New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-29
Muensterberg of Harvard

.
The reasons why Hugo Muenster-
berg is retained at Harvard, despite
The various and sundry disclosures
Of his interesting activities, remain
= little obscure to that considerable
body of graduates of the Cambridge
university scattered all over the
world and in no inconsiderable
measure represented on the French
firing line, which is the present from
tier between barbarism and clvlllza-
ton upon this planet.
No one will quarrel with Dr.
Muensterberg for anything that ne
has done or is doing on behalf of his
own country within our boundaries.
Even questions Of taste and feeling
will not be raised, in so far as he
personally is concerned. DR.. Muen-
sterberg has only done what we
should expect of a German IN the
present hour, or, to be more exact,
what he has done is quite in charac-
ter with what Americans expect
Germans TO do, and his moderation
is not without its appeal.
But why DR.. Muensterberg OF
Harvard? II there is one place IN
America which is not neutral 1t is
Harvard. If there is one group OF
men bound by common ties and IN
fluenced by common principles,
which more than any other is not
neutral in this war, it is the body OF
men who are the alumni of Har-
ward.
Several HARVARD men have already
died for the common cause OF civil
cation in France. They responded to
a call whose meaning was taught
them in Cambridge and has its eX-
PLANTATION in those words written
upon a stone in Soldiers Field. The
roster Of American ambulance work
ers in France bears the names Of
men who TO the extent of clear ma
jority, perhaps, are graduates OF
Harvard.
These men have not gone to
France called by love Of excitement
or a thirst of adventure. There IS
something more than this in their
hearts and their minds; they are
serving something that not few OF
them believe is the expression Of the
years that have created the Harvard
tradition and moulded and shaped
the Harvard spirit.
And those older Harvard gradu-
ates who may not serve themselves,
can any one exaggerate the pride and
Measure they derive from the reali-
cation that their university and the
thing that Harvard means to them
are represented in the post Of honor
and in the place Of danger by a new
generation faithful 10 the old ideal?
And while Harvard men are living
bravely and dying nobly in France,
is it not a little too much TO see the
name and the institution of Harvard
made the basis for the fotation Of a
Boche propaganda by Boche pro-
lessor? Neutrality may exist be-
tween nation and nation under al
most any circumstances, but between
man and man can there be neutral
ity when there is Belgium in the
world?
For those who love Harvard most
Loyalty, who find new cause for pride
in the latest revelation Of the endur-
ance OF the spirit which has made
Harvard more than a collection Of
walls and buildings, there is a grow
ing sense of resentment and bitter
ness that some part Of the real SER
vice that Harvard men are render
ing in the world should to-day be
spoiled by the presence at Harvard
Of the representative of that spirit
and that idea which are the negation
Of all that successive generations Of
men, who have owed and yielded ale
glance to Harvard, most love and
strive most earnestly 10 serve.