Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-23

CAMBRIDGE. MASS, February O.
President Roosevelt arrived here from Bos-
ton at 1 o'clock this afternoon in an auto
mobile with his old Harvard cIassmate.
DIR. w. S. Bigelow, to address the Har.
ward Union. Every seat was filed before
the President entered the haIl and standing
room was at a premium. Mr.. Roosevelt
said:- ---
In speaking here at the Harvard Union
Wish to say first a special word as one
Harvard man to his fellow Harvard men.
feel that we can none of us ever be
suffciently grateful to Colonel Hixsinson
for having founded this Harvard Union.
because each loyal Harvard man should
do all he can to foster in Harvard that
spirit of real democracy which will make
Harvard men feel the vital sense of soli-
darity so that they can all join to work
together in the things that are of most
concern to the college.
1t is idle to expect, nor indeed would IL
be desirable that there should be- in Har-
ward uniform level of taste and associa-
ton. Some men will excel in one thing and
some In another: some in things of the
body, some In things of the mind; and
where thousands are gathered together
specially congenal friends with when he
will form ties of peculiar social intimacy.
These groups-athletic artistic, scientific.
social-nlust inevitably exist
My plea is not for their abolition NV
plea is that they shall be got int the
right focus in the eyes of college men:
that the relative Importance of the differ
ent groups shall be understood when COM
pared with the infinitely greater life of
a W Lot oh
have his special associates, his special
interests, his special studies and pursuits. -
but let him remember that he cannot get
the full benefit of life In college IL he
does nothing but specialize; and that what
is even more important he cannot do his
full duty by the college unless his first
and greatest interest In the college itself.
In his associates taken mass and not
in any small group.
Athletic Spirit Democratic.
One reason why 1 so thoroughly believe In
the athletic spirit at Harvard is because
the athletic spirit is essentially democratic.
Our chief interest should not lie In the
great champions in sport On the con-
trary our concern should be most of all
to widen the base. the foundation In ath-
letic sports; to encourage in every way
a healthy rivalry which shall give to the
largest possible number of students the
chance to take part In vigorous outdoor
games 1t is of far more Importance that
man shall play something himself, even
If he plays it badly, than that he shall
go with hundreds of companions to see
some one else play WELL and 1t is not
healthy for either students OF athletes IL
the terms are mutually exclusive,
But even having this aim especially In
view, 1t seems to me we can best attain
1t by giving proper encouragement to the
champions in the sports and this can
only be done by encouraging intercollegiate
sport AS 1 emphatically disbeleve in
seeing Harvard or any other college turn
out mollycoddles instead of vigorous men.
l may add that / do not in the least OBJ
5ect to sport because 1t is rough. Row.
ing, base ball, la crosse, track and field
games, hockey, foot ball are all of them
good Moreover, II is to my mind simple
nonsense. mere confession of weakness,
to desire to abolish game because ten
denotes show themselves, or practices grow
up. which prove that the game ought TO
be reformed. Take foot bail. for instance.
The preparatory schools are able to keep
foot ball clean and to develop the right
spirit in the players without the slightest
slider the question OF abolishing 1t.
There Is no excuse whatever for colleges
falling to show the same capacity, and
there is no real need for considering the
question of the abolition of the game.
If necessary, let the college authorities
interfere to step any excess or perversion,
making their interference as little oficious
as possible. and yet as rigorous as Is nec-
essary to achieve the end. But there Is
no Justification for stopping a thoroughly
manly sport because 1t Is sometimes abused.
when the experience Of every good pre-
paratory school shows that the abuse is
in no shape necessarily attendant upon
the game
Courage Prime Necessity.
We canEot afford to turn out OF college
men who shrink from physical effort or
from little physical pain. In any re-
public courage is prime necessity for
the average citizen IL he is to be a good
citizen; and he needs physical courage no
less than moral courage. the courage that
dares as we'll as the courage that endures.
the courage that will fight valiantly alike
against the foes of the soul and the foes
of the body. Athletics are good. especial
ly in their rougher FORMS because they
tend to develop such courage. They are
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