Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-23

you mean by gentleman? The definition ought
DO be implicit in the rules of conduct. But Is 1t?
Few people, suppose, would agree that gen.
tleman is one who merely Shaves daily changes
his collar in the evening and has two pairs
of trousers to every suit Or one whose brain
is second rate, whose will is well developed and
who is convinced of his essential superiority to
other people Yet this, in terms of his gospel
is Prof. Rogers definition of a gentleman, of
a member of the embryonic aristocracy of lead
ership. Some of us, contemplating a republic
committed to such leadership as this, might
even be disposed to prefer it to the evils that
Prof Rogers deplores: the rule of the boot
logger, the politician and the man who came
up from one suspender button
1t was Haywood Broun who pointed out
when commenting upon Prof. Rogers doctrines
that while Lincoln's trousers bagged at the
knees, Mr.. Hardings were "a JOY in sharp
edged symmetry" But in recent history there
Is one memorable Illustration of their perfect
application. That is the ex-Kaiser Of Germany.
> "It is not so much question of brains as Of
will" Well, we've had 10 years in which to
reflect upon the consequences for humanity Of
translating that adage into theory or inter-
national politics
"You have got to make up your minds that
you are superior people" Recall, IL you can
the wartime speeches of Europeis most fluent
monarch AS for the advice to make an i'm
preston by g. careful attention to ones ward
seriously than the AIl-Highest?
There is q certain irony in observing the
fashion IN which actual life plays havoc with
the professors theories. Look at the photo
graphs Of Ito choose at random) Edison, Henry
Ford and George Bernard Shaw. They would
be viewed with disapproval by the annual outing
Of the Clothespressers' Union. On the other
hand, the professors hints to the well groomed
men are piously followed by the young gentle
men who pose for our haberdashery advertise
ments and swell the choruses of our musical
comedies. It is not without signihcane that
these young gentlemen are provided with the
clothes IN which they make so impressive an
appearance.
A NUMBER of years ago Sinclair Lewis drew
full length portrait of the final en-
bodment Of Prof. Rogers doctrines of sue
cess. Rabbit fulfills all Of the conditions out
lined by the professor to his students. You
viii recall that he, too, believed in the super
iority of viii to intelligence, was content with
second rate brain, aSpired to leadership In
affairs. and regarded himself as belonging
with those who belong"
Reluctant as we may be to acknowledge It.
there can be little doubt but that Rabbit is
a national type whose growing numbers are
to be reckoned with In any estimate Of our
civilization. Mr.. Lewis book may not be q
great novel. but it is an important document:
1t gives an appallngly clear conception Of one
Of our finished products. Witless conformity
to standardized codes of conduct; complacent
satisfaction with material success; the spiritual
equipment that would be light baggage for
an amoeba; the mental processes that con-
firm the most pessimistic hypothesis Of the
Observation-Disclosures are its most obvious char
acteristics. This is the ideal which Prof
Rogers proposes for the emulation Of his stu
dents.
few days after making his address Prof
Rogers explained that its purpose was to en-
courage college men as q class to become q
self-conscious group bent on leadership. It
is strange to recall that there was published
in Venice, almost precisely 400 years ago, q
book which had as its object the purpose In
rended by Prof Rogers.