THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED

Now that the principle of student government has come to be generally though not universally accepted, there being some who continue to look upon it as a mere corruption of student privilege and as a detriment to the efficiency of an institution, its regulations and practical control subject themselves to closer investigations. It is in this agency that Princeton undergraduates are proposing certain changes, in the hope that a renovated system will avoid any that a renovated system will avoid any such disturbance as marked the career of the Princeton Student Council during the present year, when it came into strained relations with the trustees over the question of student automobiles.

The new Constitution of this "Princeton Commonwealth" is interesting chiefly in its relation to the definition of what does and what does not come under the province of student jurisdiction. Advocating "complete powers over affairs principally affecting undergraduates", as a right of the Student Council, this proposed Constitution believes that a board composed of the Chairman of Undergraduate Life Committee of the Trustees, the President of the University, and the President of the Student Council which under the new regime would be a more representative body than before--could in conference, decide what constituted such "affairs". That premise established, the remaining articles follow more or less logically.

The Daily Princetonian, commenting editorially, sees that "a difficulty in ratification is sure to come" over the above provision. And its prophesy while slightly pessimistic is extremely same. The perfection of such a plan as would be instituted by this Constitution would be tested by every new problem that arose. No general dogma could include the variances of student life, since each question obviously must be faced with views as to its immediate causes and consequences. Set limitations could hardly be expected to deal equably with the several and almost innumerable facets of university government.

This Constitution does, however, in spite of the fallacies which to the observer appear sufficiently perilous to condone its partial rejection, serve as a test case for the whole theory of student government. Heretofore in most colleges the Student Council has been a pretty toy, an honorary roll of prominent undergraduates, the efficiency of which is subjugated to its glory. If adopted at Princeton and enforced with the rigidity which in its present form it seems to demand, the system will cease to be only symbolical of student cooperation and will be in reality a vital factor in the daily life of the college. The instigators of the project at Princeton appear to be firmly convinced that student government has won its spurs by a period of restrained and sub-servient respect and that it is now prepared to partake in active guidance. If their belief is representative of their university its accuracy and justice will find ample room for demonstration on the acceptance of the Constitution which embodies their aims.