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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 20, 1963)
Page 2 College Station, Texas Thursday, June 20, 1968 THE BATTALION IN BOOK BY A&M PROF Story Of American, French Face-Off In 1860’s Related Few persons are aware that Americans and the French once almost stood “eyeball-to-eyeball” along the Rio Grande at Browns ville. On at least one occasion the Americans crossed the river, oc cupied a town downstream from Matamoros and tried to capture a French ship. THE STRAINED situation was pq,rt of the colorful, tui'bulent period in Mexican history of the 1860’s when the French Army oc cupied much of Mexico, the tragic Emperor Maximilian and his Em press sat upon shaky thrones, and the Mexicans Benito Juarez and Porfio Diaz led the fight for power. A&M Professor Dr. Jack Autrey Dabbs is author of the newly-pub lished book, “The French Army in Mexico, 1861-1867, A Study in Military Government.” The 340-page book was published by Mouton and Company, The Hague, The Netherlands, which earlier this year published a mono graph written by Dabbs for the Central Asiatic Studies Series of Indiana University and the Uni versity of Leiden. Dabbs, an A&M professor of modern languages, is the author of several books. HIS NEWEST publication stems from research for his doctoral dis sertation written at the University of Texas before he joined the A&M faculty in 1950. Much of the re search was done in the Latin American Collection of the uni versity library. “I had just gotten out of the Army and military government work (he served in Korea),” Dabbs said. There was “very little” printed material about military govern ment problems. Books about mili tary government policies and his tories of other nations were even scarcer. “This book,” he said of his lat est publication, “is intended as an examination of the way some other countries have conducted military government in the past, a cast history. The French Army at that time was very experienced and professional.” THE FRENCH intervention, however, was ’’the cast of a ter rific mistake.” “The Mexican conservatives thought they would bring in 'some one who would help them establish a monarchy, but the French turn ed out to be almost as liberal as the Mexican liberals . . . the form- Board Member Is Ag Consultant At Fort Worth Bank Clyde H. Wells of Granbury, an A&M Board of Directors member, has been appointed ranch and farm consultant to the First National Bank of Fort Worth. Wells, a 1938 graduate of the A&M School of Agriculture, is a Hood County rancher associated with the J. R. Black estate. He was formerly a member of the Tarleton State College faculty and has served with the U. S. Soil Con servation Service in north, central and east Texas. A member of the Granbury school board, Wells is married and has one daughter. He is also a member of the Texas and South western Cattle Raisers Association and the Texas Hereford Associa tion. er allies were almost fighting at the end,” Dabbs said. Civil war wracked the United States at the time of the French intervention, and this nation could only protest the violation of the Monroe Doctrine. Stronger reaction came in 1865. U. S. troops in the blue uniforms of the Civil War period were in Brownsville. Also in Brownsville were followers of Juarez. Across the river were Mexican troops of the conservative forces, those sup ported by the French. THE MEXICANS fired at each other across the Rio Grande and on one occasion several hundred troops in U. S. uniforms and with federal officials temporarily oc cupied a Mexican town downriver from Matamoros. The Americans also attempted to capture a French ship. The French used their Mexican allies as a • shield to prevent as much as possible any direct con frontation of American and French troops, but French ships put in close offshore. U. S. aid to the Juaristas also was reported in California, and American filibusters crossed into Mexico. New Liberal armies began to ap pear, uniformed, armed, and in numbers not seen for several years, while the United States also exert ed diplomatic pressure upon France. Both the Liberals and the Con servatives sensed that any formal entry of American forces into Mexico might lead to a loss of territory, so they did nothing that might draw these troops. The situation seased gradually. In February of 1867 the French Army marched out of Mexico City, bound for Veracruz and ships for France. One Of First Vets Later Became MD COLLEGE STATION <A>) — At 65 years of age, Dr. Richard Henry Harrison Jr. decided which branch of medicine he wishes to practice. He announced this with a flour ish recently when he returned to A&M and turned in his doctor of veterinary medicine degree. One reason was that he prac ticed veterinary medicine only a short time. HE WAS assistant state veter inarian with headquarters at Fort Worth for a time. But after sav ing enough money he entered Bay lor Medical school in