Editorial Comment

For opinions which appear in these columns the Editors alone are responsible

NEED OF EXPANSION

THE recent publication as a supplement to this magazine of the thoughtful views of Professor Adelbert Ames Jr., concerning the ultimate avenue of escape from the current industrial and business depression, appears to have awakened a very general interest. It puts into readable and comprehensible form the idea that for the world's recovery from such crises reliance must be had, not merely on the recuperation of old familiar forms of industrial activity through the revival of old familiar demands for the replacement of commodities consumed or out-worn, but also, and perhaps most importantly, on the development of wholly new and hitherto unappreciated demands for commodities and service. Himself an active worker in research fields, Professor Ames probably appreciates more keenly than others would do the part which research plays in the discovery of new forms of gainful human activity, to replace occupations that are either out-moded by changes in human conduct and human taste, or that are reduced in scope by the greater efficiency attained in producing greater volumes of familiar supplies with fewer and fewer hands.

The amazing developments of the Machine age have led to the creation of an unprecedented labor surplus. The numbers once required to supply the world's daily needs are enormously reduced, even for normal times; and in times so abnormal that the demand for manufactured articles has shrunk to a fraction of the usual figure, the labor surplus has come to be so vast as to be a source of economic and political disturbance in every country in the world. To a considerable degree, no doubt, this surplus would be diminished by a revival of the world's former power to buy and consume the wonted wares; but it seems probable that never again would that set of demands suffice to yield the normal amount of gainful employment, so that added stress should be laid on the discovery and development of new things and new activities to engage the attention and endeavor of the productive workers of the world.

Such things are constantly happening, of course, whether recognized or not. During the past quarter of a century we have witnessed the birth of previously undreamed-of industries which suffice to take up the surplus labor which improvements in older fields had released. Thirty years ago there was, for example, not a wireless telegraph operator on the seven seas, where today not a ship of any importance can venture forth without its complement of such operators. In the same period of time we have watched grow with astounding speed at least two, and possibly three or four, industries that were wholly unknown to our fathers, to the estate of major industries among those of the United States. The manufacture of motor cars is one and probably the most notable. The production of airplanes will unquestionably press hard upon its heels. The mushroom growth of the moving picture industry and the no less notable rise of the manufacture of radio sets will suffice for further illustration of the fact that there are others besides Satan engaged in finding somewhat for idle hands to do. Always there is at work, half unseen and largely unsuspected, that driving force in humanity which seeks new ways of doing old things, but which above all seeks new things to be done, on which our progress must rest. Professor Ames justly stresses the importance of the inventors and research workers, whose pioneering leads to the birth of useful new ideasfor without them the one product of our age would have been an almost embarrassing surplus of leisure for men and women who would better be working.

Beyond doubt the world must face the fact that it needs fewer hands to satisfy its ancient wants than it did in the old hand-work days, and learn that a great body of unemployed, seemingly abnormal in its numbers, is likely to be the normal thing henceforth. To teach men how best to use their greater amount of idle time is no unimportant duty. More important still, perhaps, is the duty to expand the world's consciousness of new needs in order to keep this volume of the workless at its healthy minimum, and so to distribute the available amount of productive toil as to give the greatest possible number its chance to engage therein. The task is to create new and previously unsuspected demands, and then to apportion the business of their satisfaction in such wise as to make both added work and added leisure reasonably available to all concerned.

REED HALL REDIYIVUS

NEARLY a century ago, on February 18, 1837, there died in Marblehead, Mass., Hon. William Reed, a native of that city by the sea, a former member of Congress (1811-15) and a merchant of substance, who had been serving as a member of the Dartmouth Board of Trustees since 1834. So far as appears, he was not in any other way connected with the College, holding neither a degree obtained in course, nor an honorary degree. His interest, however, proved to be very substantial in that by will he left a sum of money to Dartmouth College which was most opportune. With that money Reed Hall was erected, at a time when a period of rapid expansion laid the College under the necessity of providing immediately more room for its growing body of students.

