SIGNIFICANCE OF THE A. S. U.

An even more convincing proof can be found in the story of the radicals' own newest organization, the American Student Union. We have already told the story of the national founding of the Union last December, the initiative being taken by the National Student League and the Student League for Industrial Democracy, the former of which had a chapter at Dartmouth. Both these organizations had found that their policies were too narrow to attract more than mere handfuls of students, and so the new league was formed. Its constitution is impressive, but so elastic that every one of its provisions is optional with the local chapters, the only requirement being that one of the provisions must be subscribed to. This expedient for building up a following is too obvious to require comment. It is not the method of a group which is at all sure of itself or of its reception.

And so far these fears have been justified, at least at Dartmouth. Of course the organization is only two months old, but it has been widely and continuously publicized and has been sponsoring such attractive projects as a low-priced, cooperative eating club and a foreign movie series. Yet its enrolled membership to date is 45, less than two per cent of the Dartmouth student body and virtually the same member- ship as the disbanded National Student League. It may be just the beginning, but it is not a very impressive beginning.

Demi Lloyd K. Neidlinger '23 Who has sponsored the successful and original Dartmouth plan of student control in dormitories. He is Dean of the College.