Visual Education (Jan 1923-Dec 1924)

226 VISUAL EDUCATION August, 1924 35 CONVENTIONS Editorial by F. R. MOULTON m NEVER before have the details of national conventions of the great political, parties been so well known to the general public as in those which have just been held. In the case of the Democratic convention a number of the most important planks of the platform were fought out and decided upon in open assembly. Opinions, both favorable and unfavorable, of the various candidates were expressed with a frankness and reported with a completeness that left nothing to be desired. No boss, or combination of bosses, had undisputed control, and the long struggle brought into the open what is sometimes done behind the scenes. BUT the public obtained its best idea of the "atmosphere" of an American political convention by the use of the radio. Millions "listening in" heard the clerk wearily calling the roll of states; they heard the wild cheering by the organized supporters of the various candidates; they heard the riot of attempted stampedes that would do credit to a football crowd; and they heard the ponderously expressed, but futile, resolutions that were now and then introduced by delegates who assumed the dignity of statesmen. ALTHOUGH the conventions presented amusing and absurd incidents, they furnish the occasion for serious reflections. They are a part of the machinery by means of which the chief executive of the greatest republic in the world is chosen. They would therefore, in any case be of great moment, but they are particularly important because the President of the United States has more real power than any other ruler in the world at the present time. fl%#8@liTdtf too much to say that important history*m%Tbe ft HlAe'C&SllBII ing in these conventions, and the welfare of millions may depend upon the results of their actions. THE first thing upon which the attention fastens is the emotionalism displayed and the deliberate attempts to secure results by purely emotional means. One would naturally suppose that the policies of a concern whose budget is five thousand millions of dollars a year would be settled with calm deliberation upon the basis of established and accepted facts rather than by the methods of the high school cheer leader or the negro revivalist. One would suppose, also, that the questions of foreign policies are intricate and capable of satisfactory solutions only by careful study. TI IE choice of a candidate is influenced by astonishing considerations. Instead of canvassing the field for the man best qualified by natural gifts and train ing and experience to perform successfully a task whose difficulties had been appraised, much is made of "availability," lack of enemies, and place of residence. LEST these words should seem to be pessimistic, let it be recorded that the rank and file of the people made their voices heard loudly in the conventions of both of the great parties, and that there is no criticism here of the results. In fact, the results are much better than the methods. But the methods are dangerous. WE are rational beings and our greatest triumphs, which are in science, have been achieved by deliberately using our reason. In government we are making progress slowly because in it we make too little use of our reason. In questions of man's relations to man the human race seems to learn only by an enormous amount of experience. The rights guaranteed by the Magna Charta should have been willingly given 500 years before the English forced them from King John. It should not have required the American Revolutionary War to establish the fact that taxation without representation is unjust. The Civil War should not have been necessary to prove that human slavery is wrong. The claims of autocracy should have been refuted without a World War. IT MAY be inquired what such things have to do with political conventions. The answer is that they have been possible because of the defects of methods which we see used in our political conventions, fortunately so far without disastrous results. They are cited as illustrations of the dangers of employing passion, prejudice, and emotionalism, instead of toleration, justice, and reason in our political life. WHAT can be done about it ? Our schools are doing much to exalt the reason. Every scientific doctrine advanced has its claims for acceptance only in careful and many times repeated experience or observation ; and every mathematical problem requires reasoning from accepted data to necessary conclusions. We are coming to look at mankind in general, and at ourselves in particular, more objectively than. was common with our predecessors. We find that, like the inanimate universe, we are subject to the laws of Nature, and, therefore, that reason should be supreme in dealing with human problems. In this way alone, and through our schools, is there well-founded hope that a time will come when wars and their horrors will really be things entirely of the past.