Illustrated Editors Produced Successful Auto Show Number

The current Illustrated bears on its very attractive cover the words "Auto-Show Number." How far it is an auto-show number is not for the casual reviewer to examine, in fact it might as well have been called the "Preparedness Number." But this militant emphasis should not be decided on the score of militating against the supposed purpose of the number or because of bringing forward the question which so agitates the pacifists, who (heaven be praised) form but a restless minority at Harvard. Aside from all such considerations the fact remains that this issue of the Illustrated is a good one. Even in the period of winter "doldrums" for a college pictorial, the editors have collected material which is interesting even to the critical undergraduate.

From the editorials, which are pithily efficient as the Illustrated editorials usually are, to the lost pictures of college "tars," the number satisfies the most exacting partisan.

Dr. Brown, in his interesting article "Is there a Harvard Slouch" proves, we suppose, to the immense satisfaction of the narrow-minded anti-Harvard group that such a thing indeed exists! Quite astonishing, but the figures are there. Perhaps, however, the R. O. T. C. will help the situation.

Mr. Champ in "Undergraduate America Prepares" makes us feel very keenly the significance of the whole collegiate movement for preparedness. "I didn't know," the average Senior remarks, "that the University of California was doing anything in military training." That's just it. California is so far away that it is hard for us, in our restricted sphere, to see whether they are doing anything at all. We never fully realize the wide scope of a great movement until it is clearly summarized for us, as Mr. Champ has done in good fashion. Again, Mr. Champ in his exposition, "Harvard Tries Its Sea-Legs," gives an interesting account of the Naval Reserve to the man who knows little of the fledgling branch of the service.

Messrs. Roger Amory 10 and R. P. Danner '13 write respectively on "Enthusiasm in Flying" and "Harvard Men Help Tommy in Mesopotamia." Though Mr. Amory gives us a satisfactory treatise, it is marred by occasional crudities in composition. It fails to arouse live interest in the reader. Mr. Danner does better, though he too is occasionally careless in his writing. Also, why does he call it "Harvard Men--"? There is absolutely no mention of a University organization or even of individual Harvard men. However, despite the article's shortcomings it is full of genuine interest and holds the attention of the reader.

There can be no question that the current Illustrated is the best number of the year. Notwithstanding the minor faults,--among which I would place the occasional faults in the composition mentioned above, the use of full-page cartoons, which seem rather flippant and cheap for a serious college pictorial, and the glaring double-page "ad" in the exact centre of the paper,--the issue is very creditable. It reflects University life in its clever photographs, and echoes the present universal stir for real preparedness in a way which should fully satisfy the most broad-minded among us. All in all, it is a distinct step forward. N. C. STARR '17.