The University has been fortunate in securing the eminent Brazilian scholar, author and diplomat, His Excellency, Dr. Manuel de Oliveira Lima, to occupy, for one year, the new chair of Latin American History and Economics. It is no great exaggeration to say that it would be impossible to find a man more qualified than he to fulfill the purpose for which this professorship was founded, namely, to spread sane and accurate knowledge of the past and present conditions of our sister republics to the southward.

Dr. Oliveira Lima is forty-seven years of age, and famous throughout Latin America for his works on literary, political and economic topics. He is the possessor of one of the finest private libraries in the world, and a member of the Brazilian Academy and other learned societies. Moreover, in addition to his scholarship, he has had wide experience in political and diplomatic life, both in Latin America and in Europe, having served as Minister Plenipotentiary of Brazil in Venezuela, Peru, Belgium, and in Sweden, and occupied other important offices. He is also familiar with the United States, where he lectured in the winter of 1912-13; and he speaks English perfectly so that no one need shun his classes from any fear of the barrier of language.

The events of the last six months have given us a forcible illustration of the importance of obtaining a wide, more accurate, and sympathetic knowledge of the affairs of Latin America, of which our ignorance for years past has been a subject for well-merited reproach. The foundation of the new professorship has come in the nick of time; and the selection of its first occupant is ideal.