story printed, but it was printed anyway. Some people didn’t want the story printed about the students who had stolen $2,500 worth of property. Bad publicity for the college, don’t you know ? But it was printed anyway. I’m proud I worked on a news paper that printed these things. I hope that you have been proud to read a newspaper that printed them-—because you won’t be read ing anything like that anymore in The Battalion. Jerry Wizig, ’55 Editor, The Battalion: To the Bowlers— Can this new committee censor- bowling scores? Why not? If it can censor everything else, it can pass on bowling scores. So from now on out, if you f^ood, freedom- loving Aggies want to find out who bowled what, come on over to (See LETTERS, Page 4) looking fot tt Spot to Begin n Career? X: -he Bell Telephone System offers a wide variety of opportunities for graduates who can qualify. Want to travel and study abroad? Next Thursday and Friday, February 25 and 26, officials of these five Bell companies will be at the Placement Office to talk to A&M men about a career when they graduate: Wesfern Electric . . . manufacturing unit of the Bell System. Also develops, makes, and services electronic products for the armed forces. Editors, The Battalion: It’s hard to give up something you have worked for so long, but after last night’s action of the Stu dent Life Committee, 1 have no course but to resign my position as sports editor of The Battalion. Over a period of several years now, a small but powerful group has tried to gain control of The Battalion under the disguise of some kind of “advisory” group. Well, now they’ve got it—you can judge for yourself from here on whether it’s for good or bad. But first I want to get iir my two-cents. , ^ The name of A&M will be blast ed on the front pages of the state’s papers again. Some will say it is all because of the action of a small, narrow-minded clique that controls The Battalion. They have a right to say this if it’s what they think. But it’s not true, and here is why. This staff has always print ed the news objectively on the news • Southwestern Bell . . . builds, main tains, and operates the Southwest’s vast communications system. Take a university-sponsored tour via TWA this summer and earn full college credit while you travel :• Bell Laboratories . . . largest indus trial research organization in the world. Electronics and communications re search is fascinating. Visit the countries of your choice . . . study from 2 to 6 weeks at a foreign university. You can do both on one trip when you arrange a uni versity-sponsored tour via TWA. Itineraries include countries in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Special study tours available. Low all-inclusive prices with TWA's economical Sky Tourist service. For information, write: JoHn IL Furbay, Ph. D., Director, Air World Tours, Dept. CN, 380 Madison Ave.j New York 17, N. Y. Be sure to men tion countries you wish to Visit. • Sandia Corporation . . . applied re search, development, and design on ordnance phases of atomic weapons. • A.T.&tT. Company . . . builds, main tains, and operates the nation’s inter state communications system. H, .ow about dropping by the Placement Office and arranging to talk to these officials? 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