A warning to "fashionable colleges" that their continued usefulness and prestige must depend upon scholastic standards and not upon social reputation has been given to the Association of American colleges by President A. L. Lowell of Harvard.

Apparently a truism, President Lowell's statement assumes the pale glimmer of the half-truth under critical inspection. The fashionable institutions, according to his speech, may survive for some time because of their reputations, but unless they approach the educational merits offered by their rivals, they will fall into grave danger. All of which sounds well, but means little. Being president of one of our foremost exclusive universities, Mr. Lowell is in a position to make such a statement without laying himself open to accusations of envy and pride, but we wonder if he has any very clear idea of the "educational merits" of the schools outside the social register.

Incidentally the meeting of the Association of American colleges was held at Atlantic City. Daily Illini.