Evening star., 1938-04-28
YA[E'S PRESIDENT
BANQUET SPEAKER
DR.. Seymour Halls Interest
of Undergraduates in
Political Issues,

Declaring one of the aims Of his
university is ito produce citizens who
shall serve the State, to teach young
men to use their learning with sense
of social responsibility, DR.. Charles
Seymour, recently elected president of
Yale, told the Yale Club of Washing
ton last night that not in the last 80
years had undergraduates evinced 20
great an interest in economic and
political questions as at the present.
Speaking before the 65th annual
banquet Of the organization at the
Raleigh Hotel, Dr. Seymour added
that whether this interest will last
after the students leave college de-
pends more upon the Nation than
upon the university"
Supreme Court Justice Stanley Reed
and William o. Douglas, chairman OF
the Securities and Exchange Commits
sion, also addressed the $50 Yale alumni
and guests present for the occasion.
Sir Ronald Lindsay, British Ambas-
sador, who holds an honorary degree
from Yale: DR.. c. T. Wang, Chinese
Ambassador, a graduate Of the univer-
sity in the class Of 1910; Attorney
General Cummings, class OF 81, and
Senator Adams Of Colorado, class OF
'96, were at the speakers table. Eugene
Meyer. class of '95, president of the
club, presided.
Attitude Of Government.
Discussing the entrance Of college
men into Government service, DR..
Seymour said their desire to do SO
would depend on "the attitude of the
Government. He indicated his belief
that a course in liberal arts should
be the basis OF every profession, in
Guiding Government service.
What boy studies is less impor-
tant than how he studies" DR.. Sey-
mour said. "A man is liberal not
because Of his opinion. but by virtue
of his mental procedure in arriving
at that opinion"
DR.. Seymour stressed his belief In
the necessity OF building up the Yale
teaching staff to permit greater in
dividual instruction. He said l6
members would be added to the staff
this year. and indicated he hoped
eventually to add 80 members to the
faculty. Speaking Of the relationship
OF the university to modern life, he
said Yale will disappear II Yale be-
comes isolated from the life Of the
Nation" and suggested that . similar
fate would befall any other university
that failed to relate itself to the public
service.
Mr.. Douglas. a Yale professor be-
fore coming to Washington with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
asserted the S. E. c. recently had
attempted to "cut down the paper
work and expenses of small business"
because of the increasingly difficult
time small business has experienced
in obtaining money for capital ex-
penditures.
President Is Gratified.
He then quoted a letter received
yesterday from President Roosevelt, in
which the President congratulated
S. E. c. on this program. The letter
said:
Il have examined closely the action
OF the Securities and Exchange Com
mission the other day. You and the
other commissioners are to be con-
graduated for taking these steps in
the interest Of small established en-
terprise in need Of capital financing
you are well acquainted with my
pride in the securities legislation as
one of the major accomplishments OF
my administration.
"Of course. I could never sanction
steps which would in any way weaken
the protection which these statutes
afford to a nation of investors.
For that reason 1 am particularly
gratified that you have taken these
helpful steps within the framework
Of the statute"
Jokesmiths had their chance when