The figures seem incredible when set in comparison with those of other, and much greater, colleges. Dartmouth had averaged a total undergraduate body of about 150 for at least two decades prior to 1834. It now found itself growing by leaps and bounds. In 1836 the undergraduates numbered 200 or more; and in 1840, the year of Tippecanoe and Tyler too, their numbers had reached 350. Of course by modern standards this would be regarded as still a "little college"; but consider that in 1841 Dartmouth graduated a class of 76 men, as compared with Yale's 78, Harvard's 48, and Princeton's 60. The existing plant, as it stood in 1834, was far from sufficient to accommodate such rapidly swelling numbers. Hence the fortunate bequest of Hon. William Reed proved a very handy possession, coming as it did in the midst of the period of expansion. Mr. Reed died in 1837. Within two years work began on the hall at the south end of the old college row, which was to bear his name. By 1840 it was complete.

The reason for speaking of it now is not the impending centenary of its existence, but the fact that after a complete interior alteration it has just resumed its duty as an effective unit in the college plant. As originally planned its lower story contained class and museum rooms—as indeed it did within the memory of many alumni who would scorn to be considered old. It was altered to complete dormitory uses in 1904. During the past year its interior has been entirely torn out and reconstructed in fireproof fashion and will serve hereafter as a classroom and office building for the departments of Economics, History and some of the Social Sciences. Outwardly there is no change, save that only four chimneys are visible instead of eight. It remains one of the most perfectly proportioned buildings in the country-—an effect obtained by carrying its walls several feet higher than was actually required by the space utilized for the floors within. It was the work of three brothers—Ammi B. Young of Boston, the architect; Dyer H. Young of Lebanon, the builder; and Professor Ira Young, the supervisor of works. The total cost was $15,000. It has figured intimately in the lives of Dartmouth undergraduates for 90 years and hopefully will continue for at least 90 more. Has any college ever made a better investment of $15,000?

MORE OVERSTRESSING?

A DEVELOPMENT connectedwith major-league football occurred during the late autumn which may well arrest the attention of those critics who feel that the sport is being overemphasized. That was the discovery of enterprising exponents of the moving picture industry that it was possible to photograph and reproduce virtually an entire game, with close-ups of the outstanding heroes, and slow movies of the crucially important plays, thus bringing into the problem the further financial element of valuable movie rights, not to say an added personal "reclame" for the players. This was as certain to occur in connection with the gridiron as it was in the case of the prize ring.

Hitherto the moving pictures of football games, such as inexpert operators have produced for the minor use of display in college news-reels, have not been very satisfactory. They usually have shown a confused jumble of rapidly moving figures at a distance, and have lacked the definiteness of the dramatic productions which allure the public to witness plays on the silver screen. If it proves to be possible to reproduce a game, play by play, from the flip of the coin to the resultant snake-dance, with audible sounds portraying the cheering, the music, the whistles of the field officials, something really worth considering as a problem of overstress will be created to bother us all.

The incident has led to some amusing speculations on the part of the sporting writers, who have foreseen that among the qualifications of a future halfback may be a good screen presence, as well as ability to gain ground, or throw accurate passes. Horror has been expressed as to the handicap which might be imposed on an otherwise capable team by the failure of some of its members to pass the screen tests. The major difficulties, however, seem likely to be financial, through the increment of receipts involved in the sale of movie rights, plus the potential effect of increasing the personal vanity of players thus exploited for public delectation. Why pay $4 for a gridside seat when for 25 cents you will later on see the whole game—and hear it too? Even the field officials may be disconcerted by the fact that a slow movie of a disputed play leaves no doubt that, although the judges "called 'em as they saw 'em," they didn't see 'em correctly.

