Over-Confidence

WHAT THE COUNTRY NEEDS is a good dose of the realism, even pessimism, that any athletic coach could give it. The basketball team had beaten Vermont, Fordham, St. John's, Tufts, Seton Hall, and Wisconsin when Coach Cowles was asked his opinion of Dartmouth's chances of winning its fifth straight Eastern League championship. He was not entirely optimistic. He saw difficulties ahead, including over-confidence, and he predicted defeats. The reporters scoffed. They couldn't see how any team in the League would give the "Dartmouth powerhouse" very much opposition. But the coach didn't underestimate the opponents. Harvard won in the Green's first League game.

Football coaches are noted for a certain restraint in estimating in September the chances for an undefeated season. No one believes them at the time. But their unwelcome predictions of the long, hard road that lies ahead, and the certainty of defeats (although victories there will be too), is usually closer to the way it works out than the supreme confidence of the average rooter. After the Colgate game last fall the season was practically over for many Big Green fans, with only the formalities of playing out the schedule before Dartmouth would be crowned as undefeated. What happened? A week later Harvard upset the apple cart. So did William & Mary, and Cornell; and Georgia broke the wagon into small pieces. Tuss McLaughry had never predicted anything but a fair season beating Colgate, Yale and Princeton gave us that..He said you can't win all the games with a team of sophomores. Earl Blaik was v always building for a senior team, for a group of experienced veterans that would be fully trained and equipped to meet any opposition and come out on top.

Mr. Churchill talked that way when he said the Allies are starting now to build for 1943. This will not be an undefeated season for our side in the world conflict. Nor until our forces are trained, experienced, and fully equipped can they be rated as equal to the opposition. When the veterans swing into action, with American production operating 100%, it will be just too bad for the Axis. Meanwhile the country can take a page from the coaches' books and \hrow over-confidence into the ash can.

THE SELECTION OF Nelson A. Rockefeller '30 as nominee for the position of Alumni Trustee to become vacant in June is announced by the Alumni Council. He is nominated to succeed Philip S. Marden '94 upon the expiration this spring of the latter's second term of five years.

President Hopkins recently urged the Council to give representation on the Board to the younger classes, and expressed confidence in finding men with excellent qualifications among the younger alumni. In its three selections in recent weeks the Council has met the President's suggestions in most satisfactory fashion. The Board of Trustees is strengthened by the addition of Harvey P. Hood II '18 of Boston, and Dudley W. Orr '29 of Concord. Mr. Rockefeller is a nominee who has proven his outstanding abilities to handle large affairs. As Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs his work in Washington is vital to hemisphere solidarity. His interests are broad and his talents of the most versatile sort. Dartmouth is fortunate in having his services in one of its most responsible positions