Evening star., 1923-06-06
George Washington Graduates
Warned to Beware of Reaction,
Culbertson Says Social and Government.
| al Progress Does Not Keep Pace With
Science in american Life.


life to which the regulating effect
OF law does not extend.
Catastrophe awaits civilization f
we are not willing to develop social
and political controls which will reg
ulate the great forces of our ma
terial civilization, and at the same
time make their operation more eQ-
uttable. We are suffering today from
a too rapid advance in science and
industry without a corresponding ad-
vance In social and governmental or
ganiZation.
"One of the great objectives for
pioneering effort in your day will
De TO make the scientific and mate
rial progress of the last century more
servfceable to mankind
fortunately for the human race
we nave not lacked from age to age
pioneers who have contributed to
the organization of our common life
on the basis of liberty. equity. justice
ana peace. We call these pioneers
poets, philosophers, statesmen and
prophets.
"a Chosen People,,
AS American citizens we like to
reel that the ideals upon which our
hation Is established are the product
OF tne pest social and ethical prin-
ciples enunciated by the pioneers of
all time. Our government was CON
celVed In liberty, anu dedicated to
the proposition that all men are
created equal If properly inter-
rreted l see no objection to regard
ing ourselves a chosen people A
SoHplacent, self-satisfied attitude,
no"ever' Is not consistent with such
am an. iueai. That ideal does not per-
nut the use of piouS observations
concerning the sacre,lness of the
constitution or of patriotic emotion
ansm as smoke screens to obscure
nractices which are in violation of
ne luealS which inspired the creation
OF our government.
FROM generation to pansro.;.
mere mas arisen conflict hetween
the spirit of the Constitution on rho
one side and the letter of the J'onI
stiIutlon on the other. Vested rights
ana outWorn traditions have NOT In
frequently prevented the free aUnras
SION or the spirit OF our institutjons
Lesal rights cease to be rights when
tney grow tyrannous
oohditions in the United States
Mase nav changed since 1889. The pass
ing or frontier conditions and, tha
growth of industrialism have created
problems not dreamed of by the
trainers of the Constitution. we are
Saneo upon daily to re-oxamine the
basic principles upon which our nae
tion is founded. -''
Must Look Beyond Form.
,,,a . lHe Ieal pioneers or the past,
we must reinterpret the traditions
transmitted to US by the fathers in
tHe ilsht OF the needs and conditions
oI our own time. We must look he
yond the mere form of our institu-
tlonS and beyond the legal precedents
and social customs which have rrown
up around them to their purpose and
tneir spirit and dare to suRRest
chanEes-important changes-in or
uer that the purpose for which this
@ naIIon was found may be preserved
and perpetuated
The spirit of the Constitution is
Vloiated and made subservient to the
letter when 1t is impossible to enact
or enforce minimum wage laws for
women or when laws are per1nitted
to suppress freedom of speech The
spirit of American institutions is re-
puolated when industrial espionage
is sanctioned and when courts and
state governments take sides in in
uustrIal disputes. The purpose which
ulderlay the establishment of this
government in the new world was
the principle of a democracy in which
tne individual would be protected in
n ms civil and political rights. in which
sue that line of economic endesvor
most suited to his talents. and in
"hich ne might. have educational and
Soclal opportunities sufficient for the
Lull development of himself and his
''''
Stream Moves On.
nave faith that this principle will
be preserved. There are eddies and
counter currents leading toward re-
action. At times our national faith
seems smothered under an avalanche
or precedents. forms and selfish in
terests wearing the ceremonials of
Gays that are gone. But the stream
or progress in social development and
political improvement moves on.
From the very beginning the pioneer
spirit, the spirit of liberty. fnde-
pendence and lf-government have
dominated and determined the char
acter or american political and social
life. This spirit must not fail US now.
You must not let ii fail u.s.
The spirit of our institutions if il
is true to its mission, can not stop
with the political boundries of the
United States. I do not have in mind
In saying this any pompous idea of
the world destiny or of imperial do
rninton. l do, however, believe that
America has some world obligations.
II is not uncommon today for politicians
10 quote washington in justification
of policy Of national isolation. Even
II such a policy could be justified from
his writings, it would be unfair TO
quote his words in defense of a policy
perhaps applicable to conditions of his
time but wholly inapplicable to the
modern world. America has made
notable contributions to fnte ernationaI
cooperation and goodwill"
Mr.. Culbertson mentioned two great
pioned: THE first" he said was
the territorial integrity of China; the
second was the principle of the omen
door or equality of opportunity. first
made applicable to China and later
extended to other areas. Our inter-
IN relief work and in missions in
foreign lands"
Candidates for degrees from the
school of graduate studies were nre.
sented by Dean George NeeIy Hen
ming. Those who received degrees
from the graduate school were:
Master of science Felix william
noHs n1trup' Virginia Virginia A;B. 1920, Roa-
Black, Tennessee. Alb. 1914, Hendrix
College; Adm Paul Brooks, Colorado
A.B. 1917, Colorado College; Carrie
Juliet Cox. West Virginia, Alb. 1922,
george ,s washington University; Flo
versity of Chicago; Beatrice n Fol-
lett. Maine. ABB. 1922, George wash
ington University; Margaret d. Fos-
Ter Ter. District Of Columbia. ABB. 1918,
Iiiinois College; Bernard Harold
1919. West Virginia University; otto
Theophilius johnson, Vermont, B.S.
In E.E. 1914. University Of Vermont:
Nellie Cross Knappen. District of Co.
lumbia, Alb. 1891, University of Min
nesota: James Blaine Martin, Kansas.
Alb. 1915, Fairmont College; Marion
Brooks Matlack, Florida. BIS. 1921,
University Of Florida: Meta A. Neu-
mann. District of COLUMBIA. Alb.
1917, George Washington University;
Patty Thum Newbold, Kentucky, BIS.
1914, University of Chicago; Frank
Porter, Missouri, ABB. 1919, Missouri
state University; Richard L. Ryan,
District of Columbia, ABB 1920,