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63 Pol. Sci. Q. [i] (1948)

handle is hein.journals/pclscceqry63 and id is 1 raw text is: THOMAS W. LAMONT For many years Thomas W. Lamont was the patron saint of the Academy of Political Science. He became a member of the Academy in 1909, a Trustee in December 1910, and he served as Vice President from 1915 through 1919. He was also chairman of the Committee on Meetings and a member of the Program Committee for the semi- annual meetings. These were, however, but the outward trappings of a continued enthusiastic interest in the affairs of the Academy which gave it the essential spark of life. His searching judgment was always ready to guide the choice of topics and speakers, and many speakers from abroad were his personal guests. All this he did so easily and so un- assumingly that we were hardly aware of his guidance. He participated at least nine times in the meetings of the Academy, either as a speaker or as a gracious presiding officer at one of the dinners. The first time was in 1915; the last in 1940. Among the subjects he discussed were The Economic Situation in the Orient , The Dawes Plan and European Peace , Phases of the World De- pression , Aspects of the American Railroad Problem , American Business in War and Peace . That so busy a man as Mr. Lamont, burdened with public as well as business responsibilities, should have found the time and interest for the Academy reflected his philosophy of the importance of educa- tion in national affairs. Born in a parsonage, he inherited from his father a lively interest in the means by which public opinion is formed. His first position after college was as a newspaper reporter. Later he was concerned, just after World War I, in a renaissance of the New York Evening Post. All of his life he maintained contact with the people of the press and was ready to spend time with them. He was accessible to people in all walks of life. While he never discussed it with us, we knew without the need for explanation that he believed in the Academy as an important educational instrument for bringing to bear on current public questions