Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-06
Commencement HELD
At RICHMOND COLLEGE
s2nal Exercises Take Place at West
Y champion i'm Presence of
- Large Gathering.
LATANE MAKES ADDRESS

IAStuSSeS hcIatIoHS Oh NoIlcEC lcn
Ito Great Connict-Duty to Inform
IPcoplc of Issues Of Greatest World
: Struggle.
ta'unal exercises Of Richmond Col
s. g Commencement took place y.ster-
,t&y AZ II so in the auditorium 81 the
cEtlcse, overlooking the lake Although
CIT down by ono day on account OF
the war situation. there was no let
ting up in the intense interest of tho
alumni and friends. The weather was
agrees Bile and large crowd came
fEom town. As usual. ono OF the most
attractive features OF the morning was
tte academic procession. in which the
graduates. faculty. trustees and OIL
ctrs OF the college participated.
Tho program was divided into wv"
pSrts. representing the events usually
taking place on the last two days Of
commencement. The first part was de-
Voted to the celebration Of tho hon
oEsry society of the college. the
ATachndae ,Sons OF Snider) Not more
than one-six,h OF the entire gradual
ing class on both sides Of the lake
afe eligible each year TO election to
this society and this number must
have made during their entire college
course an average of not less than %
per cent, and must be OF unimpeach
able character and standing. The fol-
lowing Of the class Of 1917 were this
yNar elected to this society: Weston
Bristow. H. 4. Clopton. w. L. Davis,
Moses Geliman. Gladys Holleman, V. S
lawrence, W. X. Silvey and Florence
sniith.
nR. IATANE'S ADDRESS rs
FEATURE or COMMEN CEMENT
The feature of tho morning was the
address delivered before the society
by Professor John H. Latanc. head
of the department of history al Johns
HOPKINS University. This address de-
parted from the usual practice Of adj
dresses on similar occasions by avoid
Ing the beaten track of patitudincss
add oftentimes useless advice. Pro-
f6ssor Latanc declared that there was
Nd use OF his making any prctcnse
OF being interested i'll any hut one
theme at this present time. or of as
samnE that his audience was inter
cStcd in any hu, one theme The ma
ttanal crisis was SO grave and was
hroucht home to all OF our lives so
CLOSELY on this day that he was con-
raincd To speak on tho subject of
Our Relation TO the Great War
FMceting an army officer some time
ago III the University Club III Wash
ing ton, he asked him what service
College professors setting on IN years
could best render the country. The
Amy officer replied that from his Oh
serva,ion tho University Club and col
lsEe professors Will he of excellent
service III the gas brigade DR.. La
tajieSsaid that I've had. therefore. joined
ttIs brigade. and that besides college
professors. preachers, lawyers and IN
saianoe agents we're eligible.
GREAT OPPORTuNITl no
q BRING ISSUES BEFORE PEOPLE
seriously speaking. he meant. or
course that there was great oppor
tInity on the part OF those VINO were
accustomed 10 expressing themselves
before the public TO bring the issues
of,this great war home 10 the people,
Asking the question. why we are at
war Professor Latane entered into
s6ne discussion of our historical
American policy. lie asserted that. al
though we had had various wars, our
record as an unwarlik- and pcacc-lov-
ing nation was incomparablc During
our history two great policies had been
adhered to. one was the Monroe doc
trne and tho other was the policy Of
isolation.
Dr. l.atane gave a very interesting
discussion Of the Monroe Doctrine and
It's place in our American history. and
attempted 10 .urove by frequent and
pertinent illustrations that tho United
States has been ahlc To maintain tho
Monroe Doctrine. not through any fear
that other nations had 90 punishment
from her, should they violate il. hut
because that At each time some viola
ton was attempted European condi-
tions were such as would make these
violations inpossibl" OF success. For
instance. he cited TIN. attempt OH The
part Of Gcrmany I" ran the gauntlet
OF this doctrine IN the Venezuelan dis
pute. Lining up England and Italy
with her. as she thoUcht, she proceed
ed to make hcr demands of Ncuc2ucla
and prepared TO cuforc" ,hcs. demands.
However England and Italy accepted
arbitration Roosevelt prepared III"
American feet ana Germany backed
out Her real reason for backing down
was no fear az tn" American fleet.
but fear That England would STRIFE
her,in tho rear some European power
would have called our hlun on tho
Monroe Doctrine LONG ago. but for
such Il fear of q rear attack by some
other European power.
PART. or rAN-GF:nMAN
PROGRAM Is ACCOMPLISHED
Discussing Pan-C;ormanlsm Dr. La
tame pointed out that the American
people must realize that consider
able portion Il Tho Pan-Gcrmanisn
program mad ALREADY been accomplish
cd Starting the var with GS.onUrGu
Germany now controls l56.oooO0
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