PUBLIC MONEY

Speaking at Atlantic City on Friday to the convention of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, President Conant made another plea for larger scholarship funds. Since he has refused to accept F. E. R. A. aid for Harvard students, the method of raising these increased funds inevitably becomes a major issue. If the money is not provided by the government, it must come from private sources. Unfortunately, however, the resources of philanthropists have been atrophied exactly in proportion to the increased needs of students. It must also be admitted that, since the historical trend throughout the world is towards increasing governmental action, in the day of the talked of recovery these resources will continue to be limited. Admitting this, the University must choose between government aid and decreased enrollment.

It is probably true that the number of students in American colleges is too high. In order to decrease this number, however, the class to be eliminated must first be designated. It would be obviously unfair to make the classification on the basis of financial resources. If a scholastic barrier is set up, however, it will be found that those eliminated are mostly men able to pay their own way, since the less able of the indigent have already fallen by the wayside. Thus it is evident that, although limitation of enrollments might be beneficial, it would emphasize rather than solve the financial problem.

In his refusal of government aid Mr. Conant put forth two arguments, both of which are valid. The allotment to the individual student is too small to relieve him of the necessity of outside work; also the acceptance of these funds does undermine the independence of the University. Both of these arguments, however, strike against the present administration of the F. E. R. A., not against the principle of government aid. Public funds could be provided for needy students and the disposition of these funds be left entirely in the hands of the University authorities, without the present complicating regulations. The technicality that universities such as this are privately owned should not obscure the fact that they are national institutions and of vital importance for the future.