Evening star., 1951-11-28
INew-0xford Students
Reflect British Trend
TO Conservatism

| OAFORD, England, NOV. "a
tCDN) students registering al
oxford this year seem to reflect
the British trend toward con-
lservative thinking in politics.
These young men were in their
early teens when the war ended
They were brought through the
years of terror under more careful
attention, both physical and spirit
ual, than any previous genera
ton.
In both appearance and de-
meanor. Oxford students show the
effects of the tragic losses endured
by their parents and by their ma
ton. They are more serious and
less inclined to demonstrate pub
licly the high spirit of youth. Stu
dent pranks are fewer than in the
past although they do break loose
occasionally.
Exceptional Performance.
Recently, a group of students
acquired by some means large
supply of Roman candles and sky
rockets with which they drove the
patrons out of an oxford public
house by firing through the doors
and windows.
This was an exceptional out
burst and far from the continuous
performance that marked student
life in prewar years. In contrast
there is much greater attention to
debates and hard study through
out the many colleges here.
During one of the prediction
debates. Winston Churchill was
pictured by a student as a war
monger because of his association
with Gen. Eisenhower and Gen.
Montgomery in a reunion of vet
Grams of the North Africa cam
paign.
An opponent Immediately coun-
tered by proving Churchill a
Communist by association, point
ing out that in three crucial war
time conferences he was intimate
with none other than Joseph Sta
lin himself. Therefore, If public
men are to be damned by their
previous associations, Mr.. Church
i'll is at least a party-liner.
One Of the elder teachers here
declares the students regret the
disappearance of the Liberal Party
Many of them would prefer to
take a middle course between the
two major parties and later identi-
fy themselves with Liberals If 1t
we're possible. That now seems to
be a vain hope unless the colleges
and universities turn out a larger
number of leaders equipped to re-
v1ve the spirit Of liberalism.
Presented with the choice be-
tween Labor socialism and con-
servatism the majority of the
students-some say three to one
go over to the right and join the
Conservatives.
Have Seen Naturalization.
1t was not always so. For the
past generation, students followed
the ideas so stoutly put forward
by the Fabian Socialists. In any
debate. the popular side would be
that Of a slow approach to the
socialist state. Government own
ership of the sources of wealth
was held up as the ideal and the
most efficient way to administer
the nations production.
Many of Oxford's students have
watched naturalization in opera
ton for four years. They have
heard the promise Of more coal,
more housing and better food.
Now, they can see results. Coal is
being bought in the United States
and delivered at great cost to
Newcastle. There is vast short
age of homes and food continues
to be rationed.
oxford students are being
trained to live In a world largely
centered in America and led by
America. The future leaders Of
Great Britain emerging from this
university will unquestionably fol-
low a political pattern that will
integrate them with Americans.