Intolerable Elections

(The Crimson invites all men in the University to submit signed communications of timely interest. It responsibility, however, for sentiments expressed under this head and reserves the right to exclude any whose publication would be palpably inappropriate.)

To the Editor of the CRIMSON:

This morning's mail came to me with a card from the 1923 Election Committee, calling my attention to the fact that I had not as yet cast my vote in the class election of officers. The Committee's urgent notice failed to attract me to the polls; but it served to crystallise the reasons which have kept me away from them. It is because I think these reasons to be of interest to other undergraduates that I have addressed this letter to the CRIMSON.

First of all, I did not stay away from the polls because I considered class officers unnecessary. This excuse is in my opinion a piece of camouflage invented by irate individuals who are unwilling to look the matter squarely in the face. Class officers are necessary, although not, as the Election Committee would have us believe, for the success of the Junior Dance.

No; my aversion to voting is otherwise explained. In a word, I believe that the system of election is grievourly at fault, in that it is not adapted to conditions at Harvard. For more than forty percent of Harvard undergraduates are not personally acquainted with those of their class-mates who become candidates for office. "Harvard indifference" and "Harvard snobbishness" have prevented them from acquiring any intimate knowledge upon which to base their choice of officers; and under these conditions it would be handle honorable for them to select any of the names mentioned in the ballot. Their choice would have to be determined by nationality, hearsay, or some such ridiculous principle as musical assonance or rhythm.

"Why, then," the Election Committee might demand, "do not the disgruntled ones propose their own candidates, and have their names entered in the ballot, according to the charter of the class" We answer: Simply because they realize the hopeless impotence of their isolated votes as compared with the united vote of those gentlemen who know, or think they know, the popular candidates. Furthermore, they do not wish to go through the tedious process of circulating a petition and soliciting signatures.

But the situation is not hopeless, and there are many measures which might help to drive away the clouds of discontent. To begin with, why not hold an open meeting, in which the aspirants for office might address the voters on the subject of their candidacy? This would give all a chance to "size up" the men, and to get at least a superficial impression of their relative merits.

Secondly, and by conclusion, let us all "get together" and foster a spirit of decent good-fellowship. The lack of class spirit is not manifested by failure to vote, but by the conditions which make election intolerable. ELIOT G. FAY '23. October 21, 1921.