"What is the nature of the reforms in question?"
"General Wannowski, former minister of education, was perhaps a man of limited capacity, who considered the university a barracks, the professors colonels and other officers, the students privates, and explained that the only thing lacking was non-commissioned officers to keep their respective squads in order. Still he showed us the consideration of asking us eighteen questions which were to be answered by the faculties. Look here"—the professor pointed to a heavy bundle of printed matter—"here you have the results of our inquest."
"And what is the substance of your wishes, to put it into a very few words?"
"One word is sufficient, 'Autonomy.' We want independence in teaching, 'Lehrfreiheit' as it is in Germany, independent regulation of our own affairs, and liberation from the direction of another department which has neither interest in us nor understanding of us. This demand was unanimously expressed by all the universities; in Moscow only two professors in the whole faculty declared themselves for the prevalent system."
"Was anything accomplished by this inquest?"
"To a slight extent. We obtained a university court, constituted of professors, and the permission to form scientific societies among the students."
"That is not so bad. And you say that the students are not in sympathy with that?"
"No, they are afraid that discontent may be lessened by these concessions, and they wish to be discontented until they have accomplished everything."
"What do you mean by 'everything'?"