The New York herald., 1922-01-27
DIR. Fitch Of Amherst Tells
Yale Study is Neglected
Too Much for Sports.
BLAsPHEMY IN FILMS
Points Lesson in Changes in
Public's. Attitude Toward
Wilson in Talk at Yale.

Special DsspotcA to THIS NEr yosx HmALp.
NEW HAVEN. Jan. 26.--Yaie under
Graduatec We're striving to-day to re-
cover their poise which was upset quite
a bit during the course of an address
which the Rev. DR.. Albert Parker
Fitch, professor of history Of religion
at Amherst College delivered in Bat
tell Chapel and during the course of
which, DIR. Fitch asserted, much to the
surprise of his audience, that "the
average undergraduate is nothing
more or less than a very complicated
ass"
"You men who sniff at vice" DR..
Fitch told the Yale men, "go out and
clean things up. and be clean your
selves. The prime need of the present
age is goodness, not churchgoing. II
used to be thought that goodness con-
sisted in going to church and saving
your own soul. but nowadays we know
that salvation Is not enough.
Deprecates Football and Cards.
Your dad tells you to read your
Bible and to say your prayers. You
don't see him doing that, and you won
der why he wants you to do It. But did
you ever think that 1t Is the constant
prayer, % God, help me to be a power
for good that lifts him and sustains
him In the endeavors which keep you
here at college?
The basis OF your college is sophis-
try. You come here ostensibiy for a
purpose and you rrivoi your time in
every way but in the accomplishment Of
that purpose. You play football and YOU
play cards. You are like the men de-
scribed az doing second things first in
order TO avoid doing first things at all.
In heavens name, Il you come to a
university to learn why do you devote
yourself to everything under the sun but
that?
When I look at what see going on
before me I am forced to think of the
remark Of John Dunn that. 1T makes
the mind TO smile while the heart doth
eche.' You arc "a group Of sentimental
lists. When you can be led in herds to
motion picture houses and watch with
emotion some painted cherub with wings
two feet broad, I marvel to what lengths
tho silly rcnanticisn OF youth can go.
Why the very names of some OF these
pictures are blasphs The Woman
God FORGOT and others OF that sort
There is almost no folly to which young
ronanticism cannot be driven.
Dfscourtesies TO Wilson.
"As an instance OF the sentimentality
OF this nation can think OF no better
Illustration than the way the American
people treated the man who took the
principles for which they entered the
war and formed them into code for
the preparation OF peace among ma
tons. II the idolsation to which Mr.
Wilson was subjected IN the first days
OF our entrance into the international
arena of fighting was disgusting and
raawkish the injustice and ridcule TO
which he was later treated was even
worse az an Indication of the extremes
e. which the people run.
"On the first occasion that Mr.. Will
son walked out of his house after his
illness. did tho loiterers hanging about
meet him with honor and gratitude ,
They peered TO see whether he was drag
ging one foot and whether he iimped.
or whether one arm showed evidence Of
paralysis That Is America for you
one phase OF q,
Modern theatcrs ana dances which
are reduced 10 the point OF a sensual
debauch. according TO Or. Fitch. owe
their existence 10 generation OF igno-
rance and regardless Of the moral re-
sponsiblity for that which II Is hand
ing on TO posterity. II was the same
way during the Restoration. he said.
when England ran rampant with immo-
rslity; tre evil In this instance being
due to the shortsightedncss OF the Puyt-
tans who held the rcin-