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Few things are so difficult to analyze
as the ever-changing field of interna
tional relations. We are very fortunate
in having as a guest on our campus, Dr.
Xorman F. Coleman, a specialist in
world problems, who is conducting four
weekly forums.
At the first of these forums, held in
the Exhibition Room of Atlanta Uni
versity Library on Tuesday, February
-8, at 7:30 P. M., Dr. Coleman proved
himself a master of forum technique.
The forum subject was “Germany, the
Problem Nation of Europe.”
Dr. Coleman opened his discussion
by showing his audience a map of Eu
rope, on which he pointed out so-called
“axes" of the continent which, until
recently, controlled the political equi
librium of Europe. The North-South
axis, composed of Germany and Italy,
still remains intact, but the East-West
axis made up of France, Switzerland,
Czechoslovakia and Russia, was recent
ly broken when the Germans invaded
Czechoslovakia.
The speaker then digressed to com
pare Hitler with a certain bully who
is a psychopathic ease in the Francis
Rider Home for Boys in Seattle, Wash
ington.
in order to give us an unbiased view
point of the subject under discussion,
Dr. Coleman pretended to be a member
of the Social Democratic party in Ger
many, the party which opposed Hitler
and his Nazi government until it was
finally overpowered by Hitler. For the
next half-hour, we were addressed, not
by Dr. Coleman, but by one Johann
Schmidt, who told us of the trials suf
fered by his people since the World
War. He told of a G ermany crushed
by defeat, her ports blockaded so that
no food supplies could enter the coun
try, foreign troops quartered in her
Rhineland, her currency inflated until
it was almost valueless, and with a
feeling of inferiority impressed on her
by the clause in the Versailles Treaty
which forced Germany to admit guilt
for the entire World War. Germanv’s
failure in her experiment with demo
cratic government was due to lack of
experience, and to lack of sufficient
funds for carrying on the machinery
of government. During the depression,
many Polish Jews came into Germany
to take advantage of the financial con
dition of the country by investing for
eign money. In the midst of this situa
tion, Hitler came into the public eye,
and by his convincing speech rescued
the Germans from their sense of per
secution and played on their national
racial pride. Because of his ability to
rehabilitate the German nation’s sense
of well-being, a certain group of the
country supported him, regarded him
as the personification of Germany, and
CAMPUS MIRROR
Just to Remind You
March 16—University Convocation,
Sisters Chapel, Dr. Otis W. Caldwell,
Secretary of the American Associa
tion for the Advancement of Science,
and visiting professor of education
at Atlanta University.
March 20—Forum, Dr. Norman F.
Coleman, speaker — “The Good
Neighbor Policy in the Americans.”
March 23—Mr. H. S. Ede, of the Tate
Gallery, London.
March 23-26—Richard Hurst Hill.
March 27—Forum, Dr. Norman F. Cole
man and panel.
April 3—Spring Holiday.
April 5—Marian Anderson, City Audi
torium.
April 9—Easter.
April 10—Spelman College Glee Club
concert.
April 11—Founders Day.
he rapidly rose to power. Today, al
though many factions in Germany are
against his despotic rule, he is so much
feared that they are unwilling to op
pose him openly.
Dr. Coleman concluded his discussion
bv expressing his personal opinion that
Hitler is a paranoiac, and that Ger
many will never be normal again until
his power is broken.
The formal discussion ended, ques
tions followed thick and fast until time
for adjournment. Everyone left the
meeting with a new sense of sympathy
for Germany, and a broader interest in
international affairs.
Speaking of Personality
Isolyn Comer ’41
W lien the door closed on Saturday
night, March 11, to the building occu
pied for twenty-two years by Walter
Simmons, known to his friends as just
"Walt,” it closed not on a grocery in
Palisades, New York, but on an insti
tution there. He said that he was being
"forced out” by chain store competi
tion, but some of his customers say he
is being forced out because he submit
ted bills in the same spirit of kindli
ness with which he did favors for 22
years.
He was a friend to every one of the
300 residents in the village, caring for
pets, closing windows in the summer,
relaying messages, and many other
thoughtful little acts.
When Walt revealed that he was
retiring to South Jersey, his friends
drew up a testimonial letter and each
put $10 in a wallet which was present
ed to him. The testimonial said in part,
“A friendship between us has been
magnified by your kindness, depend
ability, and tin 1 many services given to
all, unasked. W e wanted to give you
something to preserve us in your mem-
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3
John Hope Memorial
Service
Harriet Williams ’39
The fourth annual memorial service
for Dr. John Hope (1868-1936) spon
sored by the senior class of Morehouse
College was held at the regular chapel
hour in Sale Hall on February 24, 1939.
The student speaker for this occasion
was Marshall Cabiness, president of the
Morehouse College student body. His
words at many points were so expres
sive of the ideals of Dr. Hope and of the
feelings that exist in our hearts that
only occasional paraphrasing will now
be attempted.
“V T e have assembled,” he said, “to
commemorate the life of one who is
dear to everyone that knew him, re
spected by those who came in contact
with him, and admired by all who have
heard of him. Such a man was John
Hope. ’ ’
“Truly it may be said that we cannot
lay claim to him as our own; he was
too broad for that. But out of the feel
ing of gratitude and respect for his ser
vice alone to Morehouse College as a
teacher, president, leader and father,
we dedicate these services.”
In view of the fact that in studying
the lives of individuals we sometimes
place undue emphasis on accomplish
ments without understanding the back
ground, the story of the plight of the
Negro race during the early childhood
of Dr. Hope was reviewed. Born in Au
gusta, Georgia, June 2, 1868, lie was
destined to be encompassed in the throes
of hatred, selhshness, and enmity of
which the entire nation was the victim.
In making the contributions which he
made toward the progress of his race,
he knew that he was cutting years off
his own life. He knew that he could not
turn back to the days of his childhood
and he told us that we must push for
ward to do our jobs for our people and
for ourselves.
In fulfilling this goal, John Hope was
the first of his race to head the Atlanta
Baptist College in 1906, where he re
mained until 1929, seeing the college
grow from an enrollment of 21 college
students to 359 and an increase in the
budget for teaching purposes by more
than $43,000. Buildings and grounds
were improved as beauty became the
keynote of the campus. But there was
still another job to be done.
On .July 1, 1929, Dr. Hope saw the
affiliation ot Spelman, Morehouse and
Atlanta 1 Diversity effected, for it was
only on the condition that he would
be president that the institutions be
came affiliated.
During the first year of the affiliation,
Dr. Hope was able to erase doubt and
skepticism as to the workableness of
the system. Since then the advancement
(< 'ontinued on I ’age 8)