RUNNING HARD TO KEEP POSITION

IN one of his letters to alumni with regard to the policies of the College during this period of economic stress, President Hopkins has aptly cited the remark of the Red Queen to Alice, in "Through the Looking Glass," where it is related that Alice and the Queen, after running violently for some time, find themselves still under the tree from which they started. Alice points out that in her country, if you ran so hard, you'd expect to get somewhere; but the Red Queen retorts, "A slow sort of country! Now, here it takes all the running you can do to keep in the same place!"

That expresses as vividly as it can be done the situation that the College finds itself in as the time for inaugurating the annual campaign for the Alumni Fund draws near. Dartmouth has made herself a first-grade college by dint of unusual efforts during the past 25 years, the greater part of the progress being enabled by the Alumni Fund during the second half of that period. Now in a period of general retrogression, the College is running as hard as it can to stay in its position.

During recent years Dartmouth has been a vigorously growing college, and growth demands sustenance. The inevitable momentum of a growing college is toward increasing necessities of expenditure, in much the same way as a growing youth demands expansion of his diet. When a growing college reaches a breathing spell in its growth, it may with firm restraint check, to a limited extent, the momentum of increasing costs. With Spartan effort in cutting down everything to unembellished essentials it may entirely deflect the natural upward curve of expeiiditures, which is inherent in new growth and normally continues for a period after growth has stopped. To flatten this curve into a plateau is its utmost retrenchment. To do more would undermine its strength and impair its effectiveness. To do less in a period of general economy would weaken the confidence of its alumni and place it out of adjustment with the times.

Dartmouth's momentum of growth in recent years has been very great. Last year it reached a breathing space in its physical development. And now in this year of general retrenchment the College, too, has retrenched. Every department has pared its budget to tlie minimum point for the maintenance of effectiveness. The development of important but not immediately necessary projects has been temporarily set aside. In order not to face the necessity of cutting the salaries of its faculty or dismissing any members of it, every saving has been made that is consistent with maintaining effectiveness as a college of the first rank.

It may be added that Dartmouth has the reputation among those investigators who have been over its affairs on behalf of various great educational foundations of making every dollar work harder than does any other educational institution in the United States. In fact, that is one of the factors that has brought us our amazing increment of benefactions in recent years.

"Them as has, gits," in the old lady's phrase. Because we have shown a go-ahead spirit and have buckled down manfully to our work of progress, we have commanded the admiration and the generous assistance of such appreciative gentlemen as Mr. Tuck, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Baker and others like them. And it has been the Alumni Fund, one of the most obvious indications of Dartmouth's inherent strength, which more than any other one aspect of the College has drawn the donations of such discriminating and generous givers. Nothing succeeds like success.

THE BLISTER

THIS MAGAZINE does not welcome as a rule the intrusion of highly controversial subjects, but it is interesting to observe the extent to which collegians are entering on discussions of the vexatious problems of prohibition by constitutional amendment. It is now many months since President Hopkins announced his reluctant conclusion that, in its current form, the experiment —"noble" in its motivation, according to President Hoover—had no chance of ultimate success, and that the end sought—the minimizing of the abuses of intoxicants—would be more surely attained by such modifications as good sense might dictate. By no means all college authorities agree as to the effects of attempted prohibition among their students, but the tendency to question the workability of the 18th amendment and its attendant statute, the Volstead law, is manifestly increasing among presidents, deans, faculties and students.

This appears to base itself chiefly on the discovery that drinking among undergraduates has tended away from the less harmful to the more potent intoxicantstoward "hard stuff," which can be more conveniently smuggled than lighter beverages—and away from beer. That there has been any diminution of the evil of undergraduate drinking has been roundly denied; and the differences appear to relate chiefly to the problem whether or not the volume of drinking has increased. That the character of the drinking has altered, and for the worse, seems to be the quite general conclusion, whatever be true of the comparative numbers engaging in it—whether much greater than formerly, or only about the same.

