FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES

The greatest virtue of President Conant's speech to the Freshmen is its applicability to all students, irrespective of their class. The many who are doubtful as to the value of four years in a sheltered, academic life, or as to how to turn these four years to the best advantage, will do well to think over the "fundamental principles" suggested by President Conant as guides during a college course. Surely the principle he stresses is supremely important; clear and dispassionate deliberation of the problems at present besetting mankind. And it is a truth recognized by all who have lived the academic life for any length of time that it presents better than any other the opportunity for just such lucid thought.

Today as never before the individual is prey to ever-changing currents of opinion. Modern methods of communication bring to the loneliest dwelling the latest dicta of statesmen. How is the average uneducated citizen to distinguish between the truth and demagoguery? The perfect case in point is that of Germany, where millions literally bow down before the emotional appeals of as fanatical a leader as ever ruled a nation. The hope of western civilization lies in those countries which have succeeded in keeping lighted the lamp of truth, and the hope of those countries lies in their institutions of learning, whose duty it is to ensure that the lamp is never extinguished.

Thus it is that the academic life has a value and a trust all-important in times of strain. For four years the student has his one great opportunity so to educate himself and improve his mind that he will never fall victim to half-truths. Sheltered and removed from reality though university life may seem, the student can at least be sure he is not being fooled. And if, following President Conant's plea, those who have the opportunities of the best education attainable continue to think in after life as they have been instructed in college, the light of truth now burning so precariously, should gleam more brightly than ever once the present crisis is passed. Minorities will always govern mankind; why not the educated, instead of the corrupt, few?