ASSEMBLAGE OF POLITICIANS

A large delegation of students of the University attended the meeting held in the Trophy Room of the Union last night for the purpose of discussing the extent of University participation in political matters.

Professor Beale described his own experience as a member of the Board of Aldermen in Cambridge and the difficulties he had experienced in comprehending the machinery of the city government. He urged all members of the University to devote at least a portion of their time to a study of the method by which the business of their own communities was done. Professor Lewis J. Johnson, who spoke next declared that while America had undoubtedly the best set of political ideals, it was only gradually that the machinery could be perfected for the fulfillment of those ideals. It is essential that the problem of perfecting this machinery be fairly faced and the aid secured of the best ability the country has to offer.

Professor Holcombe said that it was easy to adopt the philosophical point of view that a single vote was of so little importance out of many thousands that it was immaterial whether it was cast or not. As a matter of fact, however, in a recent presidential election if one voter in 2,000 in a certain district had voted otherwise than he did, the election would have gone to the other candidate. In addition to its being the duty of every man to vote, the rapid growth of the primary has made it essential also that a man be a partisan; for it is at the primary even more than at the election that the character of the candidates is now established.

A discussion then followed from the floor as to the best means of concentrating discussion and interest in public affairs in a single organization. The concensus of opinion was that the Union was the most desirable meeting place for any such organization and that the present Forums should be made use of as far as possible. The following committee was chosen to co-operate with the existing organization in the securing of meetings to discuss political topics and to lend all possible aid in registry of voters: L. S. Gannett 2G., chairman; J. Bovingdon '15; H. T. Bean '16; C. P. Howard 2G.; F. Schenck. The committee will hold office hours in Grays 5 tomorrow from 9 A. M. to 9 P. M. to explain the registry requirements and form.