The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, September 29, 1954, Image 2
Battalion Editorials Page 2 THE BATTALION WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1954 Civilian Students Now Have Their Chance The civilian students are going to get their chance tomorrow. After last year’s heated class elections, in which the civilian students pleaded for equal representation in student life here, changes have been mads and plans outlined that will give them this chance—if the stu dents themselves want it enough to work for it. The election of dormitory floor represen tatives in each civilian dormitory is the first step toward forming the Civilian Student Council, the proposed “voice” for the civ ilians. Many people, both students and staff, have worked hard in setting up the machin ery for the elections and council. The Bat talion is proud that it had a small part, in that the council was proposed in the Batt editorial columns last spring. But whether or not it works is up to the civilian students. They are the ones who will vote, and they will be the dormitory rep resentatives and the members of the coun cil. Since school began, and A&M’s new op tional military plan was announced, every body has been assuring the civilian students that they will get a fair break. But that’s only half way—the students have to come the other half, and actively par ticipate in the programs set up by and for them. If the civilian students lazily accept the once-prevalent A&M idea that “anyone not in the corps just might as well not be here,” then they just might as well not be here. But if they meet their challenge and be come active in student life, in both their own programs and in school-wide programs, they will have the complete college life. And they will enjoy it. Aggies’ Conduct Draws Praise A&M students involved in two fights on the SMU campus last weekend have drawn praise from both SMU officials and officials here at the college for their conduct in trying to avoid the incidents. Conduct such as was displayed by the Aggies should draw praise and should also go a long way in earning the cadet corps a good reputation throughout the state. Continued action of this kind will not only strengthen the corps, but will also help to cement good relations with other schools in the state. M£CU(TeCTUK.£ AECWlTECTUR-e AT A«M T14EJE.ES MO MEED POE. VOU TO POSE AKIV l_OMC.EE SUOUC44' EVEBVBOD'' LEFT TM‘ FIEST WOO! OAM’T UUDEESTAMO IT The Battalion The Editorial Policy of The Battalion Represents the Views of the Student Editors 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 pei month. Advertising rates furnished on request. Entered as second-class matter at Post Office at College Station, Texas under 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. Eights of republication of all other matter herein are also reserved. News contributions may be made by telephone (4-5444 or 4-7604) or et 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. BOB BORISKIE, HARRI BAKER Co-Editors Jon Kinslow Managing Editor Jerry Wizig Sports Editor Ralph Cole, Don Shepard News Editors Nora Burge ... Woman’s Editor Kerstin Ekfelt Assistant Woman’s Editor Betsy Burchard.. - A&M Consolidated Correspondent Maurice Olian i A&M Consolidated Sports Correspondent John Huber Advertising Manager Larry Lightfoot Circulation Manager Tom Syler, Russell Reed, Ken Livingston Circulation Staff Bank Teller Steals $82,000 At Bank NEW YORK, Sept. 28—UP)_A 23-year-old bank teller disappear ed today with more than $82,000 from a Staten Island bank, and ap parently took his wife and three children with him. Asst. U. S. Atty. Peter Passal- acqua of Brooklyn obtained a war rant for the arrest of John Siemer of Stapleton, for absconding with the money. The FBI was called in. Sidney O. Simonson, Richmond county district attorney, said Sie mer, a gangling six-footer, had worked at the West Brighton branch of the Staten Island Na tional Bank & Trust Co. for more than two years. Bank officials began to check, and found Siemer’s teller cage short of all its bills—a little more than $82,000 worth. 22 RUGER Superb Balance—Perfect Grip $37.50 HILLCREST HARDWARE Doctors Claim Batchelor Sane SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 29—(A 5 )— Two Army psychiatrists yesterday testified Cpl. Claude Batchelor “knew right from wrong” while a prisoner of war in Korea. Batchelor, 22, Kermit, Tex., has been on trial here for nearly a month on charges of collaborating with the enemy and informing on fellow POWs. The soldier’s defense attorneys have claimed Batchelor is innocent of collaboration by reason of tem porary insanity. They denied he ever informed on a fellow pris oner. Most of the testimony yesterday delved into psychiatry—its terms and meanings. j The two Army psychiatrists were Maj, Henry A. Segal and Col. Albert J. Glass. Both are station ed at Walter Reed Medical Center, Washington, D. C. Segal interviewed Batchelor when the soldier returned to U. S. Army control after changing his mind about remaining with the Communists. Glass interviewed the soldier when Batchelor was arrested here in March. Segal testified Batchelor was “in perfect contact with reality” when he returned from Communist capti vity. He said the soldier was “not sick” psychiatrically. Segal also said he did not be lieve it was possible to cause a person to become mentally ill by inducing a psychosis. He said in his interview with Batchelor after the soldier’s return he noted that Batchelor differed from many returning POWs in that Cpl. Claude Batchelor Batchelor did not have a “zombie” reaction. Another Army psychiatrist yes- terday testified a “zombie” reac tion was one in which the prisoners showed apathy toward returning home. Glass testified in his opinion Batchelor was free of any mental defects during his captivity and able' to tell “right from wrong.” Batchelor’s civilian defense at torney, Joel Westbrook of San An tonio, read a paragraph of Glass’ original report on his interview with Batchelor. It said, in effect, that while Batchelor was a POW, loneliness and homesickness made him vulnerable to suggestions that he become a member of the Com munist fold. Glass said this was simply a speculation. Red Escapee Says Resistance Rising WASHINGTON, Sept. 29—CP)— An escapee from behind the Iron Curtain, a top ranking Polish se curity officer, turned, up in Wash ington yesterday. He declared that resistance to Communist regimes is wide-spread throughout the So viet satellite countries. The official is Jozef Swiatlo, who was No. 2 man in Communist Po land’s security program. The U.S. government had kept him secretly in Washington for eight months, and lifted the veil of secrecy only yesterday. No one explained the delay. The story, which had the ele ments of a spy thriller, brought into the open an account of the mysterious European disappear ance five years ago of Noel and Hermann Field, American brothers, and Noel’s wife, Horta. Swiatlo, a stocky, ruddy faced man of 39, ■ spoke with newsmen at a far-ranging press conference at which he said: 1. Active revolt against the Communists in Iron Curtain coun tries is a virtual impossibility now because “The Red army is every where.” But the United States Bill Pochatko won the 1954 mu nicipal golf title at Greensburg, Pa., with his first hole-in-one on the 117-yard No. 7 hole. A few days later he was showing some friends how he did it and sunk his second hole-in-one. “should do everything it can to bolster the spirit of resistance.” 