Defense League Hears Mumford Favor War

Asserting that the people of the United States have failed to assume the duties of citizenship, Ralph Barton Perry '29, professor of Philosophy, in a meeting of the Student Defense League last night, urged unity of opinion and action on the part of the people, while his colleague, Lewis Mumford, of the "Fight For Freedom Committee," advocated our entrance into the war.

"All over the United States, people are certain that England will not be able to hold out alone against the forces of Germany, Italy, Russia, Japan, France, and Spain," Mumford remarked, "yet they are afraid to mention the word 'war.' Certainly they must realize that the longer we stay out, the greater the odds will be against us, and the weaker will England have become."

America Has Been Decadent

America has been in a period of moral decay, according to Mumford, and it is high time that the public assume its duties of intelligent judgment and reasoning. Until each individual faces the problems of the immediate present, he cannot speak in terms of the future.

Quoting the phrase, "Penalty of refusing to rule is to be ruled by someone else," from Plato's "Republic," Perry declared that the citizens of the United States must take active interest in their government. "Let us resolve to defeat the enemy, not resist him."

The Student Defense League, undecided whether or not to favor war, was not definite on Mumford's ideas.