Evening star., 1920-06-01
c. v. j.
GRADUATING CLASS
Announcement
Sir Auckland Geddes, kecip-
ident Of Degree, Discusses
PeriIs to Civilization.

and to those like you the civilization
OF the world is committed" Sir Auck-
land Geddes, British ambassador to
the United States, told the graduating
class Of George Washington Univer-
sity last night. BE faithful to your
trust" he concluded.
More than 1000 guests assembled in
! the Central High School auditorium for
| the ninety-ninth commencement exer-
clses of the university. Two hundred
and ffty-six graduated, receiving de-
grees. Honorary degrees Of doctor of
laws were conferred upon four promi-
nent men-Gen. John J. Pershing, Sen
ator warren G. Harding, Senator Irvine
L. Lenroot and Attorney General Pal
| mer-each of whom is mentioned for
the presidency of the United States.
Ihe British ambassador received like
degree. Edward William Nelson, chief
OF the United States biological survey,
was made doctor of science. Rev. J.
townsend Russell, canon of the Wash
ineton Cathedral. and Rev. Herbert
Shlpman of New York were made doc
tors Of divinity.
! Commencement Address.
Sir Auckland Geddes delivered the
commencement address,
Il doubt if ever before" he said.
| was the future for as many nations,
as many individuals. so closely shroud.
ed IN dark clouds. pregnant with storm
AS one looks ahead there is little light
save when dazzling fash on flash writes
great interrogation on the murky
| background.
In Europe we know that an age is
dying. Here 1t would be easy to miss
the signs of coming change, but 1
have little doubt that it will come.
a realization OF the aimlessness of
Ire. lived to labor and to die having
achieved nothing but avoidance Of
starvation ana the birth Of children
also doomed to the weary treadmill,
has seized the minds OF millions.
You and we and all our allies have
.ousnt together the greatest war
that ever was fought--we have suf-
Tered and inflicted untold misery
Millions of young men have gone to
tneir death, serene in the faith that
eney oied Tor a cause worthy of sac
rifce. Millions more have died angry
and protesting and asking-why?
Speaks OF American Tradition.
We all know that 1t was your ira
dition to keep clear Of European en-
tanglements-here fs a European dis
entanglement that is already piline
the waters on your social Beaches
ldisentanglement of the complicated
intervening of man and man in the
social fabric.
Into a storm-racked world Won
new graduates have to pass and press
forward in a struggle demanding your
every enort: To press forward-yes,
but whither?"
In search of an answer I have read
many books I have tried to under
stand anatomy and embryology in
the widest meaning of those terms.
nave studied comparative religion
ana nave trodden slowly and labori-
ousiy in the footsteps of Sir James
| Erazer in his may dance around The
4 ((rn1Han oI, ~
| poets. /! have spent years in business.
| ana still ask myself-whither way?
Some Things Made Clear.
Il cannot tell you. do not know
But some things have become clear
! to me.
First. I believe that there is a
great purpose running through all
our strivings which is not of US. but
above us. The end to which that pur-
pose moves is impenetrably hidden
from mortal eyes, but the direction in
which the end lies, the direction in
which we should move, is not hidden
but clear.
II used to be teacher and was
happier teaching then than 1 have
ever been before or since, but as
look back see that my pupils taught
me nearly all which / know that real
~ matters. They taught me that the
human heart.
I'm that warm book I read and
learned that each of US had a desire
inborn-an instinct. if you wilHfor
beauty: desire to serve his fellows.
desire to know the truth.
Civilization in Danger.
Without the. continuous Applica-
tion of knowledge the edifice of civ
ilixation will fall down. but without
continuous application of the three
spiritual instincts to the ordering of
society it will blow up. The fact that
civilization is in danger in parts of
Europe is proof that the leaders and
rulers of the past either never knew
or forgot that merely to apply spe-
cialized technical knowledge is to
give a stone to humanity clamorinE
| for bread.
"You are leaders or you will be
nothing. II after your university
training you are not qualified for
leadership you had better plow the
land or grow food for the peoples. for
a university man who is not at least
q subordinate leader is a parasite. or
at best seton in the body polite.
And to you leaders Of the future
hand all the knowledge that remains
to me from years Of striving to find
the answer to the question, Whittier
| way?"
Ovation for Gen. PeFshing.
A feature of the ceremony was the
ovation given Gen. Pershing. when he
was invested with the honorary degree.
The audience stood and cheered, the ap-
plause ceasing only when President Will
liam Miller Collier read the citation
| 'rHe has attained the chief command be-