Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1918-05-24
ENHANCEMENT ENDS
At STATE COLLEGE
PRESIDENT Holland Confers $50 De-
o,ees and Diplomas--Dr. How
erth Gives Address to
Graduates

One hundred and fifty college de-
.roes and normal diplomas were con-
,.rred by President E. O. Holland
yesterday at the commencement ex-
orclses of the college. which closed
tho exercises of graduation week
The program included singing by the
colege chorus, with Mrs. Ina Wright
uerbst as soloist, musical selections
by Prof. Albert H. Meyer, the confer
ring of degrees, award of m edals and
honors. and the commencement ad-
dress by Dr.. Ira w, Howerth of the
University of California on "Prus-
sjanism and Democracy.
Speaking in an Introductory way
of the evolution of government and
the wars of past history, Dr. Howerth
said;
In some of the wars in the past
no principles of great Importance
we're at stake, and so far as the COM
mon people were concerned the out
come of these wars meant only a
change OF masters. Other wars have
had to do with questions of import
anee to the whole world The strug-
gle which in the early half of the
eigth century took place between the
Christians and the Mohammedans
was such war, determining whether
Europe should be Christian or Mo-
hmmedan. Such was the French
ryOution when it was decided in
certain degree for all time what the
status of people with reference to
their government should be. The
American revolution, which brought
forth nation conceived in liberty
and dedicated to the proposition that
all men are created equal, was such
lean rebellion which determined
whether such nation so created and
SO dedicated could endure
Dr.. Howerth characterized the
present world war as one in which
was at stake. in a worldwide way,
the question as to whether nations
recognizing every man as a king in
the exercise of his own rights of cit
zenship, could endure as against the
opposite ideal, embodied in Prussian-
ism, in which the individual did not
exist except for what he could do
for the state.
Discussing Prussianism and what
II means to the people it governs,
Dr. Howerth said:
The German state, the creature
and creation of Prussianism, is not
something arising from the people;
put something that is above the peo-
PIE, and more or less independent of
'ne people. AS represented to the
herman people by their leading phil
oSophers, educators, and statesmen,
"ae herman state or staat, is an alb
Suact and mystical entity which the
people are no part of, but which they
are supposed to respect, if not to
worship.
Here is the significant thing: No
mural responsibilities rest upon the
uefihan state. 1t is superior to every
'aihg, nothing is above it, anything
'nal the state does is right because
'ue state did it. When we reason
A'S out In practical way, we see
mat the German 'staat' consists, in
'oaiity' of the German emperor and
4e military staff. Since the abstract
1uu mystical entity, the 'staat' is
sOOVe all questions of morality, it
.'''ows that the German emperor and
Nv military staff, which, in reality
a. NHO oldlt, Ah6WlSe IlOIu
ourselves in the exercise of their
pO"er above all questions of moral
~ Thus we arrive at the thing
O"n IN history and long since dead
Hs Inc free nations of the earth,
: 'ue divine right of kings"
III hoWerth gave some time to
- discussion of the manner in which
oerman people, the Germ an mind
herman social and industrial sci
~, I'eS mad flourished under the Prus-
-, H IDEAL which transcends moral
n -, the rights of the governed, inter-
oos Hal law, and all humanely made
n A'ehtlons in customs and tradi-
m sH' OF what is right or wrong, or
H.. vi criminal, and chose illustra-
s.s ' from the educational system
s,.. poiicles of the German or Prus-
umpire. He said, in part:
M German professor may say
e,os ealiy what he pleases about Sc
''sd literature. But a German pro-