Education: Mr. Hoover’s Poll

Herbert Hoover turned pollster last week. Irked because 176 facultymen at his alma mater, Stanford University, had signed a manifesto demanding a “more dynamic defense” against totalitarianism, Mr. Hoover personally sent a questionnaire to Stanford’s 800 teachers. To Mr. Hoover, “more dynamic defense” meant “military action.” His conclusion, released to the interventionist Stanford Daily (see above) : 60% of the faculty disagreed with the signers of the manifesto.

Sample Hoover question: “Do you think we should carry munitions to England in American-flag ships ?” Of the faculty in general, 47% voted Yes; of the manifesto signers, 73%. Other questions: Should the U.S. send an army to the European continent? Fight Japan if she refused to get out of China? The 176 signers and non-signers alike voted overwhelmingly No.