A COMMON WEAPON

Speaking to 1910 at the Class Dinner Tuesday evening, Walter Lippmann told his classmates that they were now ready for graduation. The ceremonies in June 1910 gave degrees to several hundred men who failed during the next quarter of a century to make use of their chance to re-adjust the world to its changing conditions. As the members of 1935 go forth today, one wonders whether another Lippmann will tell them the same thing in 1960.

What have they all gained from Harvard which might aid them in preventing this occurrence? Some men have had successful records in college; a great many, mediocre ones; and a few, dismal ones. In 1960 while the personnel of each division may have changed there will still be failures, successes, and living examples of mediocrity.

Yet every man has shared the benefits of a College which is permeated with the liberal tradition. While it is difficult to understand the significance of this unless you have lived in some country working on fascistic, communistic, or socialistic basis, it is a great heritage. Unless men of broad and understanding vision scan our economic, political, and social structure today, searching for the answers to our problems, we will find ourselves in a meaningless sea of confusion.

If members of the Class of 1935 are able to understand both the capitalist and the communist, individual initiative and the common good and comprehend the assets and liabilities of each, they will prevent the necessity of a second graduation in 1960.