Editorial, February 23, 1934, Page 2

WAR SHADOWS

          The shadow of war gets darker and darker as reports from European countries come to us through the American press. To students, war as an imminent, devastating catastrophe means more than any picayune problem confronting student or faculty authorities in the College. If our students are to sacrifice their lives for nationalistic ideals, what difference will it make whether the College has a site, whether extra-curricular activities are combined, or whether the College grades are relatively low or high?

          Lloyds' is offering odds of 4-1 that war will be declared by July. Italy and Germany are marshalling armed forces on the Austrian borders. England and France are offering too mild protests against armed intervention. The United States is using money for augmenting the war budget in spite of the serious deficits in its educational program. All this indicates that war is more than just a word, that war is closer to us than it ever has been. We think that pacifism under any circumstances is eminently justifiable–and pacifism when war is imminent seems to us to be a necessity for a college student who has been taught to enjoy life not to destroy it.

          And yet, a college-wide strike such as the one proposed by the continuations committee of the Anti-War Conference does not seem to us to be the best means of registering a protest. To be successful, anti-war demonstrations must not be considered a part of "red" propaganda.

          Let the people of the United States know that we are against war–but let us make sure that they realize our feeling is humanitarian and definitely free from factional influences. We are, and always have been, against war–but we propose peaceful, intelligent protests rather than militant communism as the means of best expressing our ideas.

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May 20, 2004