The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-06-21
lntell1 gent Self Control of Peo-
pr Bulwark of Democracy
Says DR.. Hadley
Ais BACCALAUREATE
SERMON TO STUDENTS
Emphasizes the Need ofWeigh-
ing Words and Controlling
Actions In Commonwealth
Like Ours

New Haven. Conn, June 20.-"Of
all the Christian virtues, intelligent
acknowledgements in the broad
and ancient sense--is the one which
America most needs in the conduct
of its affairs" President Arthur 7.
Hadley, of Yale. said in his bacca-
laureate sermon addressed to the
graduating class in Wooisey Hall to-
day.
DR.. Hadley took as his taxi James
1870. Let every man be swift to
hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
for the wrath of man worketh not the
righteousness OF Co."
The need of weighing our own
words and controlling our feelings
is particularly great In a common
wealth like ours, where we act. not
as individuals. but as members Of
a body polite" he said.
Power Of Public Opinion.
Every free community, whether
school or college. city or State, IL
governed by public opinion. and this
opinion Is the result of discussion.
If members OF such a community
make up their minds deliberately and
carefully, this kind of government is
the best in the world. If they make
up their minds hastily or passionate
", Ii is the worst in the world. For
li-considered speech of one member
of such community may arouse all
his fellows to unjust prejudice and
Incorporate action. One man states
hasty conclusion as a fact. A second
man accepts II as a fact, and makes
it the ground for passionate express
sions of hate or resentment Still
other men, who have not looked into
the facts at all. are caught In the
common flame OF resentment. Still
ried into precipitate action which does
harm to themselves and injustice to
others. This is one of the greatest
dangers which America has to face
at the present day; and the resistance
10 this danger Is ohe of the greatest
public services which the men of
this country can render.
mo government which manages its
AFFAIRS on the basis of prejudice
rather than evidence can long en-
dure Many foreign critics regard our
present experience as rresa ging the
downfall of democracy. believe
that those critics are wrong in their
predictions. But in their analysis of
the dangers they are pretty nearly
right: and in order to falsifi their
predictions we must take heed to the
dangers themselves We must help
the community to examine the evil
dence and exercise control.
An International Need.
And great as this national need
of self-control. there is at the present
moment an international need which
almost overshadows it. The nations of
Europe are engaged in war which
for time. being makes It. almost sim-.
possible for most OF their members TO
be either swift TO hear or slow to
speak. Anyone who has really lived
through the experiences OF a great
war know how impossible II Is to
secure clearness of Judgment DOR re-
straint of utterances after the war has
actually begun. All the more neces-
sary is 1t, then. that we who are stu
at peace should avoid harsh judg-
ment, hasty generalization or iil-timed
Of public feeling. 1t is not
the advocates Of a large army and
navy who constitute the menace to our
peace 1t is not the advocates OF
more vigorous foreign policy. It Is
those who indulge in the luxury of
righteous indignation without full in
formation an to the facts or adequate
OF consequences. OF all
the Christian virtues. intelligent self
control--temperance In broad and
ancient sense--is the one which
America needs most In the conduct of
It's affairs"