THE H. A. A. BUDGET

The decade of the Twenties, with its huge gate receipts and its generous gifts from alumni, left Harvard with one of the finest athletic plants in the country. In common with other colleges, the Athletic Association during the past year has had increasing difficulty in keeping that plant out of the red. Beside the elimination of the "frills" which flourished in the years when money poured into the coffers of the H.A.A., resort has been had to curtailment of the number of trips allowed the various teams, and to moderate reductions in the size and salaries of the coaching staff. In making-up its budget for next year, the Athletic Association is faced with the necessity of making still further economies by either of two alternative measures. One is to charge a uniform fee, similar to the present Participation Ticket, to every student who wishes to use the athletic facilities of the University, including men on Varsity, Second Varsity, and other teams, who now have free use of the facilities. The other possibility is to curtail trips which do not pay for themselves. Either of these measures is calculated to bring the budget into balance unless next year's football receipts fall below expectations.

The proposal of a uniform fee for all students taking part in athletics of any sort is a reasonable one. A few players on Varsity teams may feel that they help to bring in gate receipts far in excess of any expense they cause the Athletic Association, but the greater number who play on minor sports teams make no such financial contribution, and should be taxed for the use of the athletic equipment just as much as the man who takes his exercise individually.

While this would bring in revenue sufficient to balance the budget, it is by no means certain, however, that all of the increased income should be used for that purpose. Many men are deterred at present from taking part in athletics through a feeling that the existing fee of $10 for a participation ticket and $4 for a locker is too high. By making the fee applicable to all men, it would be possible to reduce it to about $8, at the same time halving the locker tee, and still leave a net increase in revenue to be applied to the budget.

If this course of action were followed, some curtailment of trips and of games with colleges which demand excessive guarantees would have to be made to complete the necessary savings. Since Harvard teams have fewer trips away from home than practically any other college the necessity of this action is to be regretted. But as an emergency measure it is impossible to deny its expediency.