PARASITIC PAMPHLETS

Appearing like worms on the sidewalk after a rainstorm, petty publications are deluging the students with adolescent tripe. The appearance of a second number of the Yale, Harvard, Princeton Guide gives evidence that these parasites can exist and, in fact, are right now likely of becoming a permanent fixture.

There are three excuses only for periodical publication: the presentation of literature in artistic form, the exposal and attack of reprehensible conditions otherwise unattackable, and the presentation of a necessary news service. These petty publications fall into none of these categories. They exist only as the media for advertising copy, and their only purpose is to enlarge the emoluments of the publishers. They neither amuse nor instruct. On the other hand their mere existence is a detrimental influence.

The general impression from cover to cover in every one so far is that undergraduates are gin-guzzling, dance-mad, clothes-buying, class-cutting fools. In the feature article of each one a cynical, sophisticated attitude is adopted and unprovoked attacks are flung impartially at the undergraduates, faculty, and traditions of universities in general. This, according to the recent report of the Carnegie Foundation, is definitely not the trend undergraduates are taking.

Pamphleteering, since the days of Thomas Paine, has been the means to an altruistic end. In its present undergraduate form it becomes a noisome commercial means to a selfish end. Advertisers should realize that circulation figures of publications for which there is no charge are entirely in the hands of the publishers, consequently, of no value. The large piles of unclaimed free Guides on the House periodical shelves should attest this fact. If the publishers still feel in the mood to foist their unfunny copy on the University without the revenue derived from advertising, then and only then will their publication be justified. Then, perhaps, they may call their magazines art.