The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1951-10-12
Just Among Ourselves
Passing Comment Considered or Inconsidsrafs

Doctor James Bryant Conant Is the president oil
our Oldest university lie was chosen by Harvard be-
fore the day-or, more precisely at the beginning
Of the day-when major educational institutions
began picking their presidents from the ranks Of
worldly notables rather than from among the intel
lectuals.
In an older time and not so much older it was
the custom to choose men of general culture 10
head colleges and universities. About college pres
ldent there had to be something impressiyely book
ish, something otherWorldly IN manner, as we'll as
power tpreferably not visible on the surfacel to
win fame and finances for the institution.
A college president and certainly q university
president, had to be celebrated for wide learning
for an academic air Of serene detachment from the
prosaic details of material existence and for that
deeply mysterious thidg called scholarship And, as
Stephen Leacock has told us, If he had whskers, so
much the better.
Then the change came. and for the great Amer.
ican universities, Doctor Conant right at the
head of it. He is a notable scientist chemist that
is he is A specialist He is not likely to dover the
world with classical translation of Plato or to set
up five foot bookshelf for the admirng world to
google at Since Doctor Conant's election the trend
has moved TO the military and to statesmen mot
to say politicians as lltabe timber for college OF
university presdencies.
Doctor Conaut is somewhat of transitional
figure He Is a specialist but he is still regarded
a generally cultured man. In the public mind he
is associated with things taught IN schools rather
than with the handling of military campaigns or the
managing of state assemblies. The Cabots and Low
ellis may have shuddered TO hear Of Conant at
Hahvahd but the nation at large was prepared to
receive and revere him, despite speciasm, as
man Of sufficiently universal culture TO head up
university This attitude of acceptance and respect
still endures.
In a word Doctor Conant is man who may win
general hearing when he speaks on matters educa-
tlonal and intellectual and even moral lie is re-
garded as a great teacher and a reliable authority.
lie is taken as representative of the best IN modern
learning. His may readily be regarded as the views
and attitudes of the most enlightened people of our
times,
And therefore it is calamitouSly unfortunate that
Doctor Conant has recently aired views and att
tudes which stand IN open conflict with truth and
morality. His utterance will do harm, And unmis
takably 1t stamps him as man of no true learning
a victim and protagonist of the silly theory OF
material evolution in all departments OF existence,
and believer IN morality as merely the crystalza-
tion OF social opinion currently acceptable
At a meeting OF the American Chemical Society
Doctor Conan made prophetic estimate of what the
world will be like in year 1000 Only point of his
prophecy interests here lie thinks that the threat
tor bugaboo) of oyerpopulaton will be lessencd
fifty years hence by two things tal vastly increased
fodt supplies furnished by using improved methods
Of production, and (b) birth control through the
use of cheap and harmless antIertillty compon
ents" TO be added at will to the diet With regard to
birth control so simply managed, Doctor Conant
thinks the attitude of religious leaders will slowly
change without any dimnution OF religious feel
ing"
Here then the president of Harvard University
exposes his limitations TO the whole world. lie shows
that he has no conception of thing wrong III itself
regardless of the attitude of leaders religious or ir
religious. Further, he manfeSts his estimate OF
religion as a matter of feelings of sentiment Now,
we submit that Of such convictions is no
learned man He is an ignorant man, And, since he
is a leader" among men he is a dangerous man
Unless men see the universe for what it is
an ordered world with changeless moral law esah.
lshed by the infinite Creaor-they will continue 10
botch the business OF controlling or improving the
world When natural law is disregarded and It's
place given over to social custom, to mere styles
and fads in thinking and acting, there can be no
solid hope OF seeing peace and order established
among mankind, As long as mans basic relation TO
his Creator is turned into matter of mans own
feelings or sentiments there be no prospect of
human improvement or enduring harmony on the
earth.
AS a matter Of plain fact, and not of opinion or
attitude. birth control by any other means than
celbacy and selleontrol III the use OF propagatlve
activity is 4 thing evil in itself II is evil it remains
evil: il is IN no wise affected by the attitude oil
religious leaders" Even if the whole world should
turn sangerst birth control by artificial means
would still be evil still essentially immoral
And rehgion. taken effectively IS that actua
system of truths laws and corresponding practices
which regulate mans activity with reference 10 God
II is matter Of objective reality, not Of subjective
feelings
II is truly unfortunate that the president Of Har
ward does not know these things, 1t is deeply re
Erettable that he has spoken out Of the abundance
Of his ignorance, and that his words hui settle th
world more viley in its morass of deftement-