FROM THE UNDERGRADUATE CHAIR

No sooner had the special trains returning to Hanover after the holidays received their passengers than subjects for discussion became the imminence of final examinations, rushing season and carnival. In an incredibly short time those dinners, theatre parties and dances (and new girls) had been thoroughly reviewed. For the present, only study faces the sorrowful undergraduates. And that about sums up the campus activities since January 8. The few exceptions include the somewhat intelligent interest evinced in the Bok Peace Plan and such questions as world peace, disarmament, isolation, etc.; but even these fizzled out .miserably when the time for voting on suggestions came. Only about 45% of the student body cast ballots on the Bok plan and answered the questionnaire on peace questions issued by TheDartmouth.

Reinald Werrenrath, the noted American baritone, provided the only artistic diversion of the three January weeks. Heywood Broun was scheduled to speak for the College Club, but an "ulcerated tooth" interfered, and the address was called' off on short notice.

Sports proved diversions, and the interesting proposition that Hanover girls be substituted for men in forthcoming dramatic productions of The Players received quite a bit of attention. Debating still goes favorably, The Dartmouth editorial policy has subsided to the expected, the Jack O'Lantern editor comes to bat with the information that "good" Jaekos are never sent home, Pi Delta Epsilon and other elections are announced, Colonel Diettrich advises on skiing equipment, Tuck School opens for second semester—these about sum up a period devoid of extraordinary inte'rest.

When the Bok peace award was announced, The Dartmouth came out strongly for it, and mentioned that the biggest value it had was in the attention it attracted to the question of the universal peace. Plans to vote on the plan immediately were laid aside so that time might be had for discussion. This materialized in a forum. Professors C. R. Lingley and J. P. Richardson opened the forum with short, constructive speeches. Then undergraduates were allowed three minutes apiece to state their views. Many pronounced opinions were heard, and some arguments against any participation in such a body as the World Court were so strong as to bring about a reversal of position on the plan by The Dartmouth.

This was explained, and resulted in the drawing up of ballots on more fundamental questions of the peace problem, as follows: "For a week now The Dartmouth has consistently and emphatically appealed for a unanimous vote in favor of the Bok Peace. Plan. Repeatedly we have pointed out that the American people have never had a fair opportunity to take sides on the question of isolation versus co-operation with Europe for peace; and we have felt that the Bok Peace Award simmers down to a referendum not for the World Court or the League of Nations, but rather to a referendum determining whether the people 'of the' United States want to do their share to bring an end of wars.

"But The Dartmouth is compelled to reserve its position. In the open forum Monday night several undergraduate speakers clearly and skillfully demonstrated that the World Court, the chief item of Bok Award Plan,

fairly totters for lack of strength and that its very nature prevents it from ever being the force for peace that its proponents seem to think. Witness the refusal of disputants in the Ruhr and Corfu Cases to have the Court intervene. Observe that every leading power of the world has refused to sign the clause which would compel the submission of all disputes to the Court. Most important of all, remember that the Court must base its decisions on the Versailles Treaty, a treaty which everyone admits to be unjust and worthy only of the scrap heap. This is the Court which the winner of the Bok Award would have the United States join and which Mr. Bok hopes to sell to the American people.

"As a plan for world peace the scheme must be voted down. As a referendum of the interest of the American people in peace, perhaps it has its place. But why not a direct referendum without any frills? Why not a referendum which will put the matter squarely up to the people of the United States. The question is not whether- we shall join the League of Nations or a World Court. The question is whether the United States wants to help prevent future wars. If the Senate of the United States were made by a referendum of the country to see that the predominant demand is for action toward preventing wars, it would scurry to concoct a workable plan lest next .session find new senators filling its chambers. The plan at present is not important. The real issue is this: do the American people want action or are they willing to continue the prevailing policy of isolation?

"It .is because The Dartmouth feels that the Bok Award obscures the issue that it submits today its own referendum ballot. The items —printed in another column—are direct and simple. Were the Bok Plan as clear-cut, it might present some basis for future discussion. We must repeat, the issue is this: Do the people of the United States want international co-operation for world peace or are they satisfied with isolation? Dartmouth, at any rate, will set itself on record one way or the other. Further than this The Dartmouth ballot gives voters an opportunity to indicate their opinion on the several plans which are being discussed."

