Recount Works to Lift Harvard From Tradition, States Playfair

Terming the Senior Marshal recount, "good-natured" and asserting that such occurrences "work for the best in lifting the institution (Harvard) from the withered hand of tradition," Robert S. Playfair '36, one of the two Juniors in charge of the election, expressed his opinion on the significance of the present situation in a written statement yesterday.

He joined with Braman Gibbs '36, the other Junior, in saying, "We take every responsibility for the unfortunate mistake in the recent Senior Election, and regret that the excellent work of the other men should be marred by a stupid error on our part." They both issued an explanation also on the technical details of the recount.

Good For the College

In his separate statement, however, Playfair says, "While I sympathize with the candidates affected by the recount, I am inclined to disagree with the popular superstition that the recount irreparably mars the even surface of Harvard history for the last 300 years.

"I do not wish to align myself with theater-bombing syndicates, William Randolph Hearst, or the NSL, but merely believe that such anomalies in Harvard life as discontinuance of a matutinal seven o'clock alarm, discontinuance of a reading knowledge of hieroglyphics as an entrance requirement, and an occasional good-natured recount all work for the best in lifting the institution (Harvard) from the withered hand of tradition."

Playfair also stated that the recount results may be regarded as final and that Herman Gundlach' Jr. '35, is officially First Marshal. An authoritative source told the CRIMSON last night, however, that the recount could not be regarded as final until confirmed by the Student Council.

No Action at Present

A representative from the Student Council announced that no action will be taken until next week when most of the members of the Council will be in Cambridge.

Indications point to the supposition that the Council will uphold the decision of its appointees. Following their usual policy, University Hall will take no action. Thus any steps will probably have to be taken by either the Senior Class or Gundlach.

As far as could be ascertained no one in Cambridge has yet heard whether Gundlach, who will reach Cambridge today from Houghton, Michigan, will accept his election. Nothing has been heard from him since E. Francis Bowditch '35, president of the Council and displaced Marshal, telegraphed him the news at the time of his appointment.

The Recount Explanation

In the first tabulation Bowditch received 397 votes to Gundlach's 381 while the second count gave Gundlach 379 to Bowditch's 379, their official explanation reads. In counting the elections, they tabulated the ballots for each office separately.

Somehow in the tabulation for marshal nine unsigned ballots were includ- ed by mistake in the recording. These nine ballots which were rejected gave Bowditch 6 votes for first counting 18; one vote for second counting two; and two votes for third counting two. This made a total of 22 votes which had to be subtracted from his total. These nine ballots contained only two votes for Gundlach for Third Marshal, so he lost only two votes