On The Sidelines

(Ed. Note -- The Crimson does not necessarily endorse opinions expressed in printed communications. No attention will be paid to anonymous letters and only under special conditions, at the request of the writer, will names be withhold.)

To the Editor of the CRIMSON:

In regard to the editorial. "Doubting Thomas," in last Saturday's issue, I should like to discuss the subject from the point of view of that minority group of undergraduates which is desirous of "departing from the side-lines."

No matter with what group the undergraduate affiliated himself, whether it be a revolutionary organization or merely one of our major parties, it is because he believes that he can gain more by acting, at the same time that he is studying from the side-lines. The question really is what can be gain by participating in political activities while he is still in college?

Let me first dismiss from this discussion as ridiculous the idea of any student youth movement, striding over this country in brown shirts or purple pants. Let me at the same time make clear the fact that not being too familiar with the reasons which drive students into the radical ranks, I cannot argue their case except to say that I understand why certain of them, as Lincoln Steffens shows us, become agitators in the hope that their efforts will help to break down a system which is fundamentally responsible for all our ills, political, social, and economic.

Those students who are professedly Democrats and Republicans and of late months have been spurred on to political participation form the group in which I am interested. First, taking up the case of those who attend the Model Leagues and Political Conferences galore, I believe that their participation should not be discouraged. Perhaps they do not achieve any tangible results, but on the other hand they are receiving a broader view, a more complete picture of the general condition of affairs today. Each event in which they participate is not an end in itself, but merely a means to an end, the training for intelligent leadership in the future. Each activity fits into the general condition of affairs today. Each event in which they participate is not an end in itself, but merely a means to an end, the training for intelligent leadership in the future. Each activity fits into the general picture, just as each varied course comes together to form an A. B. degree. Thus, no matter how trivial or conducive to general ridicule a student political activity may be, it is worthwhile if it helps to form an intelligent opinion which will be valuable in the future.

This has carried me into a discussion of those who join lobbies, of those who fight corruption, and of those who have actually mixed in politics. It is foolish to think of any student group bucking corruption or in any other way making a dent in the political set-up as it exits today. But where the student can find his way behind the scenes, where he can fight some political grafter, where he can make his mark felt, he ought to participate to some degree, NOT because he is entering politics or public life or in any other way attempting to show the world that he exits, but because any experience gleaned by participation in politics while he is still a student will be tremendously valuable later on. The student gains only one half of the picture when he learns in the classroom that many Senators are demagogues and corrupt state bosses. He completes his picture when he goes to Washington and watches those Senators in action. Few of us have been given the opportunity to watch them as they are behind the textbooks: those of us who have been granted this favor should make the most of it for future use. Again, the experience many of us gained working for LaGuardia in New York last fall was exceedingly valuable in that it supplemented our classroom work as an addition to our general education.

It is therefore my belief that the college political clubs should encourage all those interested to join active groups, to get out and get experience AT THE SAME TIME that they are discussing, debating, and viewing our problems from the side-lines. ALVIN M. Josephy, Jr. '36.