The Washington times., 1921-05-27
HAPGOOD J|bESAT
COOLIDGE REbUKE
TO VASSAR REDS
Vice Presidents Fear Of Free
Thought in Colleges Il Gem Of
Humor, Says Writer.
By NORMAN HAPGOOD.

"Brudders and sistahs." began the
colored preacher. "Ps gwine to give
powahful sermon today. rs gwine
TO define de indehnabie, Use gwine 10
explain, de unexplainsble; Use gwine
| to unscrew de inscrutable."
/ l am equally impressed when 4 un-
dertake in these days to trace the
currents of popular Psychology. One.
of the most important of all things
is the recovery from war psychology.
On that recovery hang many branches
of progress.
Several favorable symptoms have
occurred in the last few days. Every
body knows, OF course, that Will
Hays has lifted the ban from certain
newspapers that are guilty OF the
horrid offense of not believing in the
same economic system that I be-
lieve in.
CITES CHkFEE CASE.
Professor -Chafee. Of the Harvard
Law School, has had the triumph that
was to be expected. The solid pill
lars OF society who formulate ed
charges against him have had the
fullest opportunity to be heard, and
they have blown up. President Lowell
let II be understood beyond mistake
that the university had no Intention
of departing from her ideals Of free
thought.
The Industrial standpatters are not,
however, to be so easily discouraged.
they have started smother inquiry
lrto the Law School in general with
charges that 1t gives radical instruc-
ton" and that it's professors indulge
in Outside activities"
They will obtain as ridiculous a de-
feat in this slightly yelled attack on
Dean Pound as they obtained in the
Chafee case.
HARRIS BACK TO PAST.
When was in Harvard George San
tayana's Life OF Reason" was pub
liahed. One of the overseers demand
ed that Santayana lose his position.
President Eliot replied that not while
lie was president would any men,
Der OF the faculty suffer for his opin-
ions.
The most famous teacher of those
days was William James. His con-
trolling purpose was to make young
people think for themselves. just like
Socrates. who was finally killed for
II by the standpatters of Athens.
Just before he sailed for Russia ]
had the pleasure OF lunchinE with
Senator France, and we discoursed
gayly OF the human mind. We ana
lyzed the experiment of the Bolshe-
viks, their failure, the division be-
tween the expert and compromising
leaders. like Lenin and Krassin, and
the theoretical and extreme faction.
SENATOR'S COMMENT.
Senator France remarked that II he
was going to kill everyone with
whom he profoundly disagreed. he
would hate to think how many mem
bers of the United States Senate would
be left alive.
ing character. He has built up in
Washington society the reputation of
the most silent dinner guest in the
District. He Is mystery man. Now,
for the first time. he has spoken with
emphasis and candor. He has chosen
the topic which made him a national
figure.
He has started a series of articles
on the thesis that civilization is men
aced by the fact that colleges allow
students - think for themselves on
economic matters.
This, paradoxical as II may seem,
has been good for Washington society.
Society in this town is extraordinarily
conservative, which is natural, as IL
is largely composed OF people of
wealth who have settled down here to
have q pleasant life.
II the issue is subtle. they do not
understand II.
COOLIDGE sTIRs CAPITAL.
They would not grasp the Chafee
case; scarcely even the Debs case.
But Mr.. Coolidge's clear and fearless
proposal that college students be pre-
vented from thinking about unortho-
dox economic theories without max
ing sure of their conclusions in ad- |
vance, Is so comprehensive that 1t |
has really stirred up a good deal of |
thought, even in Washington society. |
His objection to Vassar because the |
joke column in a college paper told |
the story of the girl who said she was |
neither optimistic nor pessimistic, but |
antagonistic, bids fair to be-
come classic. l object to printing
that story also. but on the ground
that IL used at all 1t should have been
in course on ancient American
humor.