What It Takes

CREDIT IS DUE OUR ASSOCIATE, The Dartmouth. There may be some people who like all of its editorials all of the time, but they are not all the (local) people. And it is probably nearer the truth that some of the people like some of the editorials some of the time. We go a step further and take delight in some of the editorials all of the time.

Anyway, the student editors have never forgotten for a moment that a gigantic world struggle was in the making ever since their open letter was sent to President Roosevelt last April, asking for declaration of war at that time. That was quite a while ago. Many citizens were then working to build walls along our shores to scare the hypothetical invaders away. But last April, and actually for many months before last spring, the editors of the daily paper at Dartmouth saw clearly what was coming in the way of a bloody tornado and they did more than their share to prepare us for it.

Early last month they picked up the statement of WPB Director of Materials William L. Batt who had bluntly told a public audience: "Not since the days of therevolution have we ever had much of achance to lose a war. We have a chance tolose this one."

Their editorial on this theme should be seen by all Dartmouth men. We are glad it went to some 4,000 alumni in the New York Metropolitan Area as part of a special edition of The Dartmouth that was used to announce the alumni banquet in New York February 19. We are reprinting it at the end of these notes this month.

There will be less chance of losing the war when the public and the press start thinking and talking with fight and fear in their hearts, rather than over-confident complacency in their minds.

THERE WERE DARK DAYS a year and two ago when fathers and elders were differing with sons and students about the necessity and imminence of war. "What is wrong with the generation?" was the question. "Are they yellow?" There was a good deal of plain talking and as the debate wore on the student attitude changed sharply and, as we have said above, more quickly than in many other quarters. Dartmouth youth have been among the leaders of "the generation" that is proving itself so realistic about what we are up against, and so willing to prove that they can take it. (See the Undergraduate Chair this month for a report on student reaction to the war policy of "No Carnival, vacation, or house parties.")

NOTE THE LETTER TO THE EDITOR in this issue in which Judge McKinlay of Chicago, a Dartmouth father, calls on President Roosevelt to review acceptance standards for the army and navy, with the objective in mind of giving young men a chance to take the part they want to take without so much fussy regard to their molars and fractional deficiencies in color blindness. The Chicago Daily News, in Clem Lane's column, comments in part on Judge McKinlay's crusade for accepting men with spirit, if not teeth, as follows:

"I hear Judge Donald McKinlay haswrite the President asking him to have theArmy and Navy soften up the physicaltests," Oxie O'Rourke, the sage of WestMadison street, remarked today.

"It is about time," said Mr. TorchnoseMcGonigle, a retired melodeon tuner."Them recruiting officers has been awfulfussy who they take."

"Yeh," said Oxie. "It look like the Armyand Navy was recruiting for their footballteams or maybe major generals. The upand down they give the boys was like themembership committee of the RacquetClub looking over a applicant whose townhouse is on Maxwell street.". ...

"'Taint funny, McG," said Oxie, "butmaybe somebody should tell them recruiting officers they is picking fighting men,not no Mr. North and South America

"And why is they choosey about a lug'steeth?" asked Torchie. "Is this a fightingwar or a biting war, or is they looking forsoldiers that can make with the teeth theway the Japs do?""It is all very mysterious," said Oxie.

"Maybe after they run through the flowerof our manhood, they will pick a few weeds.How's that for a slogan—Weeds will winthe war."

"Giving the enemy a touch of hey heyfever," said Torchie.

HAMP HOWE'S COACH ABOUT 1897. (NO RUBBER OR GAS SHORTAGE)