Dallas and received an MD degree. He has practiced people medicine since. The general practitioner return ed his age-yellowed DVM degree to the A&M School of Veterinary Medicine because of the document’s historical interest. He was one of the first four veterinarians graduated from the newly estab lished school in 1920. Dr. Alvin Price, Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine, who said it would be placed in the Vet erinary Library along with other momentoes. THE PHYSICIAN was the first to sign up in the veterinary school, first president of the A&M Veteri nary Medicine Club, first of the four to march across the stage to receive his degree, and the first Texas-educated DVM to get a state license. It is a little hard to see how he had time to get a degree. When Harrison wasn’t mulling over books and bones, the 135- pounder quarterbacked and half- backed four years on A&M’s foot ball teams. This was when A&M produced its famed undefeated and unscored-on teams of 1917 and 1919. HE ALSO was business manager for the campus newspaper, “The Battalion,” for a year. He was first to be named “outstanding mili tary student,” and led the best drilled company in the Corps. He retired from the Medical Corps in 1945 as a full colonel. After receiving his medical de gree, he interned in Houston. He practiced there for a year and then became surgeon for Humble Oil at Ingleside from 1929-31. The next stop was Bryan in 1932, where he has since lived. Dance, Hootenanny Scheduled For MSC Weekend Activities Upcoming activities provided by the Memorial Student Center Sum mer Directorate include a songfest and hootenanny Sunday at 2 p.m. and the Monday night dance with live musicians and a door pxdze. Paul Smith, publicity chairman for the summer committee said that stag girls will be admitted free to the 8 p.m. dance in the ballroom. Loupot’s Trading Post has provided a door prize. Live music will be provided Mon day by The Paradons. Admission for stag males and couples will be 75 cents and $1.25, respectively. Smith said there is no cost of admission for anyone who would like to participate in Sunday’s songfest and hootenanny. Japanese Consider Bellies Most Important Body Parts TOKYO (TP) — When a Japanese gentlemen tells you “The bugs in my belly are restless” he means “I’m not fully satisfied.” If he says “My adomen will de cide” he means “I’ll make up my mind.” Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda told a news conference recently “Let THE BATTALION Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the stu dent writers only. The Battalion is a non tax-supported, non profit, self-supporting educational enterprise edited and op erated by students as a college and community newspaper and is under the supervision of the director of Student Publications at Texas A&M College. McGuire, School | The Associated Pn dispatches credited to spontaneous origin pu? in are also reserved, republication of all ne 73 1 other matter hei and local news ws of Second-Class postage paid at College Station, Texas. MEMBER: The Associated Press Texas Press Assn. Represented nationally by National Advertising Service, City, Cl Inc., New Lo! City, Chicago, geles and San Francisco. Yoi ,os An- All Add News contributions may be made by telephoning VI 6-6618 or VI 6-4910 or at the •orial office. Room 4, YMCA Building. For advertising or delivery call VI 6-6416. VAN CONNER EDITOR J. M. Tijerina Photographer us hold our stomach firmer.” He meant “Let us not get excited.” THE REASON is that in Japan the most vital part of the anatomy is the stomach, abdomen, or belly— known simple as “hara.” It is the essence of the human body, like the heart or head in Western coun tries. As a result the Japanese take special care of the stomach, fully protecting it from the elements of nature. Many Japanese wear a belly band or stomach wrap-around — usually j of cotton in the summer and of wool in the winter. The stomach band also serves as a sort of girdle or corset for women. Emphasis on protecting the sto mach begins at birth and ends with death. THE “HARA” takes on an ab stract meaning because the Japan ese attach ritualistic importance to the mid-riff. It can also mean mind, courage, power, efficiency, conscience, intention, and other spi ritual functions. Thus a “man of stomach” — a very common Japanese expression — doesn’t indicate a man possess ing an extraordinary belly but means a man of will-power, cour age or strength. “Big stomach” means broad-minded or full of un derstanding. A Welcome Treat For Your Table • • • Sugar Cured Lean And Flavorful SMOKED PICNICS Sliced Picnics u>. 31c IMPERIAL PURE CANE SUGAR 5 LB. 59 with $2.50 purchase or more FRESH Franks ho-mi u. HORMEL DAIRYBRAND Sliced Bacon FRESH LEAN Ground Beef “ VAN CAMPS PORK and BEANS 300 Can MORTON FROZEN FRUIT PIES Apple/Peach/Cherry Ea. 29c MAGIC BAKE BREAD 49= 2 I'/z-Lb. Loaves Libby's Vienna Carol Asst. 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