New Britain herald., 1925-06-03
DR. BUTLER GIVES
 OUT HIS VIEWS
Discusses Prohibition and EYo.
 Hutton at Columbia

New York, June 8 (AP)--some phases of prohibition and of, objec- ,tions to- the theory, Of evolution were the subjects of csustic references 10, day by, prs Nicholas Murray Butler In a commencement address at Co., lumbia university, of which he Is president.
 The words ''fanaticism," new barbarians" and tyranny" were among his characterizations. Taking Courage" for his subject, he ap. pealed to S,543 new graduate to fight against reactionary and eyeling movements which, he said, had in- terrupted the progress Of civiliza- tion..
 Judges, prosecuting officers and members of legislative bodies, both national and state, talk, act and vote one way. and daily drink another" he. said. They have neither the courage to voice their true opinions nor the character to conform their private conduct to their public pro- fessions ....
 Laws enacted through fanaticlsm or in crass ignorance bid fair to make law-breaking cardinal vir- tue. Such. laws are killing respect for law. What was merely a Boston tea party in ITS Is now a nation- wide revolt against tyranny and stat utory folly. Hysterical attempts at lawless and breaking enforce ment of one particular law only add fuel to the flame.
 ''The legislature and the governor of Tennessee have with every ap- pearance, of equanimity just now joined In violently affronting popu- lar intelligence and have made 1t impossible for scholar to be a teacher in that state without be- coming at the same time a law breaker.
 "The legislature and governor of Indiana have likewise taken occa- sion to dance in ghoulish glee on the prostrate forms of common sense and the most elementary of the in- herited liberties of a free people, (This referred to new state pro hibitlon enforcement act)
 Courage must now givo way to conformity to type. to a sort Of spineless corporate opinion which, operated by prohibitions and com pulsions. aims to reduce all indiyid- uslity, whether Of mind or charac- ter. to a gelatinous and wobbling mass.
 No abuse is too great to be visited upon the hapless individual who stil ventures to have a mind and character of his own.
 These new and prosecuting bar hs rlans are of a kind with their ancient forbears. who from their seats in the arena gloated with joy | as the stricken gladiator or the Christian martyr ended his life in n gony. These new harharians have abandoned Christianity desired for the barbsric pleasures If torm ent and persecution.
 The notion that a majority must | have its way. whether in matters of opinion or In matters of personal | conduct. Is as pestilent and anti democratic a notion as can possibly | he conceived. The majority has no | function whatever in matters of opinion or persor"l cnndnct, and can have none unless all morality Is to | he abadoned. The rule of the ma iority is simply a working plan to decide upon policies in matters of common or general concern"
 Honorary degrees were conferred ! as follows;
 Doctor of science: Irving Lang muir, engineer; doctor of sacred theology: Henry Sloane Coffn. pastor o' the Medison Avenue Presbyterian church.; doctor of laws Major Gen fral Robert Lee Bullard. Owen h. Young, lawyer and fnancer Harlan l'tskc Stone, justice Of the United states supreme court.