PRACTICAL POLITICS

Boston's political welter recalls a need often felt and much deplored, but little heeded. It is the lack of intelligent, well-educated men to take an active part in government; the lack even of intelligent voters who understand the practical workings of civil machinery. The University is a valuable training-ground for such men; those concentrating in Government and Economics are well prepared to lay their hands to the reins of office. But the large number specializing in other fields are often left totally unenlightened on such subjects. Good citizenship should be inculcated in every college man; for without it, no matter how excellent a knowledge and how fertile an intellect he may have, he will not fill his place in society with credit.

Government 1 is the general course in the College which exactly fills this need--it might be called a "lab," course in citizenship. But under the present system, few men outside of that special field are able to take the course. The re uirement of distribution specifies that a history course must be taken; although this course is much in the nature of history, and would fill the purpose of distribution, it is expressly debarred. Many men might like to take Government, who do not have time for more than one course in a field outside their own. If the distribution rule could be revised to permit a choice between History 1 and Government 1, more men would leave the University better prepared to fulfill their obligations to the community.