Evening star., 1938-05-18
Great Force
Does Harm,
Not Good
Any Student Strike
Is Bound to End
In a Failure.
By ANGELO PATRI.

by ANuEAO "A III.
7 AM always glad when young people
in high schools and colleges are
interested in the life about them. It
would be too bad If they were not.
But I could wish they knew a bit
more about selecting their interests,
and about cooperating with their
leaders who are In places Of authority.
authority that carries grave response
bilities with it.
A girl student, senior in high
school, asks if she should join in a
strike proposed by her classmates. to
protest about a change in the lunch
room service Of the school. My answer
to that is, mo" I do not see how
such an action would be helpful either
to the students or to the authorities
who are responsible for the success
of the school administration.
Young people In high school and
college are In training for responsible
citizenship. They are not, as yet, re-
sponsible citizens because they cannot
vote, because they cannot earn the
money they seek to use in their way.
because they cannot shoulder the re-
sponsibility for the action they want
taken. Other people must carry the
responsibility and with that response
bility must 60 authority. Authority
without responsibility is nothing.
I agree that students, especially
seniors, should have the privilege OF
contributing their ideas. offering their
criticisms based on their personal
experiences, of submitting their plans
in connection with any changes in
administration which directly concern
them, and be given the opportunity for
cooperation in such administration.
But, If the responsible authorities de-
eide against them, they should accept
that decision and go on, cheerfully,
doing the best they can, and let the
proposed scheme have thorough
trial. That seems to me to be the
sensible and the American way Of
doing. Students should not 60 out
on strike, because that is the wrong
use of . great force and always does
more harm than good.
Students resent force. So they
strike. A strike Is force. If one re-
sents force won't the opponent resent
it also? It is poor strategy to begin
q fight that one cannot end in victory.
Any strike that school students wage
Is bound to end in failure for them
because all the power, and, must say
it. most of the understanding As well
as the social responsibility, rests with
the school authorities.
How are students to win satisfactory
changes in administration? First.
always, by having good manners.
Remember, high school students and
college students are the pick Of the
youth Of the community. They stand
for what is best in the life Of the
country at large. It's essential that
they justify that position by having
good manners. It Is necessary that
they observe every courtesy, the formal
rules Of behavior toward their supe-
riors.
BY being cooperative in spirit
rather than domineering, they present
their cause in its best light. It Is the
cause for which they plead. not for
their personal qualification. their pride
and their might. Good manners,
courteous observance Of the rules. .
clear presentation of their cause, .
cooperative spirit will gain what no
strike will ever gain. You see, some
Of these men and women in authority
are truly intelligent. Give them .
chance, and see.
(copyrisht. 1o59J