10th. Lord, these little birds! How early they do rise and chirp and with them all the Tower. So I up too, and awhile to watch the River which so early in the morning is covered with golden mist as beautiful as ever I did sec. Whereupon, very serious, I to read my speech which is cloquent, but I am no great speaker and why I did enter this contest I do not know. "Charm us, orator, till the lion look no longer than the cat!" Fiddlesticks! Already there be too much false charming and not enough truth. But Plato does give both; and I am glad to read him.

Thence to the office where I met--and we together by underground to Boston and to the State House to hear attacks on the Oath Law. This be the best show I have seen in a long time. Lord, what speeches! The Student Council presents a worthy resolution but its speaker, upon questioning, says he knows nothing about the business! A pretty blot for the record! One law school professor thrills the audience by his wit and arrogance, but it seems to me, any sober judge would say he made a monkey of himself; and did no more good for the cause than the speaker who opposed the Oath by pleading he was a father of three children, and spilled blood for democracy!

Yet all was not air and I am glad to set down a few good things I heard; The Oath Bill can easily become a political tool instead of a patriotic one....Yet even, "Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel."...Especially it gives undue license and power to authorities to suspect and dismiss teachers....It puts all teachers under suspicion....It is a "nibble" at the Bill of Rights....Truth cannot be legislated...etc.

What wise man will doubt that the bill is an unnecessary bit of legislation? Yet I have never seen so poor defense of so good a cause ever in my life. Yet I know I did not hear all fifty speakers; and who am I to judge? A merry Vagabond all too little versed in the ways of the world.

So by and by I back to the Tower to dress, and, very handsome, to Dunster House to an exhibition of contemporary French paintings. The tea was very good. Thence home and a little sore at my heart that I cannot appreciate this modern art; so I to play my gramophone, and anon to bed.