Advertisement

KOHN PRAISES AMERICAN LIFE IN TALK HERE

Smith Professor Concludes Lectures on War Situation

In the last of his Current Events lectures yesterday, Hans Kohn, professor of Government at Smith College, stated that the next century will be an American Century since the American ideal of democracy, which embodies liberty and equality, will flood the world if we win the war.

Professor Kohn stated that this is not a world in which we can live an isolated existence. "Whatever happens anywhere concerns us," he said. We are not able to shut our eyes to the fate of other nations because it concerns us too much.

Statistics Won't Win War

Our country which has more steel than any other, is suffering a steel shortage because we did not plan in advance. According to statistics, said Kohn, we should win the war, but statistics alone cannot win, for it will depend upon how we use what we have that will tell in the end.

Professor Kohn stated that our sense of values have been altered by the war. Some of us have believed as the Nazis said that Fascism and Communism were the only practical systems and that democracy is too corrupt.

Advertisement

Democracies Not Corrupt

Democracies, according to Kohn, are much freer from corruption than dictatorships, for dictatorships will not allow people to say what they want and publicize corrupt officials. "The best way to destroy corruption is to publicize it," said Kohn.

"America," Kohn said, "is on a hectic quest for new values." We are learning anew the worth of democracy and have fortunately been awakened to the gravity of our situation. "Inertia is the enemy of men," he said, "and the road to hell is paved with good intentions. A demand for a second front proves that our people have been awakened."

Advertisement