68 MY AMERICAN FRIENDS

many others of later date are rapidly ascending the
ladder which the earlier ones have already climbed
to the top. On the whole they are fulfilling the
expectations natural to the case of men so highly
selected, the " cream," as I have said, of the
American men's colleges. But with one notable
exception* According to Dr. Thwing's account
it would appear that not one of them has found a
career in the national politics of his country. Not one
is to be found in Congress, either as a Senator or
a Member of the House of Representatives. It
is plain that the political career does not attract
them.1

In the course of his article Dr. Thwing defines
the effects which their Oxford education has had
on the Rhodes Scholars. If I am right in what
has been said in the last Chapter about the intel-
lectual quality distinctive of an intelligentsia, it will
be seen that Dr. Thwing's considered account
brings the Scholars under that denomination.
He says:

" The Rhodes men brought back a special
point of view for the study of any subject put

1 Dr. Thwing, in correspondence on this point, from which he
kmcUy permits me to quote, gives the following reasons why
Rhodes Scholars have not entered the field of Federal Legislation :

1. They are not party men.

2. In America, entrance into political life comes later than in
England, The oldest of the Rhodes Scholars can be little more
than fifty years of age.

3. The need of earning a living. The Rhodes Scholars, as a
class, are comparatively poor.

4. Lack of sympathy with the personalities composing the
rank and file of the Republican and Democratic parties.