Evening journal., 1922-05-27

A graduate OF the University OF
oxford OF about forty years ago. has
left a will which has a peculiar in
<erest for every American college
--iy who Is anxious TO pursue his
,-tucation as far as possible. While
Sill an undergraduate this young
man had been compelled to spend
part of his time in South Africa on
account OF his health and had be-
come Interested in the newly dis
covered diamond minds in Kimber-
ley. He made a great fortune in dia-
monds. And while he was a sue
cessful business man and politician.
he was a dreamer and idealist as
well. One OF his dreams was that the
nations Of the world should give up
war and should live in peace to-
gerher. He thought that IL ever this
was TO happen, the most powerful
force to aid It would be friendship
between the English-sr speaking coun-
tries. of the Notwithstanding be-
tween Great Britain, the United
States. Canada. Australia, New Zea-
land and South Africa. Accordingly
he left a part Of his large fortune to
found a system OF scholarships for
students from all the countries
have mentioned at the University of
Oxford. with the idea that working
there together they should come to
know and to understand each other.
and that when they went back and
became leaders in their own coun-
tries. they would use their influence
for the cause of peace and of inter-
national cooperation which he
hoped would eventually take the
place Of war.
Rhodes hoped that the influence
OF his scholars would be in this di-
rectlon, but his methods were not
the petty methods of propaganda
The holder Of a Rhodes scholarship
Is committed 70 no point OF view. II
is left TO him to decide by what acts
and in what way he will justify in
his own life, the unusual opportuni- |
ties which have been his. And in !
sofar as his ideals may be Influenced |
by a study of those OF the founder OF |
the scholarships, that influence will !
be away from ignoble rivalries and |
stupid Misunderstanding which |
have been such prolific breeders Of |
war in the past, toward international |
understanding and cooperation, |
which the world must have II our
civilization is not to be destroyed by
new wars in the future.
over five hundred Rhodes schol-
ars have gone from the United
States to oxford. under the terms
y ]
has been in operation. OF these.
nearly four hundred are now living
in various parts Of the United States.
The Rhodes scholars have never
been seriously charged with propa-
ganda. and they have never given a
basis for such a charge. Anyone
who knows them will agree that they \
come back better Americans than
they left. The whole influence OF
The University Of oxford Is in that
direction Nowhere will one find
more developed the Englishman's
endency frankly to criticize himself !
md his own institutions. and no
where would an Americans lack of
patriotism for his own country. be
more certain to bring him into con-
empt.
on the other hand the question ,
las been asked whether the Rhodes Z
have been justified {
rom the point OF view Of their good s
fleet on British-American relations. {
[ is hard TO point to any specific s
esult. but 1t is likewise hard to point ]
o any specific result of the A. f. F. v
nd Of our war experts who are in c