Bootlegger Makes College Disciplinary Board Upon Joining Oxford Movement

Telling how the teachings of Frank Buchman were responsible for the appointment of a bootlegger to the disciplinary board of a large college, John McC. Roots '25, who is here for the meetings of the Oxford Group at the Continental Hotel, described his experiences during the last few years to the CRIMSON yesterday.

"Buchman did not tell this man that his trade was wrong," said Roots. "By supporting his views and letting him realize himself where they led him, he brought about a change in his perspective.

"Since a large college realized how much he knew about private undergraduate life, it appointed him to its disciplinary board." He assured the CRIMSON that the college was not Harvard, thus safely dissipating the reporter's avid curiosity.

"Another man came to Buchman, saying he believed in Confucians," the former CRIMSON editor continued. 'Buchman did not argue with him. He said he was delighted and wanted him to use these doctrines on an impoverished family who stole chickens down the road.

"For a month he tried to aid them but found that he was only losing more and more money. Finally, he pleaded with Buchman to take up the case, who so changed their views of life that they resumed honesty and became respectable citizens."

"Again in South Africa a professor in Pretoria imbued the faculty with such hate of the English that the language was not even spoken and the English faculty departed. Buchman through personal contacts with the man proved that he could accomplish nothing but harm this way.

"Returning to the University, he reversed his views despite the opposition of the Dutch faculty, restored Englishmen to their posts and became a loading force in the formation of the new Fusion party."

Asked about the famed houseparties which caused so much dispute at Princeton a number of years ago, Mr. Roots indignantly denied that they were "Public confessionals." "While nine out of ten Americans hold this view," he said, "It is obvious that personal, not public, contacts are the only way in which we can accomplish our purpose.

"The investigation at Princeton, which was never published, gave the Oxford Group complete exoneration. Only cowardly dispositions on the part of the Faculty prevented its release to the public.

"We believe that the movement is the best means of achieving a liberal education at Harvard. If students can obtain a common purpose and find some guiding post, either through religion or a set of standards, we think it will help Harvard retain its elading position. We shall make no attempt to force men to join our group but by personal contact, we shall give them the opportunity of learning our beliefs.