This leadership of thought and action is no more the privilege of a few; in our democratic country every one can aspire to it.  The days when primary education was for the masses, secondary or college education for the middle classes and university training for “the quality,” have passed away and gradually the benefits of higher education are being extended to all.  The equality of opportunity, not that of wealth and position, is the test of true democracy.  This condition has created the aristocracy of brains and character before which the aristocracy of wealth, of blood and lineage fade into insignificance.

The predominance of the “vocational feature” over the “cultural” in the scope of our modern universities, the vast “extension work” [3] carried on in the various fields, the multiplicity of “free scholarships” open to the competition of the brainy and ambitious boy, are other proofs of this democratic trait of our modern higher education.

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Since higher education is the stepping stone to leadership, the question most vital to Catholics in this particular and most momentous period of our history is:  “What share have we in the college and university life of the country?” “The progress of the Church in any country is attributable to the indwelling Spirit which guides the Church.—­Next, to the piety, zeal and education of its priesthood,—­and lastly, though in no mean degree, to the devotion, activity and education of the laity.  Where these three features combine, then the Church is writing the brightest pages of Her history.” (Archbishop Glennon.)

I will not repeat here what “Catholic” in the Antigonish Casket, and Henry Somerville in his pamphlet, “Higher education and Catholic Leadership in Canada”—­have been writing on for the past year or so.  With them we conclude that outside of the Province of Quebec, the Catholics of the Dominion have not the influence they should wield.  Naturally there are many reasons to explain this fact.  But we will say with the Editor of the North West Review, “facts cannot be ignored with impunity, the sooner they are admitted and faced with courage the more readily shall difficulties be overcome.  And the necessity for an awakening to the demand for higher education is very real.”

In the firing line of the world’s gigantic struggle we shall never hold the strategic points to which our number gives us a right in our Canadian Democracy, unless our leaders are strong in number, and in power.  Catholic leadership will give us the occasion to present, explain and promote “our solution” to various problems confronting the world.  During this period of universal upheaval and momentous crisis, when all the ingredients, we would say of the social and economic fabric are in a state of flux,—­like bronze in fusion,—­Catholic leaders should be to the front to supply the casts of Christian civilization.