ANNUAL CRIMSON DINNER

The CRIMSON celebrated its thirty-fourth anniversary on Saturday with a very successful dinner in the Union which was attended by about 70 past and present editors of the paper and it predecessors. Mr. H. M. Williams '85, as toastmaster, introduced the speakers with clever and appropriate remarks.

J. M. Morse '07, who spoke on the "Senior Board," pointed out that some of the most helpful suggestions this year had come from graduate editors, and expressed the desire that graduates should take an even more active interest. He described the two new boards, which had been established during the past year: the Graduate Advisory Board and the Editorial Board, which assists the president in his work.

After a humorous talk by S. Ervin '08, in which he outlined the policy of the Junior board for next year, Mr. H. C. Merwin '74, one of the original board of the "Magenta," briefly described the origin and character of that paper. There is a great contrast between our time and yours, explained Mr. Merwin. We had no office, no sanctum, nor any visible means of support, and there were only nine editors, including the business editors. Although there were too many publications at the time we started, we decided that the character of the Advocate had become a little two academic, and we wanted to combat it.

H. James, Jr., '99, in speaking on "The Graduate Advisory Board," said that ever since the CRIMSON was started the relations between the business management and the editorial board had been very distinct until this Graduate Board was formed. The margin for risk and trouble is great in the advent of an incapable business manager, and therefore it has been deemed expedient to form a graduate committee whose authority is entirely advisory. This board can call upon the business manager to submit a report of the condition of the paper when considered advisable. Thus, although the graduates act as advisers, all decisions are left to the undergraduates.

The Yale News was represented at the dinner by W. G. Davis, Jr., '08. As the the public understand it, said Mr. Davis, there are varying periods of friendship between Harvard and Yale, but it spite of what the papers say, the sentiment of the undergraduates has not changed in the slightest during the past year. The joy was unanimous when the news was brought to New Haven of the report of the Governing Boards in favor of athletics at Harvard, and there is no reason why friendship should not continue as it has hitherto. We have the same ideals, the same aims, and the same ambitions that you have, as Professor Lowell indicated in his recent lecture at Yale. The greatest foe to our friendship is the newspaper reporter, and we at Yale have learned not to believe any of the stories published in certain Boston papers.

K.D. Miller '08, the representative of the Daily Princetonian, said that the relations between Harvard and Princeton have always been most cordial. In the last two years, especially, these relations have been noticed more and more, and the third baseball game, which has been arranged in case of a tie is an adequate proof of this fact. I agree with Mr. Morse that a football game should be arranged. To make our relations still closer another branch of sport has been adopted, namely, rowing, which it is our desire to establish on an equality with Harvard and Yale.

S. W. Shoemaker '08, the representative of the Cornell Daily Sun, gave an interesting account of the methods employed by that paper. The CRIMSON is ahead of the Sun in at least one department namely, in the fact that the board is much larger. The board of the Sun includes only ten men, who regard the paper purely from a business standpoint. The CRIMSON also has a social side which is lacking at Cornell. We feel at Cornell that we are a trifle nearer Harvard than any other University, and our relations in this respect are continually growing. In fact, a number of the original members of the Cornell faculty were Harvard men.

Joshua Crane, Jr., '90, one of the invited guests, gave a brief talk on "Athletics." A healthy body and a healthy pride in that body, said Mr. Crane, are essentials of life, and a person cannot afford to ignore this fact. We are not to encourage an inordinate amount of muscle, but enough for endurance and all the necessities of life. The way to get this is by outdoor exercise. Now, what the human mind wants in outdoor exercise is recreation, and not work. The Marathon run gives us an example of what men will do who are inspired with an incentive, and some incentive is evidently necessary. It should be our aim then to encourage an interest in all sports and games which do not interfere with college work, and the best way to do this is by competitive sports with other colleges.

The "Bi-Weekly Crimson" was the subject of the speech by Mr. W. R. Thayer '81. The paper, which we originated was a fortnightly issue, the father of the "Daily Crimson." The board was made up of about 15 men besides two business managers. We were the public opinion in those days, and the fortnightly papers took life seriously; but because the Advocate was then in existence no outsider knew which was public opinion. The president in those days was "It," not from any ambition, or desire, but because other editors brought their articles very irregularly. The paper came out Friday and all the material had to be in the hands of the president by Wednesday. The result was that he usually spent Thursday in writing various articles and poems to fill the paper.

Mr. J. D. Greene '96 described the aims of the Harvard Alumni Association and its new work. The office in Boston, said Mr. Greene, will be in charge of Mr. E. H. Wells '97, who will also undertake the extensive task of editing the quinquennial catalogue, which is to contain a complete record of all former students in the University. Mr. Wells will also be the editor of the Harvard Bulletin, and will continue to have charge of the Harvard appointment office. In his new position there is a chance for rendering a new and real service, which should turn out most valuable. Great prospects are open for Harvard University and no spirit is lacking anywhere. The CRIMSON can help chiefly by being the best possible exponent of the opinion of the University.

Hon. Josiah Quincy '80 in speaking on "Journalism and Politics" said that journalism is certainly entitled to rank among the great professions and should have a much higher object than the mere making of money. We should cultivate the highest possible conception of journalism from top to bottom, from the editor-in-chief to the reporter. It seems to me, said Mr. Quincy, that the need for University men as reporters is very great. The function of the reporter is not low, but most important, and if the tone of the press is to be raised, it must be through the reporters. Let us then get educated men upon our papers, and lot. Harvard graduates start at the bottom, for it takes a man of education, trained mind, and high standards, to be a good reporter.

The relations between journalism and politics are more closely related than any other two branches of human activity. Journalism tends to make politics and politics make government, which is a high enough object for any man to strive to improve. Politics and journalism go hand in hand, and the one reacts upon the other. A low condition of politics means a low condition of journalism and vice versa. If we are endeavoring to reach politics through journalism the educated man should as soon as possible eliminate the disturbing quality of personality. Personality should be subordinated to the ideal, and we should look at public questions in the free light of reason, logic, and principles