1912–13 Volume 37 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

480 THE SCROLLTo the many men who wear the sword and shield who will thismonth and next receive their degrees Phi Delta Theta extends itsheartiest congratulations and thanks, the latter especially, for largelyby the fact of courses fully completed is the cause of our Fraternityjudged by college authorities and people outside of colleges anduniversities. The percentage of fraternity initiates who graduate isstill much too low for the good reputation of the fraternity system.Hence the Fraternity owes its thanks to our brothers who attaindegrees. The good wishes of Phi Delta Theta will follow all wholeave chapters this spring, the only return for the same desired beingthe hope that they will all retain pleasant memories of chapter daysand not forget that Phi Delta Theta needs the help, interest andaffection of all its alumni.SINCE our last issue the anti-fraternity wave of antagonism hasin a way subsided. Legislation against us in Texas Ohio and Wisconsinhas been defeated, at least for the present. In Minnesota abill to abolish fraternities at the university has been introduced butat present seems dormant. In Kansas and Nebraska, althoughthreatened, nothing definite has yet materialized. In Mississippi thelower court had held their anti-fraternity law to be unconstitutionaland we go to the supreme court with the prestige of victory below.But the storm is by no means over—our foes still threaten us mostdangerously and in many coming legislatures will the fight have to becontinued. Newspapers are frequently printing detailed accounts ofthe foolish and extravagant exploits of fraternities and fraternitymen, which of course are only- fuel to the flames of opposition, eventhough grossly exaggerated and many times untrue. College authoritiesstill publish statistics showing comparative low scholastic standingof members of fraternities and rush into print with statementsthat fraternities must show a good reason for existence on or beforethis time or that or else suffer extinction. So we see the fight is onand we can only look forward to a long and hard struggle. In thepresent lull, then, it is the time for us to set our houses in order, becauseit cannot be denied that cause actually exists for criticism. AllGreek letter organizations are appealing to their chapters to removethese causes by a return to the fundamental principles which animated'their founders, by cultivating real democracy in the student body, by