A STRONGHOLD SURRENDERS

Distant memories of the October day when President Roosevelt met with a cold reception at the gateway to his own college have faded far into the past with the tremendous approval which has been showered on him by the CRIMSON-Literary Digest poll. While Harvard was 73.74 per cent for Hoover in 1932, it is now 65.11 per cent for the Roosevelt policies. This change of feeling cannot come as a great surprise to many people; it would have been startling if the College had still maintained its support for the Republican Administration.

There are two important factors to consider about this reversal: first, the sequestered character of college life in relation to national events, and secondly, the policies of Roosevelt. The strong national discontent of 1932 with Hoover did not reach into these portals for the undergraduate came only indirectly into contact with the misfortunes besieging the country, and furthermore, he disliked the uncertainty which the Roosevelt administration promised at that time. But now one hears on every side of the accomplishments of this super-man; his chief measures fall broadly into College economic teachings; and the realization has grown that Hoover did not succeed. This indirect action of national sentiment plays a large part in the results of college polls, the reversal goes further than this. We have had leadership and the satisfying feeling that something has been done to meet the situation. Moreover business has improved and our psychology is better. It is not so much a consideration of the merits of a different system although there is a general impression we are heading towards Utopia; it is not a consideration whether things would have improved anyway; in any case, it is heartfelt approval of the new invigorating influence which has entered the government and of the "new deal" for people of small incomes. This change has been encouraging in that it reveals that the College has joined the country in its decision for a change of tactics but it does not reveal whether the premises for the change were thoughtfully considered.

The country is now in a state where it is liable to swing too far in this direction. Policies are being adopted in Washington which should be forged on the anvil of national debate and the Republican party has the responsibility in seeing that this is accomplished. They allowed an admiration for individuality coupled with a dread of control and social legislation to destroy their chances for success in the early years of the depression. Desirable indications point to the fact that they are abandoning this attitude and trying to adopt a position of the minimum control consistent with the national welfare. It is a difficult position to define, but a justifiable one. Youth is important to their purpose and even though the colleges slow majorities for Roosevelt, it should only make them work harder on a program which will attract them. A strong opposition party which bases its fight on liberty, restricted with the minimum amount of security, is important for the country. The realization that the youth are dissatisfied with their program should aid them in their reforms.