Harvard University - Red Book Yearbook (Cambridge, MA)

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another, as our horizons widen and distances shrink, as our theoretical life expectancies increase, it becomes apparent that something is amiss. It was not an accident that the discovery of atomic energy was followed by its use in twin sperms of indescribable destructiveness over thejapanese islands, it was instead both a symptom and a portent. And it is an ironic commentary on the destiny of modern man that the justifica- tion for this exhibition Qand I think it was a good justification, was that to spare Hiroshima and Nagasaki would have necessi- tated the armies of the United States fighting their way ashore at an infinitely higher cost in terms of lives, suffering, and money, both to ourselves and to our then enemies. The Shortcomings of the Social Scientists The failure of men to manage their own affairs for even to have them managed for themj would seem to account for two great world wars and now presents us with the imminent and probably inevitable prospect ofa third. This failure arises out of the breakdown of human institutions and relations which are the province of the social scientists. Of course, this does not mean that he must bear the full guilt for society's disorganization, any more than Dean Sperry should be held accountable for the decline in attendance at protestant Sunday services. But some embarrassing questions are raised. What have the social scientists been doing? What constructive contributions have they made toward understanding and solv- ing our present difhculties? 11 X A JOHN G. BEEBE-CEN TER SIDNEY S. ALEXANDER In-ctviirvr on l'syc-linlogy Asst. Profvssur of Hl'0ll0llll1'H , Historian Crane Brinton is an authority on the Frey-,gh Revolu. tion. His latest book, From llflmzy Ona, argues we are not yet ready for world government. 5 FZ l g x I SAIYIUEL H. BEER I Nmlllnlfi I r f SH r li c'0W'n'UN'Yll lil'llI'y l.4'i' Prof. uf l'h'nlmll1ii's l'l'nfvssiul' ul llistnry JOHN DONALD BLACK ROBERT BLAKE in . HEINRICH BRUENING HAROLD BURBANK EDWARD CHAMBERLIN Iiititiumr Profirssur of Cove-rnnu-nt Wells Prof. uf l'olil.ii-nl IC:-uiiomy l'i'uft-ssor of I-If-oiminir-s lilgisgfxpglgggylmm' H I STERLING DOW lhisignml Junta HHS . ui son mfr-asm irf.Xl'1'lli'nliig5 11171

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U15 aria! airfare BY CHARLES R. CHERINGTON Associate Professor of Government llwhat has been laclcing has been genuine intellectual creativeness, inquiry and discovery into the true nature ol man and his institutionsf' The past twenty years have presented a challenge of unparalleled magnitude to the Social Sciences at Harvard. The Class of 1946 is an excellent position to witness and as- sess the failure to meet that challenge. Such failure is of course primarily attributable to the faculty scholars laboring in the vineyard at Cambridge. Secondarily some blame IT1L1St be borne by administrative officers such as Mr. Conant and Mr. Buck. And, to some extent at least, the members of the Class of 1946 are indirectly responsible for the general failure to meet great opportunities. First let us examine the nature and extent of the failure, second, analyze some of its more obvious causes. Carl . Friedrich, wartime head ofHarvard's Militar Government Y School, is a distin fuished olitical theorist. He has been one in P of General Lucius Clay's key advisers on postwar German problems during the last two years. It is a arent that the most ressinr roblems con- P 5 fronting society during the first half of the twentieth century are those of human organization. Man's mastery over his h sical environment has made tremendous strides, the re- P Y sources and energy at his disposal being almost incredible. Furthermore, his progress along these lines shows little sign of slackening. On every front fin the physical theatre of operationsj the armies of the mid-twentieth century appear to be advancing. It is all so very exciting and encouraging. Yet even to the most casual observer such progress must seem not only inadequate but also perhaps imminently dangerous. For as the develo ment of one infernal machine succeeds 7 Onetime Austrian Minister of Finance, joseph Schumpeter is an expert on socialism and the business cycle. His 'l71eai-ry oflirozmwic Derftflopmwzl is now available in six languages. 1 . A-:min--v'vwpvq1-n f gf 'wi 23.3 Ni H l -Km . 4 ' l 4 Ai All E':i:g'f:1gm.x, 3 A ,. . A ,-0-'-'v- W, w.,..-f--T.-N M-- im M . ' iiztiiliz l i .. . A .K-apragx A .51 4 4 ? Q. i 5 rf 4 Wt.. ng V :emwfv 4 'S fi ii I J. it V ki. .rot , 4 .554 y' '., fail .u ' . :Nz 41. ng W- , I , , ri . ' s. -. 'I-'li lif- .-.wp ft:-gm. uid, T L. ln' zllw X ,f'q E?:.Q' Ai . 5 . ,ff .3 kg I. 'Ql f ', rdhgg 1 M, -'hi 1 gi W iw 'ln ' - 1-Q 7 V Qf'1X A . L - -. . .ta .... X

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i' we AA . M . , l I . but '.,., -g ,..A.,,, ...mmistp 4. . .. 1-' . , .2 Sumner Slichter is a nationally known economist and labor relations expert. He headed President Truman's fact-finding committee on the telephone strike last year. JOHN DUNLOP RUPERT EMERSON Associutu l'rol't'ssor of liuonomivs Professor of Government LOUIS I-IARTZ Warburg Professor of Economics Asst. Professor of Social Science Assistant Professor of Govcrnmc GOTTFRIED HABERLER OSCAR HANDLIN SIDNEY BRADSHAW FAY Professor of History, Emeritus Like a Boston Dowager Limiting our inquiry to the Harvard scene, the answer must necessarily be that, in their capacities as social scientistr, the Harvard faculty has done very little. As individual men of high intelligence, superior training, and unusual personal qualities, many of them have made very important contribu- tions both to the country and the University, and these con- tributions should certainly be duly noted. At the same time, the general tone of scholarly output has been respectable and, on the whole, the quality of their pedagogy-given the aban- donment of tutorial instruction and the rise of the super lecture-has been more than adequate. What has been lack- ing has been genuine intellectual creativeness, inquiry and discovery into the true nature of man and his institutions. In a time that cries for new ideas, or at least for a reclarification of old ones, Harvard social scientists have done little. Such strategic failure does not necessarily show up in undergraduate lecture courses, for a Harvard professor like a Boston dowager can live for a long time on his capital if he has to. Perhaps it need not worry the students at Harvard College in the short run falthough some of the more acute of our customers have commented upon it quite openly from time to timelj. In the long run however, it is a serious matter. Through such failings the social scientist reduces himself to the level of the radio commentator-a bit more cultivated perhaps, but also usually much less articulate. . 1 SHELDON GLUECK .RICHARD GOODWIN Professor of Criminology Assistant Professor of Economics PENDLETON HERRING ARTHUR HOLCOMBE nt Lecturer on Government Eaton Professor of Gfwermnont Cltcsigncd, 19473 i18l