CORRESPONDENCE.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE CRIMSON:-

IF those who habitually clip from the newspapers in the Reading-Room whatever items or articles happen to attract their attention had but a faint conception of the inconvenience to other members which is caused by the habit, I am sure they would buy a copy of the paper desired rather than mutilate a paper of which they are, by no means, the sole owners. A sees something in the Advertiser or Herald or World that he wants, and he cuts it out. Soon afterward I, B, hear of the article, which is, in all probability, general interest to Harvard students, and I go to read it; but I find only the uninteresting part of the paper left. One hundred and fifty men follow after me, and all meet with the same disappointment that I have met with. Each one goes to the news-stand and buys what some thoughtless or unscrupulous fellow has stealthily robbed from the rest of the members of the Reading-Room Association.

If such petty thefts occur only occasionally, the members will endure them with a patient shrug; but if, on the other hand, two or three men persist in habitual thieving, they ought, when detected, to be summarily ejected from the Reading-Room and thereafter deprived of its privileges.

I can speak calmly of the petty thefts of members; but when I see a fellow who refuses to pay two dollars a year for the support of the Reading-Room deliberately spend the mornings over the new papers, thereby depriving members of their own property, - more than that, when I see him cut out pieces from the papers and pocket Scribner's, my voice rises in "righteous indignation."

B.JANITORS.TO THE EDITORS OF THE CRIMSON.

GENTLEMEN, - In your article in the Crimson of October 25, commenting on the duties of the goodies and janitors, you make the following inquiry: "Why should the Freshmen in Matthews and Holyoke be obliged to pay the janitor exorbitant prices for work that a scout would do for at least half as much money?" and follow up the question by the assertion, "We ask this question not without a knowledge of facts."

Now, with all due respect for the author of the editorial from which I have quoted, and his "knowledge of facts," allow me to question the accuracy of his information, and in justice to the janitors previously mentioned, present the other side of the case to your notice. The Rules and Regulations laid down by the College authorities for the guidance of the janitors in the duties of their position contains the following clause:-

"The janitor will have the right in case of the new tenants, who take possession of their rooms for the first time this year, to do the work for them such as is now done by the so-called 'College men,' consisting generally of blacking boots, making fires, carrying coal and water, doing errands, etc., if these tenants employ any one to do such work.

"For this service he may charge the tenants not exceeding twenty dollars each a year where two tenants in a room employ him, and not exceeding twenty-five dollars a year where only one tenant in a room employs him."

It is, moreover, a practice of certain scouts, when asked how much they charge for doing the work of tenants, to reply "fifteen dollars a term," which naturally sounds somewhat lower than the janitor's price; but which, taken in connection with the fact that there are two terms in each year, places the subject in a different light. I have written this simply from a spirit of justice, and I must candidly admit that my treatment at the hands of janitors has been such as to warrant my preference for them over scouts, while my work has been better done.

"JUSTICE."A CORRECTION.TO THE EDITORS OF THE CRIMSON:-

THE statements made in a letter entitled "Careless Examiners" have been found so entirely false that it is only just to the examiner in question to publicly correct them. The Freshman who complains of the loss of his Greek Grammar paper had two other conditions in Greek, instead of no other, and his book was never found at all, instead of being traced to the examiner's hands. Great care was taken, in this case, to have no mistake made, and no blame can be attached to the diligent Greek examiner.

R. X.