Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-20
Conservatism Is Ruling as Latest Fad
On Campuses of American Universities

avoided by those lads who can pick and
choose, and are forced to be content
with getting blind dates" with second
raters The popular type now may not
differ greatly from her predecessor IN
morals brains or social position, but she
must have finesse and reserve. She
must be like the still waters that run
deep.
A college dean can always raise q
laugh when, in an optimistic moment,
he states that students are studying.
Don't wake him up!" exclaiIn the stu
dents. But it really seems to be get
ting to be almost q fad on many q
campus to pretend to have somewhat
intellectual interest In certain fields Of
knowledge peculiarly related to modern
problems, Not always Is this interest
intelligent or promising Of much fruit.
Often it Is only speculative curiosity.
Philosophy, economics, sociology, pSy-
chology and political science are fur
nishing topics for cafes and fraternity
house arguments. Those Of us whose
duty it is TO appear at informal gath
erings and make conventional talks on
current topics are finding that We can
no longer safely dig down into the old
barrel and get by with murder. If we
don't watch our step, we are likely to
be embarrassed by being asked most
perplexing questions by surprising
youngsters little more up-to-date in
their reading than we are. In our COL
legeS there is growing interest in
smart sort, as well as q revival of in
terest in debating. Parents who may
read this need not be alarmed lest
their sons and daughters in college
may be risking brain fever, nor need
professional philosophers, statesmen and
corporation presidents worry too greatly
about the security of their places. The
trend am describing hasn't gone that
far yet and probably won't before an
other fad comes along to displace IL.
Not only in matters of perhaps trivial
importance, but also In their attitude
en- questions holding adult interest are
college students of the present genera
ton tending to be conservative. In
these n1atterE they are quite likely to
be found going down the middle Of the
road.
Wary Of War Problems.
1t is popularity supposed that many
student bodies are seething with
aroused excitement over the question OF
pacifism VS.. militarism. A lot of good
citizens are considerably worried about
what insidious propaganda may be 1T
work In the colleges. ASK the average
college student about this and he'll
likely say, flippantly, "Never heard al
it." As O matter of fact, most students
are fairly well informed on this sub
ject but unless some extremist irritatea
them, they don't care to take sides,
strangely enough, extreme milltarists
drive them toward pacifism and radical
pacifists drive them back toward mill.
tarisnl The typical undergraduate at
titude is that of exclaiming: "A plague
on both your houses! You're both all
Recently, after q stirring Memorial
day address by an Army general, ]
walked down the street behind two ca
diets who had been compelled, as mat
ter of military duty, to listen TO the
address. What did you think Of it,
Bill?" asked one. Somebody ought to
tell the old boy that the wars over"
was the laconic but illuminating reply.
on the other hand, radical pacifist ora
tors attempting to speak before large
student audiences run riskS--Ilot OF
being taken out and shot at sunrise.
but of being given juicy raspberry"
It is lust as unlikely that present.
cav undergraduates would refuse to
fight in the next war as 1t Is that they
march down a street in a military pa
rade without burlesquing 1t IN every
way they possibly can without being
hunked in their military courses. Iney
are doing lot Of thinking about Wofio
problems and international reiauon'