Criticism of Crimson Editorial.

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To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

The tone of the editorial in Monday's CRIMSON was so extraordinary that I should like to express what I feel so strongly that I am sure that others must feel it too. I do not mean to discuss the "niceness" of dealing out editorial sarcasms--practically personal in one paragraph--to amateur athletes. But I should like to protest against the composition of more communications and editorials of the variety that has been so common this autumn, and of which Monday's article was an exaggerated instance. Let me identify further what I mean by quoting two sentences which you actually addressed to the University at large on October 12: "Above all else we must not give up hope, we must realize that the development of a strong team, of a VICTORIOUS TEAM, IS A NECESSITY, and that the only way to do this is for the whole undergraduate body, yes, and for all the graduates too, to show with all their strength that they are to a man behind our eleven. * * * BUT WORSE EVEN THAN THE PLAYING WAS THE LACK OF SUPPORT FROM THE REST OF THE UNIVERSITY." The italics are mine; but they are not needed to show that here is an absence of all sense of proportion, and that exhortations based on this creed can never express the spirit of amateur sport. They plainly will and do express, however, that spirit which we once laughed at as the "high school spirit" or the "small college spirit;" and they lead to a mug-hunting which, though long since despised in individuals, you are now helping to make fashionable if prosecuted by the University as a whole.

Now Harvard has hitherto stood for a conception of athletics which we all know and believe in. And further the CRIMSON has much influence. But if you put this influence at the service of any coaches who wish to give a team a public lashing; (I say this because this morning's editorial shows every sign of having been inspired by some one connected with the squad); if you allow yourself to let what are really the expressions of interested parties appear to come from some impartial and justly indignant member of the onlooking student body by publishing communications anonymously, you will soon create a new state of things entirely. The season's training will be made a real night-mare for the players, and cheering practice by the rest of the University will become as important as the work of the squad. The fun of the game will be spoilt for all. HENRY JAMES, 2D, 3L.