"Immature and Prejudiced"

Sir,—It was with considerable disappointment that I read your editorial in the issue June 5th, containing, as it does, an immature outburst of prejudice, one might almost say an impression of personal frustration.

As one of the persons responsible for appointing you to your present position—a position, I feel, that is being abused by such efforts as your editorial—I wish to make it clear that I personally appreciate and desire honest criticism from the student newspaper, as it is often one of the few guides to student opinion open to members of the Executive in endeavouring to give concrete expression to that opinion.

But, Sir, it is beyond my powers of patience to tolerate an editorial that has as its central theme the criticisms of a particular group of persons for whom the Editor has formed a personal dislike. May I suggest that you could have attained your purpose just as effectively by four simple words: "I dislike law students."

But lest I should appear too ungrateful, I feel I must thank you for the compliment paid to my colleagues and myself when you state that past services and experience in student affairs have contributed largely to our present positions; perhaps, with broader and more mature experience, you will one day realise that wild idealism to attain its end must be tempered to meet the varied circumstances of the day. For example, an editor of Salient in contemplating a literary issue, must give due consideration to the question of finance and cost to the student body—if idealism is to treat such matters as immaterial, then I care little for your idealism.

It is not preferable that idealism and enthusiasm express itself in the field of club activity where, doubtless, it can and will serve a very useful purpose and to have an executive sufficiently experienced (and "conservative" if you will) to consider the merits and demerits of proposed schemes before involving the student body in liability? An executive carried away by idealistic visions, constantly embarking on excursions to "build castles in Spain" could hardly be considered as exercising its power and authority in the general interest.

If the only inspiration that proceeds from your enthusiasm and idealism is the prejudiced and immature efforts of your editorial then, sir, I am thankful that there are still some—be they law students or not—who are capable of a sane commonsense outlook on life, prepared to face facts as they are and mould their actions accordingly.

—D. B. Horsley.

[For an Immature, prejudiced and enthusiastic answer to this letter see the editorial opposite.—Ed.]