The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-06-26
Not Enough To Be
Skilled In Profession,
l.. of NJ. Men Told
GRADUATES HEAR
BACCALAUREATE
The Rev. Carl S. Patton
Makes Inspiring Ad-
dress to Graduates

ANN ARBOR, Mich, June 20
Declaring that II is the duty OF edu
Gated men to become leaders in the
social and political thought OF the
nation, the Rev Carl s. Patton. OF
Columbus. O., formerly OF Ann Ar
Dor, delivered an inspiring and force
full baccalaureate sermon TO the
members OF the graduating class OF
1916, University OF Michigan.
Some OF the more striking pas
saves from the Rev. Mr. Patton's
address follow:
1T is not enough that you should
be good dentist. or fine engineer
The educated man should lead in the
formation OF public opinion. Poll.
cies in a republic will depend upon
what the people think. In the long
run the people will think what IS
right, But not without leaders. a
hundred, a thousand, a million men.
who do not know, are re wiser
than one man who does not know
II IS not safe time Just now in
America 10 leave everything 10 the
man who can raise the biggest noise.
The mass OF people think in catch
words. How often lucky phrase.
like free silver or "a full dinner
pail, lucky phrase analysed, has
elected a president o. the United
States. or sent the country of on
some wild goose chase We are all
for preparedness We are all for
Amerlcanism' But preparedness
for what? And what is American
ism?
The war in Europe has set us all
TO thinking But there is a most
amazing diversity in what We think.
America, we all agree, will not be
the same after this war. But just
how shall she be different? a. Wise
Wood reads the history OF the last
century and concludes that war
holds a larger place in national
ideals than in any other century.
John Haynes Holmes reads the same
history and draws the opposite con-
clusion One man upbraids the
churches because in a day Of peril
like this they still putter with mat.
ters of personal piety. and do not
come out squarely for adequate ma
tional defense Another Is equally
bitter against them because they
have spoken no unequiyocal word
for disarmament. There are men
who scan the morning paper ner.
vously to sec whether a Japanese
army Is already as far east as Den
yer: and there are men who think
we should have turned the other
cheek a few more times even 10 Vii.
la. One man looks at Europe and
says, preparedness Is the only safe
ty.' Another looks az Europe and
says It is the only danger.
Between such extremes, how
shall we come to a sane judgment?
How find out what Americanism
means, or dispose OF that supreme
national danger, the hyphen? Not,
I venture 10 believe. by the big
noise. Not by assembling the wise
men Of the nation in Chicago and
S. Louis. TO see which crowd can
veil the longest Not by the call
ing Of names, AS 'pussyfooters.
'ollycoddles,' 'copperheads' and such.
Not even by professions. When the
noise was the loudest in the ma
tional convention in Chicago in 1880,
man who had not been much heard
OF ND TO that time. Mr. Garfield, rose
and said. When your enthusiasm
has passed, when the emotions OF
this hour have subsidized. We shall
find below the storm and passion
that calm level OF public opinion
from which the thoughts Of mighty
people are 10 be measured. Not here,
where $4,000 men and women are
gathered, Is the destiny of the re-
public to be decreed. Not here, but
by the millions OF aresides, where
the thoughtful voters SIT with wives
and children about them. with calm
thoughts, with the history OF the
past and the hopes OF the future
burning in their hearts, there God
prepares the verdict that will deter.
mine the wisdom OF our work. They
are words 10 be remembered, We
feel in the crowd. We shout in the
crowd. But we do not think in the
crowds"