At a time when two extremes of opinion divided the Western world, he was able to stick to a policy of moderation, and choosing neither side remain true to a love of personal liberty in thought and action. Erasmus hated war above all else; he believed in improving conditions by evolutionary methods.

Charles H. McIlwain '03, Eaton Professor of the Science of Government, presided. After a brief introduction he introduced in order Huntington Brown '22, instructor in English, Wyndham M. Southgate '31, assistant in History, and Wilbur K. Jordan '28, instructor in History. They dealt respectively with Erasmus as man of letters, ideologist, and man.