Newspaper Page Text
Page 2
THE MAROON TIGER
^he Students Say
Editor’s Note: We feel that a student paper should express student opinion; and student opinion is student
opinion, however brilliant or naive it may be. The opinions printed below are not necessarily the opinions of the
staff. Here they are!
WHY HAVE A Y. M. C. A.
Thomas Kilgore, ’35
The numerous activities on the campus afford great
opportunities for students to develop a number of use
ful qualities that would be untouched in the regular
course of studies. Therefore the value of student acti
vities cannot he ignored.
In speaking in terms of student activities, I am under
the impression that each organization should make a
grave attempt to develop more social personalities in
its attempt to bring about better understanding within
the college communities.
There has been considerable discussion about the
campus as to whether or not the Y. M. C. A. should
participate in the student funds. Along with this discus
sion come also others, namely: that the “Y” is a dead
organization, that its out-worn ideas do not meet the
demands of the modern student, and that its program
is not constructive enough to warrant recognition in the
student budget. Such are the accusations brought against
the “Y”, and far be it from me to waste time and space
to refute such thoughtless arguments. But with the as
sumption that this article will be read by a fair-minded
group of intelligent men, in the next paragraph or so
I shall attempt to explain the purpose of the “Y.”
The “Y”, as it exists now, is composed of men whose
ideas and trends of thought are on a parallel basis
with those of men constituting other activities that play
a greater part in our student life. In view of his fact,
it seems highly impossible for it to be an antiquated
organization. The vitality that the “Y” has added to the
campus life for a number of years should by no means
be ignored. You may say that it no longer plays this
vital part because other organizations have usurped its
power. This is not true: the fundamental purpose of the
“Y” has been from the beginning an attempt to develop
better relationships within the college community, and
a closer affinity between the colleges and the communi
ties with which we are surrounded. The latter is effec
tive to a great extent by the assistance of the community
Sunday school, which meets each Saturday night, and
sends representatives from the “Y” to work in the city
Sunday schools at the several churches. Besides the
principles mentioned above, the “Y” will also promote
a program that will play a great part in student life.
This program includes group meetings with the Spel-
man “Y”, and various other attractions such as plays
and chapel speakers each first Sunday morning.
Space will not allow me to enumerate the entire pro
gram of the “Y”, but I am asking that every More
house man will think clearly and conclusively as to
whether or not an organization which is a vital part
of life should be supported by the student body, or
that it should be allowed to die as a result of some
shallow-minded conclusions that brand it as a dead,
fogy, antiquated, and religious organization.
GAN AMERICA AFFORD TO CONDEMN HITLER
FOR HIS RACIAL POLICIES?
Henry E. Banks. ’36
Towards the end of last winter, a tidal wave of hor
ror and disappointment swept over this country in re
action to the persecution of the Jews in Germany by
Adolf Hitler. Newspapers throughout America carried
editorials and columns eloquent with expressions of
righteous indignation toward the iniquities of the Nazi
movement. Pulpits of national influence thundered
against the new reign of terror. The ever alert spokes
man of the hour, the Reverend Harry Emerson Fosdick,
in his pulpit in Riverside Church, assailed this act on
the part of the Nazi movement in this manner:
“As for Hitlerism in Germany outlawing Einstein, put
ting a ban on artists like Toscanini and Gabrilowitsch.
and trying to run a large area of its own population
. . . that is an exhibition of stupidity which, alas, as
all friends of Germany will regret, has in the esteem
of the world lost that nation in fifteen days a large
part of which it has been trying to recover for fifteen
years.”
Now no sane man would condemn nor belittle such
an attitude of regret as has been expressed by America’s
outstanding religious leaders. When primitive passions
are let loose and justice is placed by brutal tactics for
the accomplishment of selfish aims, a man finds it im
possible to hold his peace. Such an attitude is proper
for three reasons.
First, social oppression of the weak by the strong
is not only a sin against the Eternal Spirit of the uni
verse, but it is a peril to the best interests of civiliza
tion. Secondly, the wonderful contributions of the Jews
to the financial, cultural, and religious life of the Ger
man people do not warrant for them such treatment
as is given them by Hitler. Thirdly, the promotion of
German nationalism as promulgated by Hitler is a men
ace to world peace. Nationalism, when pushed too far,
is an incubator of fears, apprehensions, animosities,
rivalry, and contentions which so easily lead to misun
derstanding and open conflict.
Rut, when I wonder, can America, so conscious of the
faults of other peoples, afford to condemn too severely
the outrageous campaign of the Nazi? Are we guiitless
of this sin? Is our record above reproach? If we were
without sin in this regard, we would be eligible to cast
the first stone. Contrary to the sentimental prattle and
charming myths of our grammar school histories, Ameri
ca has not been as pure in motive and as exalted in al
truism as they would have their children believe. On
the contrary, we have been selfish and hypocritical on
many occasions. We disclaim any aims at imperialism
but during the War of 1812, we started out with a
bold determination to capture Canada from the British
and even now we insist on holding the Philippine Is
lands. We fought the Central Powers “to make the world
safe for democracy" but we do not belong to the World
Court. We advocate the policy of “America for the
