r Columns • Editorials • News Briefs Cbe Battalion • Page 2 College Station, Texas Tuesday, November 16, 1965 ® Features Bonfire Show Rejection Could Injure A&M Image Texas A&M took a step it might long regret when it canceled the Nov. 24 per formance of Johnny Cash last week be cause the country and western singer is “an accused felon.” Fearful that the university’s image could suffer serious consequences, A&M officials severed the contract last Satur day — six days after Memorial Student Center Council members had refused to second a motion that the Cash perform ance be squelched. It is a flower in the administration’s lapel that they hold the image of this uni versity in such high esteem and are willing to risk even legal action to protect it. Certainly, Texas A&M did not intend to prejudge nor to deprive a citizen of his inalienable rights, but the move could easily be interpreted as such a violation. The question of jurisprudence should not enter the debate, officials argue, but how can it be omitted ? Officials say, quite simply, they do not desire an accused felon to be publicized as a campus attraction. They say Cash’s appearance on campus would suggest the university approves of the act for which the singer was charged Oct. 4 in El Paso. However, to reject or ostracize a per son because he has been charged with a criminal act is in fact, a violation of the “innocent until proven guilty” clause. Johnny Cash, both theoretically and ac cording to law, has committed no wrong until proven in court. Therefore, again according to law, Texas A&M has repudiated a contract between an innocent U. S. citizen and the university. The question of whether or not the school was guilty of prejudgement is indeed linked to the question posed by the admini stration: “Should an accused felon be al lowed to appear at a university-sponsored function such as Town Hall?” Mortimer's Notes FOR THE RECORD: The South Viet Nam flick scheduled Wednesday night should be an informative piece for persons planning to take an active interest in SCON A this year Others will find the film interesting, too . . . . It’s the first of four World Around Us series presentations and the only one this semester . . . . Maximum security preparations have been made for Bonfire week to prohibit incidents similar to one that occurred two years ago when some TU students burned BE VO on Kyle Field grass . . . And remember how upset the TU folks were because the ground was muddy ? With all the grass gone, what could they expect? Town Hall replacement for Johnny Cash is being sought, but nobody will say who Rumor is, however, that the committee is after a country and western star or group ....... The Aggie Players drew about 1,400 spectators to “Death of a Salesman” during its six-night stand last week The group is now working up a Christmas play to be staged at area churches in December . . . It will open Dec. 5 at Allen Academy You country and western fans don’t need to look so forlorn Word is out that Sigma Delta Chi is planning another big Louisiana Hayride this spring Last year’s performance practically jammed > _ Authorities filed complaints Monday charging Western singer Ray Price and four members of his band with illegal possession of 1,000 dangerous pills. Police Lt. N. C. Baumann said officers seized the tablets in the musicians’ bus and motel while they were here to fill an engagement Friday. James Day, one of the band, members, posted $1,500 bond in the case earlier. Beaumann said Day had been convicted on such a charge peri- ously and the law makes a second offense a felony. Misdemeanor charges are on file against Price and the others — Pete Burke, Robert Fritz, Francis Coleman and Charles Harris. Each went free under $500 bond. All are from Nashville, Tenn. CADET SLOUCH by Jim Eerie “Three weeks ago this meant ‘we lost two’ at TU, but now they’re running out of fingers!” Gerald Garcia Date That Nearly Wasn’t The fish got a pass from hi; CO to skip CQ on Thursday nigk; to go to the Memorial Student Center to make the call. He received his first setbacl at the MSC phone booths. We| exactly, he never did see tki booths because he wasn’t the onl; one planning on phoning. The freshman decided to try the YMCA phones. Here he was luckier. But, by the time he go: an operator his dailing finge: was worn out. Then his troubles really start ed. The operator was handling so many calls that the fish W to wait about five minutes bo- fore she got the party and nur- ber he was calling. Now it was a hopeless cast The operator dialed the number and the fish heard a familiar ex pression: “I am sorry sir but all tin circuit to Denton are closed" Would you like to replace your call or should I keep trying!" the operator said. Upperclassmen had described past jaunts to North Texas. And he had a Tessie lined up. On Wednesday, before the trip, the A&M first year student re ceived a letter—which had taken 18 hours to be delivered—from his Texas Woman’s University date. She made one request. The Tessie wanted him to call Thursday night to determine where they were to meet before the Maroon and White A-Go-Go in Tessieland. The fish should have never tried to follow this order. At the Movies with Lani Presswood Did you hear about the Texas A&M freshman who almost didn’t have a date to the TCU Corps Trip because he was not able to call Denton ? The week prior to Corps Trip the fish was very excited be cause : It was going to be his first Corps Trip. “Agent 8%” has only one re deeming virtue, and you spell it S-y-l-v-i-a K-o-s-c-i-n-a. One suspects that this movie was produced to satirize the cur rent spy craze in entertainment— not exactly an original idea but still a potentially very funny one. Unfortunately though, some thing happened between the drawing boards and the project or. At least I hope the drawing boards envisioned something bet ter than what eventually came out, because the final product is sure nothing to write home about. It’s a mildly engaging picture all right, but if it weren’t for Miss Koscina’s presence the whole thing would fall about as flat as a Czechoslovakian flap- jack. Why Czechoslovakian ? Be cause the city of Prague serves as a setting for the show’s action, what there is of it. The plot slowly revolves around Dick Bogarde, who