Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-04
New Wine, Old Bottles, Caused
College Presidents Downfall

What one editor describes as "a per-
sistent, determined effort to put new
wine into old bottles" is quite generally
viewed as the cause of the retirement
of DR.. Clarence Cook Little as president
of the University OF Michigan. The
rank of DR.. Little as an educator Is
not questioned, but there are differences
of opinion concerning his zeal for re-
forms and his methods of seeking them
which brought him into disastrous con-
flict with the State authorities.
For the retiring president, Michigan
can have nothing but the best wishes.
says the Kalamazoo Gazette. Although
DR.. Little has not succeeded in carry
ing some of his more important reforms
into effect, he has sounded keynote OF
educational progress which-let us
hope-will be caught up and maintained
by his successor" The Chattanooga
News, taking a similar position, declares
HE attempted strictly to discipline stu
dents on morals and drinking. He in
formed Ann Arbor police that the law
breaking students should be treated just
as any other persons who broke the law.
The police in college towns are notori-
ously indulgent with collegians. Their
attitude encourages widespread drink
ing among students. On student
morality, DR.. Little was right"
The Grand Rapids Press offers this
comment: 1.-THE administrative plans OF
President Little were generally wise,
and it is a matter of concern to many
friends Of the university to see them
interrupted. But his neo-Malthusian
propagandizing and his attack upon
the governor and Legislature, after hav-
;x4rr nlS tad Nf h.
lie, were so unwiSe and so certainly a
failure that they undermined his use
fitness and made prompt acceptance OF
his resignation a foregone conclusion.
It would be pleasant If the president Of
a great State university did not have
to be q politician. But the fact Is that
he has to be, in the highest sense OF the
word
Reviewing the same situation, the
Ann Arbor Daily News argues: Poll
tics and education simply cannot mix
without restricting the freedom OF
education. Some Of DR.. Little's pub
lished opinions were not satisfactory
to the Michigan governor. AT the same
time, some of Gov. Green's policies
were in disfavor with DIR. Little To the
extent that the opinions and the poll
cies in question were concerned both
with education and government objec-
tions by one or the other were Of
course warranted. But since DR.. Little
was not responsible to Gov. Green,
we fail to see why it made any particu-
lar difference whether they were
agreed upon purely educational ques--
tions. The governor had perfect
right to disagree with the president on
any subject under the sun, but his
right to use political weapons to force
a resignation would be different
story"
"Dr. Little may have none to blame
but himself for his inability to ac-
commodate himself to the desires Of
Michigan's board of regents" suggests
the Cleveland News. "On the other
hand, his resignation may represent a
grievous denial Of academic freedom,
something which is unfortunately not
unknown in these times" The Chat
tsnooga Times voices the view that
SIN so far AS his troubles were due to
advocacy ~ innovations in the way of