DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS NOW PREVAILING IN NEAR EAST

"Conditions in the Near East are worse than they have been at any other time", declared Mr. A. W. Staub yesterday when interviewed by a CRIMSON reporter. Mr. Staub is Executive Secretary of the American College at Beirut, Syria, and of Robert College at Constantinople. "The failure of the Allies to make peace has caused business stagnation which has impoverished the people and which has cut off all interior communication". Mr. Staub outlined a few of the conditions in the present conflict between Turkey and Greece, but he was concerned chiefly with the educational situation.

"The pressing social and financial conditions caused by the war have caused much stagnation, but in spite of the fact the colleges have received their full quota". Mr. Staub added that since the bottom had dropped out of the Turkish market, the governing boards of the college at Beirut had established scholarship aids to carry on education at this foreign cosmopolitan center, where over 17 nationalities are represented.

At Beirut the conditions are more normal since this section of territory is under French control and so is in a better condition to make use of the educational advantages offered. The colleges are non-secretarian and are patronized by all classes of political and social believers. The object is to train leaders in all walks of life to work among their own people. The work which is carried on wholly in English includes courses in Arts and Sciences, Commerce, Engineering, and Medicine.