Doctor Morris

Ancient Oxford University is cautious about passing out kudos to tycoons. But last year it bestowed an honorary D. C. L. upon the Archbishop of Canterbury's good friend, Banker John Pierpont Morgan. And last week old Oxford announced it would do the same for Sir William Richard Morris, British manufacturer of small motorcars. To William Butler Yeats, Irish poet and Senator, will go a suitable but less exciting honor: honorary Litt. D.

Oxford born, educated at Cowley. hard by the spires of Oxford, Sir William started life as a bicycle rider. He still is proud of his large glass case full of medals. Now, he often hustles off to play golf on the course he owns at Henley-on-Thames. His hired men there may see him playing, but they know they would be fired if they told any bystander that the man in the tacky looking grey flannels is Sir William Morris. Sir William's factory whence issues the Morris Cowley car has put Oxford town on England's industrial map.* Gentle, unimpressive, he is chairman of a potent body of British tycoons, the National Council of Industry, which he formed last year on a stout protectionist platform to save the Empire from the "muddlers" and "the old gang." His newest automobile, larger than many another "baby" model, will sell for $500--so far Britain's cheapest.

When Sir William receives his D. C. L. degree he may mutter casually his favorite expression: "Not too bad, not too bad!" And he may reflect that his potent U. S. competitors Henry Ford, President Alfred Pritchard Sloan of General Motors, John North Willys, Walter Percy Chrysler, Errett Lobban Cord, have no such degree as his./-

*Other Oxford products: marmalade, sausages.

/-Albert Russel Erskine (Studebaker) received an LL.D. from Notre Dame in 1924.

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