2. “There is a great movement for resistance” against the Mos cow-directed Red leaders in Po land. This resistance shows up “among all classes.” He said it was likely that a central body was organizing the resistance. 3. He “knows the great major ity of Poles are convinced” that the Polish victims of the World War II Katyn massacre were “mur dered by the Soviets” rather than the Germans. 4. He fled Poland because of his “great ideological disappoint ments” with communism. The Foreign Operations admin istration, obviously delighted to present a significant case of Com munist defection, introduced Swiat lo to 200 newsmen late in the aft ernoon. Swiatlo, wearing a conservative blue suit, white shirt and b'lue tie, answered questions freely through an interpreter, Jules A. Nowotny, of the Library of Congress. Much of the questioning was concen trated on the case of the Fields. As if to punctuate the dramatic situation, the State Department made public the text of notes sent to the Iron Curtain countries of Poland and Hungary, demanding the release of the Fields. The notes said Swiatlo had filled in the missing gaps in the cases of the Fields. At Other Schools Fraternities Are Big Topic At TCU By JON KINSLOW Battalion Managing Editor (Editor’s Note^—This exchange column. At Other Schools, will be a weekly feature of The Battalion, and will be published each Wednesday if space permits.) Texas Christian University Fraternities are the big topic at TCU since the recent action of the school’s Board of Trustees approved them. Ac tive fraternal organizations will probably not come until late in the spring, a college official announced, and a seven-man committee is now establishing governing policy for the or ganization. One of the reasons for the Board’s action was because of “increasing competition being forced on TCU” the organizations should be added “to keep local students in Fort Worth.” University of Texas . Again this week the Orange and the Student Union would walk out. White Steers had a little trouble, It doesn’t say however, whether but this time it was the fighting they went out to drown their sor- Irish team. Reports on students rows or look for a new coach. ^ who stayed on the campus and lis- Also, don’t feel bad if local book- tened to the game on the radio stores didn’t have that book you paints a pretty black picture of need—Texas has a similar prob^ Texas’ school spirit. The students lem. This proves people do have were so dejected that with each to do some studying at other plac- score, ten of fifteen listeners in es except A&M. Baylor University New buildings are going up on campuses throughout the state and Baylor is no exception. A half-million dollar structure is currently being built for an expected increase in the law school enrollment. Described as being one of the best law buildings in the country, the building comes complete with a miniature courtroom. Baylor has one of the five law schools in Texas. North Texas Freshmen beware! If you go to North Texas State college, you have a chance to establish a tradition—but all that glitters is not gold. The tradition is wearing freshman beanies from registration until the first home football game, and a letter requesting the cooperation of the frsehmen will be distributed in freshmen English classes. One question: what has wearing beanies got to do with English ? T S C W Twenty-four Lassies from Texas State College for Women will journey to Aggieland Oct. 22 to serenade thf Aggies. These talented Tessies are the Singing Stars, and their concert here is an annual affair. No waiting in lin& for tickets, either, because it’s all free. Rice Institute The Honor council of Rice re- tion room, an examination pledge cently published an article in the similar to the one suggested at Rice Thresher explaining their A&M, and leaving the room only honor system used at the school, for “personal reasons.” The coun- Major requirements of the system cil said failure to follow them is are sitting in alternate rows and a reason for suspicion of cheat- alternate chairs, leaving books and ing. Yes, I think we can agree on notes at the front of an examina- that. University of Arkansas Near catastrophe has struck at the University of Ar kansas because he nickel Coke is now a dime. Higher opera ting costs were given as the reason for the price rise, and local company officials said they had tried to avoid the jump, but just couldn’t do it and still make money. People who switched to Cokes when coffee went up now have a dilemna. And the university officials denied charges that any women students had been refused admission to the school because of a housing shortage. The college said the rumor probably started when notices were mailed to some students saying the college would “do everything possible to aid them in finding approved housing in town if residence halls were filled.” Southern Methodist University » SMU has somewhat of an un- administration will not condone a usual problem. Their campus hu- student humor magazine at SMU, mor magazine, the late Hoofprint, and> 2 ) The student body wofi’t is the third such periodical in look twice at any other kind of eight years to meet an untimely . end. An editorial in the SMU ma g azine - P™ng, the article Campus says the magazine’s liquid- sa y g > that magazine founders are ation proves two things—1) The licked before they start. Smoker Postponed The Veterinary Medicine smoker for freshmen has been postponed until Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Me morial Student Center ballroom. COLT SPORT WOODSMAN Holds many records HILLCRES T HARDWARE P O G O By Walt Kelly NOTHIN’ POIN’ ! VOU’LU ONLY PUtU eOM£ AMe^lKANSKl T?ICkC LIKE TURNIN’ 1H5 WHAT EXCPUClATINe PAIN/ 3