completely miscast as Nicholas Whistler, a spy who doesn’t know he’s a spy. Bogarde is more pathetic than comic and with the skimpy script he’s faced with, it’s no wonder. It seems that Nicholas, a writ er living rather happily off his unemployment check, is asked by a glass manufacturer to journey from his home base of England to bring back a secret message from Prague. Now you know and I know that it’s not really industrial intrigue but international espionage that he’s jumping into. But natural ly Nicholas doesn’t learn this un til the show is two-thrids over. In the course of his mission Nicholas stumbles his way through several escapades with the Czech state police, some fair ly amusing and some not. The only bright spot in his adventure, and it is a bright one, is meeting a luscious comrade whose movie name I won’t even attempt to reproduce but whose real name you’ve already guessed —Sylvia Koscina. Put her name down as one of the more promis ing young actresses around. Actually, the jury’s still out on her acting ability but in ra diance and plain old good looks she’s already arrived, and in fine style. To the picture’s credit, there were also a couple of imaginative wrinkles in the action to go along with Sylvia. The one which comes quickest to mind is a scene fea turing a bevy of waiters in tails advancing in unison on the Brit ish Embassy. And more than likely there is even a dab of drama present, in a scene between Sylvia and Nicholas played in a loft above a cafe. I can’t say for sure be cause something misfired in the Rubber LOS ANGELES — House mi nority leader Gerald Ford (R- Mich.) told students here last week that the recently-adjourned 89th Congress was “long on quantity, short on quality.” The 17-year veteran of the House of Representatives and chief spokesman for House Re publicans called the legislative body “a rubber stamp Congress, hip pocket Congress.” Being quizzed by student mem bers of Sigma Delta Chi, profes sional journalistic society, at the group’s national convention, Ford claimed Senate majority leader Mike Mansfield (D-Mont.) also was displeased with some Con gressional action. “It is a very bad record for Congress when the majority lead er says we passed bills too hasti ly, with too many loopholes and oversights,” Ford said. “Too frequently Congress did exactly what the executive branch of the government demanded,” Ford said. “This is contrary to our principle of separation of powers.” He cited the anti-poverty bill as an example of hasty legisla tion. “It was lacking in actually solving the problem,” he claimed,” and had too much ad ministrative involvement and ex pense.” Looking ahead to upcoming gubernatorial and congressional elections next year, Ford said the Republican Party’s presiden tial nomination hinged on the 1966 campaigns. projection room at the Campus Theater just as Nick was enter ing the lift. Ten minutes later the film was running again but the couple was saying tender farewells by then, thus leaving the loft scene to the audience’s imagination. The rest of the movie wasn’t left to the imagination though, and the result is a shallow, wit less superficiality which suc ceeds only in satirizing spy movie satires. “The Republican Party of 1966 has a major responsibility to right the imbalance that exists 2-1 in the Senate, 2-1 in the House, 2-1 in the number of governors.” “We have to make a good showing in 1966 or we will have a hard time finding a good can didate in 1968.” Ford said newly-elected New York mayor John Lindsay “has the most difficult political job in the United States. If he does a good job, he won’t have to wor ry about his political future.” Ford pointed out three signifi cant meanings of Lindsay’s may- oral victory over Abe Beame, the Democratic nominee: 1. Republican candidates with ideas can win even in areas with large Democratic majorities. New York voters register Democrat by a 7-2 margin. 2. Voters will oust political machines if candidates appear corrupt or ineffective. 3. President Johnson and Hu bert Humphrey backed Beame in his bid for the position. Ford said this could mean the political pendulum has begun a reverse swing. The Republican leader said the GOP will follow a “conservative, but moderate progressive” domes tic program and a “broad global viewpoint' in international af- Ford said fiscal responsibility and less centralization of powers are the basic aims of Republi cans and will be top campaign issues in 1966. Republican sup port in all states will be sought “Please keep trying,” the fisl requested. The next day the fish’s buddies picked him up at the YMCA where he was still waiting foi the circuit to clear. The fishdil find the girl at the dance. She wanted an explanation an: claimed things like that were ruining the relationship betweet the schools. Maybe when the phone system improves, the A&M-TWU re lationship will improve. next year, the GOP Congress man said. “The Republicans will accept members from any state if they subscribe to basic philosophies oi the Republican party. We are going to get a Republican Party in every state and we are going to have people that believe in our principles,” Ford asserted. Ford also told student writere the party would not repudiate John Birch Society members only for affiliation with that organi zation. “If we are called on to re pudiate the John Birch Society, the Democrats should be called on to repudiate the radical left," he said. Folk Song Fest Set Wednesday A Folk Song Fest by the John Avery Lomax Folklore Society is set for 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Fallout Theater Workshop at Texas A&M. Bill Koock, president of the society, said the presentation will feature the Wayfarers, Selma Clack, George Clark, Mr. and Mrs- Roger Williams, Dr. and Mrs- Grant Thomas, Jon Sharon, Jim Newett and Carl “Doc” Sprague- Clarence “Bud” Franks, vice- president of the Folklore Society, will emcee the program. Admission is 50 cents. Koock said proceeds will be used to help purchase J. Frank Dobie’s Pai- sano Ranch near Austin as a re treat for writers. Glenn Dromgoole: Stamp Congress? PEANUTS By Charles M. Schufe PEANUTS HE U)AS SUPPOSED TO MAKE A SPEECH AT THE CAlSV HILL PUPPY FARM LAST SATURDAY NI6HT, BUT THEY CALLED AND SAID THAT HE NEVER SHOWED UP...