The day book. [volume], October 21, 1914, LAST EDITION, Image 9

About The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
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DOLLARS OR PROFESSORS
Now let's see if time-honored Harvard is as corrupt and mercenary as
some of the others.
Major Clarence Weiner of London notifies Harvard that he will not
leave it a legacy of $10,000,000 if it retains the services of the famous
psychologist, Prof. Hugo Munsterfaerg, who has been getting off some pro
German utterances. Rather than see the college lose all this money, Prof.
Musterberg has offered his resignation. Will the Harvard directors decide
for the dollars or for the man?
The "angel" of a college is like all other "angels." When an "angel"
buys a pretty chorus girl silks, autos, diamonds, furnished flats, lobsters
and such, it is understood that he has the say as to her conduct. Why not
the same right for the "angel" who prostitutes a college? Isn't the principle
of the thing the same? And aren't the final effects a mighty sight worse
in the case of the college?
Education is the great lever of progress. Through education we can
progress toward anarchy, monarchy, slavery or any other condition. If
the monied and privileged 5 per cent can educate the 95 per cent to accept
ance of a plutocracy, with the consequent subserviency of the mass, the
trend of civilization will be in that direction. Militarism and all other
serious issues are, finally, a production of teaching.
When a Rockefeller, a Carnegie, or a Weiner dumps a big endowment
on a college there is an invisible C. O. D. string to it, just as there is an
accepted understanding when the chorus girl is "angeled." The intention
may not be proclaimed, but the prostitution results, with or without the
design and conscious acceptance thereof, because human nature is human
nature.
If the paramount business of Harvard is to make money, as it is the
business of the "angeled" stage girl to get money, it will be good business
for Harvard to accept Prof. Munstefberg's resignation. One can hire a
large army of professors for $10,000,000, or less, considerably less at going
rates. But if Harvard's main aim is education, Prof. Munsterberg repre
sents something that all of Werner's millions cannot buy.
But this Harvard matter is really on a par with a lot of other silliness
already perpetrated by reason of hate and prejudice aroused by the war.
We read of German being expunged from the reading matter of England
and France, and of English and French words being expunged from the
German language, as if war, successful in destroying specimens of the arts
and sciences, could destroy the arts and sciences.
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LETTERS TO EDITOR
MQSTLY ABOUT RELIGION
Editor Day- Book: The president
on last Wednesday granted an au
dience to a delegation of the Feder
ated Catholic Societies of America,
who came to protest the treatment
priests and nunshave received in
Mexico, and requested the president
to recognize no government which
does not grant religious liberty. In
these times that are "Jrying men's
souls," the time and attention of the
president should not be used to deal
with the religious affairs of Mexico.
The Catholic church has certainly
enjoyed a few hundred years of lib
erty there and the result is the Cath
olics of Mexico themselves are rid
ding that downtrodden country of its
thieves, grafters and oppressors in
every form. Gen. Villa, who has been
most persistent in expelling the
priests and nuns, was until last few
years a Catholic, as are the vast ma-
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