The result of the Bok peace ballot was as follows: Do you approve the plan in substanceS Yes 454 No 247 The questions, and results, of The Dartmouth ballot were as follows:

1. Do you believe that America should continue her present policy of isolation from European affairs? Yes 202 No 724 2. Do you believe that the United States should co-operate with Europe for world peace? Yes 854 No 72

3. If so, do you believe America should join the Permanent Court of International Justice? Yes 611 No 291

4. Do you believe we should join the League of Nations? Yes 282 No 634

5. Do you believe that the best way to make war impossible is to prepare for it? Yes 119 No 811

6. Do you believe that the causes of war are inherent in the present economic system and that therefore fundamental modifications must be made in the economic structure of society before war can be abolished? Yes 521 No 370

7. Do you believe that individuals should refuse ever to take part in war? Yes 231 No 681

The forum was the first of its kind ever held at Dartmouth, and some undergraduates have proposed more of the same type of discussions. The Dartmouth, The Arts and The Round Table conducted the forum.

Two previous successes in Hanover were added to with the appearance of Reinald Werrenrath. By force of his appearance and personality, as well as the beauty of his voice, the baritone won the undergraduates to him. An interesting sidelight is the fact that Werrenrath, Jr., is entering Dartmouth in the fall of 1929. Following his concert, Mr. Werrenrath was a guest at the Psi Upsilon house, he being a Psi Upsilon alumnus of New York University.

Norman Maclean revealed the secret of successful Jack & Lanterns in an article for College Humor, as follows: "The material handed in to the average college humorous publication during the year consists of two funny jokes, petting party stories, liquor jokes, and some material that is even worse. On the campus an issue is considered 'good' when no one would dream of sending it home to the folks, and when everyone would like to send it to his girl, but somehow thinks he hadn't better. The girls, however, always manage to procure these issues and pass them around to each other until there is nothing left of them except the editorials, which no one reads. The folks, too, sometimes get one of these 'good' issues or hear rumors about it, and then mother upbraids father for not taking Willie into the business with him when son Willie graduated from high school. The faculty also like these issues; though if the dean says so, they think that the board ought to be suspended for . writing them. The editors of these magazines are persons whose higher sensibilities are so attuned that they can put out 'good' issues, but not too 'good'."

New York producers refusing to permit men to take feminine roles of Luigi Pirandello and Percy Mackaye, Mr. Paquin, dramatic director, is considering using Hanover girls with The Players, so that he can put on latest works of these authors. It is claimed that a man taking a woman's part on the stage attracts too much attention by virtue of the success, or failure, of his impersonation. As it is not desirable to spoil the artistic effect of these plays, it is likely that Hanover girls will take part. When interviewed on the proposition, the girls said that whether or not they would aid The Players depended on the nature of the plays and the attitude of the undergraduate body.

Affirmative debaters representing Dartmouth on the question "The United States should become a member of the Existing Permanent Court of International Justice" won a unanimous decision over Columbia January 18. In the meantime, the negative team was losing to Boston University at Boston.

Such topics as the injustice of hour examinations in the midst of preparation for finals, the adoption of the "tea" tradition by America, banning Mah Jong, the Philadelphia clean-up, fraternal confidants, fraternity Sunday nights, the use of notes and outlines by undergraduates fill the editorial columns of The Dartmouth in an unexciting manner.

The following juniors were elected to Pi Delta Epsilon: H. D. Archibald, F. S. Barrett, Jr., W. Campbell, H. Conrad, B. P. Disque, Jr., T. S. Geisel, L. S. Kimball, L. C. Marshall, A. R. Perkins, E. J. Petrequin, D. S. Slawson, P. B. Walter, R. L. Wyckoff, E. L. Yates.

Seniors today have an eating club of their own at the Chop House, but only a small proportion of the men are eating there. Most seem to prefer their "own" club, where they have eaten since surviving Commons.

Richard Eberhart '26, a transfer, was successful in the last sophomore competition for The Dartmouth.