BITTER BEER

Upperclassmen, who are annoyed to find empty tables in crowded dining halls reserved for men over twenty-one, will not be surprised to read this morning that the restoration of beer to the Houses threatens the College with a thousand dollar deficit. The early expectations that Harvard men would revel in absorbing large quantities of the beverage have been disappointed by the evidence.

Three reasons which have come to light during the first year of the experiment make its advocacy no longer desirable. First of all, men under twenty-one are not permitted the privilege due to the State law. Since half the men in the Houses are minors, half of the market is immediately curtailed. Friends will not separate for meals, and the red tape involved in proving one's age tends to make a pleasure a burden. Secondly, beer was advocated before the repeal of Prohibition when 3.2 brew first became legal. The enthusiasm with which undergraduates greeted the harder liquors took away from the attractions of beer. And last of all, beer has failed to catch Harvard's fancy. This may be due to the age restrictions or the cheapness of beer elsewhere, but it has not been popular.

Since the experiment is costing money for these reasons, it seems best to discontinue it as far as the Houses are concerned. The night lunches in Eliot House, the Business School, and the Medical School, however, have been able to sell beer successfully. If an investigation reveals that its sale is profitable, and that licenses will not be more expensive for them alone, perhaps the experiment can be carried on in these places.