Nothing Can Rectify

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The wholesome, upright, law-abiding students of Carnegie Institute of Technology (Pittsburgh) were hurt—deeply and irreparably injured. Their beloved and respected head, Dr. Samuel Harden Church, in testifying against prohibition before the Senate Judiciary Committee last fortnight (TIME, April 26, NATIONAL AFFAIRS), had implied that drunkenness and other evils existed among students universally and had failed to exclude his own Carnegie Tech from the condemnation.

It was infamous, shocking. The duty of the Carnegie Tech student council lay clear before it. Clothed with great dignity, it met behind closed, guarded doors and received Dr. Church to hear any explanations he might have to offer. Dr. Church was full of contrition. With rapt sincerity he said: "There is nothing at Carnegie Tech that can be called drunkenness. . . . Like Hamlet, I have shot my arrow o'er the house and hurt my brother. . . . All the statements attributed to me which reflect upon our student body, I withdraw. ... I express to you, one and all, my deep sorrow. . . ." He went on to say that he had been caught completely off his guard by a question from Senator Reed at the hearing, had spoken in the heat of an excited moment.

It forgave Dr. Church, yes, but "nothing said now can rectify the injustice done to the present and future students of Carnegie Tech."