Evening star., 1940-09-29
By Henry M. Wrisfon,
President Of Brown Univsrsity.

Typical of student peace" dem-
onstrdtions that hare occurred at
many universities in recent years
Das the one depicted aboue, staged
in 1887 at the City College of
NeU York. A. P. Photo.
Inset, DR.. Henry M. Wriston,
president OF Bro11n University.
Wide World Photo.
ondary schools and on down into the
elementary histories of the United
States. If you will read the books upon
which these youth have been brought up,
there is not very much about ideals but
there is great deal about economic de-
terminism. The Grapes OF WRATH"
which has ceased to be regarded as a
novel and has been accepted as an au-
thentic and tragic history, is literary
reflection of this trend.
Idealism Selling at Discount.
Idealism has been selling at a dis
count while economic determinism has
had the floor When the day to raise
our voices in thanksgiving to Almighty
God is selected with an eye to the re-
ping, economic determinism has chased
idealism out of the temple, and brought
the money changers" back in.
Youth have seen the Townsend plan
spread like prairie fire and Congress
behave in a craven manner in the face
of it No shadow of idealism crossed
that transaction They have watched
the ham and egg" elections in Cali
fornia, with reference to what ideal?
They have seen the politics of human
misery exploited in the w. P. A. The
political manipulation is clear upon the
record. 1t is not a record of the tri-
umph of an ideal.
First Russia, then Italy, and later Ger
many reused their youth by frankly
calling for spirit of self-sacrifice in
defense of their ideals. shoddy as they
are. Young people were taught gladly
to march in German camp for
strength through joy under a sign:
WHO WcIe DOIu 10 Qle lOI SeTs
many" Our accent has been wholly diff
ferent. It has not been upon the glories
of democracy. but upon the wrongs of
youth, upon the lost generation" The
ideal which has been set before youth
has not been risk, has not been self
denial. has not been sacrifice; it has
been security.
Defeatist Attitude.
The c. c. c. and the N. Y A. we're
established for the purpose of throw
ing lifeline to desperate youth-a life
line made Of palliatives. 1t is not the
youth of America who have sold democ-
racy Short it is their elders who have
offered them sympathy instead of in
spiration, palliatives in place of adven-
ture. The whole tone of public and
private discussion has been of the things
Of which youth have been deprived, of
their lack of opportunity, of doors closed
in their faces.
So far as fighting is concerned, it
would be miracle if todays youth
wanted to fight. They have been brought
up by their parents to believe that the
United States not only made a mis-
take in going to war before, but that
in going to war we did not fight for
an ideal and certainly did not achieve
any worthy purpose that we went to
war at the behest of international bank
ers and munitions makers and propa-
gandists, as dupes of sordid and schem-
ing people.
1t must be remembered that statesmen
have not given the last war credit for
solving problems Winston Churchill
said: Victory was to be bought so dear
as to be almost indistinguishable from
defeat. 1t was not to give security even
to the victors." It was Aristide BRAND
who said: IN modern war there is no
victor. Defeat reaches out its heavy
hand to the uttermost corners of the
earth and lays its burdens upon victor
and vanquished alike"
Literature and the theater have &C.
cented the same note. Hemingways "A
Farewell to Arms" Remarque's "All
Quiet on the Western Front" Dos Passos'
Three Soldiers" Gibbs Now 1t Can Be
Told" are samples. In the theater What
Price Glory" Bury the Dead" idiots
Delight" and Fifth Column" told the
same story of the CRIME, the filth, the
horror, and, more than all, the utter
futilty of war. Most Of these books, and
many others, have been depicted in the
movies with . realism denied to other
media.
Hou ~
Walter Mills book. Road to War''-a
clear and convincing statement to those