The organization against prohibition known as "The Crusaders" has established a branch in Hanover, and occasional test polls of student bodies indicate that opinion concerning the question runs very much the same within the colleges as it does outside. That many who started hopefully expectant that the reform would produce more benefit than detriment have tended to the opposite conclusion appears to be the present factwith amazingly few instances thus far recorded of people who started as skeptics concerning the efficacy of prohibition and who have become converts to it. In other words the number who came to scoff and who have remained to pray is hardly to be described as notable. It may also be regarded as significant that there is an abiding unwillingness on the part of the devotees of the cause to submit it to any free expression of the popular will—an unwillingness that is difficult to explain if the general public, in such majorities as are claimed, is favorable to a retention of the present amendment. Without such concrete tests, one must fall back on conjecture based on what one hears and sees.

It is at least undeniable that in order to make any sumptuary law a success there is necessary a very great preponderance of public favor for the law, since that is invariably true concerning any "malum prohibitum"— i.e., any prohibited practice that is not in itself sinful. That such preponderance of favor exists among the college populations of the country is at least a debatable proposition. That it exists among the general public seems increasingly open to doubt. And it is this which is evidently leading thoughtful observers to conclude that failure is inevitable, unless such modifications are made as will lead to a greater measure of cooperation in seeking success.

THE FOOD OF CULTURE

DISPUTE over matters of taste is traditionally a futile thing, and it is probably quite as much so as ever when one considers the elements that ought to be esteemed essential to the production of a genuinely cultivated man. It is possible, also, that there will be dispute over the question of what our American colleges are aiming to produce—whether the development of cultivated gentlemen is really the major goal, even in the case of colleges devoted to the liberal arts, especially in an age in which efficiency, rather than elegance, is a watchword in high favor, and in a time those who seek collegiate training come not as in older civilizations from the leisured classes, but from those with a living to earn. The trend," certainly, has been toward the courses of study which appear to have a more practical bearing on efficient service, rather than on those which seem to conduce primarily to the cultivation of the appreciations. To this, no doubt, must be ascribed the decay of Latin, and particularly of Greek, as necessary elements in a course leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts.

To reassure such as express a devotion to the "classics," it should be pointed out that although such subjects are no longer in many places required they are at least not proscribed, and remain open to all such as esteem them fitted to their needs. The insistence has been merely that one should be capable of becoming aB.A. without them; and to that extent it may seem that the drift is away from the ideals of culture, in favor of ideals of efficient living. The truly cultivated gentleman very probably cannot be produced without a knowledge of the literature of ancient civilizations, and those who desire to make themselves such certainly are not denied facilities for making the acquaintance of the tongues of Greece and Rome. Each to his taste. The colleges meantime appear to be trending toward a situation in which an A. B. degree does not necessarily connote these elements in higher education, but on the other hand by no means excludes them.

ALUMNI AND FACULTY

is a result of the publication of the article by Professor Ames "Progress and Prosperity: A Suggested Program" in the January issue of the MAGAZINE there has been continuous and favorable comment on the action of the editors in publishing the distinguished paper. A large demand for copies of the article has exhausted editions of several hundred reprints. Alumni have distributed copies among business associates feeling that the proposals were too valuable to go unnoticed in the mass of published material dealing with the depression, its causes and cures.

We are again indebted to a member of the Dartmouth faculty for a most readable and constructive paper on the major maladjustments contributing to the present situation. Challenged by the idealism of Professor Ames and by the deprecatory evaluation of the "classical economist" of Professor Cabot, the viewpoint of the economist is set forth is this issue by Professor Bruce Winton Knight of the department of Economics. He has translated the terminology of the economist into a more popular phraseology. It is sound, solid, and substantial theory interpreted through events and lessons of the past. It merits the attention of all who respect academic learning and teaching.

Professor Knight suggests education as one of the principal avenues open to prevention of future maladjustments. His suggestion that faculties should be enabled to reach former students, and vice versa, need not go unheeded. The MAGAZINE stands ready to serve the alumni and the College. It is "Published for the Alumni of Dartmouth College." If the occasional or frequent publication of articles by members of the faculty, dealing with questions of importance and of general interest is desired, the policy will be enthusiastically adopted.