The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-06-19
COLLEGES OVER
 COUNTRY ARE ALL
 PLAYING SAFETY
In Speeches Honesty Is First, Patriotism Runs a Close Second and Several Yer
 SionS of Each Given
Fly ROBERT C. BENCHLEY. Associate Editor of Life" Special Correspondent of The Age
 Herald.


 Herald.
 (Copsisbt. 1921. by The Age-Heraldl
 New York. June 1S.-(Special)- -- However fast and loose Ambassaoor Harvey and Admiral Sims may have been playing with the English lar guage of late the speakers at college commencements during the past week have been playing safe r la doubtful if one of them will be rep rmanded for unconventional utter ances. much less, recalled. Q
 The master minds of the nation who have been asked to address the various graduating classes have dwelt on the more homely virtues and assailed the more unpopular sins Statistics show that since last Mon ment speakers all over the country has resulted In the following vote
 Honesty has been indorsed II time ; (this includes three eXhorta tions to the young men and women to be true to themselves, whatever taas may mean). Patriotism finished e close second with 10 votes. By pa triotism" we gather is meant any thing, from the inhibition from any lurking desire to overthrow the gov ernment by force, to gentlemen's $ agreement among working men not to ask for more wages until business is a little more settled.
 "Patriotism."
 This question of patriotism" Is q convenient one for commencement speakers. If Luther M Waggon- president of the National Oven Works | ;s, l,at,, hr arsxy q 1ArrY q q and is asked to, say few words tc the boys, he may plead steadfast allegiance on the part of the youth of the coming generation to the pres ent capitaliStic system, in toto, as prerequisite to perfect patriotisiu, while in the next state, at the gradu- ation exercises of the Free Thought School of Applied Revolution, the speaker may be pointing out that the only true patriot is the man WhG loves his country enough to purge 1t with a solution of trinitratoluol fol- lowed by a brisk rubdown with a stiff dry towel.
 Any young graduate reading the different definitions of patriotism and "Americianism" offered by com mencement speakers who are in busi- ness for themselves, will be In a mood to go to the Swedish consul in New York and ask him what line ot work there is in his country suitable for young man who has had three years of French and a little algebra.
 But honesty and patriotism are not the only things that were given hand in the various baccalaureate ad- dresses. Many q good word was spoken for spiritual values" Eight champions of spiritual values arose and. defying all criticism, overthrow ing all convention, came right out for a more spiritual attitude toward life on the part of our people. They said that there are things of the spirit as well as things of the flesh. One wild-eyed fanatic even threw out a hot one in the shape of an out and out statement that man can not live by bread alone. This wss greeted by thunderous applause ana after the speech the audience crowd ed up to the platform to press the hand of the man who had been brave enough to defy the forces of material ism and say good word for higher things.
 Exclusive Information great many of the speakers gave out exclusive information to the ef- feet that the world was no better than it should be at this present moment. Several of them intimated that while they were not permitted to say anything any more definite just now, their hearers would do we'll to look out for some sort of upset of one kind of another unless things grew better before long. There seem ed to be some difference of opinion as to just how to interpret better.
 Judge Gary at Syracuse said some nice things about the capitalistic system. and coming from Judge Gary this is indeed praise from Sir Hubert A cable from Lenine on the benefits of soviet government couldn't have | been more unbiased.
 But probably the most unpopular remark made by commencemen speaker was that made by a gentIe- man who shall be nameless. He said what this country needed was to work. No more dilly-dallying. In fact no more shilly shallying. Work Good, hard work That's what we need.
 He can get away with that now before a class of young men who are nice and fresh and natty, but nex' year. at their first reunion just Tel 1 hi,,, reneat those words